Report to: Development Services Committee                                  Report Date: May 19, 2009

 

 

SUBJECT:                          STATUS REPORT:        

                                            Times Group Inc. (former Lonsmount lands)

                                            South side of Highway 7, east of Warden Avenue

                                            Request for a public meeting to be held to consider applications for draft plan of subdivision and implementing zoning

                                            File Numbers: SU 07 133313 and ZA 07 133350

PREPARED BY:               Scott Heaslip, Senior Project Coordinator, Central District

                                            Extension 3140

 

 

RECOMMENDATION:

 

  1. That the report dated May 19, 2009  entitled “STATUS REPORT; Times Group Inc. (former Lonsmount lands); South side of Highway 7, east of Warden Avenue; Request for a public meeting to be held to consider applications for draft plan of subdivision and implementing zoning” be received.

 

  1. That Committee provide direction to staff regarding the scheduling of a Public Meeting to consider the Times Group’s applications.    

 

  1. 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.

 

PURPOSE:

 

The Times Group Inc. has requested that a statutory Public Meeting be held before Council’s summer recess to consider the draft plan of subdivision and rezoning applications for their lands on the south side of Highway 7 between Warden Avenue and Sheridan nurseries. 

 

The purpose of this report is to seek direction from Committee on this request.

 

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

 

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

BACKGROUND:

 

Chronology:

In October, 2007, the previous owner (Lonsmount Construction) submitted applications for zoning by-law amendment and draft plan of subdivision for the lands on the south side of Highway 7 between Warden Avenue and Sheridan Nurseries.

 

Staff’s preliminary report on the Lonsmount applications was considered by Development Services Committee on January 15, 2008.  The report recommended that staff be authorized to continue discussions with the applicant to address the issues outlined in the report, including the required supporting studies and submission of a comprehensive precinct plan.

 

Lonsmount subsequently sold the lands to the Times Group prior to the submission of the required supporting studies and without a precinct plan having been prepared. 

 

On October 14, 2008 The  Times Group presented a concept plan to Development Services Committee. The plan  (Figure 1)  included a series of office and apartment buildings ranging in height from 6 to 20 storeys accommodating approximately 4400 residential units and approximately 46,450 m2  (500,000 ft2) of office and other commercial floor area.  The plan showed the entire area to the south of the east-west riverside road as public park and stormwater management facilities.      

 

On October 21, 2008, the Unionville Subcommittee met to discuss Markham Centre and the Times proposal.   Subcommittee agreed that the Town, rather than the landowners, should take the lead to prepare the required precinct plan for the area between Warden Avenue and the Go Rail line and that the precinct plan process should also include review of the OPA 15 lands on the north side of Highway 7, notwithstanding that these lands are not included in the Markham Centre Secondary Plan area.  

 

On November 24, 2008, the Town hosted a community information meeting to update the

Markham community on the past, present and future of Markham Centre.     

 

On December 5, 2008, the Times Group submitted a revised draft plan of subdivision which did not address many of the issues previously identified with the Lonsmount proposal and which did not include a precinct plan. 

 

In January, 2009, staff retained Sweeney, Sterling, Finlayson and Co (&Co), a leading Toronto based urban design firm, to assist with the preparation of the precinct plan.  

 

On January 15, 2009,   Town staff and &Co met with the landowners in the study area to introduce the precinct plan study.  

 

On January 20, the Unionville Subcommittee endorsed the work program for the precinct plan study.

 

On March 5, the Town hosted a community information meeting to introduce the precinct plan study.  The Times Group presented their proposed development to the community  at this meeting.

 

On April 15, Town staff and &Co met with the effected landowners and public agencies to review the preliminary concept plans prepared by &Co for the study area.  Since then,

Town staff and &Co have met collectively with a number of  landowners in the study area and separately with landowners who have requested the opportunity to meet to discuss their individual properties.

 

Town staff and &Co have also been meeting on an ongoing basis with the Times Group and their design consultants to discuss the Times Group’s proposed development.   

 

On April 13, 2009, the solicitor for the Times Group advised the Town that his client does not recognize the Town’s Highway 7 Precinct Plan study and will “continue to prepare, in co-operation with the other effected landowner (Aryeh Construction Ltd.), the precinct plan for Precinct 5 in accordance with the OMB approved Markham Centre Secondary Plan” (Appendix ‘A’).

 

On April 23, 2009, the Times Group submitted an updated concept plan (Figure 2).  This plan shows a total of 4777 residential units and 34,412 m2 (370,000 ft2) of office and retail uses. 

 

Staff anticipate that &Co will complete a draft precinct plan for the Highway 7 corridor for presentation to Development Services Committee on June 16th, followed by a community information meeting in September.  A staff report will follow.

 

OPTIONS/DISCUSSION:

 

Times is requesting Public Meeting before summer recess:   The Times Group Inc. is requesting that a Public Meeting be held before Council’s summer recess to consider their draft plan of subdivision and rezoning applications.

 

There are a number of outstanding concerns with the proposal:  The plan submitted in April, 2009 is still under review by Town staff and &Co pursuant to the precinct plan discussions and Town requirements, including:    

  • Location and size of the public elementary school site is to be determined to the satisfaction of the school board and the Town.
  • The school site and a place of worship site are now proposed by Times to be on the valley side of the east-west riverside road, whereas a major focus of the plan presented to Development Services Committee in October, 2008 was open views into the valley.
  • A one-storey food store with associated surface parking is now proposed in the area between Birchmount Road and Sheridan Nurseries (where a school site was shown on the October, 2008 plan).  Town staff have been discouraging the applicant from incorporating interim buildings/uses like the proposed food store, but instead to focus on the development of permanent uses that would conform with the vision for Markham Centre.   
  • A number of built form and design issues remain under discussion, including building heights, the number of apartment towers per block, and the height of podiums at the base of buildings, and tower floor plate sizes.
  • In order to maximize the available area for underground parking, the applicant is proposing private parking under a number of the north-south local roads. Town staff are open to potential underground parking below strata title public streets, subject to operational and legal issues being addressed to the mutual satisfaction of the Town and Times.
  • The applicant is proposing a stormwater management system consisting of  enhanced on-site detention in combination with underground infiltration galleries within Town parks.  Implications on the programming of the effected portions of the Town’s parks, as well as the long term maintenance and financial implications for the Town, are under review. 

 

Direction is sought from Committee on Time’s request for Public Meeting: 

Staff are continuing to advance the Town’s precinct plan exercise for the Highway 7 corridor.  A draft precinct plan will be presented to Development Services Committee in June, and a public information meeting to consider the plan will be scheduled for  September.  It is likely that the work will be then separated into two separate precinct plans and presented to Development Services Committee for approval in relation to OPA 21 (Markham Centre) precinct 5 and OPA 15 (north of Highway 7).  In April, Times advised staff that they are now commencing their own precinct plan exercise, and requested a public meeting in June.

 

The Times Group has not submitted a number of the required technical studies to support their applications, most critically the traffic impact study.  Their agent advises that these studies are underway and will be submitted shortly.   Should a Public Meeting be scheduled as requested, the applicant’s consultant team should be prepared to present details of their proposal, draft precinct plan and transportation study at the public meeting.

 

Staff will review the technical studies and plans once they have been received, and will continue to work with the Times Group to address outstanding design and technical issues, refine the draft plan of subdivision and review the required precinct plan for their lands and adjacent lands as required by the Markham Centre Secondary Plan.

 

 

RECOMMENDED BY:  

 

 

_____________________________                              ________________________

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

Director of Planning                                                          Commissioner, Development Services

ATTACHMENTS:

 

 

Figure 1          - Times Group concept plan presented to DSC in October, 2008 

 

Figure 2           - Times Group concept plan dated April 23, 2009

 

Appendix ‘A’ -  Letter from solicitor for Times

 

 

 

File path: Amanda\File 07 133313\Documents\Recommendation Report