RECOMMENDATION:
THAT Heritage Markham’s
recommendation to designate the Sommerfeldt Homestead at 10379 Kennedy Road and the
George Henry Sommerfeldt Sr. House at 10411 Kennedy Road under Part IV of the Ontario
Heritage Act be approved;
AND THAT the Clerks
Department be authorized to:
·
publish
and serve Council’s Notice of Intention to Designate as per the requirements of
the Act; and,
·
prepare
the Designation By-law for these properties.
PURPOSE:
To recommend to Council that the Sommerfeldt Homestead at 10379 Kennedy Road and the George Henry
Sommerfeldt Sr. House at 10411 Kennedy Road be designated under Part IV of the Ontario
Heritage Act.
BACKGROUND:
Property contains two significant
heritage buildings
The property at 10379 and 10411
Kennedy Road contains two heritage buildings, known as the Sommerfeldt Homestead and
the George Henry
Sommerfeldt Sr. House. The
property is listed on the Markham Inventory of Heritage Buildings
Subject lands located outside of urban expansion area –
recently sold to a Richmond Hill Holding company
The
subject lands are located on the east side of Kennedy Road, north of Major
Mackenzie Drive and are located outside the Town’s urban expansion area. On January 24, 2002 the subject lands were
sold by Josef Brunnhuber to Minotar Holdings Inc. a Richmond Hill Holding
Company.
In
advance of the final transfer of the lands, the tenants who had been living in
the two dwellings were evicted from the premises. The two buildings are now vacant.
Concerns have been received from area residents
The resultant vacancy of the buildings
and clearing of the land of debris and foliage with the use of
front-end-loaders by the new owner has resulted in a number of calls from area
residents to Town (Heritage Section) staff.
Area residents have expressed concern with respect to the long-term
protection of these two heritage buildings.
Mr. Lorne Smith, Official Historian to
the Town of Markham has forwarded a letter to the Town with respect to the
preservation of these two Berczy settler homes (See Appendix “A”).
Owner has been contacted and advised
that both structures are significant heritage buildings.
Town (Heritage Section) and Building
Standards staff have been in contact with the owner and his representatives in
an effort to advise the owner that both structures are heritage buildings of
major significance to the Town of Markham.
The owner was also advised that any proposed demolition of the buildings
would require the issuance of a demolition permit by the Town, prior to the
commencement of any work.
Town (Heritage Section) staff has undertaken research and
evaluation of the buildings
In response to concerns expressed with
respect to the preservation of the Sommerfeldt houses, Town (Heritage Section)
staff has undertaken research on the two buildings on the property and has
evaluated the structures using the Markham Heritage Building Evaluation
System. According to the assessment,
both buildings were rated in the Group 1 (Most significant) category. An outline of the historical and
architectural reasons for designation is included in the Heritage Designation
Reports, which are attached as Appendix ‘B’ and ‘C’.
The general policies associated with the
Evaluation System’s Group 1 –Classification are as follows:
Group 1
- The designation of the building pursuant to the Ontario Heritage
Act will be pursued;
- Every attempt must be made to preserve the building on its
original site.
- Any development application affecting such a building must incorporate
the identified building.
- Appropriate alternative uses for the building will be encouraged
when necessary to ensure its preservation
- A Letter of Credit will typically be required to ensure the
protection and preservation of the building.
Heritage Markham recommends designation
In recognition of the heritage significance of both 10379 and 10411 Kennedy Road, and in
order to provide a measure of protection to the buildings under the Ontario
Heritage Act, Heritage Markham recommended, at its February 12, 2003,
meeting that both 10379 and 10411
Kennedy Road be designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act. The Heritage Markham minutes with respect to
this recommendation are attached as Appendix ‘D’.
The heritage designation would help to
ensure the long-term protection of the dwellings and to provide current and
future owners access to available funding programs for the restoration of the
designated heritage properties.
OPTIONS/DISCUSSION:
Sommerfeldt Homestead and George Henry Sommfeldt Sr.
House are significant heritage buildings
The Sommerfeldt Homestead
and George Henry Sommfeldt Sr. House are both important heritage resources. The Sommerfeldt Homestead is a good example
of a Georgian brick farmhouse from the second quarter of the 19th
Century built for a prominent farming family in Markham, who were among
Markham’s original Berczy settlers. The
house exhibits influence of the Georgian Style. The George Henry Sommfeldt Sr. House was built as the retirement
home for Berczy Settler George Henry Sommerfeldt Sr. The house is a good and rare example of a two storey Regency
Cottage. Together both buildings form a
significant historic grouping of historically related agricultural dwellings
associated with the Cashel Community and the original Berczy settlement. An
outline of the historical, architectural and contextual reasons for designation
is included in the Heritage Designation Reports, which are attached as
Appendices ‘A’ and ‘B’.
It is recommended that both
buildings on the property at 10379 and 10411 Kennedy Road be designated under
the Heritage Act.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
No financial implications are to be
considered in this report
BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:
Should Council concur with
the recommendation to designate the Sommerfeldt
Homestead and George Henry Sommerfeldt House at 10379
and 10411 Kennedy Road, the Clerks Department should be authorized to:
·
publish
and serve on the property owner, the Ontario Heritage Foundation and the public
through a newspaper advertisement, Council’s notice of intention to designate
the property as per the requirements of the Act; and,
·
prepare
the Designation By-laws for the properties at 10379 and 10411 Kennedy Road.
ATTACHMENTS:
Figure 1 - Applicant/Agent + Location Map
Figure 2 - Aerial photograph of 10379 and 10411
Kennedy Road
Appendix ‘A’ – Letter from Lorne R.
Smith, Town of Markham Official Historian
Appendix ‘B’ - Designation Report, ”The Sommerfeldt
Homestead at 10739 Kennedy Road.
Appendix ‘C’ - Designation
Report, “George Henry Sommerfeldt Sr. House
at 10411 Kennedy Road
Appendix ‘D’ – Heritage Markham Extract
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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 #:Q:\Development\Heritage\PROPERTY\KENNEDY\10379
and 10411\pms0304.doc
OWNER: Stanley
Leibel
Director
Minotar Holdings Inc.
11 Headdon Gate
Unit 5
Richmond Hill, ON
L4C 9W9
LOCATION MAP:
