The first draft of the new zoning bylaw (ZBL) did drop at the end of May, and we have the summer to review it before more public consultation in the fall. Despite what the Ford government says, community associations have a valuable contribution to make to shaping our communities. Council is a small handful of people. The planning staff for the ZBL seems to be only five or so people. The ZBL is a massive, detailed amount of information. No one person can be on top of it all. Communities have unequalled and intimate expertise in their own little territories. To get the ZBL right, communities must play a role in supporting their city. Ottawa staff and councillors seem to be genuinely eager to have our help on the ZBL. We expect engagement meetings specific to us to be held in the summer and/or fall.
How to get started
The whole deal begins at the Zoning Bylaw project’s Engage Ottawa website. It has the full text of the new ZBL. A good place to start there is the storymap “Ottawa is ready for a new Zoning By-law,” with a pictorial summary of the general philosophy.
Geomaps Ottawa has always been fun. Now, an interactive map of Ottawa offers a way to view the New Zoning By-law Draft 1, in relation to the Existing Zoning By-law. Enter your address and move a slider across the map to see the old zoning or the new zoning of your home.
What to do if you have a question
We’ve already noticed a couple of things to ask about in the bylaw. For example, some of the maps (schedules) were not updated with the latest decisions on the Official Plan. You can, of course, report it yourself—and the Engage Ottawa web site tells you how to do that—but we will be sending feedback on behalf of the community association, and it might be easier for you to contribute that way. If you see anything weird, or have any questions, let us know in the comments here, or send an email to the CBCLA.
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