Report to: Transportation Committee Report Date: June 19, 2007

SUBJECT: Thornhill Vehicular Infiltration – Yonge Street and Highland Park Boulevard Community Update

PREPARED BY: Domenic Smarrelli, Supervisor, Traffic Operations, Ext. 4055

Sabbir Saiyed, Manager, Transportation, Ext. 8120

RECOMMENDATION:

That the report entitled “Thornhill Vehicular Infiltration – Yonge Street and Highland Park Boulevard Update” dated June 19, 2007, be received;

And that the existing southbound and westbound turn prohibitions along Yonge Street, just north of Steeles Avenue, be maintained;

And that Dr. Dana Cox of Smith Veterinary Hospital and President Jerry Ambrozic of the Grandview Area Ratepayers Association be advised accordingly;

And that Staff be advised and directed to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Not applicable.

1. Purpose 2. Background 3. Discussion 4. Financial

5. Others (Environmental, Accessibility, Engage 21st, Affected Units) 6. Attachment(s)

PURPOSE:

This report updates the Transportation Committee regarding ongoing community consultation in respect to the existing vehicular turn prohibitions along Yonge Street, just north of Steeles Avenue.

BACKGROUND:

Resident Concerns - Vehicular infiltration in the Thornhill community

Since the early 1980’s, the Town has received resident concerns regarding vehicular infiltration in the Thornhill community located between John Street, Yonge Street, Steeles Avenue and Bayview Avenue. The Town had conducted various studies and held various public meetings to address resident concerns.

October 2004 - Thornhill Vehicular Infiltration Task Force launched

In October 2004, the Town established the Thornhill Vehicular Infiltration Task Force to address vehicular infiltration concerns raised by residents. A comprehensive study was completed and the results were presented at a public meeting and to Council in June 2005. Following this public meeting, the Town and Regional Councils approved the implementation of vehicular turn prohibitions at strategic locations to reduce vehicular infiltration through the Thornhill community.

In late 2005, the turn prohibitions were installed along Yonge Street, just north of Steeles Avenue. The morning southbound left-turn prohibitions are enforceable between the hours of 6:30 am to 9:00 am while the afternoon westbound right-turn prohibitions are enforceable between the hours of 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm. The morning and afternoon prohibitions occur from Monday to Friday (See Attachment 1 and 2).

The impacts of the turn prohibitions were reviewed and motorists destined to local businesses and residential properties, located at the north-east corner of Yonge Street and Steeles Avenue, have alternative routes. The Yonge Street southbound motorists, during the morning period, can access Doncaster Avenue and these motorists will experience an additional two to three minute travel time for this alternative route. Conversely, the Doncaster Avenue alternative route can also be used for the afternoon period while still experiencing minimal additional travel time.

February 20, 2006 - Deputations from Grandview residents and business

On February 20, 2006, the General Committee received deputations from the Grandview area and Smith Veterinary Hospital representatives in respect to vehicular turn prohibitions along Yonge Street, just north of Steeles Avenue. The Smith Veterinary Hospital did not support the turn prohibitions given the negative property accessibility impacts experienced by their staff and patrons. The General Committee referred the issue to staff for further discussions with these representatives.

February 28, 2006 - Staff memorandum

A staff memorandum was issued to the Mayor and members of Council on February 28, 2006 regarding discussions with the representatives of the Grandview area and the Smith Veterinary Hospital. Based on these discussions, all parties agreed to the following:

• No changes be made to the existing turn prohibitions until the six month assessment period was completed in April 2006 as outlined in the June 20, 2005 report;
• Following the six month assessment period, further consultation shall be undertaken with the community to review alternative solutions that involve relocating the vehicular turn prohibitions from the intersection of Yonge Street and Highland Park Boulevard to the intersection of Highland Park and Dudley Avenue;
• Subject to community endorsement, any alternative solution shall be undertaken on a trial basis to determine the impacts;
• Staff to report back to Transportation Committee on the results.

August 2006 - Community input meeting regarding potential changes

Following the completion of the April assessment period, staff held a community input meeting on August 15, 2006 at the Thornhill Community Centre. Notices were sent to both the residents and businesses of the Grandview area. Only members of three households and one business owner attended the meeting.

At the community input meeting, staff presented the potential options that included the removal of the existing turn prohibitions at the intersection of Yonge Street and Highland Park Boulevard and the installation of turn prohibitions at the intersection of Highland Park Boulevard and Dudley Avenue. (See Attachment 3)

September 2006 - Telephone vote survey

Following the August 2006 Community Input Meeting, staff conducted a telephone vote survey to gauge support for changing the Yonge Street and Highland Park Boulevard vehicular turn prohibitions.

Of the 105 vote documents sent to the residential and business property owners, 26 residents responded to the survey which translates to a 25% response rate. Of the 26 respondents, 11 supported the changes which translates to a 42% support rate. Because these low rates, it was concluded that there was insufficient interest to consider changes to the vehicular turn prohibitions on Yonge Street, just north of Steeles Avenue.

DISCUSSION:

January 2007 – Stakeholder meeting

Following continued concerns raised by Smith Veterinary Hospital, staff held a meeting to discuss these issues with various stakeholders that included the local ratepayers associations, the Smith Veterinarian Hospital, the Ward 1 Councillor and staff.

The stakeholders concluded that a final public input meeting would be useful to present, once again, the proposal to remove the Yonge Street and Highland Park Boulevard vehicular turn prohibitions and install vehicular turn prohibitions at the intersection Highland Park Boulevard and Dudley Avenue.

Community meeting notice letters were hand-delivered by both the representatives of the Smith Veterinary Hospital and the ratepayers associations. The hand-delivered letters were intended to reach the tenants of the subject area. In addition, the Town mailed notice letters to 325 household and 13 businesses in the subject area. The mailed letters were intended to reach the property owners of the subject area. By notifying both tenants and property owners, staff were attempting to gain the appropriate public input to finalize the proposed vehicular turn prohibition issue.

February 2007 – Final public input meeting

Following the community notice letters issued by both local stakeholders and the Town, a community input meeting was held on February 26, 2007 at St. Volodymyr’s Church which is centrally located in the subject community. Staff were seeking input on the proposal to remove the existing vehicular turn prohibitions at the intersection of Yonge Street and Highland Park Boulevard and the installation of vehicular turn prohibitions at the intersection of Highland Park Boulevard and Dudley Avenue (see Attachment 3).

The proposed changes, mentioned above, were once again presented at the meeting where a total of 12 residents and 3 business owners were present. The residents who attended were not in support of the proposed changes while the business owners did support the change. In response, a permanent road closure on Highland Park Boulevard, just east Yonge Street, was proposed pending other department and emergency services approvals.

March 2007 – Consideration for a full road closure

In response to the request for a permanent road closure on Highland Park Boulevard, just east of Yonge Street, Town staff consulted various agencies including Emergency Medical Services, Fire Services, Operations Department, and York Region Transit. Agency feedback concluded that a permanent road closure would not be acceptable to maintain minimum service levels and emergency response times.

Maintain the existing vehicular turn prohibitions

Given the extensive and continuous consultation process with the local residents, businesses and various agencies, staff recommends that the existing vehicular turn prohibitions along Yonge Street, just north of Steeles Avenue, be maintained. This recommendation is based on the following:

• Residents do not support the removal of the existing turn prohibitions at the intersection of Yonge Street and Highland Park Boulevard
• Business operations have a reasonable alternative route to and from the local businesses during the restricted hours of 6:30 am to 9:00 am and 4:00 pm and 7:00pm – Monday to Friday
• Changes to the turn prohibitions at the intersection of Yonge Street and Highland Park Boulevard may actuate other requests to change adjacent vehicular turn prohibitions along Yonge Street, just north of Steeles Avenue.

May 2007 - Final community notice letter

Subject to Committee resolution on June 19, 2007, a final notice letter will be issued to the residents and businesses of the subject community. The notice letter identifies staff’s recommendation to permanently maintain the existing vehicular turn prohibitions along Yonge Street, just north of Steeles Avenue.

BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:

The Operations Department has been consulted and their comments are incorporated into this report.

RECOMMENDED BY:

________________________ _____________________________

Alan Brown, C.E.T. Jim Baird, M.C.I.P., R.P.P.

Director, Engineering Commissioner, Development Services

ATTACHMENTS:

ATTACHMENT 1 – Study Area

ATTACHMENT 2 – Existing Vehicular Turn Prohibitions on Yonge Street

ATTACHMENT 3 – Vehicular Turn Prohibition Change Consideration