Report to: Development Services Committee Report Date: February 6, 2007
SUBJECT: PRELIMINARY REPORT
Unionville Montessori School
Application
for Official Plan Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan Approval to
permit the expansion of the existing Montessori school
9322 Kennedy Road
OP.06-128453,
ZA.06-128692 & SC.06-128697
PREPARED BY: Stephen Kitagawa, Senior Planner
RECOMMENDATION:
That
a Public Meeting be held to consider the applications submitted by the
Unionville Montessori School for Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law
Amendment to permit the expansion of the existing Montessori School at 9322
Kennedy Road.
And
that Staff be authorized and directed to do all things necessary to give effect
to this resolution.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The existing Unionville Montessori School is located on an irregular shaped property flanking
both the west side of Kennedy Road and the north side of 16th Avenue. The
applicants have purchased the 0.20 hectare (0.51 ac) property to the north of
the existing school to permit the construction of a 1,427.72 m2 (15,368.3
ft2) addition, to be used for an auditorium.
The following matters, among others, raised in this
report require resolution prior to preparation of a final report:
- Return of road
allowance – a strip of land along the north property limit, equal to one
half of a future road allowance (8.5 m/27.8 ft), was conveyed to the Town. The road was to be used for an east/west
access to the surrounding lands.
Since the development to the west also proposes an east/west
connection further north of the subject property, the proposed link on the
Unionville Montessori lands becomes redundant. The applicant has requested that the road
allowance be returned.
- Design
concerns – The applicant has been working with staff to reconfigure the
parking layout to preserve an existing silver maple hedgerow.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
Not
applicable
The purpose of this report is to provide preliminary
information regarding applications by the Unionville Montessori School for Official
Plan Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan Approval to permit an
expansion to the existing Montessori School at 9322
Kennedy Road and to recommend that a Public
Meeting be held to consider the applications.
Unionville Montessori School is located at the
northwest corner of Kennedy Road and 16th
Avenue.
The existing Unionville Montessori School is on a 1.05
hectare (2.6 acre) property which is located on the north side of 16th
Avenue with 39.13 metres (128 feet) of frontage, west of Kennedy Road. The property is an irregular shape, also
flanking the west side of Kennedy Road,
north of 16th
Avenue.
The applicants have purchased 9322 Kennedy
Road (the subject property), which adjoins the north side
of the school’s existing property fronting on Kennedy Road. It has a frontage of approximately 21 metres
(69 ft) on Kennedy Road and a lot area of
0.20 hectares (0.51 acre). The site
currently contains a single detached dwelling (Figure 2).
To the west are lands owned by Kylemore Homes. Applications
for Official Plan Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment and Draft Plan of
Subdivision to permit 19 single detached dwellings (one existing), 52
condominium townhouses and a commercial block were recently approved and Draft
Plan approval has been issued.
Immediately to the west is a pumping station. Rural residential lands are to the north of
the site. There is an existing
residential community to the south, across 16th
Avenue and agricultural lands to the east, across Kennedy Road. York Downs Golf Course is located further to
the west and north of the site. A Mattamy sales office and a heritage dwelling (George Hunter
house) are located at the northwest corner of Kennedy Road and 16th
Avenue (Figure 3).
Previous approvals to permit a permanent Montessori School
In 1997, the Unionville Montessori School was operating out
of St. Phillip’s Church on Kennedy Road,
north of the subject site.
The applicant requested and received a temporary use by-law to permit a Montessori School in an existing
house at 4484 16th Avenue. On two occasions, the temporary use by-law
was extended and three portables were added.
The school purchased additional lands
(9316 Kennedy Road) to the north of
the original site (4484 Kennedy Road), with frontage
on Kennedy Road, and requested an
Official Plan Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan Approval to
permit a new enlarged permanent elementary private facility in 2001. In 2003, the applicant purchased 9302 Kennedy
Road and submitted applications for Official Plan Amendment, Zoning By-law
Amendment and Site Plan Approval to construct a 1,166 m2 (12, 551 ft2)
building to house the school’s Montessori Casa program (junior and senior
kindergarten)(Figure 3).
Lands designated Agriculture in Official Plan
The subject lands are designated
Agriculture (A1) with an overlay of Future Urban Area in the Official
Plan. The Future Urban Area overlay,
established by OPA 5 as adopted in 1993, means the lands are intended for
future urban development.
The Official Plan provides that urban
development of lands in the Future Urban Area shall only be permitted following
technical studies relating to sewer and water servicing, sub-watershed
management, transportation and development charges schedules. In addition, prior to any development on
lands designated Future Urban Area, a Secondary Plan is to be prepared,
approved and incorporated into the Town’s Official Plan.
Secondary Plan required, previous applications deferred
The requirement for a Secondary Plan
is to ensure that any development within a ‘Future Urban Area’ is dealt with in
a comprehensive manner based on overall district studies and technical analysis
having regard to options for the future development of all surrounding lands.
In November 1999 Development Services
Committee deferred consideration of the school’s applications until the
Secondary Plan was in place for the area, or until the Owners demonstrated that
the proposed development of the lands with a permanent Montessori school will
not limit future access and land use options for the surrounding lands.
Concept
provided for previous applications
The Unionville Montessori School, along with the
owners of the York Downs Golf Course to the north and the owners of 4404 16th
Avenue (formerly the Deacon property, now owned by Kylemore
Homes) to the west, developed a concept/illustrative plan outlining a possible
future development scenario. The previous
applications by the Unionville Montessori School and Kylemore Homes (to the west) proceeded on this basis,
without a comprehensive Secondary Plan. Staff were satisfied that the site specific Official Plan
Amendments and concept plan would not prejudice or limit options for a future
Secondary Plan exercise. The concept
plan was considered by Council as the basis for approving the Montessori school,
but has no official status. Council approved
the permanent school in 2002 and the Montessori Casa building in 2005.
Existing zoning
The lands are zoned Rural Residential
(RR1) by By-law 304-87, as amended. An
amendment to the zoning by-law is required to permit the proposed development.
Proposal for a 1,427.72 m2 addition
The Unionville Montessori School has recently
purchased 9322 Kennedy Road which is located
adjacent to the north end of the school property. The applicant is proposing to construct a two
storey 1,427.72 m2 (15,368.3 ft2) addition to the
existing school to be used for an auditorium (Figures 4 & 5).
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 the final staff report to be presented to Committee at a later
date.
Return of
road allowance
As a condition of site plan approval for the permanent
school in 2002, the applicant agreed to convey a strip of land along the north
property limit, to the Town, equal to one half of a future road allowance (8.5
metres/27.8 ft). The proposed road was
to provide adequate access for the subject property and surrounding lands.
The applicant requested in 2002 that if the future road is
not constructed within five years, the 8.5 metre
strip of land be conveyed back to them. At
that time, staff could not support the request as the timing of a comprehensive
plan for the area, such as through a Secondary Plan exercise, was not
known. It is through comprehensive
planning and overall area redevelopment that the need for this road could
finally be determined. However, staff
agreed that should the road be determined to not be necessary in the future,
that land could be conveyed back to the Owners.
Since then (June 2006), applications for Official Plan
Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment and Draft Plan of Subdivision for the Kylemore Development to the west, proposes an east/west
road further north than the road originally conveyed by the Unionville Montessori School. Kylemore indicated
that the provision of the road further north allows for it to be aligned with
the conceptual road pattern to the east, across Kennedy
Road in the Berczy Community and provides
for possible future signalization (Figure 6).
Inclusion of this new road renders the planned east/west link on the
Unionville Montessori lands redundant.
It should be noted that to complete either road connections requires
third party involvement.
The applicant has requested that in view of the recent
draft approval of the Kylemore development, the 8.5 metres strip of land set aside and conveyed to the Town for
the future east/west link be returned to the applicant. The land is required to expand the existing
school. The return of the land is
supported by Town staff, based on current comprehensive plans for the area,
arising from the recent Kylemore plan approval.
Design
The exterior of the addition is faced with stucco and
stone materials that are consistent with the existing building. Staff are generally
satisfied with the building materials and design including the additional
glazing that is proposed on the east elevation.
Staff are satisfied that the additional glazing
will complement the exterior design of the existing building.
Staff are working with the applicant on the
configuration of the parking area north of the proposed play area relative to
the preservation of the existing trees.
Not applicable.
There are existing trees on the subject property. Staff have been
working with the applicant to preserve the trees by reconfiguring the parking
layout.
Not applicable.
The proposed development promotes the key goal of ‘Managed
Growth’ and ‘Quality Community’ as set out in Engage 21st Century
Markham by providing an alternative educational establishment for the growing
Markham community and Region of York.
The applications have been circulated to all relevant
agencies ad departments. Their comments
will be incorporated into the review process as required.
CONCLUSION:
Planning Staff
recommend that a Public Meeting be scheduled to receive public input on the
proposal.
RECOMMENDED
BY: ________________________ ________________________
Valerie
Shuttleworth, M.C.I.P, R.P.P Jim
Baird, M.C.I.P, R.P.P
Director, Planning & Urban
Design Commissioner,
Development
Services
Figure 1 – Location Map
Figure 2 – Area Context and Zoning
Figure 3 – Air Photo
Figure 4 – Site Plan
Figure 5 – Elevations
Figure 6 – Concept Plan
APPLICANT/AGENT:
1038715 Ontario Limited
Attn: Al Remtulla
9400 Kennedy Road
Markham, ON
L6C 1A6
Tel: (416) 562-5312
Fax: (905) 474-5767
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