6772 Roque Street

June 23, 2026

 

Jerrica Gilbert

City of Ottawa

Planning, Development and Building Services Department

 

Re: Zoning By-law Amendment Application – 6772 Rocque Street

 

Dear Jerrica,

 

On behalf of the Heart of Orléans Business Improvement Area (BIA), I am writing to express concerns regarding the proposed residential development at 6772 Rocque Street.

 

While we recognize the importance of increasing housing options within our community and support thoughtful intensification in appropriate locations, we have significant concerns regarding the proposed parking provision for this development.

 

The application proposes 12 residential units, consisting of four one-bedroom units and eight two-bedroom units, supported by only two on-site parking spaces. This represents a parking ratio of approximately 0.17 spaces per unit, which appears significantly below what would typically be expected in a suburban community such as Orléans. Based on the proposed unit mix, it is reasonable to anticipate that many residents will own one or more vehicles, particularly the occupants of the two-bedroom units.

 

The Heart of Orléans BIA is concerned that the lack of adequate on-site parking will result in residents seeking parking on nearby public streets and within adjacent commercial parking lots. This has the potential to create unintended impacts on surrounding businesses that rely on available parking for customers, employees, deliveries, and day-to-day operations.

 

We also note that developments with limited parking are often justified based on access to reliable public transit. While the future extension of Ottawa’s LRT network isexpected to improve transit access in Orléans, that service is not yet operational.

 

Residents moving into this development in the near term will continue to rely primarily on existing transportation options, which, for many households, include private vehicles.

 

The parking assumptions associated with this proposal appear to be based on future transit conditions rather than the current transportation reality experienced by residents and businesses in Orléans.

 

Until the LRT extension is fully operational and demonstrates consistent, reliable service levels, we believe parking demand should be assessed based on current travel patterns and vehicle ownership rates within the community. Failure to do so risks shifting the burden of parking demand onto surrounding streets and neighbouring commercial properties.

 

We respectfully request that the City carefully evaluate the parking implications of this proposal and consider whether additional on-site parking, transportation demand management measures, or other mitigation strategies should be required to address the anticipated parking demand and minimize impacts on neighbouring businesses and the surrounding community.

 

Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on this application. We would appreciate being kept informed of any future public consultations, revisions, or decisions related to this development.

 

Sincerely,

 

Tannis Vine

Executive Director

Heart of Orléans BIA