RECOMMENDATION:
That a Public
Meeting be held to consider the zoning by-law amendment application (ZA.04-027345) by L & P Financial Group Inc. to permit 66 stacked
townhouse and apartment units and 488m2
(5,253 sf) of commercial space at 31 Old Kennedy
Road.
And that staff
schedule a Public Meeting when the issues outlined in the February 15,
2005
preliminary report have been sufficiently addressed by the applicant.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this report is to provide preliminary information
regarding zoning and site plan applications by L & P Financial Group
Inc. to permit 66 stacked townhouse and apartment units and 488m2 of commercial space at 31 Old
Kennedy Road, and to recommend that a Public Meeting be held to
consider the zoning application, once the issues outlined in this report are
addressed to the satisfaction of staff.
BACKGROUND:
Subject lands and area context
The subject property is located north of Steeles Avenue
on the east side of Old Kennedy Road (Figure 1), and consists of an area
of approximately 0.6 hectares (1.4 acres).
The lot has an irregular shape with a frontage of approximately 32
metres (104 feet). A detached dwelling
and shed currently occupy the site. The site also has a number of mature trees,
particularly along the periphery.
Surrounding land uses include a gas station and employment
uses to the north, an industrial building to the east, and restaurant and
automobile service station uses to the south (Figures 2 and 3). Lands to the west, across Old Kennedy Road, are currently used for employment uses, which are predominantly
autombile related.
In 2002, Council approved an application for an automobile
dealership on the subject lands, which did not proceed to construction.
Subject lands are within the Milliken Main Street study area
The subject lands are within the Milliken Main Street
study area. The study is being
undertaken with the purpose of developing a “main street” focus
for the Milliken community. A draft Secondary
Plan has been prepared for the Milliken Main
Street study area based on the urban design
principles of the Urban Design Concept Plan,
which was endorsed by Council in July, 2003.
An implementing draft zoning by-law has also been prepared and will be
brought forward with the draft Secondary Plan for Council approval in the near
future.
The draft Secondary Plan designates the
majority of the subject lands as Community Amenity Area – Steeles Avenue, which permits retail and office uses along Steeles Avenue. Medium and high density
residential uses are permitted, but are not intended to form the dominant use
within the designation. The lands
fronting Old Kennedy Road are proposed to be designated Community Amenity Area – Main Street,
which permits a mix of residential and commercial uses, with commercial uses
required at grade to
provide a “main street” character along Old Kennedy Road.
Proposal is for 66 stacked townhouse units on a private road, with mixed commercial/residential units
fronting Old Kennedy
Road
The proposal, as shown on the site plan
and elevations (Figures 4 and 5),
consists of a 3-storey mixed use building containing 12
apartment units above 488 m2 of ground floor retail space fronting
Old Kennedy Road (Block A), and four 4-storey buildings containing 54 stacked
townhouse units at the rear of the site (Blocks B, B-1, C and D). The first floor of each of the four buildings
to the rear of the property consists of a parking deck containing at-grade
parking spaces. Residential units
comprise the second, third and fourth storeys of these buildings. The total unit mix consists of 39
one-bedroom units and 27 two-bedroom units.
The proposed
development has a density of approximately 115 units per hectare (47 units per
acre). The mixed use building fronting Old Kennedy Road (Block A) has an FSI of approximately
1.0, and the proposed development at the rear of the property (Blocks B, B-1,
C, and D) has an FSI of approximately 1.1.
The combined floor space index (FSI) for the entire site is approximately
1.1.
A total of 103 parking spaces are
provided at grade. Eighty-seven (87)
parking spaces are provided at the rear of the property beneath the four
stacked townhouse buildings. An
additional 14 parking spaces are provided to the rear of the mixed use building
fronting Old Kennedy Road.
Conformity with draft Secondary Plan is still under
review; zoning amendment is required
The entire proposal
generally conforms with the existing Community Amenity Area designation in the
Official Plan, which permits commercial development as well as medium and high
density residential development at appropriate locations subject to review of a
specific development proposal and rezoning.
The mixed
use portion of the proposed development which fronts Old Kennedy Road (Block A) is
consistent with the proposed Community Amenity Area – Mixed Use designation in
the draft Secondary Plan in terms of use and density (within an FSI limit of
1.0).
The rear
portion of the property is designated Community Amenity Area – Steeles Avenue in the draft Secondary Plan, which, as noted
above, does not anticipate residential uses as a predominant use. The subject property comprises approximately
one-third of the lands proposed to be designated Community Amenity Area – Steeles Avenue between Old Kennedy Road and the proposed Midland Avenue extension. The development of the rear portion of the
subject property for residential uses may preclude a more comprehensive
redevelopment of this block for commercial purposes in keeping with the draft
Secondary Plan. The density of the
proposed development, at an FSI of 1.1, is within the FSI limit of 1.5
specified for the Community Amenity Area – Steeles Avenue designation in the draft
Secondary Plan.
The subject
lands are zoned SC1(H) – Special Commercial 1 (Hold) in By-law 47-85 which
permits an automobile sales establishment, retail stores, personal service
shops and business offices. Removal of
the Hold provision is subject to the construction of required municipal hard
services. The draft implementing zoning
by-law for the Milliken Main Street Secondary Plan does not provide for
residential uses at this location. A
zoning amendment is required to permit the proposed development.
POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF APPROVAL OF THE
PROPOSAL:
Some of the
anticipated benefits include:
·
The mixed
use portion of the proposed development fronting Old Kennedy Road is consistent
with the vision for the Milliken Main Street area and has the potential to be a
catalyst for further development within the Milliken Main Street area; and
·
The
density of the proposed development is transit-supportive.
ADDITIONAL CONCERNS/ISSUES TO BE RESOLVED:
In addition to the concern outlined
above regarding the suitability of a residential development at this location,
the following issues/concerns have been 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:
Integration of the
proposed development with future redevelopment parcels
The development as proposed could result in a relatively
isolated residential enclave within a larger commercial area with no potential
connections to the larger Milliken community.
Further work is required to demonstrate how the proposed
development can be integrated with the proposed road pattern and redevelopment
of adjacent parcels.
Suitability of
podium-based built form at this location and other site plan issues
The built form of the proposed development at the rear of the property
(Buildings B, B-1, C and D) consists of residential units above an at-grade
parking structure. The provision of a
parking structure at grade, below the residential units, is problematic in terms
of access and design. No grade-related access to the dwelling units is provided,
rather access to the residential units is provided from the parking deck above
ground level, by way of stairwells/elevator located at the north and south ends
of the parking structure. The
streetscape within the proposed development would consist of an open parking
structure with landscaping confined primarily to the perimeter of the
site. A further concern is the precedent
that the proposal could set for a similar built form elsewhere in the Milliken Main
Street study area.
Among additional site plan issues identified are distances between the
residential buildings at the rear of the property, adequate building setbacks
and the provision of suitable access for waste management and emergency
vehicles.
Preservation of mature
vegetation on the site
As part of the previous application for an automobile sales
establishment, a 3 metre landscaped buffer along most
of the perimeter of the lot was provided for in the zoning amendment in order
to ensure the preservation of existing vegetation. As well, certain mature trees were to be retained within the
site. A minimum 3 metre
landscaped buffer is not reflected in the proposed site plan. An updated tree preservation plan will be
required.
Provision of open space/play area within the subject lands
As the proposed development would not
form part of a larger residential community, an appropriate amount of open
space/play area would be required onsite.
Provision of adequate parking
Most of the parking for the proposed
development is proposed on the ground floor of the residential buildings at the
rear of the property. As outlined above,
the suitability of this type of built form is still under review. In addition, the total amount of parking
spaces provided falls short of the Town’s parking standard by approximately 15
spaces.
Proposed development would require servicing
allocation
Water and sewer allocation have not yet been
assigned to this property. In addition,
servicing studies are required to determine whether the additional
infrastructure identified in the Servicing Study prepared for the entire
Milliken Main Street Secondary Plan area is required to service the proposed
development.
Environmental considerations
As the subject property is located
adjacent to automobile service stations to the north and south, a Phase II
Environmental Site Assessment is required to determine if there are
environmental concerns on the site which would preclude residential development.
Financial contributions with respect
to Milliken Main Street study area
An area-specific development charge
by-law, reflecting proposed infrastructure and streetscape improvements for the
entire Milliken Main Street study area, has not yet been adopted. Until such a by-law is enacted, all
development within the area will be subject to a local service improvement
contribution to be specified in the site plan agreement.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
None at this
time.
BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:
All Town departments and external
agencies have been circulated with these applications and all comments will be
considered in a final report.
It would
be appropriate to schedule a Public Meeting after the issues/concerns raised in
this report have been addressed to the satisfaction of staff.
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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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Figure 1: Location Map
Figure 2: Area Context/Zoning
Figure 3: Air Photo
Figure 4: Site Plan
Figure 5: Elevations
