Development Services Committee Meeting
Revised Agenda
Revised items are identified by an asterisk (*)

Meeting Number: 11

Tuesday, May 07, 2024 at 9:30 A.m. - 3:00 P.m.

Live streamed

Please bring this Development Services Committee Agenda to the Council meeting on May 15, 2024.

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1.

CALL TO ORDER

INDIGENOUS LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We begin today by acknowledging the traditional territories of Indigenous peoples and their commitment to stewardship of the land. We acknowledge the communities in circle. The North, West, South and Eastern directions, and Haudenosaunee, Huron- Wendat, Anishnabeg, Seneca, Chippewa, and the Mississaugas of the Credit peoples. We share the responsibility with the caretakers of this land to ensure the dish is never empty and to restore relationships that are based on peace, friendship, and trust. We are committed to reconciliation, partnership and enhanced understanding.

2.

DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTEREST

3.

APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MINUTES

3.1

DEVELOPMENT SERVICES COMMITTEE MINUTES - APRIL 9, 2024 (10.0)

• 1. That the minutes of the Development Services Committee meeting held on April 9, 2024, be confirmed.

4.

DEPUTATIONS

5.

PRESENTATION

5.1

PROPOSED 16.33 HA (40.35 ACRES) CITY-WIDE COMMUNITY SPORTS PARK, ATTAINABLE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND A NEW SCHOOL SITE TO BE LOCATED AT 11120 AND 11274 HIGHWAY 48 – MARKHAM 11120 HWY 48 LTD. (PIN 03062-0095 & 03062-0096) MARKHAM, ONTARIO

ZONING ORDER REQUEST UNDER SECTION 47 OF THE PLANNING ACT (10.0)

Joran Weiner, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives and Investment, Treasure Hill will provide a presentation to Development Services Committee.

6.

COMMUNICATIONS

6.1

COMMUNICATION, RE: PROPOSED 16.33 HA (40.35 ACRES) CITY-WIDE COMMUNITY SPORTS PARK, ATTAINABLE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND A NEW SCHOOL SITE TO BE LOCATED AT 11120 AND 11274 HIGHWAY 48 – MARKHAM 11120 HWY 48 LTD. (PIN 03062-0095 & 03062-0096)

MARKHAM, ONTARIO

ZONING ORDER REQUEST UNDER SECTION 47 OF THE PLANNING ACT (10.0)

• 1. That the communication submitted by Joran Weiner, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives and Investments, Treasure Hill, regarding the above subject matter be received.

7.

PETITIONS

8.

CONSENT REPORTS - DEVELOPMENT AND POLICY MATTERS

8.1

HERITAGE MARKHAM COMMITTEE MINUTES – APRIL 10, 2024 (16.11)

• 1. That the minutes of the Heritage Markham Committee meeting held April 10, 2024 be received for information purposes. 

8.2

RECOMMENDATION REPORT, REVISION TO A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF A DESIGNATION BY-LAW FOR 4031 16TH AVENUE (“BRIARWOOD FARM-JAMES MCLEAN HOUSE”) (WARD 3) (16.11.3)

E. Manning, ext. 2296

• 1. That the report, dated May 7, 2024, titled, “RECOMMENDATION REPORT, Revision to a Legal Description of a Designation By-law for 4031 16th Avenue (“Briarwood Farm-James McLean House”) (Ward 3)”, be received; and,
  2. That the legal description as contained within Council-adopted By-law 2021-8 be amended to reflect the property’s current legal description, and that By-law 2021-8 be amended to ensure conformance with the Ontario Heritage Act, as amended; and further,
  3. That Staff be authorized and directed to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution.

9.

REGULAR REPORTS - DEVELOPMENT AND POLICY MATTERS

9.1

COMMENTS ON THE CUTTING RED TAPE TO BUILD MORE HOMES ACT (BILL 185) AND PROPOSED PROVINCIAL PLANNING STATEMENT (10.0)

D. Wedderburn, ext. 2109

Note: Report is now attached.

• 1. That the report dated May 7, 2024, titled "Comments on the Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act (Bill 185) and Proposed Provincial Planning Statement" be received; and,
  2. That this report be forwarded to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and York Region as the City of Markham’s comments; and,
  3. That Council support the proclaiming date of July 1, 2024 to remove upper-tier planning responsibilities and request that the province pass an order exempting local municipalities from provincial approval for official plan amendments and secondary plans to support the goal of faster decision making; and,
  4. That Council support the removal of the fee refund requirement for development applications; and,
  5. That Council support limiting third party appeals on Council decisions to improve timelines for the delivery of development projects; and,
  6. That Council not support the exemption of Universities from the Planning Act; and,
  7. That Council not support proposed changes that would allow applicants to appeal decisions made by Council to refuse official plan and zoning by-law amendments for settlement area boundary expansions; and,
  8. That the province provide further consultation on Additional Residential Units with the City’s operations and environmental services departments, utility companies and emergency services to ensure appropriate standards are maintained and in place to provide appropriate levels of service for infrastructure, utilities, and life safety measures; and,
  9. That Council support the removal of the Community Infrastructure and Housing tool from the Planning Act and replacement with a more transparent process for Ministers Zoning Orders and recommend that the Minister be provided the ability to impose conditions on the approval of MZOs for community benefits and infrastructure; and,
  10. That the province clarify the scope of the proposed regulation making authority to streamline approvals for community service facilities including public schools, hospitals, and long-term care facilities and how priority project would be identified and expediated; and,
  11. That Council support reduced parking minimums in principle and recommend the addition of policies to support and strengthen the ability of municipalities to manage the time gap until the higher order transit and other supportive services are available. Specifically, additional policies and investments from senior levels of government are required, in the interim, to support the delivery and operation of higher frequency bus service and public infrastructure such as active transportation networks, public parking, and Transportation Demand Management programs as a part of any development; and,
  12. That Council support the proposed changes to the Development Charges Act as they apply to the following matters:
      1. Repeal the 5-year phase-in of development charges for by-laws passed on or after January 1, 2022; and,
      2. Re-instating studies as an eligible capital cost for Development Charges; and,
      3. Reduce the timeframe for the DC rate freeze from 2 years to 18 months; and,
      4. Streamline the process for municipalities to extend existing Development Charges by-laws; and,
  13. That Council support the re-introduction of a definition for Affordable Housing and Low to Moderate Income and Affordable Housing policies; and,
  14. That the province provide clarification on how the Ministry of Finance projections would inform population and employment forecasting for lower tier municipalities; and,
  15. That the province include policies requiring municipalities to meet minimum intensification targets and minimum density targets in designated greenfield areas to support the development of compact and complete communities and the efficient use of infrastructure; and,
  16. That the province include policies for the creation of new settlement areas or settlement area boundary expansions to only occur as part of a comprehensive process through a municipally initiated official plan amendment; and,
  17. That the province maintain the existing definition of employment area, including the discretionary consideration of institutional and commercial uses (retail and office) to support economic growth. Should the proposed definition be proclaimed, policies should be included permitting the protection and continuation of existing employment areas; and,
  18. That the province include policies to restrict employment conversions to those initiated by a municipality; and,
  19. That the province include policies that allow for the incorporation of development approved through a Minister’s Zoning Order as a part of the current planning horizon, and not in excess; and,
  20. That the province provide additional policies that would allow for the protection of the commercial function of re-developing malls and commercial plazas while supporting more compact built forms; and,
  21. That the province develop clear guidelines to support policy directions for the delivery of urban format and vertical schools in a compact built form, including a process to advance the construction of schools to align with the phasing of growth and community needs; and,
  22. That the Province revise the policies and definitions applying to ARUs and lot creation in prime agricultural areas to ensure that ARUs are considered accessory uses so that it does not lead to unintended severances that could negatively affect the protection of agricultural resources; and,
  23. That the province re-introduce policies on Strategic Growth Areas that would require planning authorities to identify and plan for Strategic Growth Areas as a focal point for growth and development based on the appropriate scale and built form; and,
  24. That Council support the change to require watershed planning and recommend the province finalize watershed planning guidance for municipalities to support the implementation of water resource policies in the PPS; and,
  25. That the province provide training to municipalities prior to the Proposed Provincial Planning Statement coming into effect as the changes represent a significant shift in the land use planning framework in Ontario; and,
  26. That Council support in principle the proposed incentive tool that municipalities could leverage to attract specified manufacturing, industrial or commercial investments and the province consult with municipalities to clarify the regulations and criteria that would govern the exemption process; and,
  27. That Council support enhanced policies that will allow the municipality to ensure infrastructure is directed to developments to support housing; and,
  28. That the province consult with municipalities on the necessary resourcing and timelines to implement the new reporting requirements and provide clear instructions to guide municipalities for summary table data requirements to avoid misinterpretation and duplication of data; and,
  29. That the province recognize residential units in Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments may change at Site Plan and Plan of Subdivision and may need to be reconciled to avoid double counting units; and,
  30. That Council support the proposal to allow for notices to be issued through a municipality’s website and further, that the province remove the requirements where this new measure is only limited to municipalities that do not have a local paper; and further,
  31. That Staff be authorized and directed to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution

10.

MOTIONS

11.

NOTICES OF MOTION

12.

NEW/OTHER BUSINESS

• As per Section 2 of the Council Procedural By-Law, "New/Other Business would generally apply to an item that is to be added to the Agenda due to an urgent statutory time requirement, or an emergency, or time sensitivity".

13.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

14.

ADJOURNMENT