News Article

Villiage of Carp Development Plan

The City of Ottawa is developing a master plan for Carp's future development that is being pushed along by deadlines that are cutting off public participation which to date has been very limited and largely unknown by the general public. City staff have mailed out notices of community meetings and distributed information in other ways including a booth at last fall's Carp Fair but these have not been effective in motivating people to get involved. We believe the lack of knowledge about the impact that the new plan could potentially bring is what has left residents disinterested to date. The draft plan, in our opinion deserves a full airing in the community.

Here is how the City of Ottawa website describes the beginning of the process:

(From the City of Ottawa Website)

Community Design Plan for the Village of Carp

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Official Plan for Carp that was adopted by the former Township of West Carleton in 1992 did not plan for the eventual full servicing and development of all of the lands located within the current village boundary. Ottawa City Council has recognized the need for a plan to provide direction for how Carp will develop in the future and has made the completion of a Community Design Plan a priority.

A Community Design Plan establishes the residents' vision for the growth of their community. It provides detailed policies to more closely align growth and change to the community's expectations.

Under the City of Ottawa's new Official Plan, this type of community effort is conducted collaboratively. This means that individuals representing all issues pertinent to the community's growth will have the opportunity to express their views and work together to create the final plan.

This process has been undway for many months and a draft plan has been unveiled.  It proposes many changes for the village, some obviously good and others that many will find disturbing.  For example if all the areas currently designated for housing were built to the highest allowable density the population of the village would double.  Only very limited heritage protection is included and many changes to the streetscape and the content of the village are proposed.

Here is part of how they describe the heritage protection that is envisioned:

Designs which reflect and echo the historic character of the village will be encouraged;
Every effort shall be made to retain existing trees and vegetation when planning sites for new development in the Village Core;

Phrases such as “will be encouraged” and “every effort shall be made” leave it open to commercial interests to determine whether they will choose to comply.   If enough people in the village think that is enough protection then it fine but very few people were involved in the consultations that led to this draft.

The detailed draft plan can be viewed on the city’s website at:

http://www.ottawa.ca/public_consult/carp_village/index_en.shtml

The meat of the study can be viewed at the top right of that page under the heading Community Design Plan.

We feel that the city’s timetable that closes consultation in early May 2004 is simply too rushed.  If you think that is true then please contact Myles Mahon (myles.mahon@ottawa.ca) 613-580-2424, ext. 27817 at the City of Ottawa planning department and your Councilor, Eli El-Chantiry (613) 580-2475 (Eli.El-Chantiry@ottawa.ca).  Ask for more time and more public consultation.  The planned schedule that would see the plan going to Ottawa City council this summer is arbitrary with no significant projects or deadlines pushing it.

Miles can supply detail on the consultation process that was conducted under his supervision.