REPORT TO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES COMMITTEE

 

 

 

 

 

TO:

Mayor and Members of Council

 

 

FROM:

Jim Baird, Commissioner of Development Services

 

Valerie Shuttleworth, Director, Planning & Urban Design

 

PREPARED BY:

George Duncan, Senior Heritage Planner

 

 

DATE OF MEETING:

2006-01-24

 

 

SUBJECT:

BUTTONVILLE HERITAGE CONSERVATION DISTRICT STUDY AND PROPOSED BOUNDARIES

 

 

 

RECOMMENDATION:

That the report dated January 24, 2006, entitled “Buttonville Heritage Conservation District Study and Proposed Boundaries” be received;

 

And that the Buttonville Heritage Conservation District Study and Plan Update Report (Appendix “A”) be received and endorsed;

 

And that the boundaries for the Buttonville Heritage Conservation District as proposed by the consultant team, and outlined on Figure 2, be approved;

 

And that the preparation of a Buttonville Heritage Conservation District Plan proceed on the basis of these boundaries;

 

PURPOSE:

To present the findings of the Buttonville Heritage Conservation District Study and Plan Update Report, approve boundaries for the proposed heritage conservation district, and authorize the preparation of a Buttonville Heritage Conservation District Plan to provide the basis for the future designation of the Buttonville Heritage Conservation District under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act.

 

BACKGROUND:

The Buttonville Heritage Conservation District Study was initiated in 2004.

Council authorized the Buttonville Heritage Conservation District Study and Plan Update project in 2004. The extent of the study area is shown on Figure 1. The consultant team of Phillip Carter and Associates was hired to undertake the work, and a Buttonville Heritage Conservation District Advisory Committee was appointed to oversee the process. There have been two meetings with local residents and property owners. The first was an introductory meeting on April 27, 2005 to present the heritage conservation district concept and to seek public input into the study. A follow-up meeting was held on October 27, 2005 to present the findings of the study to the public and to seek input on appropriate boundaries for the proposed heritage conservation district.

 

The background study was completed in June, 2005

In June of 2005, the Buttonville Heritage Conservation District Study and Plan Update Report was completed by the consultant team and presented to the Advisory Committee at its meeting of June 15. The Advisory Committee was supportive of the study, including the consultant team’s recommended boundary for the heritage conservation district, which consists of the core area of the village and the adjacent valleylands that once contained the mills and mill ponds. The study is attached as Appendix “A.”

 

In September, 2005, the study and boundaries were presented to Heritage Markham committee. The Committee recommended approval of the study but suggested that the boundaries of the district be expanded to include properties fronting on Woodbine Avenue all the way up to 16th Avenue, as well as 3 properties on 16th Avenue west of Woodbine Avenue (see Heritage Markham Extract, Appendix “B” and Figure 2).

 

Key findings of the study were that

 

  • Buttonville contains a significant number of buildings of cultural heritage value and significance
  • Buttonville is a distinct cultural heritage landscape worthy of designation as a heritage conservation district
  • Local residents value the special character of old Buttonville including the heritage homes, village-like scale, back streets, trees and valleylands
  • Main concerns include the negative impact of Woodbine Avenue on the community and instances of poor property maintenance
  • The community is generally supportive of heritage district designation

 

The study was presented to local residents and property owners

The Buttonville Heritage Conservation District Study and proposed boundaries were presented to local residents and property owners at a meeting held at the Heritage Schoolhouse, south of  Buttonville, on the evening of October 27, 2005. At this meeting, most of the questions and input from the public centred on the implementation of the heritage conservation district plan and the process of approvals for alterations to properties and buildings.

 

Two options for proposed boundaries of the Buttonville Heritage Conservation District were presented to the public

At the meeting with local residents and property owners, comments were requested on the boundaries as proposed by the consultant team and advisory committee, and also the boundaries as recommended by Heritage Markham. There were few comments on the boundaries. A representative of Heritage Markham explained that Heritage Markham felt the expanded boundaries would protect the Buttonville Cemetery and would guide development in the northern area in a way that would complement the historic core. One local resident, also a member of the Advisory Committee, indicated that he would like to see the additional portion recommended by Heritage Markham included in the heritage conservation district.

 

A map showing the boundary as proposed by the consultant team and also the expanded boundary recommended by Heritage Markham is attached as Figure 2.

 

OPTIONS/DISCUSSION:

 

The Buttonville Heritage Conservation District project is progressing well

The study portion of the work is complete and the inventory of individual properties and cultural heritage features is very close to being finalized. The consultant team, who have also been retained by the Town of Markham to update the Thornhill Heritage Conservation District Plan, are using the same format for the Buttonville and Thornhill documents to ensure consistency in Markham’s heritage conservation district plans.

 

With the study complete, the production of a draft Heritage Conservation District Plan should begin

Now that the Heritage Conservation District Study has been completed, subject to Council’s acceptance of the document, it is appropriate for work to begin on a draft Heritage Conservation District Plan. The consultant team will prepare a preliminary draft District Plan to be reviewed by Town staff, the Buttonville Heritage Conservation District Advisory Committee, Heritage Markham and the public before a final draft will be presented to Council in the spring of 2006.

 

The boundaries for the Buttonville Heritage Conservation District need to be finalized

Prior to the approval of the District Plan and the designation of the Buttonville Heritage Conservation District, the boundaries of the district need to be endorsed by Council. This step is necessary to focus the content of the property inventory and policies that will be part of the final document. As noted earlier, the boundaries recommended by the consultant team and Advisory Committee are different from the boundaries recommended by Heritage Markham.

 

Boundary Option 1, as recommended by the consultant team, focuses on the historic core of Buttonville

The Buttonville Heritage Conservation District recommended by the consultant team focuses on the historic core of Buttonville. The proposed district includes properties on Woodbine Avenue, Buttonville Crescents East and West, and properties fronting on Woodbine Avenue up to Millbrook Gate at the north end. Also included are the valleylands which historically were the locations of the mills and mill ponds that gave rise to the settlement. The northern portion of the proposed heritage conservation district, south of the existing townhouse development, provides a buffer for the historic core area.

 

There are four properties on the west side of Woodbine Avenue between the golf course and existing townhouse complex where future redevelopment should be guided by the policies and guidelines of a heritage conservation district plan. On the east side of Woodbine Avenue, Millbrook Gate is a hard boundary and the two heritage houses directly to the south provide an ideal gateway to the heritage district.

 

Boundary Option 2, as recommended by Heritage Markham, extends north to 16th Avenue

Heritage Markham has recommended that the boundaries of the Buttonville Heritage Conservation District be extended north to 16th Avenue. Only the facades of the first townhouse units fronting on the west side of Woodbine Avenue would be included in this option. The extended boundary was recommended for two reasons: the protection of the Buttonville Cemetery and to guide future development in the northern area in a way that will complement the historic core of Buttonville.

 

Most heritage buildings north of the proposed heritage conservation district are already protected by individual heritage designation under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act

With only one exception (the heritage house that forms part of the Royal Bank building at the south east corner of Woodbine and 16th Avenues), all of the heritage buildings on Woodbine Avenue located to the north of the heritage conservation district recommended by the consultant team are already protected by individual designation under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act. The Buttonville Cemetery, a significant heritage resource, is also located in this area and is protected through its ownership by the Town of Markham. Both the cemetery and the heritage building associated with the Royal Bank warrant designation under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act and could receive further protection in this way if the heritage district boundary does not extend north to include them.

 

The nature of the area north of the recommended district is different in character from the core area of Buttonville

The character of the area north of the recommended heritage conservation district is more urban than that of the core area of Buttonville. In this area, Woodbine Avenue is wider and the substantial townhouse development on the west side of Woodbine Avenue is a dominant feature and different in scale from the form of the core area to the south. Redevelopment opportunities in this area are limited to a handful of properties between the Montesori School at 9211 Woodbine Avenue and the Buttonville Cemetery.

 

Staff recommend the heritage district boundaries as proposed by the consultant team

In consideration of all the above factors, staff recommend the heritage conservation district  boundaries as proposed by the consultant team. The established urban character of the northern area, the limited redevelopment opportunities there, and the existing mechanisms to protect the heritage features are the basis of the staff recommendation.

 

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

There are no financial considerations to be considered in this report.

 

ENGAGE 21ST CONSIDERATIONS:

Designation of a heritage district aligns with the Corporate Goal of maintaining a Quality Community by protecting heritage resources and the cultural heritage landscape, which strengthens the sense of community.

 

BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:

Approval of the recommendations of this report will provide direction to Planning and Urban Design staff to carry on with the Buttonville Heritage Conservation District Plan project.

 

ATTACHMENTS:

Figure 1 – Buttonville Heritage Conservation District Study Area

Figure 2 – Boundary Options for the Buttonville Heritage Conservation District

Appendix “A” – Buttonville Heritage Conservation District Study and Plan Update Report

Appendix “B” – Heritage Markham Extract

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

Director of Planning & Urban Design

 

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

Commissioner of Development Services

 

 

 

File Path: Q:\Development\Heritage\Subject\Buttonville Heritage District Study\DSCJanuary1006