Arvin Prasad, Commissioner, Development Services, addressed the Committee and introduced the staff report. Mr. Prasad provided members of Committee with an overview of the York Region 2041 Municipal Comprehensive Review (MCR) and the development of a Regional employment strategy.
Marg Wouters, Senior Manager, Policy & Research, addressed the Committee and delivered a presentation outlining the information contained in the staff report. Recommendations proposed by staff relative to ten requests for conversion of existing employment lands within the City of Markham were identified.
Christine Cote, SmartCentres, representing Markham Woodmills Developments Inc., addressed the Committee in regard to recommendation 4.a. of the staff report. Ms. Cote spoke in opposition to staff's recommendation that Council not support conversion of the subject property, stating concerns with the single point of access to the property as constraining the applicant's ability to secure tenants for employment uses. Ms. Cote requested that, should Committee endorse staff's recommendation to not support conversion of the subject property, that staff be directed to work with the applicant to request additional access points to the property from York Region via Elgin Mills Road. Staff clarified that any decision to provide access to the subject property from Elgin Mills Road will require approval from both York Region as well as the Ministry of Transportation. Staff also indicated that any road access from Elgin Mills Road would require extensive grade separation due to the close proximity of the frontage of the subject property to the Highway 404 on-ramp.
Sandra Wiles, representative for 1628740 Ontario Inc., addressed the Committee in regard to recommendation 2.b. of the staff report. Ms. Wiles spoke in support of staff's recommendation that Council support the conversion of the properties located at 2718 and 2730 Elgin Mills Road, noting the compromised viability of employment uses on the subject properties resulting from the lack of direct access to the lands from Elgin Mills Road. Ms. Wiles also stated concerns with the potential impact to the subject properties from an additional access being constructed via Elgin Mills Road to service the neighbouring property owned by Markham Woodmills Developments Inc.
Don Given, Malone Given Parsons, consultant for Condor Properties Ltd, addressed the Committee in regard to recommendation 4.b. of the staff report. Mr. Given spoke in opposition to staff's recommendation that Council not support partial conversion of the property located at 2920 16th Avenue, stating concerns with the viability of employment uses on the subject property resulting from the residential use permissions of surrounding properties. Mr. Given requested that the Committee endorse the conversion of the subject property to a mixed-use designation to allow for the construction of a commercial-residential block with employment uses. Staff identified the potential impact on the viability of surrounding employment lands resulting from conversion of the subject property.
Louis Tinker, Bousfields Inc., consultant for The Wemat Group, addressed the Committee in regard to recommendation 4.c. of the staff report. Mr. Tinker spoke in opposition of the staff recommendation that Council not support conversion of the lands at the southwest corner of Highway 7 and Highway 404, and requested that Committee defer consideration of the conversion request to allow the applicant to address the concerns raised by staff relative to the applicant's concept plan proposal. Staff indicated concerns relative to potential pressures on surrounding employment lands resulting from the introduction of sensitive residential uses on the subject property.
Patrick Kerney, Belfield Investments, addressed the Committee in regard to recommendation 4.d. of the staff report. Mr. Kerney spoke in opposition to staff's recommendation that Council not support the conversion of the property located at 8050 Woodbine Avenue, noting the proximity of the property to a future Highway 407 transitway station. Mr. Kerney identified the need to support high-density development around the future major transit station area, as well as opportunities to support the construction of the station through greater land value capture resulting from a mixed-use re-designation. Mr. Kerney also noted the importance of having mixed-use amenity spaces to the viability of any future employment uses on the subject property.
Peter Smith, Bousfields Inc, representing Cornell Rouge Development Corporation, Varlese Brothers et al, addressed the Committee in regard to recommendation 3.c. of the staff report. Mr. Smith spoke in support of staff's recommendation to defer consideration of the request for conversion of the subject lands to a secondary plan study, and requested that Committee support continued discussion on this matter relative to the overall vision of the future Cornell Rouge National Urban Park Gateway.
The Committee discussed the following relative to the staff presentation:
- Current employment density and office usage rates in Markham
- Potential net loss of employment opportunities resulting from conversion of existing employment lands to mixed-use
- Need to assess how many of the jobs that were committed to be delivered as part of the employment land conversion approvals in 2013 have been delivered to date
- Impact of public transit investments on usage rates of office employment lands located along major transit corridors in Markham
- Need to protect existing employment lands while supporting opportunities and conditions needed to attract and retain employers and employees
- Opportunities and challenges associated with creating additional access points to the property owned by Markham Woodmills Developments Inc. from Elgin Mills Road
- Prioritizing purpose-built rental, affordable housing, and seniors housing as a condition of any conversions of lands in existing employment areas
- Need to ensure compatibility of properties located within the Cornell Rouge National Urban Park Gateway with the overall vision of the area
There was discussion regarding York Region's projected timelines in finalizing the growth scenarios and land needs assessment for the Region's 2041 Employment Strategy. Members of Committee identified the need to evaluate each of the requests for conversion individually prior to submission of Council's comments to York Region. The Committee consented to refer the consideration of staff's recommendations regarding the ten employment land conversion requests to a sub-committee of Development Services Committee for a future recommendation to Development Services Committee.