Report to: Development Services Committee Report Date: November 6, 2007
SUBJECT: PRELIMINARY
REPORT
Oakcrest
Developments Inc.
Zoning By-law Amendment
to facilitate a severance to create three (3) lots at 4
Oakcrest Avenue
File No. ZA 07 125054
PREPARED BY: Stacia Muradali, Planner, ext. 7922
Central District Team
RECOMMENDATION:
That the planning staff report
dated November 6, 2007, entitled “Preliminary Report, Oakcrest
Developments Inc., Zoning By-law Amendment application to facilitate a
severance to create three (3) lots at 4 Oakcrest
Avenue (ZA 07 125054)” be received;
And that staff be authorized to
schedule a Public Meeting to consider the Zoning By-law Amendment application;
And that staff be authorized and
directed to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Not applicable
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
Not applicable
Proposal to
create three (3) lots
An
application has been received to change the zone category and introduce
site-specific development standards to accommodate a severance of the property
to create three (3) lots at 4 Oakcrest Avenue if the
zoning and severance applications are approved ( Figure
3). Three (3) new single family dwellings would be constructed on the proposed
lots. The new homes would be two storeys with double
car garages (Figure 5). The proposed lots would each have frontages of 14.2 metres (46.6 feet) and lot areas of approximately 0.07
hectares (0.17 acres). The applicant has not submitted a severance application
to the Committee of Adjustment, pending Council’s decision on the zoning by-law
amendment application.
Zoning By-law Amendment is required to accommodate
the proposal
4 Oakcrest Avenue is zoned Single Family Rural Residential (RRH) in
By-law 122-72, as amended (Figure 2).
The RRH zone requires a
minimum lot frontage of 100 feet (30.5 metres) and a
minimum lot area of 22,000 square feet (2,044 square metres). The applicant is requesting that the zone
category be changed to Single Family
Residential (R3) in By-law 122-72. The requested R3 zoning has been applied
to other recent applications on Oakcrest Avenue and River Bend
Road. The R3 zone requires a minimum lot frontage of 18.3 metres
(60 feet) and a minimum lot area of 696.75 square metres
(7,500 square feet). The proposed lot frontages and lot areas at 4 Oakcrest Avenue are less
than those required in the R3 zone
and less than what has been previously approved on Oakcrest Avenue.
Site-specific development standards will be required to accommodate the
proposed development.
The application must conform to the Official Plan
Oakcrest Avenue is
designated Urban Residential in the
Town’s Official Plan. The Urban
Residential designation provides for predominantly residential and related
uses. The Urban Residential policies
make provisions for zoning by-law amendments to accommodate severances where
the lot size and design of the proposed dwellings are in keeping with adjacent
development. As previously mentioned, the proposed lot areas will be smaller by
almost a third than a typical lot on Oakcrest Avenue with a
frontage of less than half the typical lot frontage on Oakcrest Avenue.
The Official
Plan establishes policies for severances which have regard primarily for
adjacent uses, access, and services. The compatibility of the proposed lots
with the existing lots, character of the area and newer residential development
must be further explored. The impact which the smaller size lots may have on
maintaining the natural vegetation and mature trees on the property, which are
characteristic of the neighbourhood, will also be
examined.
Site plan approval and regard for the Site
Development Guidelines for the Sabsiston/Oakcrest
Community
The Town
established Site Development Guidelines for the Sabiston/Oakcrest
Community in 1999 and amended the Site Plan Control By-law to apply to new
development in the area. These guidelines are intended to protect the physical
and visual characteristics of the community (Attachment ‘A’).
If the
proposal is approved, site plan approval will be required for the new
dwellings. The site development guidelines, with particular regard to tree
preservation and appropriate built form, will be considered as part of any
future site plan applications.
OPTIONS/ DISCUSSION:
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 a final staff recommendation report to be presented to
Committee at a later date.