On March 24, the SDC District Central and several local property owners and entrepreneurs took part in the Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough’s public consultation on the By-law amending the borough’s Planning By-law (01-274) and the Borough’s Conditional Use By-law (RCA13).

What exactly are we referring to?

These are by-laws resulting from the adoption of the Plan particulier d’urbanisme (PPU) District Central by the Ville de Montréal in the summer of 2024.  It should be remembered that the PPU file had strongly mobilized the District Central business community.  The new proposed by-laws affect uses, density, greening, parking and zoning. The aim is to bring the bylaws in line with the intentions of the new PPU now in place.

Although the time between publication of the notice and the public consultation was very short, the SDC District Central was quick to inform property owners in the neighbourhood of the process. The SDC commissioned its urban planning consultant to analyse the proposed changes to the bylaws, highlight the positive aspects for the neighbourhood, raise the points that needed to be questioned or clarified, and identify the impacts in order to make recommendations.

The SDC then expressed its views on this subject on March 24. It should be noted that all the comments made are based on the consultation and mobilization of the District Central business community, which takes the future of its territory to heart.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE COMMENTS FORMULATED, SHARED AND FILED BY THE SDC REGARDING THE DRAFT REGULATIONS:

Positive points :

Introduction of the concept of “shared parking lot”. Offers flexibility in its application and is likely to promote the enhancement of the territory’s vegetation cover, as well as the viability of alternative modes of transportation.

Full authorisation for use category “A: Agriculture” in certain areas of District Central. The by-law also adds provisions for this use category, in line with the reality of activities. As a result, certain businesses already established on the territory will be able to benefit from clear and predictable rights. This encourages the growth of this promising sector and contributes to the area’s dynamism.

Questions raised:

Greening. Recommended incentives versus constraints to encourage user acceptance. For more information >>

Conditional uses. Recommended flexibility and simplification of the process for these uses, which are part of the regular programming of the SDC and its partners for the revitalisation of the neighbourhood. For more information >>

Sales and production/manufacturing activities. Good news for industrial merchants. However, the SDC is concerned about the ratios set out in the draft by-law and asks how the floor ratios (sales versus production/manufacturing) were determined. For more information >>

Comments shared :

Uses – Sales and Production/Manufacturing Activities. The SDC recommends implementing realistic and flexible regulatory guidelines that consider the specific characteristics of the location where these activities take place, particularly in relation to the built environment.  For more information >>

Uses – Modifications to permitted uses in the zones. Most of the changes can be summarised as a reduction in economic activity by withdrawing class I.4 uses that were previously authorised, a change that was not explicitly announced in the PPU. Should the classification of uses not be reworked, the SDC recommends maintaining the uses currently authorised as set out in the PPU and limiting nuisances. For more information >>

Uses – Agriculture / Urban Agriculture. The areas where the category of use is fully authorised seem rather limited, and the maximum ratio allowing the sale of products is rather restrictive. The SDC recommends that a more flexible provision be introduced, for example by regulating the nuisances to be avoided. For more information >>

Uses – Residential, Density, and Consistency. The SDC recommends allowing at the very least the maximums authorised in the urban plan and capitalising on the authorised uses by permitting residential use where possible. Also, to authorise a higher density built environment (up to 15 storeys) near the station and the Chabanel axis. For more information >>

Uses – Parking. While improving sustainable mobility is desirable, realistic parameters need to be put in place for the management of an area that is undergoing a major transformation and that relies on the development of alternative transport. The SDC recommends reviewing the minimum and maximum parking ratios for each of the sub-zones, based on the set targets. For more information >>

Site Planning and Architectural Integration Program (SPAIP).The SPAIP application area has been expanded to cover nearly the entire District Central. However, the SDC notes that certain interventions in specific sectors are now subject to discretionary procedures, leading to delays and uncertainty. This is particularly the case for mural projects. For more information >>

Heritage. Heritage is a key asset for the region and the SDC is deploying a number of measures, such as subsidy programmes, tax breaks and regulatory relief, to ensure the economic viability of projects. For more information >>

General comment :

Some measures do not seem to have been adequately adapted to the area’s planning framework, such as the standards relating to parking spaces, which were not adjusted according to the planning sub-sectors, even though the PPU clearly indicated that it intended to do so. For more information >>

Consult the full “Analysis and Comments” document by the SDC >>

Consult the District Central PPU  >>