Letter sent from the Carlington Community Association to Edward Robinson (RobinsonE@city.ottawa.on.ca), December 28, 1999.

Hi Ted,

Since our meeting with you on November 10th, the Carlington Community Association met on December 14th to discuss the terms of reference for the Central Park traffic study.  Since many important planning decisions regarding the development will be based upon this study, the community and the CCA are responding to your invitation, and would like to submit the following points to be included in the traffic study:

Intersections and traffic patterns that should be considered for the study

• Baseline / Central Park Drives
• Baseline / Merivale
• Baseline / Clyde
• Baseline / Fisher
• Clyde / Maitland
• Kirkwood / Merivale
• Merivale / Carling
• Kirkwood / Carling
• Potential cut through traffic from Merivale over to Fisher Avenue, Kingston and Shillington Avenues in particular. Potential cut through traffic should also be measured in the triangular area between Merivale Rd. and Kirkwood.

There are three (3) scenarios which should be included in the traffic impact study:

1. Scenario with the existing traffic link between RMOC and Assaly lands, including intersection with traffic light at Maitland.
2. Scenario with an unrestricted roadway path between Clyde and Merivale, who's internal road network discourages cut through traffic, including intersection with traffic light at Maitland.
3. Scenario with only the Merivale Road / Central Park Drive access points.

In every respect, the maximum number of generated trips should be considered from the different planning scenarios that are currently registered and proposed. In the current subdivision scenario, this would mean maximum trips generated by, but not restricted to the following zoned areas:

• Apartment complex zoned areas.
• Retirement concept zoned areas.
• Remaining housing zones at their highest density + existing built out and approved areas.
• Remaining Commercial / Office at highest density + existing approved commercial areas.

Other areas of concern

• Laperriere / Woodward plan of development (i.e. Carlington Business Park). This area of Carlington is already registered and not yet fully developed to its maximum potential.
• Traffic generated from the new Central Park community park & its facilities.
• The adjacent Arnon property (i.e. parking lot) that will ultimately be an office complex for Nortel, and any other potential development slated for the area.
• The proposed 35,000 ft2 commercial store + proposed and approved units totalling 94,000 ft2.
• That the proposed larger housing units be considered for the likelihood of multiple vehicle trips.

In closing, I would like everyone to consider the article written in the November 1998 issue of Reader's Digest entitled, "Canada's Worst Drivers". In the article, it features Ottawa's Baseline and Merivale intersection as, "the intersection from hell". This area is also penned as, "the fishing hole" by local police radar patrols, who find it to be one of their most productive speed traps. Throughout our discussions on traffic impact, not much attention has been given to the dangers inherent in this intersection. Although in many respects, Baseline / Merivale can be compared to a normal 4 lane traffic intersection, similar traffic numbers will impact it more severely because of its directional design. Our major concern is that the intersection is graded and compared accordingly by the traffic specialists.

Should you require any clarification regarding the items listed above, please do not hesitate to air your concerns with an e-mail reply.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Mark A. Lavinskas President - Carlington Community Association

• Review of minutes of last meeting on 09 November;
• Commentary of Central Park Development Issues by Debbie Lawes;
• Central Park Development Issues Updates
• Traffic Study Concerns,
• Meeting with Mr David Choo,
• Planning Committee,
• Correspondence, and
• Central Park Community Group (CPCG);
• Police Protection and Services Reductions;
• Ottawa Fire Fighters' Hiring Practices;
• Rick's Place; and
• Merivale Road Speed Hump(s).

from CCA.davintech.ca

1. Attendance: Mark Lavinskas (CCA President) called the meeting at 7:05 PM.  The following eight executive members were present: Mark Lavinskas, Milan Egrmajer, Matthew Darwin, Bruce Bradshaw, Ida Grant, Susan Murray, Frances Tanner and Steven Agulnik.

The following persons also attended the meeting: Joe Corkery, Ian McCuaig, Kathy Ablett, Debbie Lawes and Pat Krawczyk.

2. Agenda: The following agenda was adopted by Frances Tanner, seconded by Ida Grant and carried:

• Review of minutes of last meeting on 09 November;
• Commentary of Central Park Development Issues by Debbie Lawes;
• Central Park Development Issues Updates
• Traffic Study Concerns,
• Meeting with Mr David Choo,
• Planning Committee,
• Correspondence, and
• Central Park Community Group (CPCG);
• Police Protection and Services Reductions;
• Ottawa Fire Fighters' Hiring Practices;
• Rick's Place; and
• Merivale Road Speed Hump(s).

3. Review of Previous Meeting Minutes: The minutes of the previous CCA meeting held on the 9th of November, 1998 were read by Mark Lavinskas, adopted by Bruce Bradshaw, seconded by Frances Tanner, and carried with one abstention.

4. A "Report to Carlington Community Association" dated 14 Dec 98 and prepared by Regional Councillor Wendy Stewart was distributed to the Attendees.

5. Development Issues Commentary: Lavinskas introduced Debbie Lawes who has had previous experiences in residential developments.  Ms Lawes advised that other city planners from Orleans and Kanata could be consulted with respect to some of the issues currently being challenged by the CCA and CPCG.  She pointed out that since the community was without continuous support of a councillor, all critical approvals should be held until representation by a new councillor is in effect.  The views of the community with respect to the development of Central Park may become an important campaign issue.  Ms Lawes urged that without a concept plan that has undergone public input, the city, region or community should not consider incremental plan or construction approval or amendments.  Mark thanked Debbie for her input and suggestions on this current CCA issue.

6. Traffic Study:  After much discussion, it was agreed that the terms of reference for the traffic study should include but not be limited to the following CCA concerns:

• Potential contribution to traffic volumes if the Arnon property is to be developed;
• Differentiation of commercial and office projections;
• Addendum to the 1993 study would not be acceptable because of the number of changes and lack of continuity, hence an entirely new study needs to be conducted;
• Worst case and/or maximum instances should addressed;
• The developer needs to examine the scenarios assuming two intersections (Merivale only), three intersections (two on Merivale and one at Clyde/Maitland) and accesses to all three intersections;
• Intersections that particularly interest the community include: Clyde/Baseline, Baseline/Merivale, Baseline/Fisher, Merivale/Kirkwood, Carling/Kirkwood, Merivale/Carling, Kingston/Shillington, and Laperriere/Kirkwood;
• Impact of and on buses; and
• Impact to overall traffic patterns due to future development of secondary employment and business centres in the Woodward and Laperriere area.

It was moved by Bruce Bradshaw and seconded by Susan Murray that the above concerns should be passed on by Mark Lavinskas to appropriate councillors and planners for inclusion into the terms of reference for the upcoming traffic study.  Motion was unanimously carried.

7. November 18th Meeting with Mr Choo: Minutes of the meeting were distributed to the attendees.  Some attendees discussed the lack of courteous behaviour, the aggressive tone and the degree of professional etiquette displayed by some attendees at this particular meeting.  All attendees did not share this view.  Mark reminded all that professionalism in dealing with the city, region, community and developers is paramount.   Many attendees felt that the meeting was informative.

8. Planning Committee Updates: Frances Tanner reported that she and Robin Craig attended the City's Planning Committee meeting to ensure delegating authority on Central Park issues was not transferred to the Planning Department and that full public review and consultation was being followed.  Mark added that he had received several e-mails that left an impression that there still seems to be some confusion.  He also added that there is no consistency in the planners' viewpoints on many issues including incremental approvals.  The CCA agreed that the community needs to be involved in all decisions and approvals due to a lack of confidence in the process to date.

9. Correspondence:  Mark proposed that the CCA outline conditions, which where requested during the Nov 18 meeting with Ashcroft, for incremental approvals.  The CCA confirmed that until a concept plan that has undergone full public review is established that no approvals could or should be granted.  This viewpoint was echoed in a carried motion of a previous meeting and still stands.  It was also noted that the CCA is not, in any manner, in a legal or otherwise position to be an approval body with respect to the Central Park development process.

Secretary's Note: As the meeting room had to be vacated, the remaining agenda items in Section 2 were not discussed.

10. Adjournment:  The meeting was adjourned at 9:25 PM.  The next meeting is scheduled for 11 January 1999 at the Carlington Community Health Centre.

Meeting chaired by: Mark Lavinskas Minutes prepared by: Milan Egrmajer

from CCA.davintech.ca