Arvin Prasad, Commissioner, Development Services introduced the item advising that York Region has released its Proposed Forecast and Land Needs Assessment to 2051.
Paul Bottomley, Region of York, Manager Policy, Research Forecasting, Long Range Planning provided a presentation entitled Proposed 2051 Forecast and Land Need Assessment, which included the provincial forecast and land needs assessment results, proposed urban expansion mapping, forecasts by local municipality, integrated growth management, and next steps of the Municipal Comprehensives Review (MCR).
Marg Wouters, Senior Manager, Policy & Research, provided a presentation entitled York Region Proposed 2051 Forecast and Land Needs Assessment, Preliminary Markham Staff Comments and Next Steps.
Ms. Wouters advised that the next steps include the following:
- Holding a Special DSC meeting in early May for further discussion with Members of Council on York Region’s Proposed 2051 Forecast and Land Need Assessment for Markham;
- Undertaking public consultation on York Region’s Proposed Forecast and Land Needs Assessments to 2051 in May, before reporting back to Council with comments to the Region in June.
The following deputations were made relative to the staff report:
Don Given, Malone Given Parsons, representing Kennedy Elgin Development Ltd. and First Elgin Developments Inc (11162 Kennedy Road & 4044 Elgin Mills Road), spoke in support of staff recommendation to consult the public and the landowners on York Region’s Proposed Forecast and Land Needs Assessment to 2051 . Mr. Given also spoke in opposition of the lands north of Elgin Mills Road between Warden Avenue and Kennedy Road being designated as employment lands, as the lands are too far a distance from transit or the Highway 404 and suggested that they would more suitable for residential uses.
Claudio Brutto, Brutto Planning Consultant LTD, representing the property owners at 11288 Kennedy Road expressed concern that the lands north of Elgin Mills Road between Warden Avenue and Kennedy Road are being designated as employment lands, as it will limit access to his client’s property and the location of the lands are not suitable for employment purposes.
Peter Miasek, representing the Unionville Residents Association (URA), advised that York Region should consider other growth models that maintain some of Markham’s whitebelt lands, have lower infrastructure costs, and have greater environmental benefits.
Committee discussed the following relative to the staff report:
- The areas of Markham that York Region is forecasting to experience the greatest intensification (Markham Centre, Langstaff, and along Yonge Street where the subway is being extended);
- The impact the extension of the Yonge subway will have on intensification, and what will happen if it is not extended;
- The vision for Major Mackenzie Drive;
- The vision for the Buttonville area;
- The trend of developers increasingly submitting dense development proposals for lands in existing neighbourhoods and the impact on intensification;
- Markham’s average growth rate over time;
- The impact of Markham achieving a higher intensification rate than the 52% proposed by York Region;
- York Region’s forecast that all of Markham’s whitebelt lands will be required to be developed by 2051 in order to provide a variety of housing options;
- The impact of York Region’s proposed minimum intensification rate of 50% will have on urban sprawl if the majority of its whitebelt lands are developed by 2051;
- The desire to retain some of Markham’s whitebelt lands and intensify other areas to reach York Region’s targeted growth for Markham;
- The impact of intensification on flooding in existing neighbourhoods;
- The impact the pandemic, and a carbon tax could have on growth forecasts;
- Non-developable lands, such as hydro corridors, natural heritage lands, hamlets, and transmission lands;
- The Development Charges rate for condominium unit versus a house;
- The lands lands north of Elgin Mills Road between Warden Avenue and Kennedy Road being designated as employment lands rather than for residential uses.
Mr. Bottomley advised that Markham’s intensification rate of 52% is a minimum target. If Markham intensifies more than 52%, it will impact the intensification of other York Region municipalities. All of Markham’s whitebelt lands are needed to provide a variety of housing types and to reach York Region’s growth targets by 2051. Forecasting is based on broad assumptions that are not always correct. These assumptions are monitored and updated over time. It is forecasted that Major Mackenzie Drive will have rapid transit service in the future and it will likely resemble Highway 7. The majority of growth in the Buttonville area is anticipated to be for employment, but there are still a lot of unknowns in regards to this area.
Ms. Wouters clarified no decision is being made at this meeting, and that areas of concern will be discussed as part of the public consultation.
Regional Councillor Jack Heath requested that the Special Development Services Committee meeting include options reflecting Markham intensifying at different rates.