RECOMMENDATION:
That a Public Meeting be held to
consider Official Plan Amendment (OP.03-105828) and Zoning By-law Amendment (ZA.03-105829)
applications, submitted by the St. Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Church, to permit
residential uses and certain institutional components for a proposed religious
campus north of Steeles Avenue between Acadia Avenue and Ferrier Street (3660
Steeles Avenue);
And that staff schedule a Public Meeting when
the issues outlined in the March 4, 2003 preliminary report have been
sufficiently addressed by the applicant.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this report
is to provide preliminary information regarding applications for official plan
and zoning by-law amendments to permit residential uses and certain
institutional components for a proposed religious campus, and to recommend that
a public meeting be scheduled to obtain public input on these applications,
when identified issues have been addressed by the applicant.
BACKGROUND:
The subject property occupies the entire
block bounded by Steeles Avenue, Acadia Avenue and Ferrier Street and has a lot
area of 4.86 ha (12 acres), and is municipally known as 3660 Steeles Avenue
(Figure 1). The property is currently
vacant and is devoid of any significant vegetation.
The property is bounded to the
south across Steeles Avenue by single detached dwellings, which back onto
Steeles Avenue. To the east, by a
Sunoco gar bar and car wash and vacant lands approved for a commercial
development. The Tender Holdings site
plan application was approved in principal by the Ontario Municipal Board on
January 20, 2003. To the west across
Ferrier Street are two existing commercial developments (Metro Square and New
Century Plaza). To the north across
Acadia Avenue are two 3-storey office buildings and a place of worship (Figure
3).
Previous zoning application and site plan applications
In 1997, applications were
submitted by Whitehorn Investments Limited (First Professional Management) to
permit the construction of a 10,870 m² (117,000 ft²) commercial development to
accommodate a combination of retail, service, restaurant and office uses. The proposal consisted of five separate
buildings arranged around the perimeter of the property. The buildings were proposed to be 1-storey
in height, with the exception of the building at the corner of Steeles Avenue
and Ferrier Street, which was proposed to be 3-storeys in height. Site plan approval was granted, but a site
plan agreement was never executed, and this particular project was subsequently
abandoned.
Religious campus proposed
The applicant has submitted
applications for official plan and zoning by-law amendments to permit
residential uses and certain institutional components for a proposed religious
campus. It is St. Mark’s desire to
construct a Campus Village that will express the Christian Coptic Orthodox
tradition, as well as achieve a landmark in urban design and built form (Figure
5) in Markham. The applicant has not
applied for site plan approval at this time, but has provided staff with a
conceptual site plan and building elevations (Figure 4 and 5).
The concept site plan shows a
variety of religious and ancillary uses integrated as one comprehensive
development, and includes the following uses:
- Cathedral
- Chapel
- Private school (elementary and high school)
- Day nursery/day care
- Community centre which will include a banquet hall and other
lifestyle amenities
- Museum (to house religious artifacts)
- Seniors residence
- Retirement/Nursing home
- Bishop’s residence
- Office component
The applicant is proposing to
develop a master site plan for the entire site at up to 300% floor area ratio,
with a total gross floor area of approximately 92,900 m² (1 million ft²) to
139,350 m² (1.5 million ft²). The residential component (seniors residence and
retirement/nursing home) is proposed to be less than 10% of the total proposed
gross floor area. The majority of parking is currently intended to be located
below grade, but the applicant has raised the possibility of an above ground
parking structure. The site plan
remains quite preliminary, and no specific information with respect to gross
floor area for individual uses, number of parking spaces, numbers of
residential units, etc. are available at this time.
The applicant’s main goal at this
point is to amalgamate their congregation into one central place of
worship. The first phase of development
would include the Cathedral, chapel and bishop’s residence. The subsequent phases would build out the
remaining ancillary uses proposed for this site.
Zoning By-law and Official Plan amendments required
The lands are currently designated
Business Corridor in the Official Plan.
The intent of this designation is to accommodate a mix of high quality
business activities, but this designation also provides for places of worship.
The subject lands are currently
zoned Business Corridor under By-law 119-73, as amended (Figure 2). In 1997, a site specific zoning by-law
amendment (By-law 144-97) rezoned the property to Business Corridor (BC) and
added a list of permitted uses, which included a place of worship.
In order to accommodate the
proposed development, both the official plan and zoning by-law would have to be
amended to permit the proposed senior’s residence, and retirement/nursing
home. In addition, the zoning by-law
would also have to be amended to permit the proposed private school and museum.
All other uses proposed in this development are currently permitted in the
official plan and zoning by-law that apply to the subject lands.
The current zoning on the property
(By-law 144-97) contains zoning standards that reflect the previous
proposal. The appropriateness of the
official plan and zone category, as well as development standards will be
reviewed as part of these app lications.
Water allocation has not yet been granted for the
residential component of the proposed development
The Engineering Department has
advised that water allocation has not yet been granted for the proposed
residential component of the development.
This matter remains to be reviewed.
POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF APPROVAL OF THE
PROPOSAL:
Some of the anticipated benefits
include:
- Proposal is in keeping with Town initiatives regarding compact
urban development form;
- Applicant intends to achieve a landmark in urban design and built
form; and
- Proposal is located on a major arterial road that is well serviced
by transit.
CONCERNS/ISSUES TO BE RESOLVED:
The following is a brief summary of concerns/issues
raised to date. These matters, and any others identified through the
circulation and detailed review of the proposal, will be addressed in a final
staff report to be presented to Committee at a later date:
·
Site plan application required prior
to zoning approval;
·
Compatibility of proposed built form
with existing development requires further review;
·
Orientation and location of proposed
buildings requires further review;
·
Gross floor area of proposed
buildings, number of residential units, parking standards, location of parking,
building heights, etc. remains to be determined;
·
Clarification as to whether the
proposed community centre will be made available to those outside the
congregation;
·
Traffic and parking demand analysis
study is required;
·
Development Phasing plan needs to be
submitted;
·
Staging plan for servicing required by
Engineering Department;
·
Servicing Study required to confirm if
there is sufficient capacity within the downstream sanitary sewer;
·
Water allocation for the proposed residential
component of the development remains to be reviewed;
·
Comments from external agencies
required;
·
Confirmation required regarding
potential severances; and
·
Appropriate land use designation and
zoning to reflect the proposed development remains to be determined.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
There are
no financial implications for the Town in this report.
BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:
The applications were circulated to
internal departments (Fire, Building, Engineering, Design, Waste Management),
and external agencies for comments.
Public
Meeting should be held once issues have been sufficiently addressed
It is recommended that staff be
authorized to call a Public Meeting when issues noted in this report have been
sufficiently addressed.
|
|
|
|
|
Valerie Shuttleworth, M.C.I.P., R.P.P.
Director of Planning and Urban Design
|
|
Jim
Baird, M.C.I.P., R.P.P.
Commissioner of Development Services
|
FIGURE
1
DOCUMENT: Q:/Development/Planning/Appl/Zoning/03105829/DSC_Mar4
ATTACHMENTS:
Figure 1 – Location
Figure 2 – Area Context/Zoning
Figure 3 – Aerial
Figure 4 – Proposed site plan
Figure 5 – Conceptual plan of proposed
religious campus
APPLICANT/AGENT: Joanne Barnett Tel: (416) 567-1751
6
Dunkirk Road Fax:
(416) 423-1980
Toronto,
ON
M4C 2L9
