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:

Nilesh Surti, Planner, ext. 4190

South District

 

 

 

 

DATE OF MEETING:

October 19, 2004

 

 

 

 

SUBJECT:

PRELIMINARY REPORT

 

 

Town initiated Official Plan amendment to redesignate lands within the Legacy Community from High Density Housing to Medium Density Housing. 

FILE: OP 04 017782

           

RECOMMENDATION:

That a Public Meeting be held to consider a Town initiated Official Plan amendment application (OP 04 017782) to redesignate certain lands west of 9th Line, south of Highway 407 and north of Russell Jarvis Drive, within the Legacy Community from High Density Housing to Medium Density Housing.

 

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to provide preliminary information regarding an official plan amendment proposal initiated by the Town, and to recommend that a statutory public meeting be held.

 

BACKGROUND:

The subject lands consist of two square parcels/blocks of approximately 0.65 ha. (1.6 ac.) each, separated by vacant lands (future neighbourhood park), and are part of a larger parcel of land owned by the Ministry of Transportation (approximately 10 ha.). These lands are located immediately south of Highway 407, west of 9th Line and north of Russell Jarvis Drive, adjacent to the existing built up Legacy Community (See Figure 1).  The larger parcel of land, including the subject parcels, has been reserved for a future transitway station to serve future Light Railway Transit (LRT) or Rapid Bus Transit along the 407 corridor.  The 9th Line Station is intended to include a commuter parking area and transit terminal facilities.  The lands are currently vacant, but contain a small stand of trees.

 

The subject lands are bounded to the west and south by existing single detached houses, to the north by Highway 407 and to the east by the 9th Line.  Further east, across 9th Line, are lands within the emerging Box Grove community which have recently received subdivision approval for single and semi-detached units, park, and employment uses (See Figures 2 & 3).

 

With the exception of the subject lands and the vacant land between the two subject blocks, the remaining land within the larger parcel owned by the Ministry of Transportation are designated as Medium Density Housing in the Secondary Plan.  The vacant land between the two subject blocks are designated as a neighbourhood park, while the subject blocks, as noted below, are designated High Density Housing.

 

During the Secondary Plan preparation stage staff was advised by the Ministry of Transportation that the lands they owned in the area may be needed for future transit facilities.  However, at that time the certainty of the transit facilities and the amount of land that may be required for such facilities was unclear.  Therefore, in the Secondary Plan staff designated the Ministry owned lands for residential uses to accommodate the appropriate residential development, as an alternative, in the event all or part of the Ministry owned lands were not required for transit facilities.

 

Proposal to redesignate the lands from High Density to Medium Density

On March 24, 2003, planning staff were invited to a community information meeting in the Legacy Community where a number of issues were discussed.  One matter raised by residents was the compatibility of the high density housing designation at this location with the lands to the south and west that are designated low and medium density housing wherein the built form consists of single detached dwellings.  Staff agreed to review this matter further and report back to Committee. 

 

A review of this matter indicates that the existing designation of the subject lands as High Density Housing would likely generate approximately 50 units within each of the subject blocks, generally in a low to mid-rise built form.  In this area context, such development would be appropriate along the Highway 407 corridor or adjacent to a transit station.  However, in the event MTO does not proceed with their plans to construct a transit station and associated facilities within all or part of the larger parcel of land in their ownership, given the medium and low density designations in the vicinity and the desire of the area residents to eliminate the high density category which they feel is not compatible with the existing development in the area, staff is prepared to consider the redesignation of the subject blocks from high to medium density housing.  In addition, the intended extension to the north of the existing road pattern in the Legacy Community may lend itself better to a medium density type built form within the subject lands.

 

OPTION/DISCUSSION

Official Plan and Secondary Plan

The subject properties are designated "Urban Residential" in the Official Plan, which provides for a wide range of housing types and densities, with specific housing categories to be identified in the Secondary Plan.

 

The Rouge Northeast Secondary Plan (OPA No. 25) designates the subject lands as "Urban Residential - High Density Housing".  This designation would only permit row houses, multiplex buildings, stacked townhouse, apartment and garden apartments.  The average net site density of all units in the High Density Housing category is required to be within a range of 80 to 148 units per hectare (33 to 60 units per acre).  Re-designation of the lands to Medium Density Housing would permit a variety of housing types including small lot single detached dwellings, semi-detached dwellings, townhouses, terrace houses and duplex, triplexes, fourplexes, and stacked townhouses, staked maisonettes and garden apartments.  The proposed net site density would range between 37.1 to 79.9 units per hectare (15.0 to 32.3 units per acre).

 

Zoning

The subject lands are currently zoned Agriculture One (A1) under By-law 304-87, as amended.  There is no rezoning application associated with this proposed redesignation and future rezoning would be contingent on a specific development proposal. 

 

POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSAL:

In the event the large parcel of land adjoining the Legacy community is to be developed for residential purposes in the future, the proposed official plan amendment would allow it to be developed with built form and density compatible and consistent with the existing residential community.

 

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.  Issues identified to date include:

 

·        Appropriateness of eliminating an element of variety in the housing mix contemplated in the Secondary Plan.

·        Appropriateness of the proposed Medium Density designation within the possible transitway/transit station context. 

 

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

There are no financial implications for the Town at this time.

 

BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:

The application has been circulated to all Town departments, Ministry of Transportation and Regional Municipality of York, and their recommendations/comments will be incorporated in the final 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: Q:\Development\Planning\APPL\OPAPPS\04 017782_Legacy\preliminary report.doc

 

ATTACHMENTS:    Figure 1 – Location Map

                                    Figure 2 – Area Context

                                    Figure 3 – Air Photo

                                    Figure 4 – Official Plan Amendment

 

 

 

   Figure 1 – Location Map