RECOMMENDATION
THAT the Site Plan
application (SC 05 016629) submitted by Wemat Four Limited for an eight-storey
professional office building at 80 Minthorn Blvd, be endorsed in principle,
subject to the following conditions:
1.
THAT site plan approval be delegated to the Director
of Planning & Urban Design or her designate, to be issued following
execution of a site plan agreement. Site
Plan approval issues only when the Director has signed the site plan
“approved”.
2.
THAT the owner will enter into
a site plan agreement with the Town of Markham containing all standard
provisions and requirements of the Town and public agencies, including;
a) Provision for payment by the Owner of all
applicable fees, recoveries and development charges;
b) Provisions for satisfying
all requirements of the Town’s Departments and external agencies, including the
Regional Municipality of York Transportation and Works Department.
3.
THAT this endorsement shall lapse and site plan approval will not be issued, after a period of three
years commencing February 7, 2006, in the event that the site plan agreement is
not executed within that period;
4.
THAT prior to approval of the
site plan, the Owner shall: a) Submit
drawings, to the satisfaction of the of the Director of Operations, showing
the location and size of the internal
garbage room/recycling room;
b) Submit a revised site plan, to the
satisfaction of the Fire Chief, indicating fire department connections, the
location of fire hydrants, and the location of Fire Access Route Signs;
c) Meet with the fire department to finalize the
location of the Fire Department connection, private hydrant, fire access route
signage and rapid entry key box, to the satisfaction of the Fire Chief;
d) Submit a revised site plan, to the
satisfaction of the Director of Engineering, showing that the centreline of the
proposed driveway to the subject development has been revised to align with the
driveway of the existing development situated on the opposite side of Minthorn Blvd;
e)
Provide a revised site plan and
building elevations, to the satisfaction of the Director of Planning and Urban
Design, which shows:
i)
A key map;
ii)
Compliance with the minor
variances obtained from the Committee of Adjustment;
iii)
Strengthened pedestrian
connections throughout the site, particularly at the intersection of Highway 7
and Leslie St and internally from the north and south ends of the building and to
the site to the east;
iv)
Specification of building
materials, additional detail for the primary building entrance, stronger
cornice treatment on the building, and screening of roof top heating, air
conditioning and ventilation equipment.
f) Submit a Landscape Plan, to the satisfaction
of the Director of Planning and Urban Design, prepared by a Landscape Architect
having O.A.L.A. membership, with emphasis on the landscape treatment along the
Highway 7 and Leslie St frontage and the required street tree planting in the
boulevard.
g) Obtain all necessary approvals from the
Regional Municipality of York (Transportation and Works Department);
f)
Obtain approval from the Committee of Adjustment for appropriate permanent
easements or rights-of-way with the adjoining landowner to the east (50 Minthorn Blvd) providing for cross-use and joint maintenance of a shared internal
driveway.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to review and
endorse an application for Site Plan Approval for an eight-storey professional
office building at 80 Minthorn Blvd.
BACKGROUND
Property and Area
Context
The subject property is approximately 2.95 ha (7.3 ac) in
area and is located at the southeast corner of Highway 7 and Leslie St,
municipally known as 80 Minthorn Blvd.
The site is presently vacant with no significant vegetation or natural
features (Figure 1).
Abutting the subject property to the east is a professional office
building, which was also developed by the owner. To the north, across Highway 7, are the Best Western Parkway hotel and a Tim Hortons restaurant.
To the west, across Leslie
St, is a professional
office building. To the south, across Minthorn Blvd,
is the Courtyard Marriott hotel (Figure 2).
Official Plan and Zoning
The Official Plan designates the subject property Business Park
Area, which provides for the proposed use.
This designation is intended to accommodate a mix of high quality
business activities including corporate head offices and research facilities.
The subject property is zoned Select Industrial with Limited Commercial
[M.C.(70%)] by By-law 165-80, as amended, which permits a variety of industrial
uses as well as commercial uses including, but not limited to, business and
professional offices (Figure 3).
The parking provided for the proposed development demonstrates
compliance with the parking standards as outlined in the Town’s Parking
Standards By-law 28-97, as amended, in terms of both the number of parking
spaces provided and the size of the parking stalls. A total of 532 parking spaces are required
and the owner is proposing to provide a total of 670 parking spaces, all of
which will be provided at grade. A
majority of the parking is provided in the rear yard of the subject property.
Proposal
The owner is proposing to construct an eight-storey professional
office building. The proposed office
building will be 15,970 m2
(171,909 ft2) in gross floor area and 37 m in height, with a penthouse level that will be used to store mechanical
equipment. Access to the proposed office building will
be facilitated through a two-way drive off of Minthorn Blvd.
An integrated driveway will also be provided between the subject
property and the adjacent property to the east (Figure 4). The owner has been advised to obtain approval
from the Committee of Adjustment for appropriate easements or rights-of-way
with the adjoining landowner to the east (50 Minthorn Blvd) providing for
cross-use and joint maintenance of the proposed shared internal driveway.
OPTIONS/DISCUSSION:
Siting of proposed building enhances the southeast corner of Highway 7
and Leslie St
The building is generally
rectangular in built form and is oriented to the intersection of Highway 7 and Leslie St, which defines and enhances the
highly visible intersection. A maximum
of two rows of parking and a two-way aisle have been provided between the
main entrance of the building and the intersection of Highway 7 and Leslie St.
This design feature has allowed for the building to be sited as close to
the street as possible in order to mark the importance of the intersection and
also minimize the walking distance for transit users and pedestrians. Staff have been
working with the owner to strengthen pedestrian connections from the
intersection of Highway 7 and Leslie St to the proposed development, throughout
the site, and between the proposed development and the existing office building
to the east.
There will be two pedestrian
entrances to the building: one fronting
onto the intersection of Highway 7 and Leslie St and the other at the south end of
the building adjacent to the majority of at-grade vehicular parking. A through lobby will be provided in order to
connect the entrances internally. As
previously stated, vehicular access to the site will be provided through a
two-way driveway off Minthorn Boulevard, which will be defined by raised
landscaped islands consisting of high branching deciduous trees. Landscaping will also be provided along the
perimeter of the Highway 7 and Leslie St frontages in order to buffer the
proposed development, visually enhance the Highway 7 boulevard,
and mitigate the visual impact of at-grade parking that is visible from Leslie St.
The proposed development complements the Highway 7 streetscape
The proposed development will
visually emulate the existing eight-storey office building that is situated
immediately to the east, which was also developed by the owner. Maintaining the visual attractiveness and
consistent imaging is consistent with the planned functions of the Business
Park Area designation as outlined in the Official Plan. The buildings are consistent in scale and
massing, as well as building materials.
Similar to the building to the east, the exterior façade of the proposed
building will be faced with green reflective glazing, pre-cast concrete panels
and reflective glass spandrel panels (Figure 5). Staff are generally
satisfied with the building materials and the proposal as submitted by the
owner. Minor modifications may need to
be made, particularly in respect of the landscape plans which will complement
and supplement the built form. These can
be resolved at the staff level, subject to the approval of the final plans to
the satisfaction of the Director of Planning &
Urban Design. The owner expects to begin construction in
the summer of this year.
Minor variances approved for reduced landscaped strip and increase in
building height
During the preliminary site plan
review, it was identified that the width of the landscape strip along the Leslie St frontage was deficient. The owner applied for approval of this
variance, requesting relief from the requirements of the By-law to permit a
landscape strip of 6 m;
whereas, the By-law requires a landscaping strip of 9 m. The owner was able to justify this reduction
in landscaping along Leslie St by providing for more intensified
landscaping in other areas of the subject property, specifically at the
northwest and southwest corners of the site, in order to compensate for the
proposed reduction. The variance was
approved at the November 30, 2005 Committee of Adjustment hearing.
In addition to the reduction in
the landscaping strip along Leslie St, the owner also applied for a
minor variance to permit an increase in building height from a maximum
permitted height of 29 m to a height of 37 m.
The variance in maximum permitted height was requested by the owner in
order to permit a penthouse level, which will be used to store mechanical
equipment. The increase in building
height did not compromise the business park image along this portion of the
Highway 7 streetscape, as a variance to permit an increase in building height
was previously granted for the existing office building to the east, allowing
for a building height of 36.5 m. This
variance was also approved at the November 30, 2005 Committee of Adjustment
hearing.
Compliance with the Toronto/Buttonville Airport Zoning Regulations has
been satisfied
Section 2.1.2. of the
Official Plan stipulates that lands surrounding Buttonville Airport, located at Highway 404 and 16th Avenue, are subject to Federal Zoning
Regulations, which establish limits on building height. As outlined in the Official Plan, owners
proposing development within these lands are required to demonstrate compliance
with the regulations. Town staff are in receipt of a Surveyor’s Certificate stipulating
that the proposed office building is in compliance with the Toronto/Buttonville
Airport Zoning Regulations.
CONCLUSION:
Staff are generally satisfied with the
proposal and recommend that it be endorsed, subject to the conditions outlined
in this report.
FINANCIAL
CONSIDERATIONS:
There are no
financial considerations associated with this application.
ENVIRONMENTAL
CONSIDERATIONS:
The subject lands are presently vacant and
do not support any significant vegetation or natural features.
ACCESSIBILITY
CONSIDERATIONS:
The site plan shows eleven handicap parking
spaces, all of which are located within close proximity to the base of the
building.
BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND
AFFECTED
The proposal
has been circulated to other Town Departments and public agencies and their
comments have been incorporated into this report and the approved
conditions.
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Valerie
Shuttleworth, M.C.I.P., R.P.P.
Director of Planning & Urban Design
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Jim Baird, M.C.I.P., R.P.P.
Commissioner of Development Services
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DOCUMENT
FILE PATH: Q:\Development\Planning\APPL\SITEPLAN\05 016629 -
Wemat Four Limited\DSC Rec Report for Wemat.doc
ATTACHMENT
FILE PATH: Q:\GEOMATICS\NEW OPERATION\2005
AGENDA\SC\SC05016629
ATTACHMENTS: Figure 1
- Owner/Agent and Location Map
Figure
4 - Site Plan
Figure
5 - Elevations
AGENT: Kaik Barucha
Archxes Design Inc. Architects
625 Cochrane Drive
Markham, ON
L3R
9R9
Tel: (905) 475-3706
Fax: (905) 475-3574
Figure 1
