Report to: Development Services Committee Report Date:
SUBJECT: PRELIMINARY
REPORT
Baldath
Rampersad
Applications for
rezoning from Agricultural to Community Amenity Area and site plan
approval to permit a daycare centre and medical offices at
File Nos: ZA 07127816 & SC 07 124013
PREPARED BY:
RECOMMENDATION:
That the report dated March 18,
2008, entitled “Applications for rezoning from Agricultural to Community
Amenity Area and site plan approval to permit a daycare centre and medical
offices at 10137 Woodbine Avenue”, be received;
And That a Public Meeting be held to consider the zoning application once the issues identified in this report are sufficiently resolved;
And further that, Staff be
authorized and directed to do all things necessary to give effect to this
resolution.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this report is to provide preliminary information
regarding the above noted application and to recommend that the
Committee authorize the scheduling of a public meeting after a number of issues
outlined below are addressed.
BACKGROUND:
Property and Area Context
The subject
property has an area of 0.39 hectares (0.96 acres), is
located on the east side of
The existing main building on the property, which is presently vacant,
was individually designated under part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act in October of 2007. A single detached dwelling is located to
the north, a vacant parcel owned by Metrus Developments to the south, and a
future neighbourhood park within the Cathedral Community will be located across
the new alignment of
Proposal
The owner has submitted applications for rezoning from Agricultural to Community Amenity Area and site plan approval to permit medical offices and a daycare centre.
The
initial site plan submission (Figure 5), proposed a 493m2, 6
classroom daycare facility and 208m2 medical office component. Staff have been working with the applicant to
address several issues which are identified later in this report. In brief, the issues focused on the
conveyance of the valleylands to the Town; TRCA requirements; the jurisdiction
and alignment of Woodbine Avenue
On
February 14th, the applicant submitted substantially revised plans
(Figures 7-10), which to date, Staff have not had the opportunity to fully
review. Unless otherwise indicated, the comments from Staff and external
agencies in this report reflect those of the original submission and not of the
most recent proposal. Staff therefore
recommend that a Public Meeting be held once Town and Regional Staff have had
an opportunity to review and comment on the most recent submission.
Official Plan and Zoning By-law
The Official Plan designates the lands Community Amenity Area and Hazard Lands (Carlton Creek). The Cathedral Secondary Plan designates the lands Community Amenity Area-Corridor and Hazard Lands (Figure 3). The portion of the lands designated Community Amenity Area-Corridor provides for office and daycare uses.
The lands are currently zoned Agricultural (A1) by By-law 304-87, as amended (Figure 2). A zoning by-law amendment is required to permit the proposed medical office and daycare centre.
CONCERNS/ISSUES TO BE RESOLVED:
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 report to be presented to
the Committee at a later date.
The
Conveyance of the river, valleylands and a 10 metre wide environmental
buffer into public ownership required
The rear
portion of the subject property is designated Hazard Lands in the Official
Plan. Sections 3.10.1 j) and 2.2.2.4.2
h) of the Official Plan requires that
Jurisdiction of
When construction of the Woodbine
By-pass is complete, this section of
The Region has provided the following comments:
- A
road widening along the entire frontage of the site adjacent to Woodbine
Avenue, of sufficient width to provide 18.0 metres from the centreline of
construction of Woodbine Avenue;
- The Owner must submit for review and approval a detailed Traffic Impact Study (TIS), summarizing the impact the proposed development will have on the overall road network and the improvements needed on the Regional road to accommodate the development. The study must also include a gap analysis; and,
- The Owner may be required to construct right/left
turn lanes to the site in order to alleviate possible queuing on
Woodbine Avenue
By-pass
The Town of Markham and the
Region of York are currently working with area landowners to construct the
Woodbine By-pass, which is to function as a new Regional Arterial Road,
replacing the existing Woodbine Avenue, to serve the 404 North Employment
District and the newly developing Cathedral Community to the south. A portion
of
Ideally, a portion of the surplus road allowance would be
combined with the subject site to provide it with road frontage and the balance
sold at market value or combined with the Metrus parcel or Majorwood parcel
into a larger development parcel. There also may be an opportunity to
incorporate a portion of the surplus road allowance with the Town’s open space lands
to the south. As construction of this
portion of the Woodbine By-pass is scheduled to commence in 2009, negotiations
have been ongoing between Town Staff and the adjacent landowners to ascertain
all parties’ interests.
Functional Servicing
Study
The owner will be required to submit a
Functional Servicing Study to confirm availability of sanitary sewer and
watermain to accommodate the additional flows generated by the proposed land
use change. The owner should coordinate
with the developers of the subdivision located west of
Layout and
A site plan
application has been submitted in support of the rezoning application (Original
Figure 5, Revised Figures 7-10). Based
on the review of the original plans, Staff were concerned that the proposed
building and parking layout resulted in little tableland remaining for
landscaping and the children’s outdoor play area. Initially, the vehicular circulation was poor and did not provide a safe and
secure drop-off area for the proposed daycare facility. Staff were concerned that the
configuration of the parking area potentially created a conflict between the
egress of vehicles and those entering or navigating through the site.
Upon initial review of the revised plans, certain
aspects of the proposal have improved, such as concerns relating to vehicular
circulation. However, the revised
proposal shows a separate stand alone building located above a portion of the
parking area at grade (Figure 10). Further review is required by Staff
to determine the visual, aesthetic and functional relationship of the building
to the remainder of the development. Discussions
with the applicant are also required with respect to landscaping (Figure 6), built
form, massing and the integration of the existing heritage building on site.
Incorporation of the existing heritage building
Heritage Section Staff have
reviewed the proposal and will require a detailed restoration plan for the
heritage schoolhouse describing the restoration and replacement of historic
cladding where necessary, the elimination of unsympathetic alterations, and the
recreation of missing architectural features including exterior windows, doors,
trims and bell cote based on archival photographs in the Town’s
possession. Staff have worked with the applicant and their architect to ensure
that the skylights, which are needed to provide 10% daylight to the second
floor classrooms as required by the Day Nurseries Act, are only
located on the northern slope of the schoolhouse roof, thus eliminating them
from the more prominent southern slope of the roof. Skylights are not
permitted on the visible portions of roofs of designated heritage buildings and
there is concern that their presence on this building will set a precedent for
other designated heritage properties. The architect has been instructed
to use low profile flat skylights tinted to blend in with the colour of the
surrounding roof to minimize their visual impact.
The original Site Plan
application was reviewed by Heritage Markham on
POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSAL:
The rezoning of this
property for Community Amenity type uses will implement the Community Amenity Area and Community Amenity
Area-Corridor designations of the Official and Secondary Plans and will
serve the needs of the Cathedral Community.
The heritage building is to be maintained and refurbished in its current
location and will be incorporated into the proposed development.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
No financial implications are to be
considered in this report.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS:
The proposed development
is located adjacent to Carlton Creek.
All required environmental setbacks and conveyance of valleyland and the
environmental buffer into public ownership will be required as a condition of
site plan approval.
ENGAGE 21ST. CONSIDERATIONS:
Environmental Focus
The applicant will be
required to protect, enhance and restore the portion of the Carlton Creek that
is located on the property.
BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:
The proposal is currently in
circulation to other Town Departments and agencies for review and comments.
CONCLUSION:
In order to allow for public input
before Council makes a decision on the application, it is recommended that a
public meeting be held after a number of issues
outlined above, are addressed.
Staff
recommend that a Public Meeting not be held until Town and Regional Staff have
had an opportunity to review and comment on the most recent proposal.
RECOMMENDED BY:
______________________________ ____________________________
Director,
ATTACHMENTS:
Figure 1 - Applicant/Agent & Location Map
Figure 2 - Area Context/Zoning
Figure 3 - Official Plan
Figure 4 - Aerial Photo
Figure 5 - Original Site Plan
Figure 6 - Landscape Plan
Figure 7 - Revised Site Plan
Figure 8 - Revised Elevations
(Daycare)
Figure 9
- Revised Elevations (Daycare)
Figure 10
- Revised Elevations (Medical Offices)