TO: Mayor and Members of Council

FROM: Jim Baird, Commissioner of Development Services

Valerie Shuttleworth, Director of Planning & Urban Design

PREPARED BY: Nick Pileggi

Senior Planner, South District

DATE: December 13, 2005

Re: Miller Paving Limited, Application for Site Specific Official Plan Amendment to permit a commercial shopping centre at 7781 Woodbine Avenue

File: OP-04-017217

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide information regarding the application for site specific Official Plan Amendment by Miller Paving Limited, to permit commercial development at 7781 Woodbine Avenue. The memorandum also outlines the rationale for approving the site specific Official Plan Amendment, as per the recommendation of Development Services Committee.

The site specific Official Plan Amendment is attached to the Council Agenda for December 13, 2005.

BACKGROUND:

In May 2004, Miller Paving Limited submitted applications for Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment to permit a retail commercial development anchored by 3 large format retail stores, at the subject property.

On March 22, 2005, staff brought forward a final report recommending that the applications be refused. The applications were referred back to staff with the direction that staff work with the applicant to try to reach a compromise.

Staff and the applicant met several times and changes were made to the proposal. The applicant presented a revised proposal and concept plan to Development Services Committee at the Part A session on June 21, 2005. Based on the revised concept plan presented, Committee approved the Official Plan Amendment application in principle and directed that staff bring forward the site specific Official Plan Amendment, along with the rationale for approval, reflective of the Committee’s discussions. Compared to the original commercial proposal, the revised proposal included 2 (not 3) large format stores, a reduction in the land area to be converted to commercial use, an office building and limited retail development north of the new road, no drive-throughs adjacent to public street(s), and other urban design commitments to ensure high quality commercial development.

RATIONALE:

The following is the basic rationale for approval, as discussed by the Development Services Committee at the part A session on June 21, 2005:

· The surrounding area (Highway 7 and Woodbine area and the Woodbine corridor south of Highway 7) has already developed with a mix of retail, commercial and employment uses.

· Considering the existing uses located along Woodbine Avenue, which are not up-scale, a well planned shopping centre on approximately 40 acres, anchored by a limited number of large format retail stores, could improve the area.

· The uses currently existing on the property are not desirable at this location. Allowing the proposed uses provides an opportunity to clean up the site and achieve additional employment lands on the balance of the 90 acre property.

· The applicant has committed to close the existing asphalt plant and related uses on the site and to redevelop the lands by plan of subdivision, for commercial and industrial uses.

The draft OPA incorporates the above rationale as the basis of the amendment and also incorporates policies to achieve the following criteria:

· Require a multi storey office building (minimum 30,000 square feet), employment uses and limited retail uses on an approximately 5 acre Business Corridor Block, at the northwest corner of the subject site.

· The retail uses within the 5 acre Business Corridor Block will be limited to not more than 30% of the Gross Floor Area of the industrial buildings (excluding office building).

· The number of large format retail stores are limited to a maximum of two

· Restrict drive through facilities between buildings and adjacent public street(s).

· Strong policies intended to address potential environmental/site contamination.

· Requirement for new north-south and east-west Industrial Collector Roads to accommodate the proposed commercial and future employment uses in the area.

· Effective urban design policies to ensure that the built form of the proposed commercial development is upscale, consistent and pedestrian oriented.

· Policies to address the phasing of infrastructure and development in the general area.

· Phasing plan to be approved prior to final release of plan of subdivision, to deal with timing of closure of existing use, any required environmental remediation, and timing of infrastructure and industrial and commercial development.

Subdivision, Zoning and Site Plan issues will be dealt with at a later date

Only the policy status of the lands and the Official Plan Amendment application were supported by Development Services Committee. The commercial zoning and site plan issues, and the plan of subdivision, require further discussion and negotiation, to tailor the approvals to detailed final plans to the satisfaction of the Town.

Staff will continue to work with the applicant on a comprehensive review of all aspects of the proposed development. The attached site specific Official Plan Amendment includes provisions which outline how the related applications and design issues will be effectively dealt with.

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