Report to: Development Services Committee Date of Meeting: June 10, 2008

SUBJECT: Recommendation Report

Town Initiated Official Plan Amendment

Development Principles for the Langstaff Area

File SD 03 – 116189

PREPARED BY: Dave Miller, Senior Project Coordinator, Special Projects/Langstaff

RECOMMENDATION:

That the report entitled “Recommendation Report, Town Initiated Official Plan Amendment, Development Principles for the Langstaff Area, File SD 03 – 116189” be received;

And that the record of the Public Meeting held on November 20, 2007, be received;

And that the Official Plan amendment (attached as Appendix ‘A’) to establish a high level policy framework for the future planning of the Langstaff area and to identify in the Markham Official Plan that the Langstaff Area is part of an Urban Growth Centre (Richmond Hill/Langstaff Gateway Urban Growth Centre) in the context of the Provincial Growth Plan, be finalized, adopted, and forwarded to the Region of York for approval;

And that Staff initiate discussions with the Town of Richmond Hill about the use and disposition of the lands that are currently subject to their municipal jurisdiction;

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

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Since the introduction of the current Langstaff Redevelopment Area policies into the Thornhill Secondary Plan in 1997, a number of changes in land use and infrastructure have occurred, or are currently under review, which will directly influence the redevelopment potential of the Langstaff area.

There have also been a number of changes to planning policy and legislation in the past few years that will directly influence the redevelopment potential for the Langstaff area. For example, the Langstaff area is now part of the Richmond Hill/Langstaff Gateway Urban Growth Centre, as identified by the Province in the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2006), and has been identified as a Regional Centre in the Region of York’s Centres and Corridors policies (ROPA 43).

Landowner and developer interest in redeveloping the Langstaff area has increased as well. Applications for significant development proposals have been filed.

With the changes to the land uses in the surrounding area, the evolution of the policy context, and the advancement of landowner and developer interest, it is clear that the Town needs to provide clear direction regarding appropriate redevelopment of the area.

The September 18, 2007 Development Services Committee report entitled “Town Initiated Official Plan Amendment, Development Principles for the Langstaff Area, and Initiation of a Master Plan and Secondary Plan Amendment Process for the Langstaff Area” outlined a process to guide the preparation of an Official Plan Amendment, a Langstaff Area Master Plan, implementing documents, and the creation of a phasing plan.

This report recommends adoption of an Official Plan amendment to designate the Langstaff Area as an Urban Growth Centre in the context of the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, and to incorporate development principles into the Town’s Official Plan. These development principles will be used to guide the production of a Master Plan vision for the Langstaff Area.

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

None

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

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

PURPOSE:

The report recommends that the Official Plan amendment (attached as Appendix ‘A’), to establish a high level policy framework for the future planning of the Langstaff area and to identify, in the Markham Official Plan, that the Langstaff Area is part of an Urban Growth Centre (Richmond Hill/Langstaff Gateway Urban Growth Centre) in the context of the Provincial Growth Plan, be finalized and adopted, and forwarded to the Region of York for approval.

BACKGROUND:

Area Context

The Langstaff area has a total area of approximately 46.8 hectares (115.6 acres). The western portion, between Yonge Street and the railway tracks is approximately 17.2 hectares (42.5 acres) and the eastern portion, between the railway tracks and Bayview Avenue is approximately 29.6 hectares (73.1 acres). The eastern portion of Langstaff includes, and an Environmentally Significant Public Open Space area (a wood lot), with an area of approximately 1.8 hectares (4.4 acres). There is also a strip of land between Langstaff Road East and Highway 407, that is located in Richmond Hill.

Provincial Growth Plan includes Langstaff as and Urban Growth Centre

The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) identifies the Langstaff area as a part of an Urban Growth Centre. Urban Growth Centres are to be planned:

· as focal areas for investment in institutional and region-wide public services, as well as commercial, recreational, cultural and entertainment uses;

· to accommodate and support major transit infrastructure;

· to serve as high density major employment centres that will attract provincially, nationally or internationally significant employment uses; and

· to accommodate a significant share of population and employment growth.

This Growth Plan also includes the following principles to guide how land development decisions are made:

· build compact, vibrant and complete communities;

· plan and manage growth to support a strong and competitive economy;

· protect, conserve, enhance and wisely use the valuable natural resources of land, air and water for current and future generations;

· optimize the use of existing and new infrastructure to support growth in a compact efficient form;

· provide for different approaches to managing growth that recognize the diversity of communities in the GGH;

· promote collaboration among all sectors – government, private and non-profit – and residents to achieve the vision.

The Growth Plan targets densities of a minimum 200 residents and jobs (combined) per hectare, by the year 2031, for Urban Growth Centres. Staff recommend that proposals for development in the Langstaff area in excess of minimum density targets will require a high level of review and study to ensure that the hard and soft infrastructure required to support the redevelopment will be delivered.

Advancement of landowner and developer interest in the last year

The Town has received redevelopment applications, for large scale, mixed use redevelopment, including office, retail and high density residential uses, for lands west of the CN railway line. There is also developer interest for the lands east of the CN railway line.

September 2007 Development Services Report

In September 2007 Development Services Committee received a report entitled “Town Initiated Official Plan Amendment, Development Principles for the Langstaff Area, and Initiation of a Master Plan and Secondary Plan Amendment Process for the Langstaff Area”. This report outlined a process to guide the preparation of an Official Plan Amendment, a Langstaff Area Master Plan and implementing documents. Included with that report was a proposed Official Plan amendment, which will designate the Langstaff Area as an Urban Growth Centre in the context of the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, and will incorporate development principles into the Town’s Official Plan. These development principles will be used to guide the production of a Master Plan vision for the Langstaff Area. This Official Plan amendment establishes a high level policy framework for the creation of the Langstaff Area Master Plan. Further Official Plan and Secondary Plan amendments will be required after the Master Plan document is created.

Public Meeting

The statutory Public Meeting for the proposed Official Plan amendment was held in late November 2007. A representative of a major landowner in the Langstaff area and a representative of a Thornhill ratepayers association both spoke in support of the proposed Official Plan amendment. No one spoke and no letters in objection to the proposed Official Plan amendment were received.

Town to Lead Master Plan Exercise

With the changes to the land uses in the surrounding area, the evolution of the policy context, and the advancement of landowner and developer interest, it is clear that the Town needs to provide clear direction regarding the appropriate course of action and specifically guide the development of the area in consultation with area landowners and the public.

The intense high-order land use development proposed for the Langstaff area will have a regional influence that extends well beyond its boundaries. The Langstaff area should be a concentration of cultural, employment, government, institutional, live-work and residential activities. Consequently, to ensure the community is sustainable it needs to be well designed and transit oriented.

New development in the Langstaff area should be based on development principles and practices that will create an attractive, efficient and liveable self-contained community with compact neighbourhood(s), designed to promote pedestrian activity and social interaction. The neighbourhood(s) should have a focal point or centre, with a mix of residential, commercial and community uses and activities, including opportunities for education, recreation, shopping, working and worshiping.

Special attention must be paid to protecting the public realm and creating quality public spaces, parks, streetscapes, and public buildings, which are connected by sidewalks and paths.

May 2008 Development Services Committee Report - Award of Tender Langstaff Area Master Plan

On May 20, 2008 Development Services Committee received a report entitled “Award of Tender 033-R-08 Langstaff Area Master Plan”. That report recommended awarding the contract for preparation of the Langstaff Area Master Plan to Calthorpe Associates.

The Thornhill Sub-committee will act as the Steering Committee throughout the Langstaff Master Plan exercise. The timelines proposed in Calthorpe’s submission indicate the Master Plan process will be completed in the 2^nd quarter of 2009. It is anticipated that the implementing Secondary Plan will be completed, following the Master Plan, in the 3^rd or 4^th quarter of 2009.

Master Plan exercise to start with adoption of guiding development principles

To begin to create a sustainable community in Langstaff a set of development principles will be incorporated into the Town’s Official Plan. The Official Plan will re-designate Langstaff as an Urban Growth Centre, consistent with Provincial and Regional policies. The principles and the designation of the Langstaff Area as part of an Urban Growth Centre will promote consideration of the Town’s economic, environmental and social goals for the area, and guide the preparation of the Master Plan and implementing documents.

The Economic, Environmental and Social principles (below) were presented to Development Services Committee in a report dated September 18, 2007. These are not new principles. They are being repeated, in this report, as a reminder of the content of the earlier report.

The recommended Economic principles include:

· provision of a mix of residential, commercial and community land uses;

· an appropriate balance of employment and residential land uses must be established;

· major office development, oriented towards Yonge Street, to take advantage of existing and proposed public transit should be incorporated;

· provision of appropriate connections to unite the east and west Langstaff areas together;

· early phases of construction should encourage and promote the full build out of a compact, pedestrian friendly and transit supportive urban form community in an orderly and efficient manner over an extended period of time; and

· appropriate phasing of infrastructure construction to ensure that all stages of the plan can be implemented.

The recommended Environmental principles include:

· providing a compact, pedestrian friendly environment;

· protection of the public and private realm, including rehabilitating and re-naturalizing the Langstaff Woodlot and Pomona Creek, including constructing new Storm Water Management facilities, implementing tree preservation measures and mitigation of soil contamination;

· creation of quality public spaces, parks, streetscapes and public buildings (parkland should be required in accordance with the requirements in the Official Plan and Parkland Dedication By-law);

· developing a public transit supportive environment;

· providing pedestrian connections between public transit and the community focal point(s);

· providing pedestrian connections between the community focal point(s) and the balance of the neighbourhood(s);

· providing an appropriate compact built form with a consistent high quality urban design for the public and private realm;

· creating a community design that responds to the location of transit stations; and

· mandating efficient and sustainable building and site design features (e.g. LEED).

The recommended Social principles include:

· opportunities for a variety of community services, such as community centres, parks, places of worship and schools;

· providing live work opportunities; and

· provision of a variety of housing types to support diversity in housing needs by income, age and other demographic characteristics (townhouses, stacked townhouses, mid and high-rise apartments).

The Economic, Environmental and Social principles will be refined as specific policies, setting out criteria for the development of the public and private realm, that will be articulated in the Master Plan and Secondary Plan documents.

OPTIONS/ DISCUSSION:

Official Plan amendment recommended

Staff recommend the Official Plan be amended (attached as Appendix ‘A’) to designate the Langstaff Area as part of an Urban Growth Centre and to incorporate the principles, outlined above into the Official Plan.

With the Langstaff Area identified as an Urban Growth Centre, to be developed according to these policies, the Town can undertake the process, led by Calthorpe Associates, of developing a Master Plan, and a Secondary Plan amendment for the area, in consultation with stakeholders. The development of these plans should demonstrate leading edge sustainability and urban design principles, while being mindful of the transportation opportunities and constraints (e.g. limited vehicular access to the area, proposed extension of the Yonge Street subway, proposed Highway 407 transitway) in the area.

Once retained Calthorpe Associates will immediately begin work on Phase 1 of the project. It is anticipated that the first stakeholders meeting, with Calthorpe Associates, will take place within the first few weeks of the start of the project, and the first visioning workshop with the public will occur shortly thereafter.

Richmond Hill lands

Staff recommend initiating discussions with Richmond Hill about the future of the lands (north of Langstaff Road south of Highway 407) that are contextually a part of the “Markham Langstaff Area” but are legally subject to Richmond Hill’s municipal jurisdiction. These discussions should include two parts. Working with Richmond Hill to include complementary amendments into their Official Plan, and possible annexation of the lands, so that they come under the Town of Markham’s jurisdiction.

If Richmond Hill is agreeable to annexation, the process will likely be quite lengthy. Consequently, it is important to include Richmond Hill in the Master Plan process now to ensure that policies in both municipalities’ Official Plans are consistent and complementary.

FINANCIAL TEMPLATE:

The financial aspects, related to the hiring of Calthorpe Associates to lead the Master Plan process, were outlined in a report to Development Services Committee dated May 20, 2008 and entitled “Award of Tender 033-R-08 Langstaff Area Master Plan”.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Development in the Langstaff area provides an opportunity to protect, rehabilitate and re-naturalize the Langstaff Woodlot and Pomona Creek, and will provide an opportunity to clean-up a brownfield area.

ENGAGE 21^ST CONSIDERATIONS:

Development in the Langstaff area should be considered in the context of the following key Town of Markham Corporate Goals: Managed Growth, Quality Community and Infrastructure Management.

BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:

Town Departments and public agencies will be involved throughout the Secondary Plan preparation process.

RECOMMENDED BY:

Valerie Shuttleworth, M.C.I.P., R.P.P. Director of Planning & Urban Design

Jim Baird, M.C.I.P., R.P.P. Commissioner of Development Services

ATTACHMENTS:

Figure 1 – Location Map

Figure 2 – Area Context/Zoning

Figure 3 – Air Photo

Appendix ‘A’ – Draft Official Plan Amendment

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