Report to: Development Services Committee Report Date: September 16, 2008

SUBJECT: PRELIMINARY REPORT

York Health Care Developments Inc.

Zoning By-law Amendment Application to permit an assisted living retirement residence at 380 Church Street.

File No. ZA 08-116099

PREPARED BY: Doris Cheng, Senior Planner – extension 2331

RECOMMENDATION:

That the report dated September 16, 2008 entitled “Preliminary Report, York Health Care Developments Inc. Zoning By-law Amendment Application to permit an assisted living retirement residence at 380 Church Street” be received;

That Staff be authorized to schedule a statutory Public Meeting to consider the proposed 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

1. Purpose 2. Background 3. Discussion 4. Financial 5. Environmental

6. Accessibility 7. Engage ^21st 8. Affected Units 9. Attachment(s)

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to provide preliminary information regarding the application for Zoning By-law amendment to permit a development containing assisted living units and to amend the development standards to accommodate the proposed use. The report also seeks authorization to hold a statutory public meeting with respect to the proposed zoning amendment.

BACKGROUND:

Complete application date

The Zoning By-law amendment application by the York Health Care Developments Inc. was received May 12, 2008 and deemed complete July 10, 2008.

Property and Area Context

The subject property is approximately 1.735 hectares (4.287 acres). The site contains an at grade, overflow parking lot for the hospital, as well as the existing Woodhaven Senior’s Residence and associated parking lot. There are no natural features on the site.

The property is located on the north side of Church Street, south of Riverlands Avenue, east of Country Glen Road, on the west side of Bur Oak Avenue (see Figure 1). To the north of this property are low density residential homes within the Cornell Community. To the east, across Bur Oak Avenue, the lands are currently vacant but are intended for residential development and future schools. West of the property, across County Glen Road is the Emergency Services Ambulance station and vacant lands owned by the Markham Stouffville Hospital, intended for future parking. Beyond Ninth Line is an existing low density, residential community. To the south is the Markham Stouffville Hospital property which is currently subject to a Zoning By-law amendment application to facilitate the expansion of the hospital.

OPTIONS/ DISCUSSION:

Official Plan designation and applicable Zoning By-law

The lands are designated “Institutional” in the Official Plan, and “Institutional” in the Cornell Secondary Plan (OPA 168). It is further identified on Schedule ‘BB’ – Community Structure in the Secondary Plan as a Community Facilities and Health Care Campus, which provides for uses and activities including residential health care facilities affiliated with the principal hospital activity and retirement home facilities.

The westerly portion of the lands are zoned “Institutional – Special [I(S)] in By-law 1229, as amended. The balance of the site is zoned Agricultural One (A1) in By-law 304-87, as amended. The applicant is proposing to re-zone the portion of the lands along Bur Oak Avenue from Agricultural One (A1) under By-law 304-87 as amended, to “Institutional – Special [I(S)] under By-law 1229, as amended. This will amalgamate all of the lands under By-law 1229, and bring the lands into conformity with the Official Plan.

The proposed amendment will add a retirement residence as a permitted use and amend the zoning standards to permit the future development. Proposed changes to the development standards include:

§ An increase in the maximum building height from 16 metres to 16.45 metres.

§ Reduction of the number of required parking spaces from 78 to 41.

§ Reduction of the minimum landscape strip from 9 metres to 6 metres.

A Site Plan application is expected to be submitted

The concept plan submitted with the zoning amendment application proposes a 5 storey retirement residence consisting of 103 units with common kitchen and laundry facilities. A site plan application has not yet been submitted, however, the applicant has provided conceptual site plan and elevations (see Figure 4 and 5). Staff has been advised that a site plan application will be submitted in the near future.

A Parking Assessment report has been submitted to justify a reduction in parking

The Parking By-law requires a total of 78 parking spaces for this proposal. The applicant proposes to provide a total of 41 parking spaces for visitors and staff, which would result in a reduction of 37 parking spaces.

The applicant has submitted a Parking Assessment report in support of the parking reduction. The report reviews expected parking demand of comparable retirement residences within Markham. The report states that the parking provided will be adequate to accommodate future demand and that additional parking opportunities may be available on adjacent parking lots. The report will be reviewed by staff to determine if the amount of parking provided will sufficiently serve the demands for the proposed facility.

Servicing allocation is not required for the proposed development

Institutional, commercial and industrial uses are exempt from servicing allocation restrictions. The proposed living units will not include kitchens, but will share common facilities and therefore the project is considered an institutional use and is exempt from servicing allocation requirements.

Potential Benefits of Approval of the Proposal:

Anticipated benefits of the proposal include:

• Provision of facilities for the elderly within Markham and the Region of York
• Addition to a diverse housing mix for different stages of life
• Utilizes a vacant parcel and integrates that parcel into the context of the health care campus.

Concerns / Issues to be resolved:

The following is a brief summary of concerns/issues raised to date. These matters and any others that may be identified through the circulation and detailed review of the proposal will be addressed, if required, in a final staff report at a later date.

• A road widening requirement has been identified for Church Street which will need to be accommodated in the site plan.
• The traffic study which addresses the reduction in parking remains to be reviewed by staff.
• Architectural design, site plan, and landscaping remains to be reviewed.
• Potential adverse impacts on adjacent residential properties.

FINANCIAL TEMPLATE (external link):

Not applicable.

ALIGNMENT WITH STRATIGIC PRIORITIES

The proposed rezoning application will assist with the implementation of the Town of Markham Strategic Priority of Growth Management and Diversity.

BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:

The application submitted by York Health Care Developments Inc. has been circulated to various Town departments and external agencies and is currently under review. Requirements of the Town and external agencies will be reflected in the preparation of the Zoning By-law and in the preparation of a final report if necessary.

CONCLUSIONS:

Staff recommend that a statutory public meeting be held to consider the proposed amendments.

RECOMMENDED BY:

______________________________ ___________________________

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

Director, Planning & Urban Design Commissioner, Development

Services

ATTACHMENTS:

Figure 1 – Location Map

Figure 2 – Area Context and Zoning

Figure 3 – Air Photo 2007

Figure 4 – Conceptual Site Plan

Figure 5 – Elevations

AGENT: Jeff Greene

Gatzios Planning + Development Consultants Inc.

7270 Woodbine Avenue, Suite 302

Markham Ontario L3R 4B9

Telephone: 905-475-9191 Fax: 905-475-8346

Email: jeff@gatziosplanning.com

File path: MARKHAM.CA\APPS\AMANDADOCS\PLANNING\SAVEPATH\20169475069.DOC

Figure 1 – Location Map