Jordan Moffatt

Similar process occured in Ottawa during its first comprehensive zoning in '64. City planners pushed to bar neighbourhood retail in places like Little Italy, considering stores and light industrial "undesirable intrusions into what would otherwise be a relatively good and homogenous area."

(Of course, as @jm-mcgrath.bsky.social has said, planning reform is cautious because “[municipalities] want the obstruction the current system creates.” The provincial government may feel the same. And so do many residents.)

In this way, Ontario municipalities can actually get the housing it needs built—by simplifying and standardizing rules, putting overall decision making at the right level, clearing roadblocks—while also giving communities autonomy and making citizens feel their voice matters where they live.

…But the implementation of these policies should come at the local level through a CPPS. Communities would work to create a land use plan that applies to their neighbourhoods in a way that reaches upper-level gov’t goals; development that meets the plans should proceed without further interference.

To that end, the overall growth policies and goals should come from the province (as is currently the case with the PPS, but could also be expanded, as @jm-mcgrath suggests, with new standards for official plans and building regulations)…

But going to far in this direction ignores geography: local planning drives passion because people feel a connection to where they live. That’s good. Debates over land use issues shouldn’t be removed from the local, but widened to involve more people and be redirected to where it’s most useful.

I agree that giving the province more power here would blunt much of the incumbent homeowner hostility to proximate growth (aka NIMBYism). Locally unpopular policies are most successful when they are implemented by governments removed from local decision-makers.

Another way to slow development is to put it in the hands of local interests. To fix this, you would upload responsibility for local planning to upper-tier governments, making decisions more impartial and regulations more standardized. This is @jm-mcgrath’s argument.

If you want to slow housing construction, you’d add regulations, increase checkpoints for consultation, and provide opportunities for appeal. The approach I advocated in the Globe was to simplify the rules, put all consultation up front, and limit appeals on projects that reasonably meet standards.

The problem both pieces look to address is the same: It’s very hard to actually build the type of housing that cities say they ostensibly want, i.e., “gentle density” or missing middle housing within existing low-density neighbourhoods. The planning status quo does not work to achieve this aim.

Last week in the Globe, I argued that cities should replace city-wide zoning plans with simplified, flexible, and locally-oriented community planning permit systems (CPPS). Today, @jm-mcgrath argues in TVO that zoning should be standardized at the provincial level. These ideas can be compatible. 🧵

Opinion: City zoning is beyond reform. To tackle the housing crisis, scrap the whole thing Zoning isn’t doing what it’s supposed to be doing in Canada’s cities. The good news is that there is an alternative

New from me in the Globe & Mail: Ottawa’s new zoning bylaw is a major step forward—but if we’re lucky, it’ll be the last of its kind.

Gladstone-Gilmour bikeway will boost cycling in Centretown... ...But bike lanes all the way down Gladstone are still needed

Thanks Ariel. If you're interested, you can read my thoughts on the plan here: jordobicycles.substack.com/p/gladstone-...

(I'm happy to learn you're considering extending two-way cycling on Percy to Gilmour—one day I hope Percy is two-way for cyclists to Laurier.)

Gladstone-Gilmour bikeway will boost cycling in Centretown... ...But bike lanes all the way down Gladstone are still needed

My newest newsletter post over at Ottawa 3 Speed: A review of the proposed bike lanes on Gladstone Avenue and Gilmour Street.

Westbound contra-flow lane on Gilmour! Protected intersection at Rochester! Weird, convoluted crossing of Bronson! #ottbike

jordobicycles.substack.com/p/gladstone-...

These do lower speeds—at least early in the year, before drivers get used to them. (Avg reduction of 5kph and +25% in speed limit compliance.) But they're also effective at squeezing cyclists. City doesn't always try to slow speeds *and* make cycling comfortable bc it's harder and more expensive.

I’ve been wondering about this!

Successfully defended my Master's thesis! "The development of residential zoning bylaws in Ottawa, 1946–1965" coming soon to a PDF download near you...

Thank you, William. Seeing someone else ask that question made all the research worth it (for me, anyway). Btw, I spoke with Councillor Menard's office after writing the piece and they confirmed there are no plans to work on Mutchmor any time soon.

This could be fixed by allowing mixed crossings and letting cyclists cross on the walk signal on existing intersections like your example (separated facilities should still be encouraged on rebuilds). But I don't think the current provincial government is eager to reform cycling law.

Earnest answer: It's illegal under the Highway Traffic Act for cyclists to ride in a crosswalk. To make crossing on a bike legal, the city would have to install separate cyclist light signals and paint the crossing differently. That costs more and takes up more space than a walk-your-bike sign.

That lane closed sign is also facing the wrong direction. Cyclists going the right way will only see the back of it.

(This came soon after the NCC built its pathway system. Conflicts between pedestrians and cyclists on the new paths were rising—including one incident when someone threw tacks on the ground near Westboro Beach to puncture bike tires.)

Newspaper clipping showing a photo and caption of a cyclist using a freshly-painted bike lane.

I was surprised to learn today that there used to be bike lanes on Colonel By Drive.

The lanes were installed in 1972, but I'm not sure when they were removed. With the pathways getting busier, this is something that @ncc-ccn.bsky.social should consider bringing back—there's a precedent for it.

Water Quality Expert Jumps into Rideau River Swimming Research Water quality in Ottawa’s Rideau River is generally safe for swimming—Carleton researchers test weekly to confirm conditions at key locations.

Great work from Carleton University to show that former Rideau River beaches at Brewer, Brantwood, and Springhurst Parks are safe for swimming (no testing at Dutchy's Hole, unfortunately).
newsroom.carleton.ca/story/water-...

Toronto City Hall's Committee of Adjustment could use some adjustment City Hall Watcher #294: Historian Hana Suckstorff explores the mysteries of the Committee of Adjustment. What's it for? What does it adjust? And do the things that it adjusts actually need adjusting?

Hana Suckstorff, writing for @graphicmatt.com's City Hall Watcher, describes how Toronto's Committee of Adjustment stymied a similar proposal—despite broader planning policies meant to encourage buildings like these.

toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/chw294

Why did the CoA reject the application? They sided with neighbours who opposed it. Some had the typical issues with shadows, parking, and bias against renters (who apparently don't volunteer). One neighbour was also worried that the development would displace raccoons who lived in the culvert.

One reason why the missing middle is missing: it takes a full year for the Ontario Land Tribunal to overturn a rogue ruling by the Committee of Adjustment, who rejected two 8-unit apartment buildings (two 6 unit buildings were allowed by right) against the opinion of City of Ottawa planners.

Though this discriminatory intent is not explicit (in official plans or the PPS), the lack of solid planning ground to ban the “gentle density” of low-rise multiplexes—more likely to be considered “reasonable” to allow—might leave an opening for a Charter challenge on section 15. (4/4)

However, the history of exclusionary residential zoning shows examples that these bylaws were purposefully introduced to limit housing options for renters, lower classes, and racialized residents in certain areas (i.e. discriminatory). (3/4)

This is unlikely: Courts generally assume municipal bylaws follow the standards of professional planning when adhering to provincial laws, and therefore would not intervene (bylaws are inherently discriminatory, and so discretion to protect the public or provincial interest is assumed). (2/4)