SOUTH MARCH – Seventy residential units are coming to South March as part of an intensification development earmarked for Sandhill Road.

“The city’s Planning committee today (May 28) approved a zoning amendment to permit a residential subdivision on Sandhill Road, between Klondike Road and Shirley’s Brook Drive, to help increase intensification in Kanata’s South March area,” Ottawa city staff released in a statement today.

The proposal would allow for 40 two-storey townhouses and 30 taller back-to-back townhouses on the property beside St. John’s Kanata Anglican Church and cemetery.

“To minimize the impact on the church and cemetery, the two-storey homes would be nearest to the church property, with taller units farther away,” city staff said. “New privacy fencing would also be added to an existing cedar hedge.”

The owner of the property is Minto Communities Inc.

The subject lands are located on the west side of Sandhill Road between Klondike Road to the north and Shirley’s Brook Drive to the south. The property is approximately 1.42 hectares in size with approximately 30 metres of frontage along Sandhill Road. The subject site is currently vacant and undeveloped, with sparse vegetation at the rear of the site and a temporary gravel parking lot along Sandhill Road.

To the east of the subject property is Juanita Snelgrove Park and South March Public School. St. John’s Kanata Anglican Church and Cemetery abuts the subject property to the south. Further east and north are low density residential neighbourhoods. To the west of the site is the Shirley’s Brook creek corridor and 762 March Road, which has received site plan approval for 60 stacked dwelling units in five buildings.

 Other news to come out of today’s Planning committee meeting include increased parking for National Defence employees.

Employees of National Defence Headquarters Carling could soon have additional parking after the Committee approved a temporary parking lot at Villa Lucia Supper Club restaurant. For three years, the restaurant would offer 100 spaces in its surface lot on Carling Avenue for paid use during the day, when the restaurant is closed.

Recommendations from today’s Planning committee meeting will go to council on Wednesday, June 10.