LOCAL EVENTS

Alta Vista Market open on June 14 and will run Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm at St Thomas the Apostle, 2345 Alta Vista Drive

The market will run every Saturday until the fall.

Awesome Alta Vista Garage Sale, Saturday June 14 from 8 am to 1 pm across Ward 18

Looking for that hidden treasure? Hoping to unload some items that you have outgrown? Come take part. Participants are encouraged to donate a portion of their proceeds to the Heron Emergency Food Centre.

To be added to the Garage Sale Map please send your address including postal code to altavistacommunityassociation@gmail.com. A Garage Sale map will be available on the AVCA website.

PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

New Zoning By-law, changes to the Official Plan and Alta Vista-Faircrest Heights Secondary Plan

For those of you who are not aware, the City of Ottawa recently released a number of documents for public comment: proposed changes to the Official Plan for concordance with the November 2024 updates to the Provincial Policy Statement (comments for around May 15), the second draft of the Zoning By-law (comments for end of June), as well as the Transportation Master Plan.

The proposed changes to the Official Plan (including to the Alta Vista-Faircrest Heights Secondary Plan) and the second draft of the new Zoning By-law demonstrate the City’s desire to impose higher heights on minor corridors (up to six storeys). We originally thoughts these heights would be tempered by our existing Secondary Plan that characterizes the neighbourhood as Low-Rise (up to 4 storeys). However, there is now a proposal to amendment our Secondary Plan as part of the Official Plan changes that would do away with this designation. This would mean that Alta Vista ward minor corridors could be built up to six storeys (while, for example, the Bank Street Secondary Plan is not proposed for change and limits heights to four storeys on certain stretches of that street.)

See a recent article in the May VISTAS on pages 1 and 4 (written by myself and Garry Lindberg) for a higher level overview of the potential impacts of the proposed OP and zoning on the VISTAS catchment area.

Since the writing of this article I have met with Planning Department and Councillor Marty Carr to get a better understanding of the proposed changes for Faircrest Heights . One key point that I sought to convey was that disproportionately large swathes of Faircrest Heights (compared to other parts of the City) are proposed for higher density “evolving overlay”. At that meeting, Planning Department confirmed that there should not be an evolving overlay (increased density on streets beside Minor Corridors) which is positive news. Further to that, I urged that if Smyth Road to Lynda Lane is to be treated as a Minor Corridor, then the evolving overlay should not be put in place up to and including the north side of Roger Road (which is in the current proposal). Likewise, I pointed out that Balmoral Place houses back (not front) onto Smyth Road and are grade separated by a hill, and that the Bus Rapid Transit Station distance to Faircrest Heights is over a 10 minute uphill walk and that as a result of these two facts, Balmoral Place and the Heath portion of Faircrest Heights should not be slated to become evolving overlay.

While the City is making its decision, it would be helpful if residents who have views could share them with the City to op@ottawa.ca (regarding the Official Plan and Secondary Plan) and/or newzoning@ottawa.ca (regarding proposed zoning changes). Please cc me on any comments that are sent to the City to help form the FHCA position. We could also hold a Faircrest Heights discussion on this matter. Please let me know if there is appetite.

There is to be an interactive map that allows you to see the proposed zoning of your lot.

Marty Carr will be hosting 2 information sessions on the proposed zoning changes, the Transportation Master Plan and Changes to the Provincial Policy Statement on May 21st and 22nd and you can also share yours view in these fora. There will be an in-person session on Wednesday May 21 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at Jim Durrell Recreation Centre (1265 Walkley Road) in Ellwood Hall. The same information will be presented in a virtual format on Thursday May 22nd on Microsoft Teams from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. To register for either session, please follow this link.

The City is also hosting two New Zoning By-law Citywide virtual community information sessions on May 29th and June 3rd 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. Registration for the virtual Open Houses will open on May 15 at the City’s Zoning Engagement page. To receive news and updates directly on the New Zoning By-law or to provide comments email newzoning@ottawa.ca.

FHCA is liaising with the local Community Associations and the Federation of Citizens’ Associations to better understand and provide comments on the potential impacts of the proposed zoning and changes to the Official Plan at the neighbourhood and City level. If anyone is interested in getting involved, please let me know.


NEIGHBOURHOOD WELLNESS & SAFETY

A gentle reminder to lock and keep any valuables out of sight in your cars and to safely store your bikes.

City of Ottawa police (OPS) are introducing CAMSafe program to strengthen community safety. OPS is calling on residents with surveillance systems on their property to register and share recorded security footage with police when needed – officers do not have access to live footage and will only contact the public in the event an incident occurs in their areas and footage from the device might be of use in an investigation. The program strictly maintains privacy and security. This modernized approach to community safter is a new version of Neighbourhood Watch.

FAIRCREST HEIGHTS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

If you have some time to spare and are interested in getting involved in the community association or community, please let me know. There are a number of projects that could benefit from more attention (including the Faircrest Heights Park on Smyth Road across from the hospital).

Joyce Wright

It is with sadness that we note the passing of Joyce Wright founding president of Faircrest Heights Community Association. Joyce was a long time resident and whose good works are still felt today in Faircrest Heights in the children’s park on Billings and the memorial park across from the General Hospital.

Judy Korecky

President – Faircrest Heights Community Association