RECOMMENDATION:
That the report entitled “Preliminary Report –
Application by 1547155 Ontario Ltd. for Official Plan and Zoning By-law
Amendments to permit a residential condominium with grade-level retail at 7751
Yonge Street, southeast corner of Yonge Street and Thornhill Summit Drive – Thornhill Heritage Conservation District. (File Nos. OP 05 005462, ZA 05 005465) be
received;
And that a public meeting be held when the following issues have been resolved to
staff’s satisfaction:
·
Need to ensure that the
proposed development is consistent with the recommendations of the Thornhill
Yonge Street Study. As a result, staff
recommend that the public meeting for this application be deferred until the
final report for this study has been adopted by Council, and any outstanding
issues regarding the conceptual site plan have been addressed to staff’s satisfaction;
·
Need to give further
consideration of the processing of this application within the context of the objectives
of the existing heritage conservation district plan and the ongoing Thornhill
Heritage Conservation District Review Study;
·
Refinement of the proposed building massing and design concept to
better reflect the heritage character of the Thornhill Heritage District;
·
Adequacy of the proposed transition between the higher density Yonge
Street wing of the building and the existing low density, low rise residences
located to the south and along the Eliza Street frontage of the site;
·
Adequacy of the proposed visual and noise buffering between the
proposed development and adjacent low density residences;
·
Receipt of a tree inventory and preservation plan;
·
Resolution of outstanding engineering issues including:
o
Servicing study;
o
Stormwater management study;
o
Noise impact study;
o
Traffic impact study;
o
The need for other studies as may be identified during the detailed
review of this application.
PURPOSE:
The
purpose of this report is to provide preliminary information regarding an
application by 1547155 Ontario Ltd. for Official Plan and Zoning By-law
Amendments to permit a residential condominium with grade-level retail at 7751 Yonge Street.
BACKGROUND:
Property and Area Context
The
subject property is located at the south east corner of Yonge Street and Thornhill Summit Drive. The former Thornhill Post Office building is
located on the site, which has housed a variety of temporary retail uses since
the post office closed several years ago.
The site covers an area of 3,529 m2 (37,987 sq. ft.). The surrounding uses include low rise
commercial buildings fronting onto Yonge Street, and a predominance of
single family dwellings to the east and south east of the property. A high rise apartment building is located
north of the subject site.
The
subject property is located within the Thornhill Village Heritage Conservation
District which extends on both sides of Yonge Street. The post office building currently located on
the property is not identified as a significant heritage structure. The inclusion of this site within the
heritage district provides staff with an opportunity to achieve a superior
development through the use of enhanced planning and design tools which would
not be available as part of the typical site plan approval process.
Proposed development
The
applicant is proposing to demolish the existing post office building and
replace it with a mixed use residential commercial building. The proposed building would be aligned
against the Yonge Street and Thornhill Summit Drive frontages of the site in
an L-shaped configuration. Approximately
648 m2 (6,980 sq. ft.) of at-grade, street-oriented retail space
would be provided along the Yonge Street frontage of the property
as well as 92 residential units.
The
building is proposed to be 7 stories high at the Yonge Street – Thornhill Summit Drive intersection with an
additional 5 m (16.5 ft) mechanical penthouse above the 7th storey
at this location. The 7 storey section
would continue south along the Yonge Street wing of the building. Along the Thornhill Summit Drive Frontage,
the building would terrace down to 6 storeys.
The 6th and 7th storeys of the Yonge Street wing of the building, and the
6th storey of the Thornhill Summit wing, would be set back slightly
from the main building wall. The
proposed building would have a density of 2.45 floor space index,
and a residential density of approximately 260 units per hectare (105 units per
acre).
A total
of 162 parking spaces, slightly more than the 160 spaces required by the
Parking Standards By-law, are proposed.
Of these, 32 spaces would be provided on a surface parking lot located south
and east of the building, in the interior of the property. The remaining parking spaces would be located
in two underground levels. The ramp to
the underground parking would be located at the east side of the lot. Landscape buffer strips would be required along
the south property line (where the site abuts a residential property) and along
the east property line adjacent to the Eliza Street frontage.
Existing Official Plan Provisions:
The site
is designated Commercial and Heritage Main Street by the Markham Official
Plan (Revised 1987), and Heritage Main Street Area by the Thornhill Secondary
Plan.
The
Markham Official Plan establishes that the planned function of Heritage Main
Street Areas is to provide a traditional shopping experience in the form of a
historic commercial district; to provide a unique shopping and leisure
destination for both visitors and residents; and to create a community focal
point. Permitted uses include a mix of
retail, service, commercial, institutional, and residential uses. Small scale, street-oriented retail uses are
encouraged. All development must be
consistent with the urban design and development objectives and policies set
out in the Heritage Conservation District Plans.
The
Thornhill Secondary Plan provides more detailed policy directions. The intent of this designation is to
recognize the traditional forms and types of commercial and mixed use
development along Yonge Street. The plan encourages the following uses on
lands within this designation:
§
moderately-scaled retail and service commercial on the ground floor;
§
residential uses in the upper storeys;
§
office uses;
§
approval of residential or non-residential uses shall
be subject to review of individual development applications to ensure
compatibility with surrounding residential uses, and may require a rezoning.
§
Net site density shall generally not exceed 0.75 fsi,
although development up to 1.0 fsi may be permitted
provided that the architectural design of the building is satisfactory to
Heritage Markham and all other applicable standards of the Zoning by-law are met.
§
Maximum building height is limited to 3 storeys.
Amendments
to both the Markham Official Plan and the Thornhill Secondary Plan are required
to permit the proposed development.
Zoning By-law
The site is zoned Community
Commercial (CC) by By-law 2237. Permitted uses in this zone include banks,
personal service shops, offices, commercial schools, retail stores and
restaurants and similar uses.
Residential uses are not permitted.
A Zoning By-law amendment is required to permit the proposed
development.
Relevant Planning Initiatives
Three ongoing planning initiatives
have direct relevance to the proposed development, and must be considered in
the review of the proposal. These
include:
The Thornhill Yonge Street Study. This planning and urban design study,
undertaken jointly by the Town of Markham and City of Vaughan is nearing completion, and staff anticipate
that the final report will be presented to Council by the end of the first
quarter. The objective of the study is
to develop a streetscape plan (within the context of the proposed YRT transit
way) for the section of Yonge Street located within the Thornhill Heritage Conservation District. In addition, the study is also intended to
identify key redevelopment opportunities along this section of the Yonge Street corridor. The
subject property is identified as a key redevelopment site in the study. Staff are
recommending that the public meeting for this application be deferred until
Council has adopted the final report on the Thornhill Yonge Street Study, and
that the recommendations of this study are appropriately reflected in the
application.
Regional Official Plan Amendment
No. 43:
The
Region of York has recently adopted Official Plan Amendment 43 (ROPA 43), which
updates and expands the current policies applying to Regional Centres and Corridors. A key element of the Regional OPA is to
encourage intensification, mixed use development and transit supportive densities
along the regional corridors designated in the York Region Official Plan, including
Yonge Street; and to encourage new growth to concentrate
within the existing urban areas. Regional
Centres and Corridors are identified as the prime locations for new infill
development and intensification. At the
same time, the plan directs that existing policies should be reviewed to ensure
that the historical character and natural heritage unique to the Yonge Street Corridor be enhanced
throughout the development lifecycle and implementation of planned rapid
transit services. The Regional Official
Plan identifies three conditions along designated corridors:
·
Greenfield areas;
·
Second generation areas comprising development sites that are ideal for
new and intensified development; and,
·
Areas that are unlikely to change
Relevant
policies that support this goal include a target density of 2.5 fsi along regional corridors and encouragement of mixed-use
development along these corridors. Furthermore
the plan states that residential development policies should favour more
compact residential forms over single and semi-detached dwelling types. The Regional Plan also stresses the
importance of high quality urban design and the need to integrate new
development with existing development to maintain and enhance historical mainstreets. Sites
abutting or adjacent to high priority transit lines are considered as “key
redevelopment areas” as are sites with redevelopment potential.
Thornhill Heritage
Conservation District Review Study
The Thornhill Heritage Conservation District was
created in 1986 and is the Town’s oldest heritage district. The overall goal of the District Plan is to
provide policies and guidelines in order to ensure the continuation and
enhancement of the district’s historical, village-like ambience while providing
for contemporary needs. The District Plan has provided direction
for re-development projects for the last eighteen years.
The Town has recently
initiated a study to undertake a comprehensive review of the existing policies
and guidelines included in the Thornhill Heritage Conservation District Plan,
and revise the document as required, including the introduction of new policies
concerning subject matter that may not be adequately addressed in the current
plan. The objective of the study is to
produce a new Heritage District Plan that is illustrative and attractive in its
layout and presentation, clear and concise in its message, and recognizes the
needs of its intended audience. The
study timeframe is from January to June 2005.
POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSAL:
The proposed development may provide a number of benefits, including:
§
Intensification and efficient reuse of a currently
underused site, which will promote the Town’s objectives for compact urban form;
§
An opportunity to create a more transit supportive
environment along this portion of Yonge Street, by promoting residential
intensification adjacent to a proposed regional, high order transit facility (the
Yonge Street Corridor of the York Region Transit Way), within a very short walk
of a proposed transit station;
§
An opportunity to enhance and support the
pedestrian and streetscape environment along this portion of the Yonge Street
corridor, through building design that emphasises a well defined street wall
and mixed use development that provides for street-oriented retail uses along
Yonge Street;
§
A site plan that de-emphasizes surface parking by
placing it away from the street and provides an underground parking structure.
CONCERNS/ISSUES TO BE RESOLVED:
The following is a brief summary of
concerns/issues raised to date. These matters, and any others identified
through the circulation and detailed review of the proposal, will be addressed
in a final staff report to be presented to Committee at a later date. Key issues include:
·
Need to ensure that the proposed
development is consistent with the recommendations of the Thornhill Yonge
Street Study. As a result, staff
recommend that the public meeting for this application be deferred until the
final report for this study has been adopted by Council, and any outstanding
issues regarding the conceptual site plan have been addressed to staff’s
satisfaction;
·
Need to give further
consideration of the processing of this application within the context of the ongoing
Thornhill Heritage Conservation District Review Study;
·
Refinement of the proposed building massing and design concept to
better reflect the heritage character of the Thornhill Heritage District. This will involve balancing a variety of
competing interests including those of the landowner, the Town, Heritage
Markham and surrounding property owners;
·
Servicing allocation required for the proposed 92 residential units;
·
Improvement of the transition between the higher density Yonge Street
wing of the building and the existing low density, low rise residences located
to the south and to the east along the Eliza Street frontage of the site;
·
Enhanced visual and noise buffering between the proposed development
and adjacent low density residences;
·
Receipt of a tree inventory and analysis plan.
·
Resolution of outstanding engineering issues including:
o
Servicing study;
o
Stormwater management study;
o
Noise impact study;
o
Traffic impact study;
o
The need for other studies as may be identified during the detailed
review of this application.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
There are no financial considerations associated
with this development at the present time.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS:
There
are no environmental considerations associated at the present time. Noise impacts associated with the proximity
of residential units to Yonge
Street will be addressed
through the site plan and building permit review processes.
ACCESSIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS:
Accessibility issues will be addressed at the site plan approval stage.
ENGAGE 21ST CONSIDERATIONS:
The proposed development meets several key Engage 21st
objectives including promoting intensification and compact urban form, creating
a pedestrian supportive streetscape environment, and supporting transit by
encouraging intensification in proximity to higher order transit facilities.
BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:
The
application has been circulated to all relevant agencies and departments. Their comments will be incorporated into the
review process as required. Comments
from Heritage Markham are still pending.
ATTACHMENTS:
Figure 1 – Location Map
Figure 2 – Zoning and Area Context
Figure 3 – Air Photo
Figure 4 – Proposed Site Plan Concept
Figure 5 – Proposed elevations
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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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Q:\Development\Planning\APPL\OPAPPS\05
005462 Thornhill Post Office\DEVELOPMENT SERVICES COMMITTEE Feb 11 prelim rpt
revised.doc
FIGURE 1
OWNER: 1547155 Ontario Ltd.
Mr. Claude Bitton
27 Vernwood Ave.
Toronto ON M3H 2K6
Tel: 416-505-1378
Fax: 416-630-5887
AGENT: Mel Winch
Winch Planning and
Development Services
47 Joseph Duggan
Road
Toronto ON M4L 3X5
Tel: 416-691-6166
Fax: 416-691-9931
Email: winplanning@rogers.com
LOCATION MAP:
