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:

Scott Heaslip, Project Coordinator, East District

 

 

 

 

DATE OF MEETING:

2004-Jun-28

 

 

 

 

SUBJECT:

Status Report

Cornell Secondary Plan Update

 

 

 

 

 

RECOMMENDATION:

 

That the staff report entitled “Status Report - Cornell Secondary Plan Update” dated June 28, 2004 be received;

 

And that the draft updated secondary plan document referred to in the staff report be released for comment;

 

And that staff be authorized to schedule a Public Meeting to consider the updated secondary plan once the document has been refined to the satisfaction of staff.             

 

PURPOSE:

 

The purpose of this report is as follows:

  • To provide background on a proposed update to the secondary plan for the Cornell Community;
  • To recommend that a preliminary draft secondary plan document be released for discussion purposes; and
  • To request that Committee authorize staff to schedule a Public Meeting to consider the updated secondary plan once the document has been refined.

COMMENT:

 

Cornell has developed to date in accordance with the 1994 Secondary Plan

In 1993, the original master plan for the Cornell community was prepared under the direction of Andres Duany, Architect and Town Planner.   In 1994, the Cornell  Secondary Plan (OPA #20), prepared by Town staff,  was adopted by the Town.  The master plan prepared by Andres Duany formed the foundation of the policies and schedules contained in the secondary plan.

 

In 1996 Law Developments entered into an option agreement with the provincial government (Ontario Realty Corporation) to purchase all of the provincially owned lands within Cornell, some 1100 acres in total.   Law closed on the purchase of the first phase land and developed  approximately 1200 units in accordance with the original master plan.  In October 2000 Law Developments and its three partners closed on the remaining lands  and subsequently conveyed them to the current owners (Metrus Developments , Mattamy Homes, Madison Homes and

H & R Developments).  

 

In 2002-4, the Town approved draft plans of subdivision for each of the current owners (comprising a total of 1914 units) in accordance with the policies in the current secondary plan.  These subdivisions are currently being serviced and either have been registered or will soon be registered.  

 

The secondary plan and the principles need to be updated

While the first phase of Cornell is a very successful community, the principles and plan which apply to the Cornell community date from the early to mid 1990’s and need to be updated and refined.  Our experience with the development of the first phase, the input of area residents and property owners, the experience of other more established new urbanism communities and any trends/ideas which have emerged since the original master plan was completed, need to be reflected in the secondary plan.  

 

Several steps have already been taken to update the plan and the principles

In August, 2001, the Town conducted a review of Cornell with the assistance of Andres Duany  (designer of the original master plan) in response to the ongoing changes in land ownership and the need to ensure that future development follow and improve upon the established principles.  This review consisted of four sessions – a meeting with the executive of the Cornell Ratepayers Association, an evening “Town Hall” meeting, a meeting with the Cornell developer/landowners and a summation session.  This review affirmed the commitment to have Cornell continue to develop based on the principles of New Urbanism, and identified opportunities for evolution and improvement.

 

In July, 2002, the Town updated the Open Space Master Plan for Cornell with the assistance of George Dark of Urban Strategies Limited.  Berridge Lewinberg Greenberg Dark Gabor Limited, now known as Urban Strategies Limited, had been the lead consultant in the preparation of the original Open Space Master Plan for Cornell.   The focus of the 2002 exercise was to resolve the gap between the total acreage of parkland and open space shown on the original master plan and the amount that the Town is able to secure through the development approval process.  This review, which consisted of a series of workshops with developers, Cornell residents, public agencies and Town staff, confirmed an overall parkland program comprising one large centrally located community park and a variety of smaller parks distributed through the neighbourhoods.

 

In January, 2003, Mattamy Homes and Madison Homes refined the master plans for each of their holdings and the architecture of their homes in consultation with Andres Duany and Town staff.  

 

In May, 2004, staff negotiated an updated “Cornell Parks and Open Space Master Plan” with the Cornell Developers Group and settled on the terms of a “Parkland Dedication Agreement” between the Town and the Developers Group.  This agreement will ensure that parkland and open space continue to be delivered in future phases in accordance with the terms of the 1996 Parkland Dedication Agreement between the Ontario Realty Corporation and the Town, which requires parkland to be dedicated at a rate of 5 acres per 1000 population (versus 4 acres/1000 in other OPA 5 communities) and woodlots to be dedicated over and above parkland.  The new Parkland Dedication Agreement will be required to be executed by the Developers Group prior to the approval of any future draft plans of subdivision.   The draft “Cornell Parks and Open Space Master Plan,” which will form the basis for this agreement, is attached as Appendix “A”. 

 

The Secondary Plan is being updated

In November, 2003, the Cornell Developers Group agreed to pay for the Town to retain Ron Palmer of the Planning Partnership to prepare the text of an updated secondary plan for the Cornell Community (OPA #20) to incorporate the updated Parks and Open Space Master Plan and policies as outlined above.  

 

Mr. Palmer recently submitted a preliminary draft of an updated secondary plan to the Town for review.  The most significant features of the draft document are:

  • The text and schedules have been revised to be based on the pattern of land use shown on the draft updated Cornell Parks and Open Space Master Plan.
  • The policies requiring development to be based on the principles of New Urbanism have been updated, refined and strengthened.
  • The number of discreet land use designations has been reduced and rationalized.  The proposed designations include “Neighbourhood”, “Cornell Main Street”, “Downtown Cornell”, “Cornell Business Park”, “Greenlands”, “Woodlots” and “Hazard Lands”.
  • The area between Highway 407 and Highway 7, west of the future Markham By-pass, has been designated for employment uses.
  • Certain lands on the east side of Reesor Road north and south of Highway 7 have been designated “Special Study Area” in accordance with the recommendation of the  East Markham Strategic Review that these lands be considered for future employment uses.  
  • The Town’s current place of worship policies have been incorporated.
  • The document has been restructured to be consistent in format and language with the Town’s more recent Secondary Plans (eg. the Box Grove Secondary Plan).
  • The implementation section has been expanded to document the content and timing of all required implementation studies.

 

 

 

Next Steps

The draft document is currently being reviewed by staff and members of the Cornell Developers Group.  Over the summer staff will review the document with public agencies, representatives of the Cornell Ratepayers Association and other interested residents and will work with Mr. Palmer to refine the document. 

 

Staff are seeking authorization from Committee to schedule a Public Meeting once the document has been refined to the satisfaction of staff.

 

It should be noted that the recommendations of the Highway 7 Corridor Study will also need to ultimately be reflected in the updated secondary plan. 

 

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

 

No financial implications are to be considered in this report.

 

BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:

 

Other Town Departments have participated in the various reviews to date and will be further consulted before the updated secondary plan is finalized.

 

ATTACHMENTS:

 

Appendix A         -        Updated Cornell Parks and Open space Master Plan

 

Appendix B         -        Draft text of updated Cornell Secondary Plan

                                    (DISTRIBUTED UNDER SEPARATE COVER)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

Q:\Development\Planning\APPL\CORNELL\SECONDARY PLAN\report to DSC  - June 28, 2004.doc