DEVELOPMENT SERVICES COMMITTEE

 

 

 

 

 

TO:

Mayor and Members of Council

 

 

 

 

FROM:

Peter Loukes, Director of Operations & Asset Management

 

 

 

 

PREPARED BY:

Paul Ingham, General Manager, Operations

 

 

 

 

DATE OF MEETING:

June 21st, 2005

 

 

 

 

SUBJECT:

Load Restriction Exemption – 19th Avenue

 

 

 

 

 

RECOMMENDATION:

That the report entitled ‘Load Restriction Exemption – 19th Avenue’ be received.

 

And that the request for exemption to the Town’s Load Restriction By-law # 2005-24 be denied.

 

PURPOSE:

This report has been prepared for Committee and Council at the request of Lebovic Enterprises and Fieldgate Developments for a temporary load restriction exemption for 19th Avenue between the 9th Line and Reesor Road for a period of 3 months ending on or before October 30th, 2005.  The requested exemption is being proposed to facilitate the transfer of earth fill material from development sites on Reesor Road to a site on the 9th Line, all located within the municipal boundaries of the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville.

 

BACKGROUND:

The Operations Department has received a request from Sernas Associates, on behalf of Lebovic Enterprises and Fieldgate Developments, for the temporary relief from the load restrictions on Reesor Road, from 19th Avenue to the Markham Town limits, and 19th Avenue, from Reesor Road to 9th line.

 

The development sites requiring both the removal and placement of earth fill are all located within the Town of Whitchurch Stouffville, immediately north of the Markham Town Line.  Development staff at Whitchurch Stouffville has expressed concern with respect to the options available to transport the earth fill over their Town’s road network. 

 

The first option involves travelling north from the development sites on Reesor Road and directing loaded dump trucks west across Main Street through the downtown core of Stouffville.  The second option would be for the trucks to continue north on the 10th Line to Bethesda Sideroad, then west on Bethesda to 9th Line, and then south on 9th Line to the fill site.  The concern with this second option is the close proximity of two elementary schools to the 9th Line north of Main Street and the interaction of dump trucks and school children within the urban area.

 

OPTIONS/DISCUSSION:

The Town of Whitchurch Stouffville has suggested that representatives for the Developers approach the Town of Markham to consider a proposal to utilize Reesor Road and 19th Avenue as the transportation route for the movement of the surplus earth fill.

 

The following details outline the Developers proposal for the movement of surplus fill.

 

Total volume                 190,000 m³

Total loads                   25,000

Trip Generation            40 loads/hour (80 ‘trips’ per hour)

Working Hours 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday to Friday

Time to Complete         3 months

 

Impact on area residents:

There are 5 homes located on the section of 19th Avenue between Reesor Road and 9th Line, as well as 2 on the 9th Line and 3 on Reesor Road within the proposed route.  The Developers have already approached some of the homeowners that will be directly impacted by this proposal, but it is likely that there may be considerable objection to the increased volume of truck traffic over the proposed 3 month period.

 

Impact on roads infrastructure

Reesor Road is a surface treated road designed to handle traffic volumes of less than 2000 AADT.  19th Avenue, between Reesor Road and Region Road 30, is currently a gravel surface road that is scheduled for base repair and placement of surface treatment in 2006 at an estimated cost of approximately $225,000.  Both Reesor Road and 19th Avenue are restricted to half loads (i.e. 5 tonnes per axle) on a year around basis, to protect both the surface and road base from excessive loading from heavy vehicles.

 

The Developers’ proposal to move 25,000 loads of material would have a significant adverse impact on both the surface and base conditions of both of these roads.

 

Continuous maintenance of 19th Avenue

As previously noted, 19th Avenue is currently a gravel road surface between Reesor Road and 9th Line.  The proposed increase in vehicle loading and traffic volumes would require enhanced maintenance of this section of road throughout the duration of this project to control rutting, potholes and dust suppression.

 

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Should Council consider approval of the proposed exemptions to the Town’s Load Restriction By-law # 2005-24, a detailed list of conditions, including financial implications, has been provided in Attachment ‘C’ of this report.

ATTACHMENTS:

Attachment ‘A’ – Area map

Attachment ‘B’ – Request for Exemption from Load Restrictions – Sernas Associates

Attachment ‘C’ – Conditions of approval for the proposed By-law exemption

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peter Loukes, P.Eng.

Director, Operations and Asset Management

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jim Sales

Commissioner, Community and Fire Services

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jim Baird

Commissioner, Development Services

 

Q:\Commission Share\Operations and Asset Management\Reports\2005\Operations\Roads\Load Restriction Exemption - 19th Avenue .doc

 

 

 

ATTACHMENT ‘C’

 

 

Conditions of Approval for the proposed exemption to the Load Restriction By-law # 2005-24

 

  1. Lebovic Enterprises and Fieldgate Developments enter into a joint Developers Agreement with the Town that will cover all terms and conditions for the approval of the temporary exemption to the Load Restriction By-law.
  2. Submission of liability insurance naming the Town of Markham in the amount of $5 million to the satisfaction of the Town Solicitor.
  3. Reduction of the speed limit on 19th Avenue from 60 km to 50 km from July 4, 2005 to September 30, 2005.
  4. Implementation of a speed monitoring program to the satisfaction of the General Manager of Operations
  5. Further discussion with the 19th Avenue residents as to mitigating concerns they may have.
  6. The Developers are required to pay a total of $170,000 towards the rehabilitation of the sections of both Reesor Road and 19th Avenue that will be impacted by this project.
  7. The Developers deposit with the Town a Letter of Credit in the amount of $50,000 as security against their commitment to maintain this section of road.
  8. The Developers are held responsible to maintain this section of road at all times to the satisfaction of the General Manager of Operations including but not limited to dust control.
  9. The hours of operations will be restricted to 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday to Friday.
  10. The temporary By-law exemption will not exceed 3 months duration and must end on or before September 30th, 2005.
  11. The trip generation for the movement of surplus earth fill is restricted to a maximum 30 loads/hour throughout the duration of the project.
  12. The Developers provide written notification to all area residents directly impacted by this proposal.  The Developer will be required to include contact names and phone numbers to the area residents and to have an individual available to respond to all resident’s complaints or concerns throughout the duration of this project.
  13. A $10,000 administration fee.
  14. The Town of Markham retains the right to terminate this agreement at any time should the Developers or their agents fail to comply with the agreed to terms and conditions.