Community Planning Permit (CPP) Study – Kanata North Economic District

Community planning permit pilot study

The City of Ottawa has initiated a pilot study to introduce and test the community planning permit (CPP) system

The community planning permit system is a land use planning tool that Ontario municipalities can use when planning for the future of their communities. It is a tool that combines three development processes by addressing zoning, minor variance and site plan control under one planning permit application. One combined process provides a complete picture of a proposed development, rather than looking at only one component at a time. Review of a permit application is based on a CPP by-law that incorporates policies, objectives, land use regulations, as well as urban design requirements that are created to reflect a local shared vision. Approval timelines are shortened from 90 days to 45 days, with most permits granted through staff delegated authority. Subdivisions, severances and building permits are not covered under this system.

See the Discussion Paper that outlines the differences between traditional planning and CPP systems, and between their different development application approval processes.

See the Commercial Development Scenarios showing the difference between traditional development and CPP application approval processes..

Comments and questions are welcome and should be sent to the Community Planning Permit (CPP) - Permis de planification communautaire (PPC) email: CPP-PPC@ottawa.ca

Study area

The Kanata North Economic District has been selected for the CPP pilot study as it complements the proposed designation of the area as a Special Economic District in the City’s new Official Plan and builds on the momentum that has been created in the past few years by the landowners and the Kanata North Business Association (KNBA). The Kanata North Economic District Concept Plan and the policies in the new Official Plan propose to evolve the Park from a 1970’s business park into a globally-significant, state-of-the-art 21st-Century special economic and mixed-use district that attracts talent, supports creative interactions and a culture of innovation where people live, work, learn, connect and play.

The redevelopment of Kanata North Economic District under the CPP system will enable opportunities for economic growth in an enviable, livable and connected community.

Project Overview

The City will work closely with the Kanata North Economic District landowners and businesses to create a shared vision for how the suburban business park will transform. The Kanata North Economic District concept plan and OP policies will form the starting points for this study with opportunities for stakeholders to participate in the plan and design for areas within the park. The overall goals for the transformation of the tech park into a 21^st Century innovation district may be found in the Kanata North Economic District Urban Design Framework and Guidelines.

The CPP process, resulting in a Kanata North Economic District-specific CPP By-law, will contain detailed policies, objectives and regulations for areas and sub-areas within the park, including March Road and Legget Drive. The Planning Act also enables municipalities to regulate site alteration, including the placement of fill and grading and landscaping, including protecting and preserving vegetation and trees within the CPP By-law. The process provides flexibility in design and land use by relaxing some traditional zoning regulations while focusing on those regulations that will achieve the vision and ensure that natural environmental areas and features are protected.

CPP benefits in the planning process:

• Front-ending the community planning process with stakeholder involvement
• Detailed visioning with stakeholders is intended to create a more stable community vision with clear policies, objectives and rules
• A shorter planning process with more predictable outcomes
• More flexibility for land uses and development standards
• Enhanced ability for the City to protect the environment and create healthy communities
• With minor built-in variations allowed, development must conform to reflect the CPP By-law, making it more difficult to obtain permit approval for projects that are out of scope with the shared vision
• Once the shared vision has been developed, with policies and regulations created and approved in the CPP By-law, third-party appeals are not permitted in the permit approval process
• One combined permit approval process will reduce the number of appeals

Project phases

The pilot study consists of five phases:

1. Phase 1 - Project Initiation (August 2020 to October 2021)
   High-level Official Plan CPP System policies, geographical scoping, project charter, creation of working groups and CPP-related research.
   
   
2. Phase 2 - CPP By-law Strategy (October 2021 to December 2023)
   Visioning Exercises through local stakeholder engagement, with shared vision created and urban design framework developed.
   
   Discussion Paper on the use and value of piloting the Community Planning Permit system uploaded to webpage with request for comments.
   
   
3. Phase 3 - CPP By-law (December 2023 to March 2025)
   Strategy Paper is prepared that details the policies, guidelines, regulation and conditions that could be included in the CPP By-law that will be uploaded to webpage with request for comments.
   
   Draft CPP By-law is drafted and circulated to working groups and stakeholders. CPP application processes and procedure are developed.
   
   
4. Phase 4 - Adoption of Pilot CPP By-law (September 2025)
   Formal Open House, formal public meeting, finalization of CPP application process
   
   
5. Post-Adoption (September 2025 to November 2027)
   Possible CPP By-law appeals, two-year monitoring period, planning report on monitoring results and recommendations on future of CPP System in study area and in other areas of the City

Next Steps

City staff have been working with local stakeholders and will continue to do so. They are also developing engagement plans for both local and city-wide stakeholder groups and meetings will be scheduled.

Contact

Elizabeth (Beth) Desmarais, M.C.I.P., R.P.P.
Planner/Project Lead
Planning, Development and Building Services
Email: Elizabeth.desmarais@ottawa.ca