Officially proposed more than two years ago, Orville Station would contain 36 residential units in three stacked townhouses with underground parking near the corner of Stittsville Main Street and Orville Street.
Two adjacent mixed-use buildings would contain 2,700 square feet of ground-level commercial space and five apartments. The development would be constructed to a LEED-Silver environmental standard, a first in Ottawa for new residential developments.
In June, Dharma Developments brought a minor variance application to the city's committee of adjustment, where Stittsville Coun. Shad Qadri asked for an indefinite deferral, according to company president Akash Sinha.
The committee granted a two-week deferral, but ultimately approved the requested reductions in setbacks and parking. Despite having the support of city planning staff, according to Mr. Sinha, the city's legal department is appealing the committee of adjustment's decision to the Ontario Municipal Board.
Based on Coun. Qadri's objections throughout the application process, Mr. Sinha suspects the appeal was requested by Coun. Qadri and has written the ward representative and Mayor Larry O'Brien to request the appeal not move forward.
"I find it appalling that the councillor can take it upon himself to ignore what qualified professionals have to say about the project because of his own perception of what he believes should be in the project."
An assistant in Coun. Qadri's office said Friday morning that the councillor would not be available for comment until Monday afternoon. Mr. Sinha said Coun. Qadri and the Stittsville Village Association, which is also appealing the decision, are concerned about parking and traffic impacts.
Mr. Sinha said the city appeal doesn't actually deal with the development plan itself, but rather argues the numerous requested variances should have been dealt with in a rezoning application, rather than at the committee of adjustment.
He added his company went to the committee of adjustment on the advice of city planning staff.
Stittsville Village Association president Metin Akgun said his organization has several concerns about the project, top of which are its parking implications. He said Orville Street is not wide enough to accommodate the anticipated on-street parking and does not believe plans to share parking spaces between business customers and visitors to the homes will work in practice.
"There is sometimes the impression that we, as a community association, are against any high-density development," said Mr. Akgun. However, he added, intensification is only appropriate in certain areas where there is the capacity to accommodate it.
"(The developer) wants to use this property more than it can really handle. If he could reduce the number of housing units, the parking wouldn't be an issue."
Mr. Sinha said he met with the village association and Coun. Qadri as early as 2006 in an attempt to respond to their concerns ahead of filing the development application and has made several compromises, including reducing the number of dwelling units.
"We have voluntarily come in under (the permitted) density and height."
Mr. Sinha said there is no date set for the appeal and, in the meantime, the city is foregoing the additional tax revenues that would come from the development while incurring legal costs trying to fight it.
