RECOMMENDATION:
That the Box Grove Community Design
Plan prepared by NAK Design Group and John G. Williams Limited, Architect dated
July 21, 2003 be endorsed, subject to the necessary revisions to address the
matters outlined in the January 20, 2004 staff report;
And that final approval of the Box
Grove Community Design Plan, incorporating the necessary revisions, be delegated to the Commissioner of Development Services.
PURPOSE:
The Box Grove Planning District Secondary Plan (OPA No. 92) was approved
by the Ontario Municipal Board on November 18, 2003. Section 7.2.2 of the Secondary Plan requires
the preparation and approval of a Community Design Plan, prior to approval of
any plans of subdivision within the Secondary Plan Area. The
intent of a Community Design Plan is to develop an identity and vision what
will help establish a unique character for the Box Grove Community and
incorporate the existing Box Grove Hamlet. The attached
“Community Design Plan” prepared by NAK Design Group and John G. Williams
Limited, Architect fulfils this requirement, subject to certain revisions as
outlined in this report.
BACKGROUND:
Property and area context
The Box Grove Community is bounded
by Highway 407 to the north, CPR Havelock Line and Reesor Road to the east, CNR
line to the south and 9th Line and the Rouge River to the west. The community is approximately 320 hectares
is size and includes the former Box Grove Hamlet, which is approximately 45
hectares in size. Three draft plans of
subdivision have been submitted covering a total area of 214.08 hectares
(528.98 acres). These draft plans
propose community amenity uses, employment uses, parks, conservation of
woodlots and valleylands, and the construction of a total of 2064.5 residential
units.
The residential component of Box
Grove is comprised predominantly of single detached dwellings, with a small
component of semi-detached and townhouse blocks. A total of 2,600 residential units (including
approximately 100 dwelling units within the existing Hamlet) are proposed for
the entire Secondary Plan area.
Community Structure
The Box Grove Secondary Plan sets
out the key principles, elements and strategies for the development of Box
Grove. The residential community has been designed on the basis of the
following key structural elements:
- A residential community comprising of 2 primary neighbourhoods (one
north and one south of 14th Avenue)
- Realignment of 9th Line which by-passes the existing
Hamlet
- Proposes a road adjacent
to the Canadian Pacific Railway Havelock line, which could form part of
the Markham By-Pass
- High quality Business Park and Business Corridor area adjacent to
Highway 407
- A large Community Park, associated with an existing watercourse (9th
Line tributary) and stormwater management pond, which serves as the
primary focal point for the community
- A Village Centre to be developed as an urban focus for the
community and designed to be compatible with the existing hamlet
- The sensitive integration of the new development with the existing
Hamlet
- Existing valleylands to be preserved/enhanced and integrated with
stormwater management ponds and provide strong neighbourhood focus
- Park/School campus forms central focus of the residential community
south of 14th Avenue
- Preservation/enhancement of heritage buildings
DISCUSSION:
Box Grove Community Design
Plan consistent with approved Master Plan
A revised master plan for the Box
Grove development was presented at a working session of the Development
Services Committee on September 21, 2003.
This master plan formed the basis for the settlement of the developer’s
objections to the Secondary Plan, and the land use plan and the text of the
Secondary Plan were revised accordingly to reflect the Master Plan. The Box Grove Community Design Plan is
consistent with the land use plan presented to Development Services Committee
and approved by the Ontario Municipal Board.
Box Grove Community Design
Plan outlines general guidelines for all developments
The “Box Grove Community Design
Plan” outlines general guidelines for development within both the public and
private realm. These guidelines provide
a framework for development and are to be implemented through subdivision
approval and zoning by-law provisions for Box Grove. The guidelines are also
required for the review of site plans, subdivisions, park development
proposals, engineering, design and architectural control.
Features of the Community
Design Plan
The Box Grove community is based on
a modified grid pattern of streets, integrated where appropriate with the
existing community along 14th Avenue and 9th Line. The
residential component is comprised of two neighbourhoods; one located to the
north and one located to the south of 14th Avenue. The neighbourhood on the north side of 14th
Avenue includes a large Community Park, 2 tributaries and a woodlot. The neighbourhood on the south side of 14th
Avenue is centred on a school/park campus.
The two neighbourhoods focus on a Village Centre at the intersection of
14th Avenue and realigned 9th Line. This Village Centre is intended to be the
community’s commercial centre and gathering place. The village centre is adjacent to the
Community Park and will integrate a mix of residential and commercial uses with
a small parkette.
The plan also includes an
employment area adjoining Highway 407.
In addition to providing much needed employment uses, the employment
area will also reduce the requirement for noise attenuation measures to buffer
the residential neighbourhood to the south from Highway 407 noise.
The street pattern has been
designed to keep employment traffic away from residential areas and the
existing Box Grove Hamlet. A significant
length of tributary, park and woodlot edges have been opened to local roads
providing good views and vistas into, as well as physical access to these
community features. Provisions of active
open space along the tributaries further helps to integrate the residential
land uses with the valley system. Window
streets have been used to provide a strong urban design interface with Regional
roads and By-Pass systems.
Architectural control guidelines,
consistent with the Community Design Plan, will be a condition of draft plan
approval for all subdivisions within this community and will be required to be
in place prior to commencement of the sales and marketing program. These guidelines will deal with built form
elevations for window streets, rear facades abutting open spaces and
streets. Flankage conditions will be
required to be upgraded throughout the plan with detailed requirements for
corner lot fencing. Special attention will be given to ensure that new built form
is compatible with the existing Hamlet.
Key revisions that have
already been incorporated into the Community Design Plan
The Community Design Plan has been
reviewed by the Planning & Urban Design and Engineering Departments, and
circulated to various departments and agencies for review and comment. The text of the Community Design Plan is
generally acceptable and is in the process of being finalized.
Staff have worked with the applicants to
resolve several issues, and the majority have already been incorporated into
the Community Design Plan. The following
is a brief overview of the key revisions that have been incorporated into the
Community Design Plan:
- Woodlot block has been adjusted to incorporate a 10 metre
environmental buffer
- Additional park has been provided west of Tributary ‘B’ to service
the residential community located between Tributary ‘B’ and Markham
By-Pass
- Road network at the south end of the plan has been adjusted to
accommodate existing heritage houses
- Backlotting has been eliminated along the north end of 9th
Line By-Pass
Based on the overall merit of the
community design, staff accept a portion of
backlotting along the south side of the employment collector, east of the 9th
Line By-Pass, in order to achieve the 10 metre environmental buffer around the
woodlot. The distance between the woodlot and associated 10 metre environmental
buffer is sufficient for only one double loaded local street, resulting in the
homes on the north side of the street backlotting onto the employment collector. The applicant has agreed to provide an
upgraded 6 metre landscape buffer and special treatment to the back elevations
of homes.
Staff, on
balance, also accept a small portion of backlotting at the south end of
the plan along existing 9th Line, due to engineering constraints
associated with grading and servicing.
At the south end of the plan, 9th Line has a 36 metre
right-of-way. When the 9th
Line By-Pass is constructed, 9th Line will terminate in a
cul-de-sac, and the applicants are proposing to maintain 9th Line as
a 20 metre right-of-way. This reduction
in the required right-of-way provides an opportunity to provide an 8 metre
landscape strip to help screen the backlotting in this area of the plan. The developer would also be required to provide
fencing for all backlotted units to ensure a consistent quality of detail and
construction is achieved. The homes in this area would also feature upgraded
back elevations.
Special text/diagrams will be
incorporated into the Community Design Plan to ensure that upgraded landscape
treatments and upgraded back elevations are provided in any back lotting
situation.
`
Community Design Plan can
be endorsed subject to revision
Two outstanding issues need to be
addressed, before final approval of the Community Design Plan, as follows:
Vision for Village Centre
The Village Centre should consist
of an intimate urban space closely tied to potential mixed use
commercial/residential development, and public open spaces. The character of the new development must
harmonize with the existing historical hamlet character. The Community Design Plan submission does not
detail an acceptable proposal for the Village Centre. The commitment to develop
the Village Centre as a central urban focus for the Box Grove Community,
including streetscape features for 14th Avenue needs to be better
developed and documented in the plan. If
this vision cannot be agreed upon, this section of the plan may need to be
deferred and brought back to Committee at a future date.
Hedgerow south of 14th
Avenue needs to be preserved
The tree
inventory and preservation plan identifies a hedgerow of mature Bur Oak trees
south of 14th Avenue, immediately west of the school block. There is an opportunity to preserve these
trees by shifting the adjacent local street slightly to the west. A possible reconfiguration has been provided
by staff to the Owner.
The Box Grove Community Design Plan
can be endorsed in principle subject to the resolution of these issues to the
satisfaction of the Commissioner of Development Services. Should any issues remain unresolved staff
will bring the matter of the plan approval back to Development Services
Committee for further direction.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
No financial considerations are to
be considered in this report.
BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED
AND AFFECTED:
The “Box Grove Community Design
Plan” was circulated for review to Engineering, Planning and Urban Design.
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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: Q:/Development/Planning/App/Subdivision/03115555/CDP_Report
ATTACHMENTS:
Appendix ‘A’ – Box Grove Community Design Plan
