Report to Development Services
Committee Date
of Meeting: May 2, 2006
SUBJECT: RECOMMENDATION
REPORT
Official
Plan, rezoning and site plan applications by Forest Bay Homes Ltd., to permit a
four storey condominium apartment building on the west side of Markham
Road, north of Denison
Street
PREPARED BY: Nick
Pileggi, Senior Planner, extension 4480
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT the Official Plan amendment application (OP 03-116717)
submitted by Forest Bay Homes Ltd. for lands north of Denison Street, on the west
side of Markham Road, be approved and the draft Official Plan amendment
attached as Appendix ‘B’ be
finalized and adopted;
THAT the zoning by-law amendment application (ZA 03-116709)
to amend By-law 90-81 as amended, submitted by Forest Bay Homes Ltd. to permit
a four-storey
apartment building on the west side of Markham Road, north of Denison Street, be approved and the draft Zoning By-law amendment attached
as Appendix ‘C’, be finalized
and enacted;
THAT Forest Bay Homes Ltd. be granted a servicing
allocation of 52 units, as per the November 22, 2005 servicing allocation strategy endorsed by Council on November 29, 2005;
THAT the applicant agree to pay
their proportionate share of the Hwy. 48 flow control measures, to the
satisfaction of the Director of Engineering;
THAT the Town reserves the right to revoke or reallocate servicing
allocation should the development not proceed in a timely manner;
THAT the Site Plan application (SC. 03-116723) submitted by Forest Bay Homes Ltd. to permit a four-storey apartment
building on the west side of Markham Road, north of Denison Street, be endorsed in principle, subject to the general and
specific conditions in Appendix ‘A’.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The owner has submitted
applications for Official
Plan amendment, zoning by-law amendment and site plan approval to permit a 52-unit four-storey apartment building on
the west side of Markham Road, north of Denison Street. The proposed development is part of a larger
block in a draft approved plan of subdivision and has been the subject of approved
applications to permit a gas station, drive through restaurant and a 133 unit
semi-detached/townhouse development.
A detailed review of the proposed
development by internal and external departments determined the following
issues and concerns have now been resolved:
·
The site plan is consistent with the Markham Road Corridor Study
vision;
·
The site has been adequately integrated with the
commercial uses to
the south, and no links have been provided to the development to the west in
order to reduce flow through traffic;
·
Traffic impact study has been completed and the recommendations
have been implemented;
·
Stormwater management requirements have been
addressed.
Staff have prepared draft Official
Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments (Appendix ‘A’ and ‘B’) to implement the
proposed development. Staff are
generally satisfied with the site plan and elevations for the proposed
building.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
Not applicable.
The purpose of this report is to
recommend approval of the proposed Official Plan amendment, zoning by-law
amendment and site plan applications by Forest Bay Homes Ltd. to
permit a 52-unit four-storey apartment building on the west side of Markham Road, north
of Denison Street.
Subject
lands and area context
The subject lands comprise approximately 0.72
hectares (1.8 acres) of a 6.1 hectare (15.1 acre) parcel north of Denison
Street, west of
Markham Road (Figure 1). The 6.1 hectare parcel is identified as a
commercial block (Block 554) on the predominantly residential plan of
subdivision 19T-89126, which was draft approved in 1994. All lots and blocks within 19T-89126 have
been registetred with the exception of Block 554, which is currently in the
process of being registered.
Three separate development applications were
submitted for the lands within Block 554 as follows and as shown in Figure 2:
§
commercial development,
consisting of a gas station (Petro Canada)
and drive-through restaurant (Tim Hortons), was approved and is now in
operation, at the northwest corner of Denison Street
and Markham Road;
§
a 133 unit semi-detached,
condominium townhouse development on private roads, which was approved by
Council in March 2006; and
§
the subject parcel, which is
proposed to contain a four storey, 52-unit
apartment building.
This report
deals only with the proposed apartment building. The subject lands are within the easterly
portion of Block 554, with approximately 83.5 metres of frontage on Markham Road. The lands are currently vacant. Surrounding land uses include a contractors
yard to the north, future low density residential development and a site
intended for a future place of worhsip to the east across Markham Road, a
restaurant and gas station to the south, and the vacant lands approved for the
133 unit semi-detached/townhouse development to the west. (Figures 3)
Proposal consists of a four-storey condominium apartment
building containing 52 units
The proposal is for a four-storey condominium apartment building containing 52 units,
consisting of 4 one-bedroom, 40 two-bedroom and 8 three bedroom
apartments. The proposed density is 72 units per hectare (29 units
per acre). The proposed floor space
index is 1.2.
The proposed development will have one full-moves access from Markham Road. Access
to Denison
Street
is possible through the commercial development to the south. The parking by-law requires 78 parking
spaces, whereas, 100 parking spaces are provided, with 64 surface parking
spaces and 36 underground parking spaces.
Four of the surface parking spaces are reserved for the physically
disabled (Figure 4).
Markham Road Corridor Study vision approved in June,
2003
The subject lands were within the
study area of the Markham Road Corridor Study, which was initiated in 2002 to
develop an urban design vision for the Markham Road
corridor between 14th Avenue
and Steeles Avenue. The resulting vision, adopted by Council in
June, 2003, includes urban design guidelines for development along Markham
Road. The
vision calls for a high density residential development in this area. The proposed development is consistent with
the vision as outlined in the Markham Road Corridor Study.
Official Plan and Zoning by-law amendments
The subject lands are designated Community
Amenity Area in the Armadale East Secondary Plan (PD-24-2), which provides for
medium and high density residential development at appropriate locations. The proposed apartment development complies
with the Community Amenity Area designation.
However, as only residential uses are proposed, it is recommended that
the Official Plan and Secondary Plan be amended to reflect an Urban Residential
designation on this site, rather than a Commercial designation. A draft Official Plan Amendment to designate
the lands Urban Residential in the Official Plan and Urban Residential – High
Density II in the Secondary Plan is attached as Appendix ‘A’.
The subject lands are zoned
Community Commercial (CC) in By-law 90-81, as amended, which permits a shopping
centre. A draft amendment to Zoning
By-law 90-81, as amended, to permit the proposed residential development is
attached as Appendix ‘B’.
Site Plan is consistent with the Markham Road Corridor Study and is acceptable
The proposed apartment building
is consistent with the vision for Markham Road
as outlined in the approved urban design guidelines. The vision calls for development along Markham
Road, particularly between Denison
Street and Highglen
Avenue, to provide a strong building street wall,
with buildings set close to the street, providing visual interest and a
diversity of uses along the street. In
addition, all building types should have direct pedestrian access to Markham
Road to encourage pedestrian activity on the
street (Figure 4).
The proposed development provides
a strong building presence along Markham Road. The building is a maximum 8.7 metres (28
feet) from the front property line, at the north end (Figure 5). The building will have direct access to a future
sidewalk along Markham Road. The building provides visual interest through
the use of glazing, balconies and a varied façade. The building is proposed to
be constructed with a mix of stucco, stone and glass facades (Figure 5). Staff is generally satisfied with the site plan and
elevations for the proposed development.
The proposed
development also complies with the vision in terms of building height. The urban design guidelines call for building
heights on Markham Road generally not to exceed four storeys, which is the proposed height
of this development (Figure 5).
The design guidelines also
indicate that, whenever possible, parking should be located to the side and
rear of buildings or in below-grade parking structures, and that access points
should be consolidated as much as possible through shared driveways to minimize
disruption of the public sidewalk. Parking for the proposed development is
located to the rear of the building, and in an underground parking structure
which has access from the rear of the building.
The proposed access from Markham Road
is a shared access with the commercial site to the immediate south. In addition, the building has access to Denison
Street through the commercial site. (Figure 4)
Issues in the January 20, 2004 staff report, March 2, 2004 Public Meeting and March 29,
2004 Public Information
Meeting have been addressed
Concerns raised in the preliminary
staff report, Public Meeting and a subsequent Public Information meeting, and
in correspondence, are addressed below:
Integration of the commercial,
apartment and semi-detached condominium sites
The proposed
apartment site shares a common driveway off Markham Road
with the commercial development to the south.
Access to Denison
Street is also permitted
through the commercial development to the south. No vehicle access is proposed between the
semi-detached condominium site to the west and the subject site, as this would interfere with internal traffic
circulation on these sites, or cause undesired infiltration from the commercial
sites through the proposed residential semi-detached development. Pedestrian
connections between the semi-detached condominium development and the
commercial and apartment development to the east have been provided.
Traffic impact study
completed and recommendations implemented
A traffic impact study for all three
applications on Block 554 was submitted at the time of the approval of the
commercial development at the Markham Road/Denison Street intersection. The traffic study concluded that the subject
development can be operationally accommodated based on a full moves access
driveway at Markham Road (Figure 4) and a right in, right out access from the
adjacent commercial development to the south, which is already in
operation. Recommended improvements to
the Markham Road, Denison Street intersection (realignment)
have been completed as part of the commercial development to the south. The traffic study has been reviewed and
approved by the Town and the Region.
Stormwater management
requirements have been addressed
A concern was
expressed by the public that alteration of the site would cause flooding on
adjacent properties. Currently, lands to
the north and west drain onto Block 554.
A stormwater management report has been prepared to identify stormwater
drainage design for the proposed developments within Block 554 as well as any
required revisions to the storm drainage plan and overland flow routes for the larger
subdivision. The applicant has proposed
a revised overland flow and drainage scheme along the north property line,
which would allow for relatively flat grading at the north end of the
building. This scheme is currently under
review by the Engineering Department. A
final revised stormwater management report, incorporating modifications agreed
to with the applicant, is to be submitted and any requirements arising from it
will be addressed as conditions of site plan approval. The adjoining properties should not
experience stormwater impacts as a result of this development.
Servicing Allocation
On November 22, 2005, Development
Services Committee approved a new servicing allocation strategy. The proposed 52 unit development was granted full
allocation through the November 22, 2005 report.
FINANCIAL TEMPLATE (Separate Attachment):
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS:
The subject
lands are not located within the Toronto
and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) Screening Zone, however, the TRCA was
circulated the stormwater management plan for the proposed development and have
agreed to the stormwater scheme to service this development and has no
objections to the proposed applications on the subject lands.
ACCESSIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS:
The site plan and landscape plans have been reviewed for conformity
with the accessibility guidelines.
Elevators, parking spaces for the disabled and ramp curbs have been
provided at appropriate locations.
ENGAGE 21ST CONSIDERATIONS:
The proposed
development promotes a number of key goals set out in “Engage 21st
Century Markham” by providing for efficient use of infrastructure, transit-supportive
land use patterns and density, compact development and high levels of
architectural and urban design.
BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:
These
applications have been circulated to all Town departments and external agencies
and all comments have been considered in this report and reflected, as
required, in the conditions of site plan approval.
RECOMMENDED BY:
________________________ ________________________
Valerie Shuttleworth,
M.C.I.P., R.P.P. Jim
Baird, M.C.I.P., R.P.P.
Director of Planning
and Urban Design Commissioner of Development
Services
Figure 1:
Location Map
Figure 2:
Area Context/Zoning
Figure 3:
Aerial Photo 2005
Figure 4: Site Plan
Figure 5: Elevations
DOCUMENT FILE PATH:
Q:\Development\Planning\APPL\ZONING\03
116709 Forest Bay Denison\apartment\Final Report Template_forest bay apts
APPENDIX FILE PATH: Q:\Development\Planning\APPL\ZONING\03 116709
Forest Bay Denison\apartment\ OPA denison
apt may 06
Q:\Development\Planning\APPL\ZONING\03
116709 Forest Bay Denison\apartment\ by-law denison apt
APPENDIX ‘A’
1. THAT
site plan approval be delegated to the Director of Planning and Urban Design or
her designate, to be issued following execution of a site plan agreement. Site Plan approval is issued only when the
Director has signed the site plan “approved”;
2. That
the final site plan and elevation drawings be submitted to the satisfaction of
the Director of Planning and Urban Design,
including the following revisions, if
required:
a. any revisions required to implement the
recommendations of the traffic impact study, noise study and stormwater
management study.
3.
That a Landscape Plan,
prepared by a Landscape Architect having O.A.L.A. membership, be submitted to
the satisfaction of the Director of Planning
and Urban Design;
4.
That the Owner comply
with all requirements of the Town and authorized public agencies, to the
satisfaction of the Director of Planning and Urban Design, including fulfillment of the conditions of draft approval
for plan of subdivision 19T-89126, as they pertain to Block 554;
5.
That the Owner enter
into a site plan agreement with the Town, containing all standard and special
provisions and requirements of the Town and public agencies including the
following:
a.
Provision for the
payment by the Owner of all applicable fees, recoveries, development charges,
cash in lieu of parkland and financial obligations related to applicable
Developers Group Agreements;
b. Submission of a noise study and
implementation of any recommended mitigation measures to the satisfaction of
the Town;
c. Submission of a final traffic
impact study, incorporating the revisions required by the Town and the Region,
including conveyance of any required road widenings, to the satisfaction of the
Town;
d.
Submission of a final stormwater management report incorporating the
revisions required by the Town, including the overland flow scheme at the north
end of the property, to the satisfaction of the Town; and
e.
Conveyance
of any additional required drainage easements identified in the stormwater
management report.
6. And that
this endorsement shall lapse and site plan approval will not be issued, after a
period of three years, commencing May
16, 2006, in the event that a site plan agreement is not executed
within that period.