Ottawa could allow 3-storey buildings in all neighbourhoods under new zoning bylaw

The final draft of the city’s new zoning bylaw could open the door for three-storey homes across the capital. CTV’s Austin Lee reports.

Three-storey buildings could be permitted in all neighbourhoods across the City of Ottawa as part of changes to the city’s zoning bylaw.

The City of Ottawa released an update on the final draft of the new zoning bylaw ahead of public consultations in September, which will include an open house at the EY Centre on Sept. 23.

The zoning bylaw review is intended to form a key component of the comprehensive strategy to address housing affordability and supply in Ottawa.

A memo for members of the planning and housing committee and agriculture and rural affairs committee shows the final draft of the zoning bylaw will propose permitting a maximum building height of 11 metres in all urban neighbourhoods.

“This implements a general permission for three storeys citywide, except where secondary plan policies require lower height or where height provisions are in place that limit heights to less than three storeys,” said Derrick Moodie, director of Planning Services, Planning, Development and Building Services Department.

According to Moodie, a maximum height of three-storeys will support the construction of “larger, family-sized dwelling units in four- to six-unit buildings.”

Other changes in the third draft of the new zoning bylaw include reducing the setback for the tower portion of a high-rise building from low-rise buildings from 30 metres to 25 metres and increasing the maximum height for a high-rise building from 27 storeys to 30 storeys.

In a suburban area, the height of a high-rise building will be limited to 18 storeys when located farther than 600 metres from a transit station.

Moodie says the final draft of the zoning bylaw will require 25 per cent of parking spaces in mid-rise and high-rise buildings to be “EV-ready,” which means that energized outlets with electrical wiring will be required to be installed.

The final draft of the new zoning bylaw will be released on Sept. 8, and councillors will finalize the plan on Dec. 17.