HERITAGE OTTAWA
UPDATE | May 24: Ottawa City Council has voted in favour of the recommendations of city staff, the Built Heritage Subcommittee and Heritage Ottawa to refuse the demolition of 270 Buchan Road, a grade 1 property in the Rockcliffe HCD.
Thank you to City Council, and to everyone who contacted the Mayor and their Councillors to request their support of our city's designated heritage. Your voice matters!
This Wednesday morning, Ottawa City Council will vote on whether to allow demolition of a significant heritage property in a designated Heritage Conservation District.
There has been no fire, no flood, no demolition-by-neglect or other disaster that might warrant the demolition of 270 Buchan Road, a "grade 1" property that contributes to the character of the Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District.
The property owner has applied for permission to demolish the home in order to build a larger residence.
Major alterations to local properties designated under Part V the Ontario Heritage Act, such as 270 Buchan, require a heritage application and the ultimate approval of Ottawa City Council. Demolitions of contributing heritage buildings are generally permitted only under extraordinary circumstances.
City heritage staff considered the application and prepared a report recommending refusal of the demolition of 270 Buchan Road.
Heritage Ottawa reviewed the application and submitted its strong position to the city that there is no justification for the demolition of a grade 1 building in a heritage district. (see item 3 at link)
The city's Built Heritage Sub-Committee considered the application at its meeting of April 13, and also recommended that the application to demolish 270 Buchan be refused.
When the city's Planning Committee met on April 25, however, a tie vote resulted in the Committee's recommendation to Ottawa City Council to approve the application to demolish 270 Buchan.
City Council will have the final say when it votes on the morning of Wednesday, May 24.
The Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District, one of 18 designated heritage conservation districts (HCDs) in Ottawa, was originally designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act in 1997. An updated HCD Plan for the District, unanimously approved by Ottawa City Council in 2016, is currently under appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) by Richcraft Homes, which owns the property at 270 Buchan Road and has applied for permission to demolish.
"The proposed application for demolition would be prohibited by both the former Rockcliffe Heritge Conservation District Study and the current Plan. Moreover, although the by-law incorporating the new Plan is under appeal, the recently-approved plan stands as clear Council policy direction" stated Councillor Tobi Nussbaum for the city staff report. If City Council refuses the application to demolish, Richcraft's demolition application would be heard together with its appeal of the updated Plan at the OMB hearing.
Last week the provinicial government announced proposed plans to replace the OMB with a new system.
Heritage Ottawa adamantly opposes the demolition of 270 Buchan Road. Barring extraordinary circumstances absent here, there is no justification for demolition of a grade 1 building in a designated Heritage Conservation District, and no precedent for such a demolition in the twenty year history of the Rockcliffe HCD.
City Council's decision on Wednesday morning has potential implications for all designated heritage properties in the City of Ottawa.
Heritage Ottawa urges all concerned citizens who value the preservation of Ottawa's designated heritage properties to contact your Ward Councillor and Mayor Watson before Wednesday morning, asking that they support the recommendations of city staff, the Built Heritage Subcommittee and Heritage Ottawa to refuse the demolition of 270 Buchan Road.
CLICK HERE or HERE for a proposed email to send to Mayor Watson and your local Councillor.
See the contact list below and add your Councillor's email address to the "TO" field.
Your voice can help to preserve the integrity of Ottawa's designated heritage properties.
UPDATE | MAY 24, 2017: CLICK HERE to see how council members voted at today's Ottawa City Council meeting.
Bob.Monette@ottawa.ca / Ward 1 Orléans
jody.mitic@ottawa.ca / Ward 2 Innes
jan.harder@ottawa.ca / Ward 3 Barrhaven
Marianne.Wilkinson@ottawa.ca / Ward 4 Kanata North
Eli.El-Chantiry@ottawa.ca / Ward 5 West Carleton-March
Shad.Qadri@ottawa.ca / Ward 6 Stittsville
Mark.Taylor@ottawa.ca / Ward 7 Bay
Rick.Chiarelli@ottawa.ca / Ward 8 College
Keith.Egli@ottawa.ca / Ward 9 Knoxdale-Merivale
Diane.Deans@ottawa.ca / Ward 10 Gloucester-Southgate
Tim.Tierney@ottawa.ca / Ward 11 Beacon-Hill-Cyrville
Mathieu.Fleury@ottawa.ca / Ward 12 Rideau-Vanier
Tobi.Nussbaum@ottawa.ca / Ward 13 Rideau-Rockcliffe
Catherine.Mckenney@ottawa.ca / Ward 14 Somerset
Jeff.Leiper@ottawa.ca / Ward 15 Kitshissippi
Riley.Brockington@ottawa.ca / Ward 16 River
David.Chernushenko@ottawa.ca / Ward 17 Capital
Jean.Cloutier@ottawa.ca / Ward 18 Alta Vista
Stephen.Blais@ottawa.ca / Ward 19 Cumberland
George.Darouze@ottawa.ca / Ward 20 Osgoode
Scott.Moffatt@ottawa.ca / Ward 21 Rideau-Goulbourn
Michael.Qaqish@ottawa.ca / Ward 22 Gloucerster-South Nepean
Allan.Hubley@ottawa.ca / Ward 23 Kanata South
