Report to: Development Services Committee Date of Meeting: October 3, 2006

SUBJECT: First Markham Place Properties Inc.

3265 and 3275 Highway 7 East

Application for site plan approval for an addition to an existing shopping centre

File No. SC 06 114114

PREPARED BY: Scott Heaslip, Senior Project Co-ordinator

Central District Team

RECOMMENDATION:

That the report dated October 3, 2006, entitled “First Markham Place Properties Inc. – 3265 and 3275 Highway 7 East – Application for site plan approval for an addition to an existing shopping centre,” be received;

That the site plan control application submitted by First Markham Place Properties Inc., be endorsed in principle, subject to the conditions attached as Appendix ‘A’;

That site plan approval be delegated to the Director of Planning and Urban Design or her designate, to be issued following execution of a site plan agreement. Site Plan approval is issued only when the Director has signed the site plan.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Not applicable

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Not applicable

1. Purpose 2. Background 3. Discussion 4. Financial 5. Environmental

6. Accessibility 7.Engage^21st 8. Affected Units 9. Attachment(s)

The purpose of this report is to recommend that Committee endorse an application for site plan approval for a 3,153.2 m² (33,939 sq. ft.) expansion to the existing First Markham Place Shopping Centre on the south side of Highway 7, east of Fairburn Drive, and delegate site plan approval to the Director of Planning and Urban Design.

BACKGROUND:

Property and surrounding uses

The 4.06 hectare (10 acre) property is located on the south-east corner of Highway 7 and Fairburn Drive. It is occupied by a commercial development, as shown on Figure 1,

anchored by a Home Outfitters store and the First Markham Place Theatres. The subject development is fully integrated with the adjacent commercial development to the south.

To the north across Highway 7 are existing homes fronting on Montgomery Court and Blackwell Court. To the east is the Rouge River. To the west across Fairburn Drive is the Woodside Square Shopping Centre.

Official Plan and Zoning

The subject property is designated ‘Commercial/Retail Warehouse Area’ in the Official Plan. This designation provides for a range of retail, restaurant and other commercial uses.

The lands are zoned “Retail Warehouse” – RW by By-law 165-80. This zoning permits a broad range of retail, restaurant and other commercial uses.

The proposed expansion includes a second storey above the one storey portion of the existing building (the area behind the two-storey section occupied by Home Outfitters and First Markham Place Theatres), and a small two storey addition adjacent to the existing theatre. The second storey addition will be occupied by retail and restaurant uses. The two storey addition will be occupied by a café.

The additional parking required for the proposed additions will be provided in a new one level parking deck. The parking deck will be at the same level as and have direct access to the proposed second storey addition.

OPTIONS/ DISCUSSION:

Site and Building Integration

The proposed expansion will be integrated into the existing development by applying consistent building design and by using similar building materials to what is in use for the existing building. Proposed materials include two colours of matching brick, pre-finished metal flashing, with the roof accentuated by a cornice detail. A similar range of materials and finishes is proposed for the parking structure with additional articulation above the entranceway (Figures 6 and 7). Signage is proposed to be introduced above the entrance from the parking structure and above the café entrance, internal to the plaza.

Street Related Built Form and Visual Interest

The second storey addition and the parking deck will bring built form closer to the street, while maintaining a landscape buffer to screen the parking and loading areas. Opportunities have been identified by staff to further develop the landscape elements adjacent to Highway 7. This will animate the Highway 7 streetscape which currently fronts a more expansive parking lot. Architectural detailing such as metal flashing and doors, and EIFS panels which form horizontal bands, further add to the visual interest from Highway 7.

The two storey café addition will likewise enliven the site. The second storey addition will be linked to the interior mall of the adjoining development by an escalator. This will serve to integrate the adjacent uses.

Environmental Buffer

An existing environmental buffer, 10metres in width, measured from the established top of bank, is included in the site design. Existing vegetation is to be protected and retained, and planting enhancements will be required.

Access and Site Circulation

Subsequent to the development of the subject and adjacent commercial developments, operational concerns were identified with respect to parking, site access and on-site circulation. To address these concerns there have been a number of improvements to the surrounding road network, including the introduction of a separate signalized intersection on Highway 7, at the Longo’s store, opposite Lunar Crescent. Other improvements soon to be implemented include the extension of Rodick Road over Highway 407, which will facilitate southerly access offering alternative routing to and from the site, thereby avoiding Highway 7 and associated movements, and the addition of a four-way stop sign at the south end of Fairburn Drive.

The applicant also proposes to revise the layout of the existing surface parking area as shown on Figure 8 to improve on-site vehicle flows and access to the parking area to the west of the building. The 8 new surface parking spaces to the north of the building will compensate for the spaces lost to the revisions. These improvements will be secured in the site plan agreement.

The proposed parking deck will increase the number of parking spaces provided on the subject property by 113 spaces to a total of 785 spaces, which exceeds the 733 parking spaces required by the Town’s parking by-laws. The total combined parking supply on the subject property and the adjacent property is 1546 spaces, which exceeds the 1433 spaces required by the Town’s parking by-laws.

Minor variance

The regulations incorporated into zoning of the subject property were tailored to the specific development proposal before the Town at the time. As noted previously, the operational aspects of the subject site are fully integrated with the adjacent commercial property to the south. On September 13, 2006, the Committee of Adjustment approved a Minor Variance application to permit an increase in the permitted floor space from 32,075 m2 (345,364 sq. ft.) to 35228.2 m2 (379,206 sq. ft.), over the subject and adjacent properties with a Floor Space Index of 0.34 over the combined site. The proposed expansion otherwise complies with the by-law.

FINANCIAL TEMPLATE (Separate Attachment):

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS:

The established environmental buffer adjacent to the Rouge River will be maintained and enhanced through additional planting in conjunction with the processing of this application.

ACCESSIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS:

Accessibility consideration will be addressed through the building permit process and through the provision of and placement of accessible parking spaces and elevator access to the proposed addition.

ENGAGE 21^ST CONSIDERATIONS:

The proposal aligns with the following key Town of Markham Corporate Goals: Managed Growth, Quality Community and Infrastructure Management.

BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:

These applications have been circulated to all relevant external agencies and internal departments. All comments and requirements have been included as conditions of approval and will be reflected in the final plans and site plan agreement.

RECOMMENDED BY:

______________________________ ________________________

Valerie Shuttleworth, M.C.I.P, R.P.P Jim Baird, M.C.I.P, R.P.P

Director, Planning & Urban Design Commissioner, Development Services

ATTACHMENTS:

Figure 1 - Location

Figure 2 - Area Context/Zoning

Figure 3 - Aerial Photo

Figure 4 - Site Plan

Figure 5 - Floor Plan

Figure 6 – Elevations

Figure 7 – Elevations

Figure 8 – Proposed parking lot revisions

Appendix ‘A’ - Conditions of site plan approval

APPLICANT/AGENT: Mary Flynn-Guglieti

McMillan Binch Mendelsohn

BCE Place, Suite 4400

Bay Wellington Tower

Toronto, Ontario

Tel: (416) 865-7256

Fax: (416) 865-7048

Email: mary.flynn@mcmbm.com

FILE PATH\AMANDA\FILE O6 114114\DOCUMENTS\SITE PLAN RECOMMENDATION REPORT.DOC

APPENDIX ‘A’ – Conditions of Site Plan Approval

That the Owner enter into a site plan agreement with the Town, containing all standard and special provisions and requirements of the Town, Region of York, TRCA and other public agencies, and the specific requirements identified in the staff report;
That the site plan agreement include provisions for the payment by the Owner of all applicable fees, recoveries, development charges, cash-in-lieu of parkland;
That the site plan agreement include provisions to secure the proposed revisions to the existing parking lot;
That prior to the execution of the site plan agreement, the Town shall ensure satisfactory arrangements have been made to satisfy all obligations related to the development, financial or otherwise;
That prior to the execution of the site plan agreement, the Owner shall submit final drawings including but not limited to site plans and elevation drawings and landscape plans, and engineering drawings that comply with all requirements of the Town and authorized public agencies, to the satisfaction of the Commissioner of Development Services;
That the Owner submit a Landscape Plan, prepared by a Landscape Architect, having O.A.L.A. membership, for approval by the Commissioner of Development Services, prior to the execution of the site plan agreement. The landscaping shall be installed properly cared for and maintained to the satisfaction of the Town;
That a tree inventory and preservation plan is required, as per the Town’s tree preservation plan requirements, which include surveyed location, elevation, species type, size, condition and economic value. Where trees cannot be preserved our expectation is that the new landscape plan will compensate for the tree loss with enhanced planting. Tree preservation fencing must be shown along with an approved tree preservation detail. The fencing must be installed prior to the commencement of construction. The Owner further agrees not to remove any trees without written permission from the Town, Commissioner of Development Services.
That the location, size and construction of all internal refusal storage areas be approved to the satisfaction to the Town of Markham Waste Management Department;
That provisions for Fire Routes, yard hydrants, Siamese connections and other emergency access requirements be to the satisfaction of the Fire Department;
That the Owner comply with all requirements of the Town and authorized public agencies to the satisfaction of the Commissioner of Development Services;
That Minor Variance A/119/06 shall have come into effect, or alternatively the Owner has obtained a zoning by-law amendment to permit the proposed increase in permitted gross floor area.
That the Owner obtain a Permission for Minor Works Letter of Approval from the TRCA prior to the issuance of a municipal building permit.
That this endorsement shall lapse and site plan approval will not be issued after a period of three years commencing October 3, 2006, in the event that the site plan agreement is not executed within that period.