RECOMMENDATION:
THAT the Development
Services Commission Report dated June 3, 2003, entitled “IBM Canada Limited,
8200 Warden Avenue, Application to extend Temporary Use By-law to Permit a
Temporary Parking Lot”, be received;
AND THAT the following recommendation
be considered at the June 3rd public meeting:
THAT the zoning amendment
application submitted by IBM Canada Limited (ZA 03108893) to amend By-law
304-97, to permit the lands at 8200 Warden Avenue to continue to be used for a
temporary parking lot for a further 3 years, be approved;
THAT the by-law amendment
attached as Appendix ‘A’ to this report dated June 3, 2003, be enacted;
THAT IBM Canada Limited be
congratulated and encouraged to continue pursuing their initiatives in
promoting employee alternative transportation methods;
THAT IBM Canada Limited be
strongly encouraged to participate in the various transportation initiatives
described in this report, to achieve the goal of an environmentally sustainable
Markham Centre supported by a transportation network;
AND THAT more specifically,
IBM Canada Limited be requested to identify a Travel Demand Management
coordinator from their corporation to work with the Town’s Travel Demand
Management organization and to confirm a senior executive appointment to sit on
the inaugural Markham Centre Travel Demand Management organization or Board;
AND FURTHER THAT vehicular
trip reductions and other accomplishments for the subject site over the next
three years be demonstrated to Council prior to any further extensions of the
temporary use by-law for surface parking.
PURPOSE:
To permit the continued use
of a temporary surface parking lot on the south side of the Rouge River, by IBM
Canada Limited for a further 3 years.
BACKGROUND:
Property and area context
The Phase 1 IBM Software
Development Facility is located on a 13.1 ha. (32 acre) parcel of land. The
land subject to this application is the existing parking lot on the south side
of the Rouge River, which is approximately 4.5 ha. (11 ha. in size ) (Figure
1). Land uses surrounding the parking lot are:
North - IBM
Phase 1
West - hydro
transmission corridor/existing industrial lands.
South - vacant
IBM lands/Markham Hydro property
East
- confluence of the Rouge
River & East Beaver Creek/Warden Ave.
The applicant has submitted
a zoning amendment to permit the continued use of a parking lot on the south
side of the Rouge River to accommodate approximately 850 vehicles to service
the Phase 1 IBM development. A site plan is appended as Figure 4 to this
report.
Phase One Development
approved
In December 1999, Council
approved the IBM Phase One development comprising a 39,482 (424,995 sq. ft.)
4-storey, 3 pod research/office building north of the Rouge River. The Phase
One site plan identified 1,458 parking spaces. On April 12, 2000, Committee of
Adjustment approved a reduction of the required parking spaces from 1492 to
1307 to permit the construction of a 2,948m2 (139,276 sq.ft.)
addition to the Phase 1 facility (Pod D-see Figure 4). The owner was required
to provide the Town with an undertaking agreeing to rectify the parking
shortfall on a parking lot south of the of the river or in an above or below
grade parking structure north of the river on the Phase One lands. The
undertaking also required a permanent parking solution upon final expiry of the
temporary use by-law.
The temporary use by-law was
passed in July 2000, to provide temporary additional parking for the Phase 1
IBM development. According to the site plan agreement, as amended, for this development,
764 spaces are provided south of the river, which, in combination with parking
located north of the river is well over and above the required amount of
parking, pending a permanent parking solution. The parking lot and associated
pedestrian connections have been constructed and are presently in use by the
company.
Extension of Temporary Use
By-law requested
The temporary use by-law
(Bylaw No. 106-2000) that was enacted in July 2000, will expire in July 2003
and the applicant has submitted a zoning application to permit the continued
use of the temporary parking lot for a further 3 years. The final plan for
these lands is to erect the Phase 2 portion of the IBM development on the
parking lot and provide a parking structure on the site. The effect of the
proposed by-law amendment would be to extend use of the parking lot for 3 years
and to repeal the original temporary use by-law (By-law 106-2000).
OPTIONS/DISCUSSION:
Official Plan Permits
Temporary Uses
The property is
predominantly designated Community Amenity–General, with a portion of the lands
being Open Space (Community Park) in the Secondary Plan (OPA 21). The Official
Plan permits temporary use by-laws in all land use designations provided that
the temporary use will cease upon expiry of the by-law and that the proposed
use shall not entail any significant infrastructure investment on the part of
the owner which would create a hardship situation upon removal of the temporary
use and restoration of the site to its original condition. The Official Plan
allows for extensions of a temporary use, provided the extension does not
jeopardize long term development intentions for the subject lands/area. The
applicant is seeking to extend use of the parking lot for 3 years. The
applicant has indicated they will seek to continue to renew this temporary
permission until IBM is ready to construct Phase 2 of their development on the
parking lot lands, at which time a parking structure would be erected to
replace the parking. The following sections examine the impact and terms for
extending the permission for a further 3 years.
Transportation Initiatives
are key to the success of Markham Centre
Markham is undertaking a
comprehensive plan to deliver a new downtown supported by public transit and
this work is key for the success of Markham Centre. In 2002, the Markham
Transportation Plan study was a call to action for Markham residents and
businesses to participate in the 20-year transportation plan that will affect a
shift from traditional automotive-based travel to public transit and other
sustainable modes of transportation. That study presents an integrated 4-point
strategy that includes:
- Development of a public/private regional rapid
transit network
- Land use policies to support mixed use and
intensification
- Road network enhancements
- Education and support programs (including
transportation demand management initiatives and transportation management
associations)
Once fully implemented, the
plan will result in travel mode shifts, which will increase transit use from
its current 10% to 19% Town wide, and up to 30% or greater in higher density
areas, such as Markham Centre.
The Town is working with the
Region of York, businesses and the development community towards formulating
transportation demand management strategies including reducing parking supply
and demand, introducing new transit systems and stop locations; encouraging
cycling and supportive facilities such as showers and bike lock-up areas;
encouraging pedestrian supportive facilities and networks; and encouraging
telework and variable work hour policies and programs as part of the education
and support programs.
IBM Canada Limited has an
opportunity to play an important role in preserving the environment and in
contributing to the future success of Markham Centre through working with the
Town to support our transportation initiatives. As the major employer in
Markham Centre, IBM also has the opportunity to develop its own initiatives and
programs, or to work with the Town to accomplish some of the parking and
vehicular trip reductions that are crucial to the success of the Centre.
Town Parking Initiatives are
underway
Planning staff has
undertaken a parking strategy to implement a shared vision for a new downtown with an attractive urban centre, based
upon structured parking (above and below grade) and provision of higher order
public transit. The Town has retained a transportation consultant to
prepare a parking study for Markham Centre and to identify initiatives,
including development of a municipal parking authority that will help achieve
the Town’s transit goals. The study has not yet been completed, however, staff
will be looking to corporations, such as IBM, to provide support and work
cooperatively with the Town in moving to structured parking solutions. As noted
earlier in this report, it is IBM’s intention to develop structured parking on
the Phase 2 lands when they are ready to proceed with their future expansion.
Travel Demand Management by the Town and IBM
Town staff is also working
with the development and business community to incorporate travel demand
management measures into their projects with the aim of reducing single
occupant vehicle travel to their sites. One of the major initiatives is the
S-M-A-R-T Movement program which is designed to save money and reduce air
pollution by reducing vehicle trips. Through the recently opened Transportation
Demand Management (TDM) office of the Engineering Department in cooperation
with Pollution Probe, the Town is offering the SMART Movement program and
associated services to various Markham employers.
The program assists
employees in finding alternatives to their drive alone auto trip to work. One
of the first services to be provided is a web based ridematching program that
assists employees in forming carpools to share the ride to work. Carpool
participants are provided with preferred parking, a guaranteed ride home and
other incentives to encourage participation. Other SMART services include; a
Bicycle User Group to support employees who would like to use an active mode of
transportation, a vanpool pilot project to introduce employees to a service
that would see six or more employees share a ride to work and an employer
sponsored transit investment program that reduces the cost of transit for the
employee by up to 50%.
IBM representatives advise
that they have already undertaken many of their own initiatives as identified
in the letter attached as Appendix B to this report. As set out in that letter,
IBM has agreed to continue to work with the Town and support the Town’s goals
by making additional improvements and promoting employee alterative
transportation on an ongoing basis.
Markham’s goal is to have
all corporations working towards accomplishing vehicle trip reductions. It is
therefore important for IBM, as a major employer, to demonstrate they have
accomplished such reductions, prior to further requests for extension to this
temporary use By-law.
Draft zoning by-law prepared
The subject lands are zoned
Agricultural 1 (A1) through by-law 304-87 which does not permit a parking lot
associated with a office use. Temporary
use Bylaw No. 106-2000, currently permits the parking lot. The new zoning
by-law amendment is attached as Appendix ‘A’. Aside from minor technical
modifications it is identical to the original by-law, except that it repeals
By-law 106-2000 for the purpose of replacing it.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
None
BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:
This proposal has been
reviewed by Engineering staff, Urban Design staff and the TDM Coordinator.
CONCLUSION
The temporary parking lot serves the existing 52,430m2
IBM software research facility. This new by-law allows the parking lot to
remain for a further 3-year period. Since the extension of the use does not
jeopardize any immediate planned transportation initiatives/programs and IBM
staff have agreed to work with the Town in supporting transportation
initiatives for Markham Centre, Staff recommend that the draft temporary use
by-law attached as Appendix ‘A,’ be extended for a further 3 years.
|
|
|
|
|
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
|
FIGURE 1
Q:\Development\Planning\APPL\ZONING\03
108893 IBM Parking Lot\2003report.doc
ATTACHMENTS:
Figure 1 Location Map
Figure 2 Area
Context/Zoning
Figure 3 Aerial Photo
Figure 4 Site Plan
showing temporary parking lot
Appendix A Draft Temporary Use
By-law
Appendix
B Letter from IBM
Applicant :
Ms. Susan Lawton
IBM Canada Limited
3500 Steeles Avenue
East
Markham, Ontario
L3R 2Z1
Fax: (905) 316-6925
Location Map:
