Brian Innes
for Kitchissippi

How does development work for people who live here?

We’ve all seen the impact of development on our community. Now is a critical time to
have a voice for us to keep what we love about Kitchissippi – for people who live here
now and for people who join our community.

Our voice about how a new mega tower or infill impacts our lives is critical at City Hall.
The current process has been frustrating for residents and community leaders, leaving
us feeling powerless amid reams of paperwork, deference to planning jargon and
endless arguments by armies of consultants.

This is why we need our councillor to be the voice for the Kitchissippi we love.

As councillor, I will be your voice and focus efforts on:

- Making decisions based on a simple test: does this benefit people who live
here and those who join our community? Our representative at City Hall
needs to carry your voice to the city employees and planning processes that
impact our lives. Our community is prepared to live through construction to see
the benefits that come from the vibrancy that growth brings, however developers
must consider how a new building will impact neighbours and the surrounding
community. As your councillor, I will seek your views and make policy and zoning
decisions based on whether the development benefits people who live here.

- Keeping the character of our neighbourhoods by opposing mega-towers
in residential areas and main streets. We have new zoning by-laws that clearly
outline where towers can be built in our community and how high they can be.
I’ll work to keep the character and the sun shining in our residential areas and main
streets. I’ll start with the Carleton Tavern and Tubman Funeral Home proposals, and
work so that mega towers don’t creep from transit hubs where they should be to
our residential areas and main streets. We’ll work for smart planned growth that
contributes to our quality of life ratherthan divisive one-off exceptions.

- Working with our community on new development applications so
neighbours know what’s coming and can meaningfully contribute to
decisions. This will include a transparent database about what’s approved but
not yet built, community notification of new projects and requiring that all
developers seeking changes to existing zoning by-laws meet with the community.
I will organize and lead these meetings.

- Engaging our community on where development charges should be spent.
Did you know that since 2014 more than $13 million has been collected from new
developments in the ward and spent by our previous councillor? As your
councillor, I’ll seek your input on how we want to use funds collected when
developments don’t provide necessary parkland. I will report to you annually on
how much is collected and where these funds are spent.

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Affordable housing and quality of life are both important. Responsible development can
bring both. Increased density will continue as the federal and provincial governments
encourage affordable housing, and Ottawa’s official plan and new zoning by-law are
implemented.

As your councillor, I’m committed to make development work for people who live here
so that we keep the Kitchissippi we love.