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:	Tim Williams, Planner West District Team
	DATE OF MEETING:	2004-Jan-11
	SUBJECT:	PRELIMINARY REPORT Bayview Country Club Application for Zoning By-law Amendment to permit the construction of maintenance facility 25 Fairway Heights Drive, Thornhill ZA 04-027819

RECOMMENDATION:

That a Public Meeting be held to consider the application (ZA 04-027819) submitted by Bayview Country Club for a Zoning By-law amendment at 25 Fairway Heights Drive Thornhill.

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to provide preliminary information regarding an application for Zoning By-law Amendment to change the zone category for the subject lands. It is recommended that a statutory public meeting be held to consider this application.

BACKGROUND:

Property and Area Context

The Bayview Country Club’s property is 59.34 ha (146.62 ac). The subject of the application is an area located in the northeast corner of the Country Club. The subject area is a 0.474 ha (1.17 ac) site that currently supports the Country Club’s maintenance facilities (three buildings). (See figure 1).

Adjoining the subject lands are:

· Low Density Residential (Single and Semi detached dwellings) subdivision to the northwest;

· Parkland (German Mills Settlers Park) to the north and Institutional use (National Spiritual Assembly of the Bha’ I of Canada) to the east and;

· The remaining portions of the Country Club lands are to the south and west.

Proposal is to demolish the existing maintenance buildings and construct new buildings

The applicant is proposing to remove two existing buildings, including a maintenance shed and a one and a half storey house, and construct a new building in two phases. One of the three existing buildings will remain on the edge of the new parking lot. The applicant filed an application for site plan approval on July 29^th 2004. During the site plan process it was identified that the by law and zone boundary line travels through the subject area. The purpose of this application is to move the by law and zone boundary line so that it matches the property line and includes the land in the same by law and zone category as the remaining portion of the Country Club, O2 under by law 1767.

Official Plan and Thornhill Secondary Plan

The Official Plan designates the property “Open Space”. This designation is further refined by the Thornhill Secondary Plan to “Private Open Space”. The private open space designation allows for outdoor recreation as the primary use. Uses accessory to the primary permitted use are permitted, which include, but are not limited to, maintenance facilities. The proposed rebuilding of the maintenance facilities will conform with the designation’s policies.

An Amendment to Zoning By-law is required

The subject lands are currently zoned Rural Residential (RR1) under By-law 304-87. This zone category permits rural residential uses (single detached dwelling, and home occupation) in the property. The current application proposes a change in the zone category to Open Space (O2) (in By-law 1767), with development standards similar to those of the rest of the Country Club to the south and west of the subject area.

POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSAL:

· The existing zone boundary is not aligned with the property boundary of the Bayview Country Club. This zoning amendment will resolve this discrepancy between the zoning by-law and the property line.

· Proposed development will result in investment and improved maintenance buildings.

CONCERNS/ISSUES TO BE RESOLVED:

The following is a brief summary of a concern raised to date. This matter, 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:

• One of the structures proposed for removal requires further review. Markham Heritage has not had an opportunity to fully review the heritage potential of the building.

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

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

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS:

No environmental issues are associated with this application

BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:

The application has been circulated to various Town departments and external agencies and is currently under review. Requirements of the Town and external agencies will be reflected in the preparation of the Zoning By-law amendment.

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

Figure 1

Q:\Development\Planning\APPL\ZONING\04 027819 Bayview Country Club\Priliminary Report DSC-25 Fairway Heights Dr..doc

ATTACHMENTS:

Figure 1: Location

Figure 2: Area Context

Figure 3: Air Photo

Figure 4: Proposed Lot Fabric

Agent: MHBC Regional and Urban Planning Phone: (416) 947-9744

and Resource Development Fax: (416) 947-0781

David McKay

545 North Rivermede Road Suite #105

Concord, ON L4K 4H1