The Public Meeting this date was to consider an application submitted by CF Markville Nominee Inc.
The Committee Clerk advised that 869 notices were mailed on November 15, 2023 and a Public Meeting sign was posted on November 14, 2023. There were 23 written submissions received regarding this proposal.
Steven Lue, Senior Manager, Development, introduced the item.
Elizabeth Martelluzzi, Senior Planner, gave a presentation regarding the proposal, the location, surrounding uses and outstanding issues.
Lincoln Lo, Malone Given Parsons LTD., provided a presentation on the proposed development.
The following deputations were made on the proposed development:
Daniel Li expressed concern regarding the number of units being proposed, and the impact it will have on the existing community.
Quiang Fa Liang registered to speak, but did not make a deputation.
Sheng Huang expressed the following concerns regarding the proposed development: that it will cause overcrowding at local schools that are already operating at full capacity; the buildings should have a greater set-back from the street; and the high density of the proposal, given there is no subway to support it.
Pel Yang expressed the following concerns regarding the proposed development: the proposal will decrease the size of the mall, and it will hide it from the public’s view; there will not be enough schools to support the additional population; the proposal does not provide any benefits for the existing community; the proposal should include improvements to the existing mall; and that the proposal includes too many units.
Lucian Geleriu expressed concern that the proposed development will have a negative impact on traffic, and parking in the surrounding community. He also expressed concern regarding the impact the proposal will have on existing infrastructure, and on emergency services ability to access the site.
Steven Zhou, Markville Community Association, expressed the following concerns regarding the proposed development: the impact it will have on traffic; the impact it will have on existing infrastructure; that no new library or community centre is being proposed as part of the proposal; that transit and schools will become overcrowded; that a shadow will cast over the existing low-rise community; and the impact it will have on the Rouge River and the environment.
Stella Yu expressed the following concerns regarding the proposed development: that the proposal is depending on residents using the GO trains, but increasing the frequency of the trains is limited due to there only being one track in Unionville; that the proposal is an overdevelopment of the subject lands; that the proposal will create chaos if traffic and school problems are not addressed prior to building of the development; and that the proposal is being considered prior to the completion of the Markville Secondary Plan. Ms. Yu noted that 2,000 residents have signed a petition opposing the overdevelopment of the subject lands. Ms. Yu spoke of the importance building a healthy and sustainable Markham.
Guangsi Zhang spoke in opposition of the proposed development for the following reasons: that it will cause overcrowding of existing infrastructure if no new libraries or community centres are built; emergency services may have difficulty reaching residents in the high-rise buildings; and the overdevelopment of the site. Mr. Zhang suggested that the proposed development should not be approved.
Wayne Chen expressed the following concerns regarding the proposed development: that the proposal will be an overdeveloping of the site, the affect it will have on the mall, as it is the only shopping mall in Markham; the strain it will have on exiting infrastructure, including the overcrowding of schools; that there will not be enough parking, as the existing parking at the mall is already full; and the survival of the mall’s retail establishments when the condominiums are being constructed. Mr. Chen suggested that that the Applicant focus on improving the asthetics of the mall rather than redeveloping the site. Mr. Chen encouraged Council to oppose the proposed application.
Rodica Radu supported the comments the other deputants made regarding the proposed development. Ms. Radu questioned what the plans for transit are to support the proposed development, explaining some of the limitations of the existing transit, such as the length of time it takes to reach your destination. Ms. Radu also noted her concern regarding the impact the proposed development will have on crime due to the increase in the number of people in the area. Ms. Radu asked the Applicant to consider lowering the height and density of the proposed development.
Mike Charbonnesu expressed concern that Markham is loosing its small town charm due to overdevelop, while questioning how building higher and denser communities benefits existing and future residents. Mr. Charbonnesu noted that Markham needs more affordable housing options for young people wanting to live in Markham. Mr. Charbonnesu was also concerned how the proposed development will impact existing infrastructure that is already operating at or above capacity.
Elisabeth Tan advised that she originally supported the proposal, as it was proposing low and mid-rise buildings. However, she no longer supports it due to the height and density of the proposal, noting that high rises isolate people and cause vertical sprawl. Ms. Tan spoke of the importance of building walkable, affordable and livable communities. Ms. Tan also expressed concern regarding the traffic congestion the added density will create, and that it will make intersections more dangerous.
Kari Li expressed the following concerns regarding the proposed development: that schools will become more overcrowded and that outdated school data is used to access the need for a school; that the proposal is missing components of a complete community, such as transit and having a balance of residential and commercial units; that the population of future residents of the proposed development is being underestimated. Suggested there should be a plan in regards to how the Development Charges should be used.
Adrian Lung, representing the students of Markville Secondary School, provided a deputation expressing concern that the schools will become increasingly overcrowded and more students will need to attend class in portables. Mr. Lung was also concerned that it will be hard for students to get picked up by their parents due to traffic congestion.
Tristen Poon provided the following feedback on the proposed development: the density of the proposal is too low given the location of the subject lands; that the proposed park would be more suitable in a different location where it is not fronting a major road; that the Purple York Region Transit Bus operates more frequently than suggested by the Applicant; and that the Applicant consider reserving space for the possible future subway extension of line 2.
Mike McIntyre expressed concern regarding the impact the proposed development will have on traffic, suggesting that bridges be built over the tracks on both McCowan Road and Kennedy Road to help alleviate the congestion caused by the railway crossings. Mr. McIntyre suggested that the proposed development should have mid-rise and low-rise buildings rather than high-rise buildings.
Jing Li expressed the following concerns regarding the impact the proposed development will have on traffic, as it is already difficult to get around in timely manner at various times of the day and week.
Grace Wu registered to speak, but did not make a deputation.
Xun (Sean) Cao expressed the following concerns regarding the proposed development: that it will increase crime in the community; the height of the buildings being proposed; that there are not enough jobs located nearby for the thousands of residents proposed to live in the development proposal; suggested the proposal should include more commercial units; questioned how the development would work in a disaster, mentioning the struggles of people that lived in similar types of developments during the pandemic; questioned how emergency services will access the proposed development.
Elizabeth Brown provided the following feedback on the proposed development: need to ensure there is reliable and frequent rapid transit serving the development; need to ensure that the community is walkable and bicycle friendly; suggested the main floor of the condominiums should be for services or retail that support daily living, such as a daycare; suggested that the park should not border a busy road; suggested that the proposal should include more family units; noted that students from the Markham York University campus may choose to live in this development; noted the development will need a ring road; noted that school locations need to be known prior to development being built; and suggested that the residential units be built on top of the mall to allow for more open space even if this requires breaking retail leases.
Gavin Turner expressed the following concerns regarding the proposed development: the density of the proposal; that it will make it more difficult to drive to the mall; questioned where the children will play; noted that the development needs a ring road; the impact it will have on traffic congestion; suggested that people connect better when development proposals are comprised of low and mid-rise buildings; and emphasized the need for the units to be affordable.
Frank Liu expressed the following concerns regarding the proposed development: the social cost of the development, such as the impact on schools, hospitals, traffic and on the power grid; that profit is being earned at the expense of the community; the shadow the development will cast over the existing low-rise community, especially in the winter months; that it will clog major roads; and that more jobs are need in Markham to support its growing population. Mr. Liu questioned if the voice of residents will have an influence on the project.
Carol Wilson expressed the following concerns regarding the proposed development: the impact the proposal will have on traffic, especially the intersection of Highway 7 and McCowan Road, as there are frequent accidents in this location; how existing residents will get around, as traffic is already an obstacle; that emergency vehicles will be unable to access the proposed development due to traffic. Ms. Wilson suggested that traffic issues in the area need to be addressed prior to the development proceeding.
James Lin expressed the following concerns regarding the proposed development: questioned where people will park and if there will be enough parking, as there will be a need for mall parking and condominium parking; the impact the proposal will have on the natural features located nearby, such as the Rouge River; that there will not enough grocery stores to serve the population.
Rajesh Kheni provided the following feedback on the proposed development: that it lacks greenspace; that the future number of residents that will reside in the community is being underestimated and needs to be verified; that traffic signals and intersections need to be improved to improve traffic flow; transit improvement need to be made prior to the development; that it needs to be designed to be a walkable community. Ms. Kheni advised that the human impact needs to be considered when approving this application
Agatha McPhee registered to speak, but did not speak.
Linda Parsons registered to speak, but did not speak.
The Committee provided the following feedback on the proposed development:
- Thanked the residents for attending the Statutory Development Services Public Meeting;
- Discussed the long term leases at Markville Mall and the complications associated with breaking them;
- Noted that the Cadillac Fairview lands is the largest site in the Markville Secondary Plan area, which makes it a candidate for density;
- Spoke about Council’s role in approving proposed developments, and how it has changed as a result of recent changes to provincial legislation;
- Noted how recent changes to provincial legislation have reduced the amount of parkland required in high density developments;
- Explained the growth targets that the City of Markham is required to achieve, and the need for housing for the younger generation;
- Noted that feedback from many different stakeholders is considered when making decisions regarding development applications;
- Noted that the City has and continues to work hard to bring high tech jobs to Markham;
- Expressed concern regarding the impact the proposed development will have on the school system, recognizing that School Board determine the need for new schools;
- Clarified that York Region has Plans to extend the rapid transit system on Highway 7 to the Markville area;
- Noted that there are different ways to increase the GO train frequency, advising that not all of these ways require having double tracks;
- Advised that the proposed development would be phased in over many years if approved, and that the phases would be tied with infrastructure improvements;
- Applauded the Applicant for making 50% of the units purpose built rentals;
- Noted that it is the role of government rather than the role of the developer to build social housing;
- Noted that Development Charges are collected for specific purposes, and that the funds can only be used for these purposes;
- Encouraged the residents to stay informed of developments happening across Markham, and to get involved.
Staff responded and provided clarification to questions from the Committee and the deputants.