A development proposal from Forum Asset Management would feature 1,505 residential units in four high-rise structures and one mid-rise building at 265 Centrum Blvd. and 530 Brisebois Cres. in Orléans. Photo by Forum Asset Management /Handout

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Discussions about a major development proposal in Orléans were paused after the City of Ottawa Planning and Housing Committee unanimously approved a motion sending it back for review by staff on Wednesday, Aug. 19.

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Since the project was proposed in March, Orléans East-Cumberland ward Coun. Matt Luloff said, residents and local business owners have expressed concerns over the lack of dedicated parking for its 1,505 residential units in four high-rise structures and one mid-rise building.

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Business owners and property managers are particularly concerned regarding the absence of resident parking for the project at 530 Brisebois Rd. and 265 Centrum Blvd, the councillor said during the committee meeting.

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“Orléans is not the downtown core,” Luloff said. “Many residents may use transit to get to work and still rely on a vehicle for children, shopping and other everyday needs.”

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Luloff said a development of this scale needed a realistic traffic and parking plan from Day 1. The motion he introduced rejected the application as submitted while directing staff to continue working with the applicant on a revised proposal.

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“We cannot approve 1,505 homes with no identified resident parking and leave fundamental questions about where those vehicles will go to be addressed later,” Luloff wrote in a social-media post.

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The proposal from developer Forum Asset Management relied on the construction of the Orléans Town Centre LRT station, which has not yet been designed, funded or scheduled for implementation, Luloff said.

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“We cannot make decisions about how this development will function today based on transit infrastructure that does not yet exist,” he said.

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Tannis Vine, executive director of the Heart of Orléans BIA, said businesses feared the proposed development would push hundreds of cars into nearby streets and lots.

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“We appreciate Councillor Luloff’s efforts to have the application deferred and believe this provides an important opportunity for the applicant to reconsider the proposal and, hopefully, identify solutions that address the parking concerns raised by the local business community,” Vine said.

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Heart of Orléans BIA submitted written feedback to the project lead in March.

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“Councillor Luloff was also very helpful in connecting us directly with the developers, allowing us to invite them to present the proposal to our Board of Directors,” Vine said. “At that time, we raised concerns about the proposed development, particularly around the lack of parking and the current state of transit infrastructure in the area.”

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The next Planning and Housing Committee meeting is scheduled for Sept. 2.

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