March is Fraud Prevention Month

 

Each year, Canadians lose millions of dollars by falling victim to scams and fraud.  Educating yourself on common scams can help prevent you from becoming a victim.

It’s hard to keep up with all the many different kinds of scams. There are also new ones all the time.  Your best defense is to educate yourself and do your research before spending money.

To help you out, Crime Prevention Ottawa has developed a new information sheet:  Identifying a Scam:  Do Your Research and Protect Yourself!

Read it!  Share it! Don’t get fooled.

Help us spread the word – share this with a friend or colleague.

 

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Victories and questions about projects in Westboro: Triplexes, long semis and a meeting

Victories and questions about projects in Westboro

A big thank you to the community for rallying around neighbours on Roosevelt and Cole who were concerned about the latest applications for long semis, these large, overwhelming projects that continue to proliferate in our Ward. At the Committee of Adjustment (CoA) meetings on March 6 and March 20, over a hundred people turned out between the two meetings to express their misgivings about long semis proposed at 508,514 Roosevelt and 582 Churchill. The meeting on March 20 for 694 Roosevelt was for a pair of triplexes to replace a single family home. Also, we need to mention all those who wrote and emailed the City expressing their concern. The result was the CoA accepted the Churchill project but rejected the Roosevelt ones.

 

It just goes to show that working together has an effect! We want to thank everyone who made their views known, especially the immediate neighbours who went to great efforts, and Eric Milligan for rallying the troops through his savewestboro@icloud.com email.  Of course, the developers Falsetto Homes and Kenwood Homes are filing appeals for the decisions for 508 and 514 Roosevelt with the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT), so it is likely we will to fight this battle over again.  And again and again . . . there is no sign of this type of application stopping anytime soon.  Stay tuned!

 

Next: triplexes up for rezoning so they can add a fourth dwelling in the basement. Unlike previous projects (Byron/Ravenshill) that were requesting a change from R3 to R4 to allow the fourth unit (making it a low rise apartment building) , these properties already have an R4 designation, meaning a low rise apartment building is permitted. The developer has been upfront about adding the fourth dwelling from the start. But he/she still needs zoning changes to accommodate reduced interior side yard, lot area, lot width and amenity areas. In other words – it will be built out to the very limits of the lot. But the question in our minds is: why do this in a two-step process? Why not just present a low-rise apartment concept to the City and go forward from there?

Let’s attend the meeting hosted by Councillor Leiper and find out:

 

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 6-8 p.m.

CHURCHILL SENIORS CENTRE

345 RICHMOND ROAD

Triplexes at 694 Roosevelt at Committee of Adjustment this Wednesday

As you may know from earlier posts, a developer represented by the consultant Miroca Design has submitted an application to the Committee of Adjustment to build two triplexes at 694 Roosevelt; these are outside Councillor Leiper’s moratorium on triplexes. The project goes to Committee of Adjustment Wednesday, March 20.  There is a meeting prior to the CoA on Monday.  Neighbours in the immediate area need your support on stopping or mitigating this project:

How you can help:

Participate in the information meeting:

Monday, March 18, 6:30 p.m.

Dovercourt Community Centre

Attend the Committee of Adjustment meeting:

Wednesday, March 20, 1:00 p.m.

101 Centrepointe Drive

Read the attached flyer prepared by your neighbours  that provides details about the project and who to email/contact to convey your concerns:

UPDATED INFO: 6-UNIT PROPOSAL AT 694 ROOSEVELT

*** The Committee of Adjustments meeting is now March 20***

ARE YOU OPPOSED TO UNREASONABLE INTENSIFICATION?

A developer is proposing to build two triplexes (6 units) at 694 Roosevelt Avenue. We are against this over-intensification for several reasons, including that it would set a precedent for future development. These could be built everywhere. We are looking for you to join us.

HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP:

1. Learn more. See the developer’s application and other info on our shared drive:

https://drive.google.com/drive/mobile/my-drive?usp=docs_web

2. Submit your comments in writing to the Committee of Adjustments by email or by post:

• Email: cofa@ottawa.ca cc: jeff@kitchissippiward.ca (copy our Councillor Jeff Leiper’s office on all correspondence) OR
• Mail: Committee of Adjustments, 101 Centrepointe Dr, Nepean, ON K2G 5K7
  • Make your comments as personal as possible, with all the ways this development would impact you and your property. If you are comfortable with the minor variances arguments, use those! Some other ideas include: how it would affect privacy, street parking, noise, lighting, drainage, loss of green space, traffic, safety of children, precedent for future developers

3. ATTEND THE COMMITTEE OF ADJUSTMENTS MEETING ON MARCH 20

• The meeting was adjourned to March 20 at 1:00 p.m. at 101 Centerpointe Drive
• It is extremely important to have a good turn-out at this meeting. Otherwise, they will argue there isn’t much opposition.
• We are offering rides. Please contact us at the email below.

Consider appointing a representative if you cannot attend the meeting, or if you cannot submit anything in writing to the Committee of Adjustments. This can be done by emailing the Committee of Adjustment: Emily.Monette@ottawa.ca. We will also compile a list of neighbours who are opposed but cannot attend. Let us know if you want to be on this list.

For more information and to get involved, please contact:

Your Roosevelt/Cole neighbours: roosevelthomeowners@gmail.com

Westboro Community Association: hellowestboro@yahoo.ca

NOTE: Everyone is welcome! Individuals who are paralegals or lawyers would give our arguments extra weight. We are also looking for people who excel at giving presentations.

Open House to Discuss Applications on Winona and Tweedsmuir

When is a triplex an apartment building?  This keeps happening . . .

There are two similar applications circulating for 348-350 Winona Ave and 341-343 Tweedsmuir Ave.

348-350 Winona – Zoning By-Law Amendment Application and Site Plan Control to facilitate the establishment of a fourth unit in basement of each existing triplexes already built. This would change the building to a low-rise apartment building. 

341-343 Tweedsmuir Ave – Zoning By-Law Amendment Application to facilitate the establishemtn of a fourth unit in the basement of each existing triplexes already built. This would also change the building to a low-rise apartment building. 

You can review both applications further on DevApps (Winona / Tweedsmuir).  You can send any comments on the applications to Jeff.Leiper@Ottawa.ca and / or Fiona.Mitchell@Ottawa.ca, as well as to the lead planner on the file Jean-Charles Renaud (Jean-Charles.Renaud@Ottawa.ca). Please note that feedback can be given up to and after the open house.

Since these two applications are similar and are close in geography, Jeff Leiper’s office is hosting an open house to discuss both of these applications:

Wednesday, March 27

6:00-8:00pm

Churchill Senior’s Centre (upstairs townhall room)

The applicant’s team will be on hand to run through the two applications, and the lead planner will be available to field process questions. Jeff will facilitate a Q + A which will begin at 6:30pm.

The Closing of Support Centre for Local Planning Appeals

Some of you may have heard that the Ford government has decided to close down the Support Centre for communities and individuals who are struggling with a land use planning issue. Many have expressed concerns over this.  Here’s why:

When communities want to appeal a decision on land use, they can take it to the the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) – formerly the Ontario Municipal Board.  LPAT is an adjudicative tribunal that hears cases in relation to a range of municipal planning, financial and land matters. These include matters such as official plans, zoning by-laws, subdivision plans, consents and minor variances, land compensations, development charges, electoral ward boundaries, municipal finances, aggregate resources and other issues assigned by numerous Ontario statutes.

Challenging a decision by taking it to LPAT is lengthy and expensive process and most of us are not planning experts or lawyers.  This was where the Support Centre came into play; it was there to help and give advice.

Now, suddenly, it has been closed. There was no official announcement, just an email from the Centre to all its clients.

Greenspace Alliance, Ecology Ottawa and the Federation of Citizens’ Associations have launched a petition about this issue and seeking support.

On the LeadNow.ca platform they have created a means for sending a letter to the Hon. Caroline Mulroney, Attorney General of Ontario, to protest the move. Go here to sign the letter or create your own:

https://you.leadnow.ca/petitions/don-t-shut-down-the-support-centre-for-local-planning-appeals.

Short form: https://you.leadnow.ca/p/keeptheLPASC.

Spread the word! The above information is also available on the Greensapce Alliance web site:

http://greenspace-alliance.ca/index.php/2019/03/04/dont-shut-down-the-support-centre-for-local-planning-appeals/  — shortlink: https://wp.me/p8kfbP-2nz.

 

Meeting Alerts! Two important meetings on Monday and Tuesday

LRT Phase 2: Station for Cleary moved without any consultation onto Byron Park

Many of us were shocked to find the location of this station has been changed. Councillor Leiper with Bay Ward Councillor Theresa Kavanagh have organized a meeting so residents can find out what happened and ask questions:

MONDAY MARCH 4, 7 to 8:30 pm

First Unitarian Congregation, 30 Cleary Avenue

The assault on Roosevelt continues …

A developer, represented by the consultant, Miroca Design, has submitted an application to the Committee of Adjustment to build two triplexes at 694 Roosevelt. As you may know, Councillor Leiper arranged for a moratorium on triplexes in a specified area in our neighbourhood, but this development falls outside this designation. Neighbours in the immediate area have insisted the developer hold a public meeting about this project and need our support:

TUESDAY MARCH 5, 6:30 PM

Churchill Seniors Centre, 345 Richmond Road

The Committee of Adjustment meeting could be on March 6 or March 20: we are waiting for confirmation on this. These meetings are held at 101 Centrepointe Drive.  More information will be posted here later.

Please see the attached poster prepared by neighbours on Roosevelt.

 

Neighbour handout Feb28.2 (2)

 

First Big Meeting for Official Plan!

 

It’s imperative that we in Westboro get involved with the development of the City’s new Official Plan. The Official Plan is the strategic document that guides our city’s growth and development, and it will impact how and where the city will grow around us, now and for years to come.

Open house:

Monday, March 4, 12 to 8 p.m.

Context presentations at 12:30 and 5:30 p.m. in Council Chambers

Ottawa City Hall, Jean Pigott Place and Council Chambers

110 Laurier Avenue West

At this event, you can learn about the process of preparing a new Official Plan and ask City staff your questions about the project. If you can’t attend in person, join us on Facebook for a livestream of the presentations at 12:30 and 5:30 p.m.