MINUTES
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
COMMITTEE
2007-10-23
Meeting No. 29
All
Members of Council
Development Services Economic
Development
Chair: Regional
Councillor J. Jones Chair: Regional Councillor T. Wong
Vice-Chair: Councillor
J. Webster Transportation Issues
Chair: Regional Councillor G. Landon
PART A
Presentations, Major
Studies, and Issues Agenda
9:00
a.m. – Canada Room
Attendance
|
Councillor A. Chiu
|
J. Baird, Commissioner of
Development Services
M. Boyce, Senior Policy
Coordinator
C. Conrad, Town Solicitor
G. Day, Planner
V. Shuttleworth, Director of
Planning and Urban Design
A. Tari, Committee Clerk
|
The
Development Services Committee convened at the hour of 9:05 a.m. in the Canada Room with Deputy
Mayor J. Jones in the Chair.
DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTEREST
None disclosed.
1. DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
COMMITTEE MINUTES
- October 2, 2007 and October
9, 2007, Part A (10.0)
Oct.
2 Oct.
9
Moved by Councillor D. Horchik
Seconded by Councillor C. Moretti
That
the minutes of the Development Services Committee meeting, Part A, held October
2, 2007, and October 9, 2007, be confirmed.
CARRIED
2. PROPOSED SCULPTURE –
LIBERTY DEVELOPMENTS
(10.0)
Staff advised the Committee that there are some issues with
respect to the timing of this project.
Specifically, the Region of York is in the process of finalizing the
route of the VIVA alignment and the proposed site for the sculpture is on
Regional land.
Mr. Fred Darvish, Liberty Developments, provided the
background story behind the meaning of the proposed sculpture. He advised the Committee that during the
original construction phase in 2005 of the Liberty Development, a goose had nested
on the site. He had a snow fence erected
around the area in order to protect the mother goose and her eggs. Once the three eggs hatched, Liberty
Development staff led them to the Rouge
River. Mr. Darvish is proposing the placement of a
sculpture depicting three flying geese on the site to commemorate this sequence
of events.
Mr. Alan Zakbar, Sculptor, presented the Committee with a
wax model of the proposed sculpture. He
advised the actual sculpture will be approximately 15 feet in height and
finished in cast bronze and will be surrounded with landscaping.
Mr. Paul Nodwell, OALA, Landscape Architect, representing
Liberty Developments, advised the Committee that the original sculpture design
included a water feature at the base of the sculpture to symbolize geese
landing on water. Unfortunately, there
have been some barriers to doing this.
One alternative they are exploring is the use of a black granite base to
provide the reflective effect of water.
The Committee expressed their support for the design and
thanked Mr. Darvish for spending his time and money on such a wonderful
project. The Committee suggested adding a plaque next to the sculpture to
advise the public of its background. The
Committee also suggested that the sculpture be reviewed by the Markham
Public Art Advisory Committee.
The Committee discussed the need to expedite the preparation
of a public art policy for Markham.
Moved by Councillor D. Horchik
Seconded by Regional Councillor G. Landon
That the presentation by Paul Nodwell on behalf of Liberty
Developments, regarding a proposed sculpture depicting three flying Canadian
Geese be received and endorse in
principle.
CARRIED
3. METRUS
NEW FIVE STOREY OFFICE
BUILDING
SW CORNER OF COMMERCE VALLEY
DRIVE WEST
AND HIGHWAY 7 (10.0)
Jim Baird, Commissioner of
Development Services, indicated that revisions to an approved site plan is a
delegated staff approval. Staff support
the proposal but, given the prominent site and the time that has elapsed since
the original approval, staff felt the need to present the proposal to Committee
before dealing with it as a delegated approval.
Mr. Geoff Day, Planner, outlined the proposal by Metrus
Development to amend an approved Site Plan.
Mr. Tony Baldassara, on behalf of Metrus Development,
presented information regarding the Site Plan Application for a five storey
office building at the south-west corner of Commerce
Valley Drive and Highway 7. He advised that the proposed building will
have a three level underground parking and approximately 90 surface parking
spaces to accommodate the TD Bank (the primary tenant). A drive-thru will also be included in the
plan south of the building. Mr. Baldassara
commented on environmental features of the building and site plan.
Committee discussed the benefits of having a drive-thru to
accommodate handicapped individuals and parents traveling with small children.
The Committee suggested the current sign along Leslie
Street advertising the complex (which includes
LeParc Banquet Hall) be redesigned and relocated to be more visable. The Committee also suggested that the
transportation department submit a letter to the Region of York enquiring if a
right in and right out only access to the site would be allowed. Staff committed to advise Committee with
respect to the outcome of the signage and access matters, as well as
environmental issues and opportunities for additional landscaping.
Mr. Baldassara advised that they will have the litter at the
site cleaned. He confirmed that they
will work together with Mr. Ronji Borooah, Town Architect, to ensure the
landscape complements with current buildings. He also advised that
consideration will be made with respect to white/green roof top and use of
permeable materials.
Moved by Councillor D. Horchik
Seconded by Councillor C. Moretti
That the presentation by Mr. Tony Baldassara, Metrus
Development, regarding a proposal for a five-storey office building on the
south-west corner of Commerce Valley Drive West and Highway 7 be received.
CARRIED
4. REVIEW
AND DISCUSSION OF OTHER
MUNICIPAL EXPERIENCES WITH
PERMITTING SECOND SUITES (10.0)
Presentation
John Waller, Region of York, Director of Long Range and
Strategic Planning, provided a PowerPoint presentation on the issue of Second
Suites in York Region, highlighting the need for such accommodations and
indicating the implementation secondary suite permissions in Markham will
assist in achieving affordable housing and intensification targets.
Dave Ruggle, Town of Newmarket, Senior Planner, provided a
PowerPoint presentation on Newmarket’s experience with Accessory Dwelling Units
(ADU). He provided a synopsis of the process the City undertook prior granting
permissions for ADUs, which included the establishment of an ADU Task
Force. This cross-representative body
was extremely successful in identifying and examining resident concerns (i.e.
safety of units; lack of consistency in enforcement of existing policies; property
standards; property values; and absentee landlords. Mr. Ruggle confirmed that Newmarket permits
ADUs across the entire City and indicated they have been generally well
received by residents. He further
reported that since 2005, the City has one By-law Enforcement Officer dedicated
to the enforcement of ADU regulations.
Tom Taylor, President, Board of Directors Habitat for
Humanity and former Mayor of Newmarket, addressed the Committee with respect to
Accessory Dwelling Units in Newmarket.
Mr. Taylor stated he is supportive of ADUs and advised it has been
successful in Newmarket in terms of the provision of affordable accommodation
and increasing intensification levels.
Larry Blight, Ward 4 Councillor in the Town of Newmarket,
addressed the Committee with respect to ADUs.
He reviewed the public consultation Newmarket conducted prior to
allowing ADUs, indicating that the Public Meeting that was held on this issue
was attended by some 120 residents.
Councillor Blight noted that the issues raised at the Public Meeting
were ones that were already identified and resolved by the ADU Task Force.
Mr. Neil Carroll, City of Pickering,
Director of Planning, addressed the Committee and provided an overview of Pickering’s
experience with permitting ADU’s. He
advised the City began discussing the permitting of ADU’s in 1997 and finally
passed a by-law in 2004. He indicated
the City held two Public Meetings on the issue which were poorly attended. Mr. Carroll advised ADUs are permitted across
the entire City in single and semi-detached dwellings. He stated permitting ADU’s established a
regulatory environment that reflected the reality of the community and improved
the safety of these dwellings throughout Pickering.
Mr. Carroll emphasized that ADU’s will occur with or without municipal
regulations and, that offering such regulations and inspections is important
for life safety.
Mr. Rex Heath, City of Pickering,
Fire Prevention Officer, addressed the Committee with respect to ADUs in Pickering. Mr. Heath advised that granting permission for
ADUs has been a great success from a Fire prevention perspective. He stated complaints are generally received
by Fire via neighbours. Mr. Heath also
advised that although the City did not hire additional staff to enforce the ADU
By-law, the workload of Fire Prevention Officers had to be readjusted to allow
them to spend more time on this issue.
Mr. Glenn Dick, Town of Markham, Fire Prevention Officer,
addressed the Committee regarding his experience with second suites in the City
of Toronto. He advised second suites
were permitted in the City of Toronto
in the summer of 2000 and that residents were initially very reluctant to
comply with the By-law. As a result, the
City of Toronto initiated a
comprehensive media campaign to advertise the benefits of operating a second
suite that was in compliance with City regulations. Mr. Dick advised the City of Toronto
does not charge for second suite registration.
Moved by Councillor A. Chiu
Seconded by Regional Councillor J. Heath
That the presentations by Mr. John Waller, Tom Taylor, Dave Ruggle, Neil Carroll, Rex Heath, and
Glenn Dick, regarding second suites/Accessory
Dwelling Units (ADU), be received with thanks.
CARRIED
ADJOURNMENT
The
Development Services Committee meeting adjourned at the hour of 12:05
p.m.