OCTOBER
27, 2009 - 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
MINUTES
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES COMMITTEE
Meeting No. 30
All
Members of Council
Development
Services Economic
Development
Chair: Councillor J. Webster Chair:
Vice-Chair: Councillor D. Horchik 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. Livey, Chief Administrative
Officer
J. Baird, Commissioner of Development
Services
A. Taylor, Commissioner of Corporate
Services
B. Librecz, Commissioner of
Community and Fire Services
A. Brown, Director of Engineering
C. Conrad, Town Solicitor
L. Duoba, Project Coordinator
B. Karumanchery, Senior Development
Manager
T. Lambe, Manager, Policy and
Research
T. Kanji, Senior Planner
V. Shuttleworth, Director of
Planning and Urban Design
A. Tari, Committee Clerk
|
The Development Services
Committee convened at 9:07 AM in the Canada Room with Councillor
J. Webster in the Chair.
DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTEREST
None disclosed.
1. DEVELOPMENT
SERVICES COMMITTEE MINUTES
- October 13, 2009, Part A (10.0)
Minutes
Moved by Deputy Mayor J. Heath
Seconded by Councillor A. Chiu
That the
minutes of the Development Services Committee meeting, Part A, held
October 13, 2009, be
confirmed.
CARRIED
2. ROUGE
PARK IMPLEMENTATION
TASK FORCE REPORT – SUMMARY OF
COMMENTS
FROM STAKEHOLDERS (10.0)
Report App
A App
B App
C App
D App
E App
F App
G
Mr. Terry O’Connor, York Federation Agriculture,
addressed the Committee regarding the Rouge Park Implementation Task Force
revised recommendations and spoke in support.
He indicated that the food producers in this area should be a part of
the consultation process (including maps, future proposals and long-term
planning). Mr. O’Connor would like to
see “agriculture” further defined. He
spoke of the importance of systematic drainage for farmers and that it can only
be accomplished with the opportunity of long term leases.
Mr. Brian Reynolds, York Federation Agriculture,
addressed the Committee with respect to the Rouge Park Implementation Task
Force revised recommendations thanking Markham Council for bringing this
forward. He believes that cash crops
(crops that are grown for sale as opposed to subsistence farming where crops
are grown to feed the farmer and his family) should not be eliminated and that
farmers should have the ability to decide what to grow.
Moved by Deputy Mayor J. Heath
Seconded by Councillor A. Chiu
1) Whereas the Rouge Park Implementation Task Force report
dated November 25, 2008 was received by Council on December 16, 2008; and,
2) Whereas the staff report entitled “Rouge Park Implementation
Task Force Report – Staff Comments” dated February 17, 2009 was received by
Council on February 24, 2009; and,
3) Whereas Council authorized the circulation of the Task Force
report, and invited comments from agencies, boards, adjacent municipalities and
the Provincial and Federal Governments; and,
4) Whereas the comments received from agencies, boards,
adjacent municipalities, Provincial and Federal Governments along with other
stakeholders including residents in the Rouge Park culminated in a Markham
workshop held on April 16, 2009; and therefore,
5) Be it resolved that the staff report entitled “Rouge Park
Implementation Task Force Report – Summary of Comments from Stakeholders” dated
October 20, 2009 be received; and,
6) That the revised Rouge Park Implementation Task Force
Recommendations attached as Appendix ‘A’ as amended at the October
27, 2009 Development Services Committee meeting to this report be
endorsed by Council as direction for further discussion and negotiation with
the Rouge Park Alliance; and,
7) That staff report back to Council with an update on the
Little Rouge Creek Management Plan and Bob Hunter Master Plan consistent with the
Task Force recommendations; and,
8) That the Town of Markham hold a Public Meeting to
discuss the Rouge Park agricultural land and a
transition plan, and further,
9) That Staff be authorized and directed
to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution.
**Note – see Council minutes from the October 27, 2009 Council meeting
3. GROWTH
MANAGEMENT STRATEGY (10.0)
Presentation
Ms. Valerie Shuttleworth, Director of Planning and
Urban Design delivered a PowerPoint presentation regarding the Growth
Management Strategy. She advised that a
report will be presented to the Development Services Committee in November 2009
that will incorporate all the information related to the Growth Management
Strategy work to date and anticipates obtaining Council direction on a preferred
growth alternative.
There was brief discussion regarding the lack of
employment facilities and insufficient transit in the east end of Markham
(Cornell area). Staff agreed that a
future employment area in the east end of Markham
is crucial and that staff are not proposing more residential units beyond what
is already approved in the Cornell Secondary Plan.
The Committee discussed the proposed percentage of
intensification for the Langstaff area.
The Committee requested that staff include all percentage numbers for
the various intensification areas within Markham
in a future presentation and/or report.
There was considerable discussion regarding Markham
Centre (population numbers, speed of transition, geographic size) and whether
there is a location within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) that is
comparable. The Committee inquired if a
schematic representation of Markham Centre could be prepared. Staff advised that many of the Precinct
Plans do provide a good schematic look and feel of what is to come in Markham
Centre. Staff pointed out that Markham
Centre is a significant contributor in achieving the proposed overall 60%
intensification target however not the only one.
The Committee inquired about the population numbers
within the existing boundaries and the proposed new growth areas with respect
to the 60% intensification target. Mr.
Tim Lambe, Manager Policy and Research, provided the Committee with those
numbers.
There was discussion regarding how the Growth
Management Strategy related to sustainable issues such as climate change, peak
oil, etc. Staff advised that sustainable
initiatives are built in the policies that are associated to the overall Growth
Management Strategy (eg. intensification areas developed in close proximity to
transit and requirement of LEED accreditation for buildings).
There was brief discussion regarding affordable
housing.
The Committee inquired if a modeling of greenhouse gas
emissions has been prepared for the various growth alternatives
considered. Staff advised that a
modeling has not been done however they have had discussions with various
consultants about modeling the preferred scenario, once chosen by Council.
There was discussion regarding the future protection
of the remaining “whitebelt” areas.
The Committee discussed the importance of additional
public consultation. The Committee
suggested that that November 2009 staff report address the necessary role of
the Province and some form of future public consultation.
The Mayor agreed to forward a letter to the Province
and the Minister of Municipal Affairs outlining details with respect to the
Town of Markham’s
Community Sustainability Plan that is in progress.
Moved by Mayor F. Scarpitti
Seconded by Deputy Mayor J. Heath
That the presentation provided by Ms. Valerie
Shuttleworth, Director of Planning and Urban Design regarding Growth Management
Strategy, be received.
CARRIED
4. IN-CAMERA (10.0)
Moved by Councillor E. Shapero
Seconded by Councillor C. Moretti
That, in accordance with Section 239 (2) (a) of the Municipal Act, Development Services
Committee resolve into an in-camera session to discuss the following
confidential matter
(11:57
AM):
1) Pending acquisition or disposition of
land – Rouge Park Implementation Task Force Report
CARRIED
Moved by Councillor V. Burke
Seconded by Councillor D. Horchik
That the Committee rise from the in-camera session (1:06 PM)
CARRIED
NEW BUSINESS
There was no new business.
ADJOURNMENT
The Development Services
Committee meeting adjourned at 1:08 PM.