Report to: Development Services Committee Report Date: June 17, 2008

SUBJECT: Review of the existing Zoning By-law, Official Plan and

Site Development Guidelines for the Oakcrest/Sabiston community.

PREPARED BY: Stacia Muradali, ext. 2008

Planner, Central District

RECOMMENDATION:

That the report titled “Review of the existing Zoning By-law, Official Plan and Site Development Guidelines for the Oakcrest/Sabiston community,” be received;

That recommendation reports for zoning by-law amendment applications (ZA 07 125054, ZA 07 133206 & ZA 07 118576) be brought forward at the same time as the recommendation report on the review of the Oakcrest/Sabiston community;

That staff, in consultation with the local Councillor, arrange for a community information meeting to discuss issues associated with the review of the Oakcrest/Sabiston community;

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

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The Oakcrest/Sabiston community includes Oakcrest Avenue, River Bend Road, Campbell Court and Sabiston Drive. Rezoning applications for 4 Oakcrest Avenue, 19 Oakcrest Avenue and 16 River Bend Road are currently being reviewed by the Town. The purpose of these rezoning applications is to implement zoning which would accommodate severances on each of these properties. Public meetings were held in December 2007 and March 2008 on these applications. As a result of residents expressing concerns with the proposed applications and the impact which redevelopment activity is having on the character of the community, Committee directed staff to review existing zoning and other guidelines in the area and establish a more definitive plan for the area.

The Town has retained Meridian Planning Consultants Inc. who will be reviewing the existing zoning and Official Plan policies. Council adopted Site Development Guidelines for the Oakcrest/Sabiston community in 1999 and these guidelines will be included as part of this review process. The review will also consider if separate guidelines should be implemented on a street by street basis and what type of redevelopment is appropriate for maintaining the character of each street or the community as a whole. Staff will bring forward recommendation reports on the three current rezoning applications concurrently with a recommendation report on the review process in the fall.

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

5. Others (HR, Strategic, Affected Units) 6. Attachment(s)

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to provide an update on the review of the Oakcrest/Sabiston community, which staff was directed to undertake as a result of residents and Committee’s concerns expressed during recent public meetings held on zoning by-law amendment applications in the area.

BACKGROUND:

Subject area and area context

The Oakcrest/Sabiston community (“the community”) is located south of Highway 7, east of Kennedy Road, and includes Oakcrest Avenue, River Bend Road, Campbell Court and the northern portion of Sabiston Drive. The southern portion of Sabiston Drive is located within the South Unionville community. Sabiston Drive, when referred to in this report, will only pertain to the portion located within the defined Oakcrest/Sabiston community (Figure 1). The area is made up of approximately 78 homes.

The community is characterized primarily by large lots with single detached dwellings and mature trees. The area has been in transition and approximately ten new lots have been created in the community over the last decade. The Rouge River flows at the rear of the lots along River Bend Road. River Bend Road has experienced the most redevelopment activity and has the most diverse range of lot sizes. Oakcrest Avenue remains with primarily large, original lots. Sabiston Drive now includes a mix of large original lots and smaller lots which have been created through approval of rezoning applications and severances. Campbell Court with typical lot frontages of 30 m (100 ft) and typical lot areas in the range of 1,500 to 2,100 m2 (16,100 to 23,000 ft2) has not experienced any redevelopment activity.

The Table below shows the average range of existing lot sizes and the average range of lot sizes created through approved rezoning applications and severances.

	Oakcrest Avenue	River Bend Road	Sabiston Drive
Typical lot frontages	30-38 m	25.6-36.5 m	30-38 m
	100-126 ft	84-120 ft	100-126 ft
Typical lot frontages created through approved rezoning applications and severances	21–26 m	15 – 19.2 m	15-19 m
	69-85 ft	50-63 ft	50-63 ft
Typical lot areas	1,400-2,000 m2	1,130-2,900 m2	2,000-2,060 m2
	15,200-22,200 ft2	12,200-31,800 ft2	21,700-22,200 ft2
	Oakcrest Ave	River Bend Rd	Sabiston Dr
Typical lot areas created through previous rezoning applications	1,000-1,300 m2	873-900 m2	1,000-1,060m2
	11,500-14,000 ft2	9,400-9,700 ft2	10,800-11,500 ft2

The information provided in the Table has been derived from the Town’s assessment record and some of the figures have been rounded off. Typical lots exclude larger and smaller lots which are not typical of the street.

Official Plan

The Official Plan designates the majority of the Oakcrest/Sabiston community Urban Residential. The rear portions of most of the lots on River Bend Road are designated Hazard Lands and some lots towards the east end of River Bend Road and Campbell Court are designated Special Policy Area. The southern portion of Oakcrest Avenue is designated Low Density Housing in the South Unionville Secondary Plan (OPA 22).

Zoning

The Oakcrest/Sabiston community is regulated by Zoning By-law 122-72 and 304-87, as amended. By-law 122-72 incorporates an infill by-law 16-93 which applies to the majority of lots in the area.

• The northern portion of Oakcrest Avenue is zoned Single Family Rural Residential (RRH) in Zoning By-law 122-72, as amended and the southern portion which is located within the South Unionville Secondary Plan is zoned Agriculture One (A1) in Zoning By-law 304-87, as amended (Figure 2).
• The front portion of the lots on River Bend Road are zoned Single Family Rural Residential (RRH) and the rear portions are zoned Open Space (O1) in Zoning By-law 122-72, as amended (Figure 2).
• Campbell Court and Sabiston Drive are zoned Single Family Rural Residential (RRH) in Zoning By-law 122-72 (Figure 2).
• The lots which have been created through approved rezoning applications are all zoned Single Family Residential (R3) in By-law 122-72, as amended, with site-specific development standards (Figure 2).

By-law 16-93, the infill By-law, applies to all lots except for those lots on Oakcrest Avenue which are zoned A1 and most of the lots which have been rezoned. By-law 16-93 regulates maximum building height, maximum building depth, maximum garage projection and maximum floor area ratio. The requirements for each zone are identified in the Table below, however, in some cases, previous site-specific zoning by-law amendments have adjusted some of the minimum R3 zone requirements.

	RRH	R3	Infill By-law 16-93	A1
Minimum front yard setback	7.6 m	7.6 m		12m
	25 ft	25ft		40 ft
Minimum side yard setback	3 m	1.2 -1.8 m		6m
	10 ft	4-6 ft		20 ft
Minimum rear yard setback	7.6 m	7.6 m		7.5m
	25 ft	25 ft		24.6 ft
Minimum lot frontage	30.48 m	18.2 m		120 m
	100 ft	60 ft		393 ft
Minimum lot area	2, 043 m2	696 m2		100,000 m2
	22,000 ft2	7,500 ft2		1,076,000 ft2
Maximum lot coverage		33 1/3 %
Maximum building height (peaked roofs)			9.8 m
			32 ft
Maximum floor area ratio			47%
Maximum building depth			16.8 m	10.7 m
			55 ft	35 ft

Some of the development standards in the Table are subject to specific criteria.

Site Development Guidelines adopted by Council in 1999

The South Unionville Secondary Plan was adopted by Council in the mid 1990’s. Municipal services became available for the South Unionville Secondary Plan area and the Oakcrest/Sabiston community towards the late 1990s following adoption of the Secondary Plan. In 1998, a public meeting was held on a rezoning application for 16 Oakcrest Avenue to implement a severance of the property into three lots. A number of residents attended the public meeting in objection to the application. Committee directed that the application be referred to the Unionville Sub-Committee meeting. The Unionville Sub-Committee meeting was intended to provide input on the larger issue of land severances in the area, as well as provide input on the application at 16 Oakcrest Avenue.

The meeting was conducted as a workshop with breakout groups for each street in order to explore redevelopment issues and opportunities on a street by street basis to determine whether consensus could be reached on a street level within the community. The following conclusions were reached at the workshops:

• Oakcrest Avenue- majority or residents on Oakcrest Avenue opposed development through lands severances.
• River Bend Road- the residents represented on River Bend Road were in support of redevelopment through land severance based on a minimum lot frontage of 50 feet and were supportive of a comprehensive zoning by-law amendment for their street.
• Sabiston Drive- the residents on Sabiston Drive had no objections to allowing one servance per lot subject to specific development standards.
• Campbell Court- the residents on Campbell Court did not support redevelopment through land severance and preferred redevelopment of existing individual properties in a sensitive manner which discouraged “monster homes”.

The consensus which emerged was that it would be appropriate to consider different approaches and requirements for each street while maintaining the character and uniqueness of the community.

A discussion of the Town proceeding with a comprehensive Zoning By-law on a street basis occurred at the Unionville Sub-Committee meeting. It was suggested that the site-specific review process could be extended to include a larger area such as a contiguous block or street, where all affected residents are in support of rezoning to permit reduced sized lots and applications would be dealt with in a more expeditious manner. Staff recommended that the Town consider requests for zoning amendments on a street or larger block basis and endorse Site Development Guidelines for the community. Committee recommended “that the Town consider requests for zoning by-law amendments to implement potential land severances on a street or large block basis where support for such rezoning is confirmed by all landowners within the proposed rezoning area” (Committee excerpt attached).

Council adopted the Site Development Guidelines in 1999 which established general objectives and guidelines with respect to lot frontage and lot area, built form and building siting, and natural heritage preservation. These guidelines have consideration for the following including, but not limited to:

§ Protection of significant, mature and healthy vegetation and natural features;

§ Protection of the valued physical and visual characteristics of the area;

§ The existing and emerging lot size characteristics of the area, and in particular, of individual streets in the area, and the cumulative effect of proposed redevelopment;

§ Compatibility with adjoining and near-by properties with respect to, lot configuration, overall lot size, existing and potential lot frontage, built form and massing, and building setbacks; and

§ Protection of the open, larger lot character of the neighbourhood.

All lots within the Oakcrest/Sabiston community are subject to site plan approval and submission of tree inventory and preservation plans. A copy of the Site Development Guidelines are attached to this report.

OPTIONS/ DISCUSSION:

Council directed staff to again review the Oakcrest/Sabiston community

In December 2007, a public meeting was held to discuss a rezoning application for 4 Oakcrest Avenue. The application proposed creating three lots with approximate lot frontages of 14 m (46 ft) each. Residents on Oakcrest Avenue attended the public meeting and indicated their opposition to the application. In addition, the residents expressed concern with the removal of trees and the cumulative impact of the redevelopment activity on the character of the community. Committee expressed concern with the proposal and suggested that the applicant meet with staff and residents to explore a more appropriate form of development.

Staff held a number of meetings with the applicant and community to discuss the proposal at 4 Oakcrest which has resulted in the applicant revising his proposal to create two lots with 21 m (70 ft) of frontage. During discussions with the community on this application, staff advised that the Town is reviewing the infill by-laws across the Town and this area has been included in that review (Committee excerpt attached).

In March 2008, public meetings were held to discuss rezoning applications for 16 River Bend Road and 19 Oakcrest Avenue. Letters of support were received for the proposal at 16 River Bend Road, and one resident on River Bend Road attended the meeting and objected to the proposal (Committee excerpt attached). The Town received letters of support and objection for the application at 19 Oakcrest Avenue. Residents on Oakcrest Avenue attended the public meeting and opposed the proposal because they were of the opinion that the proposed 19.5 m (64 ft) frontage would not be in keeping with the character of the street and would set an undesirable precedent for future potential redevelopment by creating the smallest lots on the street. Committee also expressed concerns with the proposal and directed staff to establish more definitive guidelines for the area (Committee excerpt attached).

Status of the review process

This review is intended to establish more specific guidelines and make a definitive determination on what is appropriate redevelopment for the area. The Town has recently retained Meridian Planning Consultants Inc. to undertake a review of the existing zoning, Official Plan policies and Site Development Guidelines for the Oakcrest/Sabiston community. A community information meeting will be held with area residents early in the summer with the consultant reviewing and preparing recommendations over the following months.

It is anticipated that a recommendation report and formal public meeting will occur early in the fall to discuss the consultant’s report. Potential outcomes of the review process will include, but not be limited to determining the following:

• The general character of the community, street and/or block;
• What is appropriate development for the community, street and/or block;
• Are different zone standards, policies and guidelines required for different streets/blocks;
• Potential revisions to existing zoning and Official Plan policies;
• Required adjustments to zone and/or Official Plan boundaries;
• If the Site Development Guidelines should be revised to incorporate more specific guidelines and whether these guidelines should be applied to the community as a whole and/or on a street by street basis;
• Any other matters resulting from the community information meeting and identified through the review process.

Current rezoning applications

Public meetings have been held for three current rezoning applications (4 Oakcrest Avenue, 19 Oakcrest Avenue and 16 River Bend Road). In addition, a community information meeting and workshop have been held to discuss the revised proposal for 4 Oakcrest Avenue to create two new lots each with a frontage of 21 m (70 ft). Residents who attended the workshop indicated that they were generally satisfied with the proposed site plans for 4 Oakcrest, subject to the applicant incorporating their suggested revisions.

Notwithstanding, the residents were concerned with the application setting a precedent and it’s impact on the character of the street and suggested that the review process be completed before a recommendation is made on the proposal. They expressed concern over whether lots with 21m (70 ft) frontages would be appropriate for the street based on the outcome of the review process. In addition, they were also concerned about lots with smaller frontages than 4 Oakcrest Avenue being severed, which may result in smaller frontages on the street thereby further detracting from the character of the street. The majority of residents believe that their community is unique and typical subdivision lots and houses commonly occurring throughout the Town, is not desirable for their neighbourhood.

The consultant, through this review process, will attempt to address specific resident concerns related to the character of their community. Recommendations for the three current rezoning applications would be brought forward when the review process has been completed and Council has adopted any recommendations resulting from the review of the area.

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND TEMPLATE: (external link)

Not applicable.

HUMAN RESOURCES CONSIDERATIONS

Not applicable.

ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PRIORITIES:

To recognize, promote and strengthen a sense of quality development and community in the context of Growth Management.

BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:

Not applicable.

RECOMMENDED BY:

______________________________ _________________________________

Valerie Shuttleworth, M.C.I.P, R.P.P Jim Baird, M.C.I.P, R.P.P

Director of Planning & Urban Design Commissioner of Development Services

ATTACHMENTS:

Figure 1- Location Map

Figure 2- Area Context/Zoning

· Development Services Committee Excerpt for Sabiston/Oakcrest Community Proposed Revisions to the Site Development Guidelines for the Sabiston/Oakcrest Community (February 2, 1999)

· Site Development Guidelines adopted in 1999

· Development Services Committee Excerpt for 4 Oakcrest Avenue (Dec. 4, 2007)

· Development Services Committee Excerpt for 16 River Bend Road (March 18, 2008)

· Development Services Committee Excerpt for 19 Oakcrest Avenue (March 18, 2008)

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