RECOMMENDATION:
THAT staff be authorized to prepare a technical
amendment to the Secondary Plan for the Armadale Planning District (PD 24) to
relocate the Community Park symbol from northeast of 14th Avenue and
McCowan Road, to northeast of Denison Street and Middlefield Road, to recognize
the location of an existing Community Park (Beaupre Park) at that location;
AND THAT a Public Meeting be
held to consider the proposed technical amendment.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this report is to initiate a
technical amendment to the Armadale Secondary Plan to recognize Beaupre Park as
a Community Park within the Armadale Planning District, and to delete the community park
symbol on the Secondary Plan schedule north of 14th Avenue adjacent to the CNR line.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Secondary Plan for Armadale Planning
District (PD 24-1 and PD 24-2) includes policies allowing flexibility in the
location of community parks shown on the secondary plan schedules. In 1992, Council decided to establish one of
the community parks at a location where it incorporated the natural features
northeast of Denison and Middlefield, rather than locate the park at the
northern edge of the community adjacent to the CNR line north of 14th
Avenue east of McCowan Ave, where it was shown on the original Secondary Plan
schedules (see Figure 4). Beaupre Park has
been constructed by the Town northeast of Denison and
Middlefield, in accordance with Council’s decision to relocate the park. A technical amendment to the Secondary Plan
for the Armadale Planning District would be appropriate to reflect the
relocation of the community park site.
BACKGROUND:
The Secondary Plan for the Armadale Planning District identified two
community parks and included policies allowing flexibility in their locations.
In the mid to late 1980’s, at the
time of approval of the two Secondary Plans which comprise the Armadale
Planning District (Planning District No. 24) , two community parks were
proposed. The two parks were shown on the
Secondary Plan schedules in the following locations:
1.
east of Markham Road abutting the Morningside Tributary (see Figure 2);
and,
2.
at the northeast corner of McCowan Road and 14th Ave, north of the proposed Separate Secondary
School,
abutting the CNR line (see Figure 3).
While the Secondary Plan schedules
identified locations for the community park, both Secondary Plans for the area,
also included the following policies which allowed flexibility in the ultimate
location of the Parks:
“The
Neighbourhood and Community Parks shown on (the) Schedule - DETAILED LAND USE
indicate their general location. Their
ultimate actual locations and areas shall be determined when processing plans
of subdivision.”
Such policies are common in Town
Secondary Plans to ensure that as new communities develop, the details of the
parks system can be modified to optimize the locations of parks as
opportunities permit.
One Community Park was ultimately
constructed in a different location.
One of the community parks will be
constructed in the location identified on the Secondary Plan schedules, east of
Markham Road abutting Morningside Tributary in the Villages of
Fairtree community. Funding for the
design and construction of this park is requested in the 2004 Capital
Budget. The future location of “Fairtree Community Park” is shown on Figure 4.
The second community park has been
constructed in a different location. In
1992 it was determined that a site incorporating a natural feature northeast of
Denison Street and Middlefield Road would be a more centralized, appropriate
location for the community park than the location shown in the Secondary Plan
on the north side of 14th Avenue near McCowan Road. (Both of these locations are shown on Figure
4 attached.) In a staff report dated 07/07/92 regarding a proposed Cedarland Properties Limited
subdivision on the west side of Markham Road, north of Denison Street, the Recreation and Culture Department recommended that:
“the 7.15 ha of parkland associated with the natural feature
serve as a community park facility for Armadale, and accordingly replace the
community parkland designated in the Armadale Secondary Plan PD24-1 north of 14th
adjoining the CN Rail right-of-way at McCowan Road.”
The minutes of the Public Meeting
regarding that plan of subdivision confirm the intent that the lands north of 14th Avenue would no longer be required as Community Park once the alternate location was approved.
Council approved the relocation of
the park site in 1992, and in July 2001 this park, now known as Beaupre Park, was completed at Denison Street and Middlefield Road. The Secondary Plan policies
provided for the relocation of the community park without an amendment to the
Plan, and no subsequent amendment was made to reflect the Town’s decision to
relocate the park.
No Additional Community Parkland is required
within the Armadale Planning District.
In the mid 1990’s, the Town and the
major developers within the Armadale area undertook a reconciliation of the
amount of parkland provided in the Armadale community and determined that the
amount of parkland provided by the developers within the Armadale community
exceeded the requirements of the Planning Act.
The Planning and Urban Design
Department has recently reconfirmed that the amount of parkland being provided
in the Armadale Planning District exceeds the Planning Act requirements and
requirements of the Town’s parkland dedication by-law. Furthermore, in accordance with Official Plan
policy, the majority of residents in Armadale are within 2.4 km of a community
park. No additional community park is
required within the Armadale Planning District.
OPTIONS/DISCUSSION:
At a public meeting in 2001, some
members of the public and Council expressed concern that the Secondary Plan
schedules had not been updated to reflect the decision to change the location
of the Community Park. It is therefore recommended
that a technical amendment be made to the Secondary Plan for the Armadale
Planning District (PD 24-1 and PD24-2) to delete the community park symbol from
the area northeast of 14th Avenue and McCowan Road and to reflect the location of Beaupre Park as constructed.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
There are no financial considerations; the park
has already been constructed.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS:
Both of the community parks in the
Armadale Planning District have been, or will be, constructed in locations
incorporating natural features. The
location northeast of 14th Avenue and McCowan Road adjacent to the CNR Line did not provide this opportunity, as there are
no significant natural features at that location.
ACCESSIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS:
There are no accessibility
considerations.
ENGAGE 21ST
CONSIDERATIONS:
Two Community Parks (Beaupre Park and “Fairtree Community Park”) are planned in the Armadale Planning District. The development of these parks has been
coordinated with the development of the surrounding community, and has been
focused on locations where the parks serve to enhance the Town’s natural
features, in accordance with the corporate goals of: Environmental Focus, Managed Growth and
Infrastructure Management.
BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:
The South District Team and the Design Group of
the Planning and Urban Design Department have participated in preparing this
report.
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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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FILE PATH: Q:\Development\Planning\Teams\SOUTH\Beaupre OPA\Report
060404.doc
ATTACHMENTS:
Figure 1 – Location Map
Figure 2 – Proposed amendment to the Secondary
Plan for Armadale East
Figure 3 – Proposed amendment to the Secondary
Plan for Armadale West
Figure 4 – Aerial Photo
