Warehouse and truck terminal in Barrhaven get committee's OK

A business park in Ottawa's south end that never became the high-tech campus envisioned a generation ago could instead housea warehouse and truck terminal to cater to the present-day online shopping trend.

Ottawa's planning committee on Thursday unanimously approved the request by Zena-Kinder Holdings Limited Inc.to rezone its vacant30-hectare propertyin the South Merivale Business Park on the north edge ofBarrhaven, despite opposition from residents concerned about a lack of details.

Some 3,900 people signeda petitionand 160 residents attended a community meeting in mid-May.

"We're looking for a prestige business park and what it entails," said Barry King, a nearby resident and amember of the Rideau Glen Ratepayer's Association.

In 2006,the RCMP took over the former JDS Uniphase campusin the business park for its national headquarters.

'Don't give [residents]a reason to go away more cynical. I know a lot of them feel this is a done deal.'-Gloucester-South Nepean Coun. Carol Anne Meehan

Residents felt the rezoning to allow a warehouse just to the north, however,was now being "railroaded through," King said.

"We're being asked to take a pig in a poke here," said Daintry Topsheeof the Glens Community Association, saying the request lacked detail aboutthe transport truck traffic, noise, pollution,or a future tenant.

Jordan Lane-Beveridge, president of Country Place Community Association, shared a similar opinion with the committee.

"We the voters, the taxpayers, your residents, we're speaking to you," he said. "I do not believe we're in a position to make an intelligent decision based on the information we have."

Future developmentundecided

The business park has been a designatedemployment zone near the airport since the early 1990s.

While no development is currently planned, the owners want to beallowed a range of uses, and that could include a warehouse as a secondary use, said Greg Winters with consulting firm Novatech.

"Everybody thinks immediately we're going to be doing a large distribution warehouse," he said."It might be those two buildings you've seen on the concept plan, or it might be 19 smaller buildings."

Had the tech bustnot preventedJDS Uniphasefrom turningthe area into high-tech offices, it might have employed 10,000 people, noted Jack Stirling, another consultant.

City planner Allison Hamlinsaid it's not unusual for a property owner to rezone land to try to attract a user.

Innes Coun. Laura Dudassaid she could sympathize with residents unhappy with the ramifications of the online shopping trend.

• Pandemic shopping driving demand for more warehouses in Ottawa

"We've gone through the pandemic and we've seen Amazon dropping off packages to our homes," she said."We're all benefiting from having some of these facilities close by, but not necessarilyliving right next to it."

Nearby councillors back residents

The two councillors with neighbourhoods closest to the site Gloucester-South Nepean Coun.Carol Anne Meehan and Knoxdale-Merivale Coun.Keith Egli failed to convince planning committee colleagues to side withunhappy residents.

"Don't give [them]a reason to go away more cynical," Meehan had argued. "I know a lot of them feel this is a done deal."

Planning chair Coun. Jan Harder, however, was glad the business park would "finally take flight".

Business groups representing Barrhaven, Carp and the local francophonecommunity also supported the rezoning and urged the city to be open to changing trends that could spur economic development.

The file goes to full city council for a vote on June 9.