RECOMMENDATION:
That a study of potentially threatened heritage
resources be undertaken by Town (Heritage Section) staff to ensure that the
remaining lots in the Markham Heritage Estates are retained for those homes of
greatest significance in the municipality that may, in the future, become
threatened;
And that a moratorium be placed on any
further houses being considered for relocation to the Markham Heritage Estates
Subdivision, other than those initiated by Town (Heritage Section) staff, until
such time as the above study is completed and received by Council;
And that a report on the results of the study
be brought forward for consideration by Council by the end of 2003.
PURPOSE:
To authorize Town (Heritage Section) staff to undertake a
study of potentially threatened heritage resources in the Town of Markham to
ensure that the remaining sixteen lots at Markham Heritage Estates are
ultimately occupied by those homes of the greatest significance in the
municipality that may in the future become threatened. Until such time as the study is completed
and received by Council, it is also recommended that a moratorium be placed on
any further houses being considered for relocation to the Markham Heritage
Estates other than those initiated by Town (Heritage Section) staff.
BACKGROUND:
Markham Heritage Estates established to provide a
preservation option of last resort
The Markham Heritage Estates Subdivision
is a specially designed heritage subdivision that was established by the Town
of Markham in 1988. This unique
initiative provides a location for significant heritage resources, which can no
longer be preserved on their existing sites, to be relocated and restored. Consistent with good heritage conservation
practice, the relocation of heritage buildings to Markham Heritage Estates is
intended to be an option of last resort.
All options to retain structures on their original sites must be
exhausted before a dwelling can be considered for relocation.
Preservation of Heritage Resources on
their original sites is important
The Town of Markham’s record for
preserving heritage resources on their original sites is exemplary. The Town
has been careful to ensure that only those resources, which are genuinely
threatened, and significant, with no other possibilities of preservation
elsewhere are eligible. To determine
which structures are eligible for relocation to the heritage subdivision, the
Town has established a set of criteria to determine the threat of loss (See
Appendix ‘A’)
All of the buildings, which have been
approved for relocation to the heritage subdivision, have met one or more of
the eligibility criteria. A majority
of buildings, which have been relocated, have met criteria number 2, through
being directly impacted by Road widening and by construction of major roads
such as Highway 407 and the Markham By-pass.
Fourteen lots remain in the
forty-two-lot subdivision
At the time that it was established, the
heritage subdivision consisted of 38, fully serviced residential lots. In 2001, another four lots were added to the
subdivision with the purchase of the adjacent Lunau Property, bringing the
total to 42 (plus a Block that could be divided into 2 lots). Of the 44 lots, threatened heritage
buildings will occupy 29 lots by the end of 2003. The total number of remaining lots is 16.
Most buildings have become eligible
through development/public works process
A majority of the buildings in the
Markham Heritage Estates subdivision have been declared eligible as a result of
impacts from development or public works processes. In these instances, Town
(Heritage Section) staff has taken the initiative to recommend that buildings
be declared eligible and has assisted property owners to seek out members of
the public to take on the task of relocating the homes.
Members of the public are also permitted
to bring forward homes which they feel are threatened and to request that the
Town declare the building to be eligible.
For the most part, despite numerous
inquiries, the public requests to relocate specific homes are not supported
because the houses fail to meet the eligibility criteria. To date, members of the public have
initiated only five of the 27 houses, which exist in the heritage subdivision.
Public requests to relocate homes have
increased in recent years
Although public initiated requests to
relocate structures to the heritage subdivision are not generally successful, a
significant number of requests are received by Town (Heritage Section) staff
each year. A particular concern has been raised by Heritage Markham with
respect to the increased number of public requests. In a number of cases, the persistent lobbying by people
interested in relocating homes to the subdivision to the owners of heritage
properties has resulted in the generation of a threat to certain buildings by
reducing the desire of the owners to cooperate with the Town to retain the
buildings on site. This has
occasionally resulted in the commitment of a significant amount of additional
staff time to convince property owners to maintain heritage buildings in their
original locations.
Heritage Markham has also expressed a
desire to ensure that the remaining lots be filled more selectively in order to
provide a wider architectural sample of the best of the threatened heritage
resources in the Town of Markham.
OPTIONS/DISCUSSION:
A study of future potential threatened
heritage resources is recommended
Heritage Markham has recommended that the
remaining 16 lots in the subdivision be reserved for the best examples of the
threatened heritage resources in the Town of Markham. To achieve this, it recommended that a study be undertaken to
determine the status of heritage resources in the community that may be
directly impacted by future long-range activities such as development, public
works and other issues.
A similar study entitled “Heritage
Subdivision - Heritage Building Review- Urban Envelope” was completed in May
1990, which identified heritage resources that were potentially threatened at
that time. Almost all of the homes in
the 1990 study have now been addressed, either through their preservation in
situ or their preservation in the heritage subdivision. It is anticipated that the completion of a
similar study with a wider reach would enable the Town to identify those
heritage resources which are of highest significance and which may be directly
impacted in the future. This would
enable the Town to make arrangements at an earlier stage to preserve heritage
resources and would provide these resources with a greater possibility of
long-term preservation.
Lot pricing review is also being
undertaken
A review of the lot prices at Markham
Heritage Estates is currently being
undertaken by the Manager of Real Property under the direction of the CAO.
A moratorium on public initiated requests for relocation is
proposed during the completion of the study
In order to ensure that the widest possible range of
potentially threatened houses could be considered for possible future
relocation to the Markham Heritage Estates Subdivision it is recommended that
there be a moratorium on houses being considered for relocation to the heritage
subdivision, other than those initiated by Town (Heritage Section) staff, until
such time as the recommended study is completed.
Town (Heritage Section) staff and Heritage Markham to
complete review
Since Town (Heritage Section and Planning) staff are most
familiar with the Markham Inventory of Heritage Resources, the Markham Heritage
Estates concept and the various pressures which may impact heritage resources
(road construction, development pressure, etc.), it is recommended that the
study be undertaken in-house as part of its ongoing work program with the
assistance of Heritage Markham, as needed.
It is anticipated that the study will be completed by the fall of 2003
and a report brought for consideration by Development Services Committee and
Council by the end of 2003/early 2004.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
None
BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:
Heritage
Markham has been consulted
ATTACHMENTS:
Figure
1 – Map of Markham Heritage Estates Subdivision
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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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FIGURE 1
Document: Heritage\MARKHAM HERITAGE ESTATES\POTENTIAL DWELLINGS FOR
RELOCATION\Moratorium.doc
1. The extent to which the building may be threatened with loss by
virtue of incompatible land uses in the immediate vicinity;
2. The extent to which the buildings may be threatened with loss as a
result of dislocation by public works, such as highway construction or major
road widening;
3. The extent to which the building may be actively used, but is
threatened with loss through inadequate care and maintenance of important architectural
details and significant building fabric;
4. The extent to which the building is vacant and threatened with loss
through lack of security provisions active vandalism, and inadequate care and
maintenance of important architectural details and significant building fabric;
5. The threat of loss through the successful acquisition of a
demolition permit;
6. The extent to which enforcement of relevant by-laws and regulations
of the Town and other authorized public agencies could prove effective in
overcoming the threat of loss;
7. The extent to which provision could be made for maintaining the
building satisfactorily on its present site, or relocating the building to
another secure location on the original property, in the immediate vicinity or
to some other location in Markham deemed appropriate by Council;
8. The extent to which available funding and other forms of assistance
and incentives are available and may be offered to maintain a building in its
original location;
