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Urban Design Brief April 16, 2013 122 Wortley Road

Urban Design Brief Neighbourhood Character Statement Compatibility Report

122 Wortley Road

Baillargeon

April, 2013


Zelinka Priamo Ltd. i

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page No.

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1

SECTION 1 – LAND USE PLANNING CONCEPT.......................................................... 1

1.1 The Subject Property ............................................................................................ 1

1.2 The Proposal ........................................................................................................ 2

1.3 Design Goals and Objectives ................................................................................ 2

1.4 Design Response to City Documents ................................................................... 3

1.5 Spatial Analysis .................................................................................................... 5

SECTION 2 – DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND DESIGN RESPONSES ............................... 7

2.1 Conceptual Design ............................................................................................... 7

2.2 Public Realm ........................................................................................................ 7

2.3 Sustainability Techniques ..................................................................................... 8

APPENDIX A – SITE PLANS AND ELEVATIONS

APPENDIX B – SITE AND SURROUNDING AREA PHOTOS

APPENDIX C – NEIGHBOURHOOD CHARACTER STATEMENT

APPENDIX D – COMPATIBILITY REPORT


Zelinka Priamo Ltd. 1

INTRODUCTION

Zelinka Priamo Ltd., on behalf of Brian Baillargeon, has submitted an application to the

City of London to amend the Zoning By-law in support of the proposed development of a

7-unit, low-rise apartment building on 122 Wortley Road. This Urban Design Brief

describes the design details of the proposed development.

SECTION 1 – LAND USE PLANNING CONCEPT

1.1 THE SUBJECT PROPERTY

The subject property, known municipally as 122 Wortley Road, contains an existing

single-detached dwelling. It has an irregular lot shape due to its position next to the

Thames Park ravine (Figure 1). The property is approximately 1,637 square metres (0.4

acres) in area with approximately 31.3 metres (103 feet) of frontage along Wortley Road.

Figure 1 – Subject Property



1.2 THE PROPOSAL

The proposed development consists of a 3-storey apartment building with a footprint of

approximately 636 square metres (6,800 square feet), containing 7 dwelling units (Figure

2). The existing driveway access for the site is intended to be relocated to the northerly

limit of the frontage. The building is positioned on the south-west portion of the property,

and features two surface parking spaces (one of which is accessible) and 12 enclosed

parking spaces on the main floor.

Figure 2 – Proposed Development

1.3 DESIGN GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The overall goal of the project is to redevelop a residential property in a manner that is

complementary to the character of the existing community.

The design objectives of the project include establishing a built form and site design

which:

is visually and functionally integrated into the larger community;

provides appropriate pedestrian and vehicle access for site users;

is positioned to minimize the potential for privacy impacts; and

provides an enclosed parking facility.



1.4 DESIGN RESPONSE TO CITY DOCUMENTS

Strategic Priorities

The City’s Vision as detailed the Strategic Priorities are;

“1. Economic Prosperity

2. Infrastructure Renewal and Expansion

3. Community Vitality

4. Environmental Leadership

5. Creative, Diverse and Innovative City

6. Progressive Transportation System

7. Managed and Balanced Growth

8. Financial Stability”

The design of the proposed development is consistent with these priorities. It would

have the most noticeable effect as part of managed and balanced growth, as a proposed

intensification of a site in an established neighbourhood.

Official Plan

The City of London Official Plan includes design criteria that are to be applied to new

developments. Section 11.1.1 lists the design principles that are to be promoted in the

preparation of development proposals. The individual principles listed do not always

apply to specific development, depending on the location and characteristics of each

proposal. How the proposed development addresses the relevant design principles is

addressed in the following:

i) Natural Features

The design of the proposed development includes balconies overlooking the wooded

ravines of Thames Park, and the rear and north façades includes brickwork and large

windows that provide an attractive exterior to park users. We note that the ravine

vegetation limits the visibility of the building from the active areas of the park.

ii) Trees

A tree preservation study will be prepared for the site to identify existing trees to be

retained and measures for their protection.



iv) High Design Standards

High standards of design are encouraged in strategic or prominent locations, including

sites near the edge of a river valley, such as the subject property. The proposed

building design incorporates a mixture of enhanced cladding materials, including a

masonry stone base, upper storey brickwork, large balconies and modern divided

windows.

v) Architectural Continuity

The section of Wortley Road around the subject property has a visual identity that is

created by a mix of building styles and sizes. While there are a

number of buildings dating back to the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, there is no

consistency in terms of building size, age or architectural details. The proposed building

is designed to introduce contemporary architectural techniques that will mimic the

features of older buildings, creating an appearance that is compatible with the character

of the area and appropriate for residential use at the northerly terminus of the Wortley

Village Main Street Commercial Area.

xii) Enhances Accessibility Standards

An accessible parking space is proposed directly in front of the building, by the main

entrance and the site is planned to be consistent with the City of London Facility

Accessibility and Design Standards.

xiii) Parking and Loading

Aside from the accessible parking space, the proposed parking facilities are located

within the main floor of the building.

xiv) Privacy

While the proposed building includes upper-storey windows and balconies which

overlook outdoor amenity areas of properties to the south, those areas function as

shared spaces for multi-unit residential buildings with limited existing privacy potential.

xv) Outdoor Space



Each unit includes a private balcony to serve as outdoor living space. In addition, a large

outdoor amenity area is provided at the rear of the property. This amenity area is directly

adjacent to the Thames Park.

1.5 SPATIAL ANALYSIS

Lands within an 800 metre radius of the subject property include existing low, medium

and high density residential development, a ‘main-street’ commercial area, as well as

elementary and secondary school sites. The South Branch of the Thames River and

Thames Park are located north of the property. Wharncliffe Road South and Ridout

Street South are north-south arterial roadways and transit routes, located to the

respective west and east of the subject property. Parts of the Downtown area and the

Horton Street industrial area are also within the 800m radius.

Figure 3 – Regional Spatial Analysis

Arterial Roadways

Public Transit Routes



The 400 metre area surrounding the subject property is comprised mainly of low density

residential uses, including single-detached, duplex and triplex dwellings, as well as

several higher density apartment buildings (as highlighted on Figure 3). It also includes

much of the Wortley commercial area immediately to the south and Thames Park

immediately to the north, which contains much of the amenities necessary to serve the

needs of the proposed development.

Figure 4 – Site Spatial Analysis

Active Frontage Zone

Zone of Sensitivity

Collector Roadway

Apartments

Vista to and from Site



SECTION 2 – DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND DESIGN RESPONSES

2.1 CONCEPTUAL DESIGN

The proposed development includes the establishment of a low-rise apartment building

positioned towards the south-westerly corner of the site. This location allows the façade

to maintain and enhance the existing streetscape corridor. The main entrance is

proposed for the centre of the west building façade, which is oriented towards Wortley

Road.

Figure 5 – Wortley Facade

The building has been designed to include a variety of cladding materials and façade

elements including a masonry stone base, upper-storey brickwork and detailing, as well

as balcony components. The front façade incorporates a large number of functioning

windows as well as ornamental main-floor windows. Step-backs, balconies, and

pillar/cap detailing around the main entrance add interest to the overall building

presentation.

Access to the internal parking area is provided via a small driveway to the garage

entrance on the north face of the building.



2.2 PUBLIC REALM

The proposed development provides a short pedestrian walkway with a circular feature

to the existing City sidewalk.

2.3 SUSTAINABILITY TECHNIQUES

The proposed development will make use of the ‘best-practice’ techniques of current

construction practices to ensure the resulting building is energy efficient. No LEED or

other certification is currently anticipated.

As the redevelopment of an under-used site within a well established neighbourhood,

the proposal constitutes intensification. As such, this development will make efficient

use of the existing service and transportation infrastructure.

Walkability is a major consideration, since residents are immediately adjacent to the

Wortley Village commercial area and Thames Park, with a variety of recreational

opportunities, and are within walking distance of the Downtown.

APPENDIX A – SITE PLAN AND ELEVATION DRAWINGS

FINISH GRADE (VARIES)SLOPE AWAY FROM FOUNDATION6" MIN. BELOW T/O FOUNDATION

Level 3 Floor Plan

GROUND FLOOR

U/S CEILING

SECOND FLOOR

U/S CEILING

10'-1 1/2"

THIRD FLOOR

10'-1 1/2"

38'-11"

Drawing Title

DATENo.

REVISION

DO NOT SCALE DRAWINGS.

CONTRACTOR AND SUBCONTRACTORS SHALLCHECK ALL DIMENSIONS AND REPORT TO THEOWNERS ANY DISCREPANCIES PRIOR TOPROCEEDING WITH WORK.

ALL WORKMANSHIP AND MATERIALS MUSTCONFORM WITH O.B.C. AND C.M.H.C. STANDARDSAND BE APPROVED BY OWNER.

THIS DRAWING IS THE PROPERTY OF THECONSULTANT AND SHALL NOT BE COPIED ORREPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUTTHE WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE CONSULTANT.

A3

PROJECT No:

REVIEWED:

DATE:

SCALE:

DRAWN:

FILE No:

AS NOTED

C.T.

R.T.

PreliminaryElevations

0 1 2 3 4 5 10 15 20'6 7 8 9

February 12, 2013

GROUND FLOOR

U/S CEILING

SECOND FLOOR

U/S CEILING

10'-1 1/2"

THIRD FLOOR

U/S CEILING

11'-1 1/2"

T/O PLYWOODROOF DECK

10'-1 1/2"

38'-11"

T/O FRONTPARAPET

GROUND FLOOR

U/S CEILING

SECOND FLOOR

U/S CEILING

10'-1 1/2"

THIRD FLOOR

U/S CEILING

11'-1 1/2"


10'-1 1/2"

38'-11"

T/O FRONTPARAPET

GROUND FLOOR

U/S CEILING

SECOND FLOOR

U/S CEILING

10'-1 1/2"

THIRD FLOOR

U/S CEILING

11'-1 1/2"


10'-1 1/2"

38'-11"

T/O FRONTPARAPET

GROUND FLOOR

U/S CEILING

SECOND FLOOR

U/S CEILING

10'-1 1/2"

THIRD FLOOR

U/S CEILING

11'-1 1/2"


10'-1 1/2"

38'-11"

T/O FRONTPARAPET

0 1 2 3 4 5 10 15 20'6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 10 15 20'6 7 8 9

0 1 2 3 4 5 10 15 20'6 7 8 9

0 1 2 3 4 5 10 15 20'6 7 8 9

GROUND FLOOR

U/S CEILING

SECOND FLOOR

U/S CEILING

10'-1 1/2"

THIRD FLOOR

U/S CEILING

10'-1 1/2"


10'-1 1/2"

38'-11"

T/O FRONTPARAPET

0 1 2 3 4 5 10 15 20'6 7 8 9

February 12, 2013

R.Tomè & Associate Inc.

51 Wimbledon Court

London ON N6C 5C9

t. 519.672.6622

f. 519.672.8526

[email protected]

Associate

##-####

##-####.DWG

Project Name

Proposed3 Storey / 7 UnitCondominium

122 Wortley Road

London, Ontario

JAN. 15, 2013

1 FEB.25/13

GEN. REV. PER OWNERREVIEW

2 MAR18/13

REV. PER Z.P.A. ANDOWNER REVIEW

APPENDIX B – SITE AND SURROUNDING PHOTOS

Subject Property as Viewed from the Southwest

Wortley Commercial Area Viewed from North (across from the subject property)

East Side of Wortley Road Around the Subject Property

East Side of Wortley Road North of the Subject Property

West Side of Wortley Road Across from the Subject Property

Subject Property as Viewed From the Northeast (Thames Park)

Subject Property and Surrounding Area Viewed From the Northeast (Thames Park)

APPENDIX C – NEIGHBOURHOOD CHARACTER STATEMENT

Neighbourhood Character Statement

122 Wortley Road

Brian Baillergeon

Introduction

This Neighbourhood Character Statement has been prepared in support of the proposed

development of the subject property, known municipally as 122 Wortley Road. The proposal

would increase the residential density of the lands, triggering the requirement of Section 3.7.3.1

of the City of London Official Plan for the preparation of such a report. The Plan describes the

Neighbourhood Character Statement document as;

“A detailed statement of the character of the existing neighbourhood that demonstrates

how the proposed development respects the character of the existing neighbourhood

shall be submitted by the applicant. This inventory of urban design characteristics shall

include a review of structures and the natural environment within the surrounding

neighbourhood.” (Section 3.7.3.1(a))

The following sections of this report provide descriptions of the character and image of the

neighbourhood, the site design and the proposed servicing as per the requirements of the

Official Plan.

Character and Image

The subject property is located on the east side of Wortley Road, just north of Craig Street,

within a pocket of multi-unit residential buildings. This neighbourhood is one of the oldest in the

City and features a number of dwellings that have been designated under the Ontario Heritage

Act for their heritage value, as well as a number of properties that have been identified as

having potential for designation. The neighbourhood is comprised of 1, 2 and 2 ½-storey brick

dwellings and commercial buildings featuring a variety of architectural styles. There are good

examples of Late Victorian, Gothic Revival and Italianate buildings in the area, with many

buildings featuring a combination of such traditional design details with more recent and eclectic

features.

The surrounding area is also characterized by of a variety of larger scale, residential buildings.

Along Craig Street there are several 2 ½-storey, 1960’s era apartment buildings, as well as

older two and 3 ½-storey apartment buildings on Ridout Street. Newer high-rise apartment

buildings are located along Ridout Street with new low-rise apartment buildings located in the

main street commercial area.

The proposed development replaces an existing 1-storey brick dwelling with a new, 3-storey

apartment building featuring enclosed parking and upper-level balconies. The building has

been designed to include a variety of cladding materials and façade elements including a

masonry stone base, upper-storey brickwork and detailing, as well as balcony components. The

front façade incorporates a large number of function divided windows as well as ornamental

main-floor windows. Step-backs, balconies, and pillar/cap detailing around the main entrance

add additional interest to the overall building presentation. Purpose-built apartments can be

found throughout the area, with a newly built low rise apartment building at the corner of Wortley

Road and Bruce Street, two blocks south of the site which has similar design considerations.

The materials and style of the proposed building are intended to mimic design features common

within older neighbourhoods and generally reflect the existence of a variety of design styles in

the area.

The new building will make use of the larger lot size of the subject property and the vista

opportunities available at the rear of the property, which overlooks Thames Park. Although

views are more limited in the summer due to the tree foliage in the valley slopes, the building is

designed to provide prominent views of the park to site users, and to provide an attractive built

form when viewed from the park.

Site Design

The proposed building is positioned close to Wortley Road to maintain the pedestrian

streetscape environment established by existing development along the road. This, coupled

with the provision of street-level entrance and window details, enhances the streetscape

environment and promotes pedestrian activity. The position of the building also promotes the

use of the easterly portion of the property as outdoor amenity space and takes advantage of

available views of the Thames River Valley.

Residents will have walking access to a wide range of commercial and recreational amenities as

well as access to public transit service.

A short walkway connects the main entrance of the building to the City sidewalk and the

accessible parking space. Most of the parking for the facility is enclosed within the main floor of

the building.

Servicing

The site is connected to the surrounding neighbourhood in the same manner as the existing

dwelling on the subject property. The western access to Thames Park is very close to the site,

and the commercial areas of Wortley Road are only a block away. The development meets the

off-street parking requirements of the Zoning By-law and is not expected to interfere with traffic

on Wortley Road. The proximity of the subject property to a large array of amenities and

opportunities for interaction give it a high degree of ‘walkability’.

The subject property is reasonably close to the major transit services provided along Bruce

Street to the south.

All garbage and recycling will be stored within the building and picked up on assigned days

within the designated pick-up pad.

APPENDIX D – COMPATIBILITY REPORT

Compatibility Report

122 Wortley Road

Brian Baillergeon

Introduction

This Compatibility Report has been prepared in support of the proposed development of the

subject property, known municipally as 122 Wortley Road. The proposal would increase the

residential density of the lands, triggering the requirement of Section 3.7.3.1 of the City of

London Official Plan for the preparation of such a report. The Plan describes the Compatibility

Report document as;

“a detailed statement of the compatibility of the project, to demonstrate that the proposed

project is sensitive to, compatible with, and a good fit within the existing surrounding

neighbourhood..” (Section 3.7.3.1(b))

The following sections of this report provide descriptions of the design of the project, including

the built form elements, the massing and articulation, and the architectural treatment; as per the

requirements of the Official Plan.

Built Form Elements

The proposed building provides a west façade that features masonry stone main floor cladding

with upper storey brick with masonry cap and window details. Divided windows, prominent

entry details, balconies and decorative windows address the pedestrian streetscape of Wortley

Road. The building is positioned at the front of the property to continue the existing street wall

established by existing development along the east side of Wortley Road.

The building massing and flat roof structure are similar to a recently built low-rise apartment

building on Wortley Road, two blocks to the south, and are consistent with its location only four

properties north of the Wortley Village main street commercial area, and opposite a pair of tall,

commercially converted buildings. The entrances and main window openings are located on

the front building faces, matching the pattern of existing development in the area.

Massing and Articulation

The rhythm of the main-floor building openings (doors and windows) provides a mix of

symmetrical elements with the main entrance offset to increase proximity to the street

environment. The spacing and amount of fenestration is consistent with existing development in

the area.

The setback from the street is consistent with the existing development along Wortley Road.

The proposed building is compatible with the scale of existing development in the area, and no

transition of scale is required.

The proposed building is much larger than the existing single-storey dwelling and is well suited

for the size of the property.

Shadow effects on adjacent properties will not substantially change as a result of the proposed

redevelopment.

Architectural Treatment

The proposed buildings make use of contemporary building materials and construction methods

to mimic the basic elements of the various Victorian Era styles along Wortley Road, particularly

the brick cladding, divided windows and entrance details.

The building features brick cladding with a masonry stone base, and reflects historic building

styles common to the area.