Electronic Development Services Committee Meeting
Agenda

Meeting Number 17

Monday, July 12, 2021 at 9:30 A.m. - 3:00 P.m.

Live streamed

Note: Due to COVID-19, our facilities are closed to the public. Access is not permitted to the Markham Civic Centre and Council Chamber.

Members of the public can participate by:
1. VIEWING THE ONLINE LIVESTREAM
Development Services Committee meetings are video and audio streamed at: https://pub-markham.escribemeetings.com/
2. EMAILING A WRITTEN SUBMISSION:
Members of the public may submit written deputations by email to [email protected].

Written submissions must be received by 5:00 p.m. the day before the meeting*
*If the deadline for written submission has passed, you may:
a. Email your written submission directly to Members of Council; or
b. Make a virtual deputation at the meeting by completing and submitting an online Request to Speak Form
*If the deadline for written submission has passed and Council has finished debate on the item at the meeting, you may email your written submission directly to Members of Council.
3. REQUEST TO SPEAK / VIRTUAL DEPUTATION :
Members of the public who wish to make a live virtual deputation, please register prior to the start of the meeting by:
1. Completing an online Request to Speak Form , or,
2. E-mail [email protected] providing full name, contact information and item they wish to speak, or,
3. If you do not have access to email, contact the Clerk's office at 905-479-7760 on the day of the meeting.
*If Committee has finished debate at the meeting on the item, you may email your written submission directly to Members of Council. The list of Members of Council is available online at this link.

​Alternate formats for this document are available upon request.

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Please bring this Development Services Committee Agenda to the Council meeting on July 14, 2021.

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1.

CALL TO ORDER

2.

DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTEREST

3.

APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MINUTES

3.1

DEVELOPMENT SERVICES COMMITTEE MINUTES – JUNE 21, 2021 (10.0)

• 1. That the minutes of the Development Services Committee meeting held June 21, 2021, be confirmed.

4.

DEPUTATIONS

5.

COMMUNICATIONS

5.1

BOXGROVE COMMERCIAL EAST INC. C/O SMARTCENTRES REIT TO PERMIT A COMMERCIAL SELF-STORAGE WAREHOUSE FACILITY AT 500 COPPER CREEK DRIVE (WARD 7) FILE PLAN 20 120313 (10.3, 10.5)

Note:  Please refer to Item #9.1 for staff report.

• That the following communications providing comments regarding the above subject matter be received for information purposes:

  1. Beatrice Bogart
  2. Rita Camilleri
  3. Robert McKone

5.2

VACANT HOUSING TAX (7.0)

Note: Please refer to Item #10.1 for motion.

• 1. That the communication submitted by Edwin Lang providing comments on the above subject matter be received.

6.

PETITIONS

7.

CONSENT REPORTS - DEVELOPMENT AND POLICY ISSUES

7.1

DEVELOPMENT SERVICES PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES – JUNE 15, 2021 AND JUNE 28, 2021 (10.0)

• 1. That the minutes of the Development Services Public meetings held June 15, 2021 and June 28, 2021, be confirmed.

7.2

HERITAGE MARKHAM COMMITTEE MINUTES – JUNE 9, 2021 (16.11)

• 1. That the minutes of the Heritage Markham Committee meeting held June 9, 2021, be received for information purposes.

8.

PRESENTATIONS - DEVELOPMENT AND POLICY ISSUES

8.1

MiX INNOVATION DISTRICT: WHERE INNOVATION IS REALIZED (10.0)

C. Kakaflikas, ext. 6590 & M. Wouters, ext. 2909

Note: Representatives from Urban Strategies Inc. will be in attendance to provide a presentation on this matter.

• 1. That the presentation entitled “MiX Innovation District: Where Innovation is Realized” dated July 12, 2021 be received. 

9.

REGULAR REPORTS - DEVELOPMENT AND POLICY ISSUES

9.1

RECOMMENDATION REPORT OFFICIAL PLAN AND ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED BOXGROVE COMMERCIAL EAST INC. C/O SMARTCENTRES REIT TO PERMIT A COMMERCIAL SELF-STORAGE WAREHOUSE FACILITY AT 500 COPPER CREEK DRIVE

(WARD 7) FILE PLAN 20 120313 (10.3, 10.5)

S. Muradali, ext. 2008

Note: On June 22, 2021 Development Services Committee deferred the above subject matter to the meeting this date.

• 1. That the report dated June 22nd, 2021 and titled “RECOMMENDATION REPORT, Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment Applications submitted by Boxgrove Commercial East Inc. c/o SmartCentres REIT to permit a commercial self-storage warehouse facility at 500 Copper Creek Drive (Ward 7)”, be received; and,
  2. That the Official Plan Amendment Application (PLN 20120313) submitted by Boxgrove Commercial East c/o SmartCentres REIT to allow a commercial self-storage warehouse facility at 500 Copper Creek Drive be approved by Council at a later date; once a satisfactory site plan application has been submitted and reviewed; and,
  3. That the Zoning By-law Amendment application (PLN 20 134853) submitted by Boxgrove Commercial East Inc. c/o Smart Centre REIT to permit a commercial self-storage warehouse facility at 500 Copper Creek Drive be approved and enacted by Council at a later date; once a satisfactory site plan application has been submitted and reviewed; and further,
  4. That Staff be authorized to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution.

   

9.2

CITY OF MARKHAM COMMENTS ON YORK REGION'S PROPOSED GROWTH FORECAST TO 2051 (10.0)

M. Wouters, ext. 2909 

• 1. That the staff report entitled “City of Markham Comments on York Region’s Proposed Growth Forecast to 2051” dated July 12, 2021 be received; and,
  2. That Council support the development of a forecast scenario by York Region based on higher Region-wide and Markham intensification rates which:
     1. Result in a reduction in the amount of urban expansion (whitebelt) lands in Markham needed to accommodate growth;
     2. Reflect achievable volumes of high density development in Markham’s intensification areas over the 35 year planning horizon; and
     3. Consider loss of prime agricultural lands and impacts on greenhouse gas emissions; and,
  3. That the proposed employment area expansion lands be reconfigured to exclude the Almira hamlet as shown in Figure 1a to this report; and,
  4. That the Region’s Transportation Master Plan Update consider the option of maintaining the current 2-lane cross-section for 19^th Avenue through the Almira hamlet; and,
  5. That the Region’s Transportation Master Plan Update explore the opportunity for higher order transit and expansion of the Frequent Transit Network to service the proposed expansion lands in north Markham; and further,
  6. That Staff be authorized and directed to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution.

      

10.

MOTIONS

10.1

VACANT HOUSING TAX (7.0)

Note: The notice of this motion was provided at the June 22, 2021 Development Services Committee meeting. 

• Whereas housing prices have seen a significant increase in the past couple of years; and

  Whereas residents, especially young residents are experiencing difficulty entering the housing market due to a lack of affordable homes; and

  Whereas there has been an increase in buyers purchasing properties and upon closing, many of these homes remain unoccupied; and

  Whereas some absentee homeowners are not maintaining their properties; and

  Whereas implementing a residential vacant unit tax will encourage homeowners to maintain, occupy or rent their properties which will help increase the housing supply; and

  Whereas the Province of Ontario has announced a new tax authority on vacant homes that will give Toronto and other interested municipalities the power to impose such a tax to encourage owners to sell or rent such spaces;

  Now therefore be it resolved:

  1. That staff be directed to investigate options for imposing a vacant home tax on the assessment of vacant residential units under the new provincial initiative and report back with recommendations in Q4 2021 for Council’s consideration.

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