DEVELOPMENT SERVICES COMMITTEE

 

 

 

 

 

TO:

Mayor and Members of Council

 

 

 

 

FROM:

Jim Baird, Commissioner of Development Services

Valerie Shuttleworth, Director of Planning & Urban Design

 

 

 

 

PREPARED BY:

Geoff Day, Planner East District Team

 

 

 

 

DATE OF MEETING:

August 30, 2005

 

 

 

 

SUBJECT:

Wismer Baptist Church

Application for Site Plan Approval to permit a place of worship 180 Mingay Avenue

 

 

SC 05 011624

 

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the Report entitled “Wismer Baptist Church, application for Site Plan Approval to permit a place of worship at 180 Mingay Avenue” be received;

 

AND THAT the Site Plan Control application (SC 05 011624) submitted by Wismer Baptist Church to permit a 2,495 m2 (26,857 ft2) place of worship at 180 Mingay Avenue, be approved subject to the following conditions:

 

1.    THAT a variance be granted by the Committee of Adjustment for relief from Parking By-law 28-97, as amended;

 

2.    THAT the Owner enter into a site plan agreement with the Town, containing all standard and special provisions and requirements of the Town and public agencies;

 

3.    THAT the Owner submit and receive approval of a Landscape Plan, prepared by a Landscape Architect having O.A.L.A. membership;

 

4.    THAT the Owner satisfy Town Departments including all requirements of the Director of Engineering, the Fire Department, and the Waste Management Department;

 

5.    AND THAT the site plan agreement provide for payment by the Owner of all applicable fees and recoveries, and submission of any required letters of credit to guarantee compliance with Town requirements;

 

6.    AND FURTHER THAT the site plan approval shall lapse after a period of three years commencing August 30, 2005, in the event a site plan agreement is not executed within that period.           

 

PURPOSE:

The report provides background information and recommends site plan approval, subject to conditions, for a proposed place of worship on the southwest corner of Mingay Avenue and Bur Oak Avenue, municipally known as 180 Mingay Avenue (Figure 1). 

 

BACKGROUND:

Property and Area Context

The subject property has an area of approximately 0.76 ha (1.9 acres) and is located on the southwest corner of Mingay Avenue and Bur Oak Avenue. 

 

The property is vacant with no significant vegetation or natural features (Figure 3). 

 

Abutting to the north, south and west are future neighbourhood and community parks.  To the east, across Mingay Avenue, is an existing public elementary school.  The site was originally reserved for a place of worship at the time of the approval of subdivision 65M-3519.  

 

Official Plan and Zoning

The Official Plan designates the subject property “COMMUNITY AMENITY AREA”, which provides for the proposed use.   The Wismer Commons Secondary Plan designates the property “Community Amenity Area”, and identifies the subject property as a potential place of worship site. The property is currently zoned Open Space (OS2*94) under Zoning By-law 177-96, as amended, which permits a place of worship (Figure 2).

 

Proposal is to permit a place of worship with typical accessory uses

The applicant has submitted an application for site plan approval to permit a place of worship having a total gross floor area of 2,495 m2 (26,857 ft2).  The proposed place of worship will feature a sanctuary on the ground floor with a total seating capacity of 566. The facility will also contain meeting rooms, a general office, servery and a multi-purpose gymnasium.

 

OPTIONS/DISCUSSION:

Off-street parking

The applicant is proposing 150 parking spaces on site, 66 fewer than required by the Town’s Parking By-law.  The church has entered into a legal agreement with the York District School Board to allow the church to use the parking lot of the nearby Wismer Public School between 6:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. from Monday through Friday and all day on weekends.  This agreement is for five years and may be renewed by both parties by written mutual consent (Appendix A). There are 68 parking spaces in the school parking lot which will make up the 66 parking space deficiency. 

 

The applicant has submitted a minor variance application to the Committee of Adjustment for relief from the requirements of Parking By-law 28-97 as amended, from 216 to 150 parking spaces. 

 

Site Plan is consistent with the Wismer Commons Urban Design Guidelines and is acceptable

The proposed place of worship is consistent with the vision for Wismer Commons as outlined in the approved urban design guidelines.  The vision calls for developing a strong “built form” along Bur Oak Avenue, with buildings set close to the street, providing visual interest and a diversity of uses along the street. 

 

The proposed building will be predominantly two stories in height with the main sanctuary located at the corner of Bur Oak and Mingay Avenue with a base of masonry architectural block on all sides with stucco applied above.  The finished grade will match the existing grade level of the public boulevard along Bur Oak and Mingay Avenue (Figure 5).

 

The proposed development will provide a strong built form along Bur Oak, oriented to the intersection of Bur Oak and Mingay Avenue.  Parking will be located to the side and rear of the building.  Where the parking area is adjacent to streets, a 4.5 metre landscape buffer comprising of hedges, low walls, decorative fencing and rows of trees will be located between the sidewalk and the parking areas (Figure 3).

 

Staff are satisfied with the site layout and building elevations.  

 

CONCLUSION:

Staff are satisfied with the proposal and recommend that it be approved, subject to the conditions outlined in this report.

 

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

There are no financial impacts to the Town in this report.

 

ACCESSIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS:

The site plan shows a total of seven handicap parking spaces all located close to the main entrance of the building.  In addition, barrier free pedestrian connects leading from the main entrance on the south side of the building have also been provided. 

 

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS:

There are no environmental issues to be considered in this report.

 

BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:

The application was circulated to all Town departments and external agencies, and their recommendations/comments have been incorporated into this report.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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:   AMANDA: SC 05011624 DOCUMENT TAB - DSC Report.doc

 

ATTACHMENTS:    Figure 1 – Location Map

                                    Figure 2 – Area Context and Zoning

                                    Figure 3 – Air Photo

                                    Figure 4 – Site Plan

                                    Figure 5 – Elevations

 

                                    Appendix ‘A’ – Legal Agreement

                                   

AGENT:                     Takvor Hopyan

                                    20 Pineway Blvd.,

                                    Toronto Ontario  M2H 1A1

                                    Tel: 416-222-2639

                                    Fax: 416-222-2835