Resident Working Group: Community Concerns (March 2026)
TL;DR
A detailed 16-page submission from the directly adjacent buildings arguing for a maximum height of 18 storeys and identifying seven specific deficiencies in the applicant's Transportation Impact Assessment.
Key Points
- Supports intensification on the site but argues 38 storeys is inconsistent with Official Plan compatibility and gradual-transition policies.
- The OMB approved a maximum of 18 storeys at this site after a full contested hearing in 2014 (cases PL110686 and PL130794) — the current proposal doubles that height.
- The applicant's submission incorrectly describes 45 Spencer Street as 8 storeys; it is a 4-storey building. The 8-storey building is 320 Parkdale Avenue.
- The TIA's traffic counts at the most critical intersections are 6–9 years old and pre-date the 2024 Scott Street reconfiguration.
- The new Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus (opening ~2028, same assumed occupancy year) is entirely absent from the background traffic model, despite Parkdale Avenue being its primary north-south access route.
- All 322 parking spaces exit onto Spencer Street — winter conditions, cumulative queuing from three garage access points, move-in operations, and on-street waste placement are unanalyzed.
- No construction period traffic plan, no vibration monitoring commitment for adjacent buildings, no emergency corridor analysis.
Full Analysis
The full report is available as a PDF download. The update post provides a structured summary of all three concerns.