Construction on the 13-storey building in Queenswood Heights is yet to begin, but it has already elicited opposition from residents worried about their community’s safety.
The Torgan Group plans to use a parcel on 3030 St. Joseph Blvd. for the residential project that will include a structure 41 m in height from street level, or 35 m when considering the change in grade. It will house 144 units, but this number still requires finalization.
The site’s current zoning classification only allows a maximum height of 25 m, or eight storeys. Since the proposed structure’s dimensions exceed the city-imposed limit, the developer would need to file for a zoning change.
To date, only a development application has been submitted to the city. It will be reviewed by the planning committee in January 2018, according to the Ottawa Citizen’s Dec.4 report.
While planning is underway for the project, its opposers continue their campaign efforts via email. Among the members is Orleans councillor Bob Monette, who has supported rezoning applications of high-rise projects in other parts of the city.
“This entrance is a gateway… to Queenswood Heights and should not be welcoming a 13-storey condo building. This property also has had a severe landslide and I would be very concerned with moving ahead with such a proposal,” Monette said. “I would welcome this proposal in other areas of my community but not at this location.”
Residents living along the hills are worried that the building’s three underground parking levels would compromise ground conditions and endanger their properties. They fear experiencing another landslide, after experiencing two in 1965.
Despite these complaints, the developer’s engineering consultants have concluded that the site is “adequate for the proposed development.”