The provincial tribunal ruled the city's mediated settlement with nine community groups in April was enough to proceed with reconstructing the aging area in the Glebe, surmounting one hurdle before a separate court case is heard at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, starting Tuesday.
Three appelants had been seeking the overturning of a municipal bylaw dealing with the rezoning of the area. This includes fixing up Frank Clair Stadium, putting in 280 residential units, adding an urban park and creating 340,000 square feet of retail and commercial space.
The OMB ruled that the bylaw was in accordance with both city rules and provincial policy, both of which encourage intensification.
Lansdowne's redevelopment was approved last year when council voted to go forward with a sole-sourced proposal from the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group, led by Minto Group CEO Roger Greenberg, developers Bill Shenkman and John Ruddy, and Ottawa 67’s owner Jeff Hunt.
"The goal is to live, work and play in close proximity in a complementary manner," the OMB wrote in its decision.
"Throughout the process there have been modifications so that the proposal will fit in terms of compatibility and design."
The April agreement was initially hammered out with the Glebe BIA and several community associations before being approved by council.
As part of the settlement, council agreed to speed Bank Street's reconstruction, and along with OSEG provide $300,000 to the Glebe BIA. The city and OSEG will also give $30,000 to community groups affected by the construction.
Mediated changes included:
- Eliminating mid-rise residential buildings on Holmwood Avenue;
- Reducing the height of a residential tower, at Bank Street and Holmwood Avenue, to 12 storeys;
- Adding a public open space to the Bank Street and Holmwood Avenue area;
- Capping residential development at 280 units;
- Reducing the heights of two commercial buildings;
- Restricting traffic to Lansdowne from Holmwood Avenue.
Next, the joint proposal from the city and OSEG will go before the courts on Tuesday to face a challenge from the Friends of Lansdowne group.
The coalition is accusing the city of breaking its own purchasing rules by sole-sourcing the contract.
Should the proposal go forward, the city plans to spend $129.3 million refurbishing Frank Clair Stadium and assisting with the construction of an underground parking garage. OSEG will spend another $118 million on the parking garage, as well as developing the retail areas.
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