Report to: Development Services Committee Report Date: October 20, 2009
SUBJECT: Langstaff Area - York Region Planning Coordination for the Richmond Hill Centre/Langstaff Gateway Regional Centre and Provincial Urban Growth Centre Information Report
PREPARED BY: Dave Miller, Senior Project Coordinator, extension 4960
RECOMMENDATION:
1) That the report entitled “Langstaff Area - York Region Planning Coordination for the Richmond Hill Centre/Langstaff Gateway Regional Centre and Provincial Urban Growth Centre Information Report” be received;
2) That Markham staff continue to work with York Region, Richmond Hill, Vaughan and agency staff through this planning coordination effort;
3) That Markham staff include an update about this coordination effort in subsequent staff reports to Development Services Committee regarding the Langstaff Master Plan and Secondary Plan process;
4)
And that Staff be authorized and directed to do all
things necessary to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution.
PURPOSE:
This report and York Region’s Planning and
Development Services Commissioner’s report
dated September 24, 2009 (attached as Appendix ‘A’) together provide an
overview of the collaborative approach to planning the Richmond Hill/Langstaff
Urban Growth Centre organized by York Region Planning and Development Services
Department staff.
BACKGROUND:
The Richmond Hill Centre/Langstaff Gateway
Urban Growth Centre is one of the most important new high density mixed use
centres in the Greater Golden Horseshoe.
This Urban Growth Centre is the only Centre located across two local
municipal boundaries. It is located
partly in Markham and partly in Richmond Hill.
Given its central location and potential for transit oriented
development, it is strategically important as a Regional Growth Centre and
Provincial Growth Centre.
In Markham the Growth Centre includes the
Langstaff area of Thornhill, except the wooded area at the east end of the site. The Langstaff area is north of the Holy Cross
Cemetery, south of Highway 407, between Yonge Street and Bayview Avenue. In Richmond Hill the Growth Centre extends
north from Langstaff Road and Highway 407 to High Tech Road between the 407
ramp and Red Cedar. North of High Tech
Road the Growth Centre extends to just north of Bantry Road between Yonge
Street and Red Maple Road. (See Figure 1
attached.) The gross area of the Growth
Centre is approximately 117 hectares (290 acres), of which approximately 47
hectares (116 acres) are in Markham and approximately 70 hectares (173 acres) are
in Richmond Hill.
Markham and Richmond Hill are each
undertaking a Master Plan and Secondary Plan process, planning for the
re-development of the lands within their respective jurisdictions. Staff from both municipalities have been
engaged in each others processes as has staff from Vaughan, external agencies and
senior levels of government. Since May
2009, when the Calthorpe and Ferris team presented the Master Plan to
Development Services Committee, staff have been working with Calthorpe to
finalize the Master Plan document and IBI to finalize the transportation
report. The servicing study has not been
received, yet. New Secondary Plans are
expected to be in a draft form and circulated for comment in late 2009. Markham staff are targeting a staff
report and draft Secondary Plan for a Development Services Committee meeting in
December, and the scheduling of the Public Meeting in late January or early February
2010.
Since April of this year staff of Markham,
Richmond Hill, Vaughan, the Region and agencies have been in discussion
regarding the opportunity for a cohesive and integrated Centre. Early in this process the Commissioners
drafted a set of overarching principles (attached as Attachment 1 to the
Region’s report) aimed to achieve a complete, diverse, compact, vibrant,
sustainable well designed Urban Growth Centre.
These principles provide each local municipality with a common planning vision
for the Growth Centre. These principles
are generally consistent with the June 2008 Town of Markham planning area
amendment, which provides the Towns’ vision for the Langstaff Planning Area (an
extract from Official Plan Amendment 171, with the Town’s Development
Principles, is attached as Appendix B).
Under the management of senior staff, four
teams of specialized staff have been brought together to examine specific
planning and implementation issues related to development of the Urban Growth
Centre. The focus areas of the teams are:
1. Physical Infrastructure;
2. Planning & Design;
3. Community Facilities & Services; and
4. Financial Tools & Models.
A chart outlining the structure of the four groups and a description of their focus areas is attached as Attachment 2 to the Region’s report.
Each of the four staff teams are in the process of determining short, medium and long term recommendations for planning of the centre. This includes policy recommendations for the draft secondary plans that Markham and Richmond Hill are currently preparing. It is anticipated that each of these four teams will conclude their work before the end of 2009.
DISCUSSION:
This collaborative process is bringing together experts from a wide range of disciplines to begin to address a number of complex and varied issues related to policy development and implementation of this strategic Urban Growth Centre. Town staff will continue to work with staff from the Region, Richmond Hill, Vaughan and external agencies to ensure the shared objective of the three area municipalities, the Region and agencies to create a dense mixed use, well designed, transit oriented development is realized.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND TEMPLATE: (external link)
Not applicable.
HUMAN
RESOURCES CONSIDERATIONS
Not applicable.
ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PRIORITIES:
The process outlined in this report and in the Region’s
report (attached) will help ensure that development in the Langstaff area aligns
with the six areas of strategic focus.
(Growth Management, Transportation/Transit, Environment, Municipal
Services, Park, Recreation, Culture and Library Master Plan, Public Safety and
Diversity, including accessibility.)
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 and Urban Design Commissioner of Development Services