RECOMMENDATION:
That
the report, dated June 28, 2004 entitled “Recommendation Report - Markham
Centre Greenlands Master Plan”, be received;
That
the final report dated June 4, 2004 prepared by Schollen & Company Inc.
entitled “Markham Centre Greenlands Master Plan Report”, be endorsed in
principle as a complementary document to the Rouge Park Official Plan Amendment
and the Markham Centre Secondary Plan;
That
staff be directed to proceed with the development of an implementation
strategy;
That
staff report back on appropriate funding for the development of a Greenlands
Implementation Strategy, to be considered in the Urban Design capital budget
for 2005;
And
further that staff be directed to continue to work with all stakeholders to
establish appropriate and innovative approaches for the implementation of the
Greenlands Master Plan as identified in the Greenlands Master Plan Report,
Development Principles and Performance Measures for Markham Centre.
PURPOSE:
The
purpose of this report is to summarize the Markham Centre Greenlands Master
Plan and to outline the recommendations for the long-term management of the
valleylands in Markham Centre. The
report also recommends that staff proceed with the development of an
implementation strategy to address specific areas and initiatives of the
Greenlands Master Plan.
BACKGROUND:
The Town of Markham Official
Plan includes various objectives to implement the goals
for the preservation, management and enhancement of natural resources and the
natural environment. In 1994, the Town
of Markham adopted Official
Plan Amendment #21 (Secondary Plan – Central Area Planning District – Markham
Centre), and in 1997, the Markham Centre
Secondary Plan (OPA #21) was approved by the Ontario Municipal Board. The Secondary Plan establishes the policy
framework for the creation of a vibrant, pedestrian scale, mixed-use town
centre – Markham Centre.
The secondary plan recognizes
the Rouge Park Management Plan and the Rouge River tributaries which
run through Markham Centre, and identifies the importance of maintaining and
enhancing the ecological and cultural integrity of the features of the Rouge Valley based on an
ecosystem approach. OPA#21 also
identifies required Community Structure policies which describe the physical elements
for planning private and public lands in accordance with Precinct Plans, which
conceptually guide development.
Specifically, the Secondary Plan recognizes the Greenlands Plan as a
general policy document that development should have regard for, as Markham
Centre continues to evolve.
In support of the preparation of the Secondary Plan, a Greenlands Management and Utilization Concept Plan was prepared by
Corban Landscape Architects in September 1994.
This document established the framework for the environmental polices
contained in OPA 21. Schollen &
Company Inc. was retained in 2001 by the Town to prepare a Markham Centre
Greenlands Master Plan and to assist the Markham Centre Advisory Committee to
develop specific performance measures related to greenlands in the Centre.
The
work undertaken by Schollen & Company Inc. updates the original Greenlands
Management and Utilization Concept Plan, while incorporating the intent of the
Rouge North Management Plan. The plan
generally encompasses the area bounded by Apple Creek Boulevard to the north, Highway #407 to the south, Woodbine Avenue to
the west and Kennedy Road to the east. The Greenlands
Master Plan addresses the lands associated with the main branch of the Rouge River
within the future Markham Centre urban downtown, and extends beyond the
district boundary of Markham Centre. The
study area also captures the lands to the west and northwest which includes the
tributaries of East Beaver Creek and Apple Creek.
On September 25, 2003, Mark Schollen of Schollen & Company Inc. presented the draft
recommendations and conceptual Greenlands Master Plan to Development Services
Committee. This plan provides the Town with an overall concept to guide and
facilitate the long-term management of the natural features associated with the
Rouge River system in Markham Centre. Schollen & Company Inc., working with
staff, have now finalized the document and completed the mapping.
OPTIONS/DISCUSSION:
The Greenlands Plan complements the Rouge North Official
Plan Amendment #116
On September 30, 2003, the Town of Markham amended the
Official Plan through the adoption of the Rouge North Official Plan Amendment
(OPA 116). OPA 116 reinforces the
importance of the Rouge River valley system in
the Town as a natural system. The
Official Plan Amendment also identifies the valley system through Markham
Centre as an Urban Policy Area, recognizing the policies of the approved
Secondary Plan, implementing zoning by-laws and other approvals which delineate
the limits of development. The Rouge
North Management Area Official Plan Amendment was approved by Region of York
Council in March 2004, and is currently under appeal to the Ontario Municipal
Board.
Greenlands Master Plan is complemented by
the Performance Measures
Concurrent
to the formulation of the Master Plan, the Markham Centre Advisory Group and
working subgroups established the Greenlands Performance Measures to guide the
Town’s conservation and enhancement strategies for the Rouge River valley
system to ensure its integrity for future generations. Both documents set the stage for the
preparation of an implementation strategy which will complement and guide
future enhancement and stewardship initiatives within the developing Markham
Centre.
Summary of the Greenlands Master Plan
The
Greenlands Master Plan establishes a vision, management directions, objectives
and partnership opportunities. It recommends opportunities to form a linked natural heritage
system through Markham Centre and beyond, which will have the ability to
support a diversity of vegetation and wildlife habitats while
recognizing the future urban context.
The plan documents several integral objectives of the Secondary Plan and
reflects the guidelines and policies which have been
endorsed by the Town of Markham.
It addresses issues of restoration, long-term
management, and land uses along the Rouge River and its tributaries while recognizing
the existing boundary. It identifies
opportunities to enhance and integrate compatible activities to protect the natural
landscape while addressing recreational and social objectives. This overall vision anticipates the corridor
will be connected to a series of urban parks that will provide the facilities
for active uses, while the valley lands will integrate passive, complementary
uses to the river corridor, ensuring the quality of the natural landscape.
The Greenlands Master Plan provides drawings (attached as Appendix B)
which conceptually illustrate restoration, recreation and interpretive
opportunities. Highlights of these
fundamental components include:
- Establishing a core habitat area
surrounding the watercourse and encompassing the existing vegetation
communities;
- Establishing and identifying areas for the
restoration of vegetation communities and habitats;
- Implementing initiatives for the
enhancement and stability of the river system;
- Insulating core habitat areas from
potential disturbances;
- Locating and designing trails and social
nodes with interpretive stations to educate the general public about the river
system and sensitivity of the natural heritage system.
- Avoiding the fragmentation of the valley
system while creating a multi-use trail network which can be used as an
alternative to vehicular transportation;
- Creating transitional landscape areas to mitigate
potential impacts from adjacent development on the valley lands and
habitat areas;
- Creating distinct landscape and structural
features at the interface between the Greenlands and the developing
community, to celebrate the presence and importance of the natural
heritage features;
- Incorporating opportunities for amenity
features to create visual and physical interaction with the valley lands
without adversely affecting the ecosystem.
Successful integration of the Greenlands
Master Plan requires an implementation strategy
The Greenlands Master Plan identifies constraints which affect the
Town’s ability to implement various components of the Greenlands Master
Plan. These include land ownership,
integrating the Greenlands with transportation and service infrastructure, and
long term commitment to funding its implementation.
Land ownership poses a significant challenge where tracts of land have
remained in private ownership. While
most areas will eventually be conveyed to the Town for public ownership through
development approvals, other areas may remain in private ownership for some
time. Private ownership of the lands may
preclude a continuous public access to the natural heritage system and prevent
the establishment of an integrated trail network throughout Markham
Centre. In addition, private residential
properties abutting the valley lands just south of Highway 7 East, encroach
upon the top of bank, disturbing the stability of the slope, as well as the
overall health of the river system, resulting in the need for restoration.
Partnership opportunities with private land owners, Rouge Park staff,
and the Town are recommended.
Suggestions include landowners entering into agreements to establish
‘Partnership Areas’ and ‘Stewardship Programs’ similar to those contemplated in
the Rouge North Management Plan.
Partnership areas and stewardship programs can be the basis to
facilitate public access, implement restoration initiatives, outline management
and maintenance obligations, address issues related to insurance, cost sharing
opportunities and incentives for participating.
Integrating the Greenland initiatives with transportation improvements
and municipal infrastructure poses another challenge. As the lands develop and infrastructure is
constructed to support Markham Centre, each initiative will be required to
undertake an Environmental Assessment.
It will be essential for these assessments to have regard for the goals
and objectives of the Greenlands Master Plan and Performance Measures for
Markham Centre.
Implementation of the Greenlands Master Plan requires a responsible,
long-term commitment to funding the Plan and ensuring maintenance and
monitoring can be adequately addressed.
Recommendations to address this challenge will be addressed in the Markham
Centre Greenlands Implementation Strategy and as a
component of the Markham Centre Financial Strategy.
The Greenlands Master Plan identifies
implementation priorities
The Master Plan identifies priority implementation initiatives, based on
environmental, social, and practical requirements, and enumerates the benefits
arising from the implementation of a single initiative. Implementation priorities include the
physical construction of trails and interpretive opportunities with signature
structural elements, and enacting programs to facilitate implementation. Working in partnership with the Rouge Park
Alliance will further ensure that the Greenlands can be managed to achieve the
objectives of the Rouge North Management Plan.
Recommendations have been identified which require implementation prior
to development occurring. This includes
establishing funding and long-term monitoring programs, schedules for
preservation and restoration, and negotiating agreements with public and
private landowners for access easements as prospective stewardship partners of
Rouge Park. In addition, physical
improvements should be coordinated with the development of Markham Centre. Other initiatives include implementing trail
linkages with lands beyond the study boundaries and coordinating connections
with other local improvements (York Rapid Transit Program, GO Transit upgrades,
Highway 7 East upgrades, etc.) in conjunction with required approvals from
regulating agencies.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
The
financial implications related to the Greenlands Plan and its implementation
will require a commitment to the long term funding of restoration initiatives
and a program which will also require the cooperation of private landowners,
reinforcing a partnership based approach with developers and landowners to
achieve enhanced ecological protection of the natural heritage system within
Markham Centre. An implementation and
funding strategy will be developed, for consideration as part of the 2005
Capital Budget.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS:
The Greenlands Master Plan complements the environmental
initiatives the Town currently has in place to manage and preserve the
natural environment. Recommendations to
endorse the Plan and initiate an implementation strategy will provide further
direction and documentation to implement the vision through the development
review process.
ACCESSIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS:
None at this time.
ENGAGE 21ST CONSIDERATIONS:
Markham’s strategic
plan envisions the Town as an award winning community leader in environmental
planning initiatives. The Markham Centre
Greenlands Master Plan is in keeping with the Town’s corporate goals and
provides an Environmental Focus to the Town’s Engage 21st
Markham Strategic Plan. The Greenlands
Master Plan is intended to protect, enhance
and restore Markham’s natural features and green spaces as part of a vital and
healthy ecosystem.
CONCLUSIONS:
While the Greenlands Master
Plan is referenced in the Markham Centre Secondary Plan, it is not a statutory
planning document approved under Provincial legislation. It is a supplementary vision document that
further details the policies and initiatives under the statutory documents and
provides a framework to manage the evolution of the Greenlands in the Markham
Centre District over time. It identifies
partnership and stewardship opportunities and strategies to implement public
access objectives within the valley and to ensure the protection of natural
areas.
At the time of site
plan/subdivision approval, valley lands will be conveyed to the Town. These lands will be owned by the Town, and
fall within the approval jurisdiction of the Toronto and Region Conservation
Authority. Council endorsement of the
Greenlands Plan and recommendation to proceed with the preparation of an
Implementation Strategy will strengthen the importance of managing and
preserving our natural heritage features, and provide direction and
documentation to implement the vision through the development review process.
|
|
|
|
|
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
|
DOCUMENT:
Q:\Development\Planning\Teams\Markham Centre\Advisory
Committee\Subgroups\Greenlands\Recommendation Report\GREENLANDS-DSC
06-28-04-revised.doc
ATTACHMENTS:
Figure
1 – Markham Centre Master Plan Study Area
Figure
2 – Air Photo
Appendix
A – Markham Centre Greenlands Master Plan Report
(Table of Contents and
Executive Summary only, for complete copy available upon request from the
Clerks Department)
Appendix B – Greenlands Master Plan Graphic
Illustrations
