RECOMMENDATION:
That the record
of the Public Meeting held on August 30, 2005, regarding the application for Zoning
By-law Amendment, file ZA.05-012130, submitted by Shell Canada Limited, to
permit an Automobile Service Station at the northwest corner of Highway 7 and
Woodbine Avenue, municipally known as 8510 Woodbine Avenue, be received;
And That the
application to amend the zoning by-law to permit a gas station, car wash and
convenience store as set out in Appendix ‘A’ and ‘B’ to this report, be
approved and the implementing by-law be enacted without further notice;
And Further That
the application for site plan approval for a gas station, car wash and
convenience store be endorsed with the following conditions;
- That the Owner enter into a site plan agreement
with the Town;
- That prior to execution of the site plan
agreement, the Owner shall submit final drawings, and comply with all
requirements of the Town and authorized public agencies, to the
satisfaction of the Commissioner of Development Services;
- That the landscaping plan include intensive
planting of high quality native tree and shrub species, to the
satisfaction of the Town in consultation with the TRCA;
- That the site plan agreement include provisions
for the payment by the Owner of all applicable fees, recoveries,
development charges and parkland dedications;
- That the
site plan approval shall lapse after a period of three years commencing on
the date of the passing of the companion zoning by-law, in the event that
the Owner does not enter into a site plan agreement with the Town during that period;
- That the Owner/operator of the
proposed gas bar provide a full service component to assist the elderly and persons with physical
disabilities or limitations in accessing the pumps without encumbrances;
- That the Owner complete off-site
stream and valley corridor restorative works, to the west of the subject
property, to the satisfaction of the Town and the TRCA.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this report is
to provide an evaluation of the applicant’s proposal for a zoning by-law
amendment and site plan approval to permit an automobile service station located at the northwest
corner of Woodbine Avenue and Highway 7. The report recommends approval of the zoning
by-law amendment and approval of the proposed site plan, subject to conditions.
BACKGROUND:
Property and Area Context
The property is located at the northwest corner
of Woodbine Avenue and Highway 7. The southern portion of the site currently supports an automobile
service station that will be reconstructed and extended further north on the subject
property (See Figure 2). The
proposed development will be located on an expanded site which includes the
original Shell station property at the northwest corner of Woodbine Ave and Highway 7 as well as part
of an adjoining property to the north, which has been purchased by Shell. This proposed development covers 0.688 ha
(1.7 acres).
Adjoining
the subject lands are:
·
The Hyundai Warehouse to the north and west
·
Michael-Angelo’s Market Place to the east, across Woodbine Avenue
·
An automobile service station at the southeast corner of Woodbine Avenue and Highway 7
·
A stormwater management pond to the south, across Highway 7.
Official Plan and Zoning
The property
was expanded to include additional lands to the north of the existing gas
station site. The rezoning application
will apply to the entire redevelopment area.
The lands are currently designated “Industrial” in the Official Plan and
“Business Corridor Area” under Schedule “H” - Commercial / Industrial
Categories. Currently the southern
portion of the lands has a C3 zone under Bylaw 127-76, as amended and the newly
added piece of land is zoned M.C. 40% under Bylaw 165-80, as amended.
Proposal is for the Redevelopment of the Automobile
Service Station
The applicant
is proposing to amend the zoning by-law to permit an expanded automobile service
station, a car wash and a convenience store on the newly added property and to
add a car wash and convenience store as permissions on the original lands. The existing pump islands will be removed and
nine pump islands will replace them. The
existing kiosk for payment and the washroom building will be removed and these
functions will be incorporated in a building that includes a convenience store. A car wash will be located along the Woodbine Avenue frontage (See figure 7).
Official Plan Amendment is not required
The subject
lands are designated Business Corridor Area in the Official Plan. This designation permits a gas station, car wash, and
convenience store, subject to the review of a specific
development proposal and rezoning to the satisfaction of the Town.
Zoning By-law Amendment is required
The property has two zone categories and by-laws. The southern portion is zoned C3 under By-law
127-76 and the northern portion is zoned M.C. 40% (Select Industrial with
Limited Commercial) under By-law 165-80.
The C3 zoning permits the existing gas station, however it does not
permit the additional uses proposed (the car wash and convenience store). The M.C. 40% zoning does not permit the gas
station, car wash, or convenience store.
A by-law amendment is required to permit the proposed uses.
Draft zoning by-law
The draft by-law zones all of the lands
subject to the service station redevelopment as Select Industrial and
Automotive Commercial (M.AC) under Bylaw 165-80. This is the zone category in Bylaw 165-80 that
permits automobile service centres. This
includes a car wash, but requires a site specific permission to permit the
convenience store. The lands to the
north, under the same ownership, will continue to be zoned M.C.40%, and are not
subject to redevelopment at this time.
The draft zoning by-law also incorporates an
amendment to the development standards for the service station site. The car wash is proposed to be set back approximately
25 m to the centre line of Woodbine Avenue, whereas the by-law requires a 40 metre setback to the centre line of Woodbine Avenue. Additional development
standards may be incorporated to the proposed zoning by-law amendment, prior to
Council approval, once a final review of the site plan is completed.
OPTIONS/DISCUSSION:
Concerns regarding wildlife and urban design raised
at the August 30, 2005 Public Meeting
A statutory Public Meeting
was held on August 30, 2005. No members
of the public attended. Committee
members raised a concern with respect to whether the development will negatively
impact otter habitat. The TRCA indicated
that required erosion control and sediment control measures will prevent any adverse
impact on the stream habitat during construction. It was also noted that the existing noise of
Highway 7 will far outweigh any noise from the construction. With respect to post construction impacts,
the TRCA noted that the buildings and pumps will be further away from the
waterway than the existing building therefore, the impact of the proposed gas
station will be less than existing operations.
In addition, a concern was
raised with respect to the close proximity of the car wash to the property line. Staff were questioned whether the car wash
would be visually obtrusive, given it’s proximity to the property line. The car wash is located 25 metres to the
centreline of Woodbine
Avenue (8 metres
from the property line). Staff have no
concerns with the location of the car wash.
The façade of the car wash is of similar materials and massing to the
convenience store. It is constructed
primarily of composite aluminium cladding and glazing. The brushed aluminium cladding on the parapet
wall is an upgraded element negotiated by staff to provide an enhanced and
visually pleasing façade.
TRCA has no objections
The Toronto and Region
Conservation Authority indicated that the entire property is within the
Regional Storm Floodplain of the Rouge River Watershed, and channelization of
the Beaver Creek (tributary of the Rouge River), located to the west of the
site has occurred downstream of the property.
In order to reconstruct the station, the applicant purchased the site to
the north and proposes to locate the gas station, convenience store and car
wash to a higher elevation within the Regional Storm Floodplain.
The TRCA has no objections
to the redevelopment of the site.
However, the TRCA indicated that since the site is within the
floodplain, it is required that a net ecological gain be attained through the
redevelopment of this site. It is
recommended that the applicant provide high quality native tree and shrub
species to landscape the property. In
addition, the TRCA has also requested that off-site stream and valley corridor
restorative works, be completed.
The TRCA noted that the
northern portion of the property will experience an increase in flooding for
the lower return period storms under the proposed conditions. The Engineering Department has confirmed the flow reduction and
storage requirements for the undeveloped lands to the north of the Shell site
is satisfactory and concurs with the stormwater management report that indicates
that there is sufficient storage of stormwater to contain the increased runoff
for minor and major storm events.
Full service component available to those with
physical disabilities or limitations
On September 13, 2005, Council passed a resolution to request
petroleum companies to provide full service to patrons having special needs:
Shell Canada Limited responded and forwarded their policy that states:
“Drivers with a disabled parking permit will receive full service at
self-service prices at stations with both full and self-service pumps. The gas station attendant will fuel your
vehicle at the self-service island so that you pay only the self-service price
for fuel. Customers should identify
themselves to one of our gas station attendants. Please note that this service is available
only during full service hours.”
“At self-serve only stations, staff will make every effort to help
customers displaying disabled parking permits with refuelling. Please identify yourself to one of our gas
station attendants. We also encourage
you to contact your local station to discuss your individual needs as some
stations have limited staff and payment access.”
The proposed gas station includes 6 self-serve pumps (one diesel) and 3
full-serve pumps and a full serve kiosk.
Shell Canada’s “refuelling for drivers
with disabilities” policy satisfies Council’s directive.
In accordance with Council’s direction, as a condition of site plan
approval, the Owner and the operator of the proposed gas bar are required to provide
a full service component to assist the elderly and persons with physical
disabilities or limitations in accessing the pumps without encumbrances, to the
satisfaction of the Commissioner of Development Services.
Environmental site assessment
A portion of the site is
currently operating as an automobile service station facility, which has buried
oil or gasoline tanks. As a result, contaminated
soils may exist on site. The Engineering Department requested a Phase I and II
environmental site assessment to certify that the lands to be redeveloped are
environmentally suitable for the intended use.
The Engineering Department indicated that they have reviewed the
issue of potential on-site contamination on soil samples with the Town’s peer
review consultant and are satisfied with the environmental condition of the
lands. Based on the findings in the
Phase I and Phase II assessment, the environmental clearance is acceptable.
Wastewater from carwash
The applicant has indicated
that the wastewater from the car wash is discharged into the Towns sanitary
sewer system once it is cleaned in a sediment pit and oil/water separator which
cleans the oil, grease and solids from the wastewater.
FINANCIAL
CONSIDERATIONS:
None at this time.
BUSINESS
UNITS CONSULTED AND
AFFECTED:
The applications have been circulated to
various Town departments and external agencies.
Requirements of the Town and external agencies will be reflected in the
preparation of the Zoning By-law amendment and in the site plan agreement.
CONCLUSION:
The gas station, convenience store and car wash are uses provided for in
the Official Plan, subject to review and approval of a specific development
proposal and zoning amendment. Staff are
satisfied with the site plan and building elevations and recommend approval of
the applications for zoning by-law amendment and site plan approval, to permit
the proposed development.
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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\Planning\APPL\ZONING\05 012111 - Shell
Canada - Woodbine\Final Report Shell Canada.doc
ATTACHMENTS: Figure 1: Location
Figure 2: Area
Context
Figure 3: Air
Photo
Figure 4: Site
Plan
Figure 5: Elevations
– Canopy
Figure 6: Elevations – Convenience
Store
Figure 7: Elevations – Car Wash
Appendix ‘A’: Draft By-law
Appendix
‘B’: Draft By-law
APPLICANT/AGENT: Walker, Nott, Dragicevic
Associates
Limited
Attn: Robert Dragicevic
172 St George Street
Toronto ON
M2R 2M7
Phone: (416) 968-3511 (ext.
161)
Fax: (416) 960-0172
