Minutes

Development Services Public Meeting

March 4, 2014 - 7:00 PM

Council Chamber

All Members of Council

Development Services

Chair:              Regional Councillor Jim Jones

Vice-Chair:      Councillor Don Hamilton

 

 

Attendance

Deputy Mayor Jack Heath Regional Councillor Jim Jones Regional Councillor Gord Landon Regional Councillor Joe Li Councillor Valerie Burke Councillor Howard Shore Councillor Don Hamilton Councillor Colin Campbell Councillor Alan Ho Councillor Logan Kanapathi Councillor Alex Chiu   Regrets Mayor Frank Scarpitti Councillor Carolina Moretti

Ron Blake, Manager, West District Rick Cefaratti, Planner II Teema Kanji, Senior Project Coordinator Biju Karumanchery, Senior Development Manager Dave Miller, Manager, East District Kitty Bavington, Council/Committee Coordinator

 

 

The Development Services Public Meeting convened at 7:00 PM in the Council Chamber with Regional Councillor Jim Jones in the Chair.  

 

 

DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTEREST

 

Councillor Valerie Burke disclosed an interest with respect to Item No. 2 regarding Shining Hill Homes Inc. at 360 John Street in Thornhill, by nature of a family owned business in the Thornhill area, and did not take part in the discussion of, or vote on the question of the approval of this matter.

 

 

 

1.         PRELIMINARY REPORT
            CORNELL ROUGE DEVELOPMENT CORP.
            APPLICATIONS FOR SECONDARY PLAN AND
            ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT TO DELETE THE
            REQUIREMENT FOR RETAIL USES ON THE GROUND FLOOR
            474 WHITES HILL AVENUE AND 498 CORNELL ROUGE BLVD
            (ZA.13-126059 AND OP.13-134065) (10.4, 10.5)

            Report

 

The Public Meeting this date was to consider an application submitted by Cornell Rouge Development Corp. for Secondary Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment to delete the requirement for retail uses on the ground floor at 474 White's Hill Avenue and 498 Cornell Rouge Blvd. (ZA.13-126059 & OP.13-134065).

 

The Committee Clerk advised that 208 notices were mailed on February 12, 2014, and a Public Meeting sign was posted on January 30, 2014.  One written submission was received regarding this proposal.

 

Staff gave a presentation regarding the proposal, the location, surrounding uses and outstanding issues. Niomie Massey, representing Cornell Rouge, gave a presentation to provide more details of the proposal. Ms. Massey displayed a site plan and reviewed the Cornell Secondary Plan.

 

The Committee discussed nearby developments and the retail components in the context of the Secondary Plan. There were no comments from the audience with respect to this application.

 

Moved by: Councillor Colin Campbell

Seconded by: Deputy Mayor Jack Heath

 

1)                  That the written submission from Karen Gordon and Pauline Smith regarding the proposal by Cornell Rouge Development Corp., be received; and,

 

2)         That the Development Services Commission report dated November 19, 2013, titled “Preliminary Report, Cornell Rouge Development Corp., Secondary Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment to delete the requirement for retail uses on the ground floor, 474 White’s Hill Avenue and 498 Cornell Rouge Blvd, File Numbers ZA 13 126059 and OP 13 134065” be received; and,

 

3)         That the Record of the Public Meeting held on March 4, 2014 with respect to the proposed Secondary Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment, be received; and,

 

4)         That the applications by Cornell Rouge Development Corp. for a proposed Secondary Plan Amendment (OP 13 134065) and Zoning By-law Amendment (ZA 13 126059) be approved and the draft implementing Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment be finalized and enacted; and further,

 

5)         That staff be authorized and directed to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution. 

CARRIED

 

 

 

2.         PRELIMINARY REPORT
            SHINING HILL HOMES INC.
            OFFICIAL PLAN & ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT
            APPLICATIONS TO PERMIT A MIXED-USE
            COMMON ELEMENT CONDOMINIUM TOWNHOUSE
            DEVELOPMENT AT 360 JOHN STREET
            (FORMER CANAC KITCHEN SITE)
            FILE NOS. OP 13 108797 & ZA 13 108797 (10.3, 10.5)

            ExtractCallingPublicMeeting  Report

 

Councillor Valerie Burke disclosed an interest with respect to Shining Hill Homes Inc. at 360 John Street in Thornhill, by nature of a family owned business in the Thornhill area, and did not take part in the discussion of, or vote on the question of the approval of this matter.

 

The Public Meeting this date was to consider an application submitted by Shining Hill Homes Inc. for Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment to permit a mixed-use, common element condominium townhouse development at 360 John Street (File OP 13 108797 and ZA 13 108797).

 

The Committee Clerk advised that 147 notices were mailed on February 12, 2014, and a Public Meeting sign was posted on February 12, 2014.  No written submissions were received regarding this proposal.

 

Staff gave a presentation regarding the proposal, the location, surrounding uses and outstanding issues.

 

Staff responded to questions from the Committee regarding the calculations for an appropriate park size, servicing capacity, cost responsibility for the required storm water and sewer systems, access from John Street and improvements to the signalized intersection, the potential for a central green feature, the live/work component, and conveyance of a parcel of land for a landscaping buffer for properties and a road entrance to the east. Staff confirmed that this will be a condominium development with private roads, and that more details will be provided at the site plan stage. It was suggested that the traffic study be extended from Aileen Road to Bayview Ave.

 

Mark Yarranton of KLM Planning, representing Shining Hill Homes Inc., gave a presentation to provide more details of the proposal including the comprehensive block plan, secondary plan, zoning by-law, parkland dedication, traffic movements, and parking. A conceptual site plan and elevations were displayed. Mr. Yarranton responded to questions regarding a buffer between the residential and commercial uses, snow removal storage, and visitor and retail parking. Staff confirmed that the proposal meets the parking standards.  

 

Ruth Abrahamson spoke of concerns regarding visitor parking and the grade separation for the adjacent properties along McKelvey Drive.

 

Eric Lerner spoke of the industrial designation of the property and indicated support for rezoning to residential use, pending the site plan details. Mr. Lerner suggested that pedestrian traffic into the park from Congress Court may not be desirable.

 

Robert Mintzberg indicated support for the residential proposal and discussed the buffer strip for adjacent properties along McKelvey Drive. A site plan illustrating the existing retaining wall and buffer strip was displayed. Condor Properties has indicated their intention to convey the buffer strip to the individual residences as a condition of approval, as per correspondence received by Development Services Committee on March 4, 2014.

 

Andrew Veltri indicated general support for the residential proposal, but expressed concerns for the potential building height, increased traffic at the intersection on John Street, the provision of an entrance from Green Lane, the potential impacts and restrictions on the existing businesses that may be caused by the new residential development, and the ‘Caution’ placed on the property at 95 Green Lane by the subject developer. Staff responded to the concerns. Mr. Bailey, representing the applicant, explained that the Caution is an indication of interest registered with the trustee of the property, and will likely not proceed.  

 

Srdjana Jaksic, noted that she is a member of the Thornhill Revitalization Working Group, and endorsed mixed-use development in this area. Ms. Jaksic requested that a significant buffer be established between the residential and industrial uses to the west, that screening be provided for houses fronting opposite to the proposed road on Green Lane, that visitor parking does not disappear due to snow storage, that adequate accessible sidewalks be provided with connectivity between Green Lane and John Street, and that a tree preservation plan be included. Ms. Jaksic questioned if the road easement for Congress Court is included in the parkland calculations, and suggested coordinating urban design with adjacent developments.

 

Staff responded to the comments provided and noted that many of the points are site plan issues.

 

Moved by: Councillor Howard Shore

Seconded by: Deputy Mayor Jack Heath

 

1)                  That the deputations by Ruth Abrahamson, Eric Lerner, Robert Mintzberg, Andrew Veltri, and Srdjana Jaksic regarding the proposal by Shining Hill Homes Inc., be received; and,

 

2)         That the staff report dated March 4, 2014 titled “PRELIMINARY REPORT, Shining Hill Homes Inc., Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment applications to permit a Mixed-Use, Common Element Condominium Townhouse development at 360 John Street, File Nos. OP 13 108797 and ZA 13 108797”, be received; and,

 

3)         That the record of the Public Meeting held on March 4, 2014 with respect to the applications, be received; and,

 

4)         That the applications be referred back to staff for a report; and further,

 

5)         That staff be authorized and directed to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution. 

CARRIED

 

 

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

 

The Development Services Public Meeting adjourned at 9:10 PM.