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TO: |
Mayor and Members of Council |
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FROM: |
Alan Brown,
Director of Engineering Jim Baird, Commissioner of Development Services |
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PREPARED BY: |
Lawrence
Shintani, Development Engineer |
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DATE OF MEETING: |
2003-Mar-04 |
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SUBJECT: |
Helen Avenue - Phasing and
Servicing Plan |
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RECOMMENDATION:
THAT the report entitled ‘Helen Avenue –
Phasing and Servicing Plan’, dated March 4, 2003, be received;
AND THAT the alternative servicing route
through Helen Avenue and an unopened road allowance between Helen Avenue and
South Unionville Avenue be endorsed;
AND THAT the proposed phasing of development
for the west portion of the South Unionville area be endorsed;
AND THAT if necessary, staff report back to
Council on possible expropriation, at the developer’s cost, for the
construction of the stormwater management pond and outfall, and extension of
South Unionville Avenue and Castan Avenue prior to Stages 3 and 4 proceeding;
AND THAT the principles for servicing and
reconstruction of Helen Avenue, as outlined in the report, be endorsed;
AND THAT staff report back with a draft Area
Specific Development Charge by-law and front-ending agreements for the
reconstruction and servicing of Helen Avenue;
AND THAT financing for the reconstruction of
Helen Avenue (west) be considered upon availability of a storm outfall.
PURPOSE:
This report is to obtain approval for the
following components essential to development of the west portion of the South
Unionville Planning District:
·
Alternative servicing route from Helen Avenue
to South Unionville Avenue;
·
Phasing and servicing plan;
·
Reconstruction of Helen Avenue including
funding through ASDC.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Town is in receipt of draft plans of
subdivision for the majority of the west portion of the South Unionville
Planning District (see Figure 1).
However, there are also a number of properties that either have not
filed draft plans to date or are not contemplated to develop. The lack of a consolidated group of
landowners/developers has made it difficult to coordinate the completion of
servicing and reconstruction of Helen Avenue that is required for development
in this area to proceed.
Town staff have been in discussions with the
major developer in the area (Abidien Inc.) and a draft phasing and servicing
plan for development and reconstruction of Helen Avenue was prepared. The plan was reviewed with Helen Avenue
property owners on January 29, 2003.
The main concern was the desire to reconstruct both the east and west
portions of Helen Avenue at the same time.
Abidien Inc. has proposed to reconstruct the east portion of Helen
Avenue within the next year and the landowners requested the Town upfront the
cost of reconstruction for the west portion so it can proceed at the same time.
OPTIONS/DISCUSSION:
The
servicing concept for the South Unionville Planning District outlined in the
October 1996, Master Servicing Plan indicates the sanitary and storm servicing
for the area is separated into two drainage areas (see Figure 2). The east half of the secondary plan area,
for the most part, is developed but the west area has been restricted in
developing due to multiple ownership and holdout properties required for
servicing and roads (see Figure 1).
Abidien Inc., a major property owner in the west part of the district,
wishes to complete Stage 2 of its subdivision and has prepared a phasing
concept to develop the remainder of its land holdings and other properties in
the Helen Avenue area in four stages as follows:
Location: Lands
immediately north and south of South Unionville Avenue. (see Figure 2)
Timing : 2003
Servicing: alternate servicing from the west
limit of South Unionville Avenue, down the unopened right-of-way to Helen
Avenue, then along Helen Avenue to Harry Cook Drive as shown in Figure 3.
Factors affecting staging:
·
road
and services cannot be directly extended to this subdivision from the east due
to two non-participating landowners (see Figure 4).
·
ongoing
discussions with the landowners but acquisition of the necessary rights-of-way
has not been finalized.
·
alternative
servicing opportunity has been found to be technically acceptable and can be
integrated with future development of the area. Detailed engineering drawings will be reviewed with the Parks
and Urban Design group to protect for future park/walkway development.
Location: Lands within the
eastern drainage area fronting Helen Avenue and lands to the south as shown on
Figure 2.
Timing: 2003/2004,
pending draft approval of lands south of Helen (19TM-02005)
Servicing: Serviced from
infrastructure built under Stage 2 and will require the eastern portion of
Helen Avenue to be reconstructed and full municipal services installed
Factors affecting staging:
·
Road extension (South Unionville Avenue) and
realignment (Castan Ave.) across the two non-participating landowner properties
(Kunzel, Felice) are recommended to be constructed prior to proceeding with
this stage.
·
If property is not available, staff recommend
the Town consider expropriating the necessary rights-of-way at developer’s
cost.
Stage
4
Location: Lands
within western drainage area
Timing: 2004/2005,
subject to residential market demand
Servicing: Storm
to drain to a stormwater management facility at a location being finalized
though an environmental assessment to be completed this spring. Sanitary servicing from the extension of a
sanitary sewer at the northeast corner of Kennedy Rd./Helen Ave.
Factors affecting staging:
·
Draft plan conditions for the plan
of subdivision (19TM- 99021) obligate Abidien Inc. to finalize matters relating
to completing the remaining section of South Unionville Avenue to Kennedy Road
and signalization of the intersection.
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Prior to proceeding with this
stage, staff recommend that, if required, the Town consider expropriating the
necessary rights-of-way for South Unionville Avenue, the stormwater management
facility and storm outfalls at developer’s cost.
Reconstruction of Helen Avenue
including the provision of full services (storm & sanitary sewers) is
required to support development fronting onto the road. Servicing of Helen Avenue is complicated by
the fact that Helen Avenue is split between the two drainage areas (as
indicated in Figure 2). Sections of
Helen Avenue can only be reconstructed when both sanitary and storm sewers and
their respective outfalls are available.
The cost
of the reconstruction of Helen Avenue, with an estimated cost of $2.9 million,
will be included in the proposed Helen Avenue Area Specific Development Charge
By-law.
The east half of Helen Avenue
(Stage 3) can be reconstructed according to the proposed development staging in
2003/2004. Abidien Inc. will upfront
the cost to construct the east half of Helen Ave., and will be reimbursed its
overpayment upon collection of development charges from other benefiting
development.
At a January 29, 2003, Helen Avenue
public information meeting to discuss construction phasing and reconstruction
of Helen Avenue, residents were advised that this portion would be constructed
by developer(s) in ±2004/2005. However, residents requested that the west
half of Helen Avenue be constructed at the same time as Abidien Inc. is
constructing the east half.
Reconstruction of this portion of Helen Avenue is dependant upon
completion of the storm sewer outfall and pond.
Construction of external storm
sewer system and stormwater management facility is dependant on land acquisition
and finalization of the environmental assessment. The environmental assessment study which will determine the
location of the stormwater management pond is being completed with a final
public meeting scheduled this spring.
Construction is not anticipated until 2004/2005.
The reconstruction of the west half of Helen Ave. is estimated at a cost
of $1 million. There is ±$0.37 million funding currently available from
BMW and the South Unionville ASDC which leaves ±$0.63 million funding required. These funds would have to be “front-ended”
and gradually recovered as development charges are collected as development
takes place on Helen Avenue.
As the west portion of Helen Avenue cannot proceed until storm outlets are available, reconstruction of Helen Avenue will have to be staged. Therefore, we recommend developers in the Stage 4 area finance this work in 2004/2005. If developer financing is not available at that time the Town can consider financing options.
Should Council determine that the reconstruction of the west half of
Helen Avenue proceed in advance of having collected sufficient development
charges, financing option for this project could be considered as part of an
overall financing strategy for Markham 10-Year Infrastructure Program currently
before Transportation Committee.
Given the lack of a cohesive
developer’s group for the Helen Avenue area, staff reviewed alternative methods
for Helen Avenue improvements to proceed (i.e. Local Improvement Act,
ASDC). Staff recommend a separate ASDC
be approved for Helen Avenue which would enable developers to “front end” the
improvements and assess the cost to future abutting development. At the January 29, 2003 public meeting the
following principles for funding the reconstruction of Helen Avenue and a new
ASDC by-law were presented:
Initial construction of the services within the east half of Helen Avenue will be upfronted by Abidien Inc. and, pending the passing of the Area Specific Development Charge by-law, will be subject to development charge credits through execution of a credit agreement. A further public meeting under the Development Charges Act, 1997 will be required before passing of an ASDC by-law for the reconstruction of Helen Avenue. Staff will report to Finance Committee with a draft ASDC for endorsement prior to holding a public meeting.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
The Financial Services Department will be required to track and administer credit payments in accordance with the credit agreement.
BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:
The
Legal Services Department will prepare the applicable subdivision/development
and credit agreements.
ATTACHMENTS:
Figure
1 - Area Map
Figure
2 – Development Staging Plan
Figure 3 – Helen Avenue Staging Plan
Figure 4 – Overall Servicing Phasing Plan
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Alan Brown, C.E.T. Director of Engineering |
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Jim Baird, M.C.I.P., R.P.P. Commissioner of Development Services |
Q:\Development\Engineering\REPORTS\2003\3\HelenAvePhasing&Servicing.doc
