Report to: Development Services Committee Report Date: December 14, 2009

SUBJECT: Langstaff Gateway Land Use & Built Form Master Plan and proposed Official Plan and Secondary Plan Amendment

PREPARED BY: Dave Miller, MCIP, RPP Senior Project Coordinator ext. 4960

RECOMMENDATION:

1) That the report entitled “Langstaff Gateway Land Use & Built Form Master Plan and proposed Official Plan and Secondary Plan Amendment” be received;

2) That Development Services Committee receive and endorse the Langstaff Land Use & Built Form Master Plan, prepared by Calthorpe Associates and Ferris + Associates Inc., dated October 2009 as the basis for amendments to the Town’s Official Plan and a new Secondary Plan for the Langstaff area of Thornhill;

3) That staff be authorized to schedule a Public Meeting, after the servicing study is received and reviewed, to consider the Official Plan and Secondary Plan amendment;

4) That staff report back to Development Services Committee prior to the Public Meeting with drafts of the proposed Official Plan and Secondary Plan amendments, and supporting Transportation and Servicing reports;

5) That Staff be authorized and directed to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

In May of 2008 the Town embarked on a process to create a new Master Plan for the Langstaff area. The consultants retained by the Town to complete the Land Use and Built Form Master Plan were Calthorpe Associates (lead), Ferris + Associates (landscape architecture & urban design), IBI (transportation). The MMM Group (servicing) was retained by the land owners.

Over the twelve month period of the study, a series of workshops and meetings were held to engage all stakeholders. Some of the meetings were open to all stakeholders who had an interest in the project, and some were designed to garner information from various experts on particular topics.

The Master Plan contemplates and allows for a variety of densities and uses connected to a central green spine that links existing open spaces (Pomona Mills Creek to the Langstaff Woodlot), transit, retail, employment, civic and residential uses. The central spine main streets will be active locations supporting a mix of retail, service commercial and civic uses to serve residents and employees. The fine grain grid network of streets, that is bisected by a green open space and park spine, will provide bicycle, pedestrian and transit friendly connections to the GO station, the future Yonge subway and mobility hub centered in Richmond Hill. A linear concourse under Highway 407, to connect Langstaff and Richmond Hill, adjacent to the CN rail line, is proposed. This connection will provide access to the Mobility Hub, integrating the subway, the 407 Transitway, GO Transit, and the VIVA and YRT bus network.

The Master Plan recognizes that development will occur in phases over time.

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

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

PURPOSE:

This report recommends that Development Services Committee receive and endorse the Calthorpe/Ferris Langstaff Gateway report entitled “Langstaff Land Use & Built Form Master Plan”, dated October 2009 (attached as Appendix ‘A”).

This report also recommends that a Statutory Public Meeting be held to consider Official Plan and Secondary Plan amendments. It is anticipated that the Public Meeting will be held in early 2010. These proposed amendments will provide for the land uses, built form, and infrastructure as expressed in the Calthorpe/Ferris Land Use & Built Form Master Plan, to be constructed in phases over the next number of years, to beyond 2031. Each phase will include requirements to provide community facilities, employment, retail, services and infrastructure to ensure that the elements to create a complete community are included at every stage of development.

BACKGROUND:

Location

The planning area is bounded to the north by Highway 407 and Langstaff Road, to the south by the Holy Cross Cemetery, to the east by Bayview Avenue, and to the west by Yonge Street. This area is isolated and somewhat disconnected from surrounding land uses in the Thornhill community, Richmond Hill and Vaughan by major arterial roads and highways, a hydro corridor, and a private cemetery.

The Langstaff area is part of the Richmond Hill/Langstaff Urban Growth Centre, as identified by the Province in its 2006 Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. 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. The two areas are separated by Highways 7 and 407 and a major hydro corridor. A concourse proposal, which is included in the Langstaff Master Plan, is a critical part of the intended transit integration to link the entire Urban Growth Centre together.

Area Context

The Langstaff Gateway area is approximately 47 hectares (116 acres). The western portion, between Yonge Street and the Canadian National railway (CNR) tracks, is approximately 17 hectares (42 acres). Pomona Mills Creek, a tributary of the East Branch of the Don River, bisects this portion of the site. The eastern portion, between the CNR tracks and Bayview Avenue, is approximately 30 hectares (74 acres). There is a wood lot, with an area of approximately 2 hectares (5 acres), at the east end of the site, near Bayview Avenue.

The Langstaff area of Thornhill is characterized by fragmented ownership consisting of residential uses and lower quality small scale industrial and open storage uses. North of Highways 7 and 407, in Richmond Hill, are a variety of non-residential land uses. These non-residential uses include large format retail, restaurants and cinemas. Further north in Richmond Hill, to the west in Vaughan, and south of the cemetery in Thornhill are residential neighbourhoods and related uses. The related uses include civic, institutional and community uses, and commercial use that serve the local population.

Background

The Town has contemplated and provided for the redevelopment of the Langstaff area for well over a decade. Redevelopment policies were added to the Thornhill Secondary Plan in 1997. However, for a variety of reasons, the anticipated redevelopment has not occurred. Therefore. in June of 2008 the Town amended its Official Plan to ensure that new development in the Langstaff area should be based on the provisions of the Provincial Growth Plan for Urban Growth Centres and the Regional Official Plan for Regional Centres. This amendment described a number of development principles and practices to create an attractive, efficient, sustainable community.

At that same time (May 2008) the Town also embarked on a process to create a new Master Plan for the Langstaff area. The consultants retained by the Town to complete the Land Use and Built Form Master Plan were Calthorpe Associates (lead), Ferris + Associates (landscape architecture & urban design), IBI (transportation). MMM Group (servicing) was retained by the land owners.

The planning process sought to include as many stakeholders as possible. Participation included area residents, property owners and tenants within Langstaff and the surrounding area, numerous public agencies, transit service providers, adjacent municipalities, York Region Departments and Provincial Ministries.

DISCUSSION:

Study process was open and inclusive

Over the twelve month period of the study, an extensive series of workshops and meetings were held to engage all stakeholders. Some of the meetings were open to all stakeholders who had an interest in the project, and some were designed to garner information from various experts on particular topics. The meetings were scheduled at key points through the process to update stakeholders regarding the progress to date, to receive their comments and feedback and to inform them of the next steps in the evolution of the plan.

The following meetings were held over the course of the project:

· June 23, 2008 – Kick-off Meeting

This meeting introduced guiding principles and outlined many of the challenges and opportunities involved in re-development of the site.

· July 12, 2008 – Vision Workshop

Presented additional background material and a preliminary development concept, which gave stakeholders an opportunity to talk about their vision for the area.

· July 12, 2008 – Transportation Summit

A group of local and regional transportation experts were brought together to discuss how the existing and planned transit at or near the Langstaff site will influence re-development.

· August 21 & 22, 2008 – Design Charrette

The Calthorpe/Ferris team hosted the session, in which a number of elements (such as sustainable design, built form, open space and parks, transit and traffic, servicing) were synthesized to create a draft development concept, for presentation to the public at the first Design Workshop.

· November 6, 2008 – Design Workshop I

This workshop introduced the preliminary concept to the public for the first time. The Calthorpe/Ferris team lead a discussion about the merits of the plan with respect to sustainability, land use, urban design, storm water management, parks and open space, transportation and heritage, amongst other items, and received input from stakeholders.

· January 9, 2009 – Transportation Workshop

This workshop gave the Calthorpe/Ferris team an opportunity to meet the transportation experts, who were working on the traffic and transportation issues. Including, representatives from transportation providers and senior levels of government

· February 11, 2009 – Design Workshop II

This was the second major public design workshop. Participants were given the opportunity to review the latest version of the plan, which had been revised, in part based on discussion at Design Workshop I.

· April 8, 2009 – Agency Open House

The agency open house gave the stakeholder agencies an opportunity to review and comment on the plan, so that final refinements could be made before a final presentation to the public.

· May 19 & 20, 2009 – Final Presentation & Open House

The Calthorpe/Ferris team presented their findings from the year long process to the public, town staff, various agencies, adjoining municipalities and senior levels of government, including Development Services Committee of Markham Council.

These meetings and workshops provided an opportunity for all interested stakeholders to be involved in the process to shape the Master Plan and the future form of development in this very important Urban Growth Centre.

The Thornhill Subcommittee acted as the steering committee throughout the Langstaff Master Plan process. This Subcommittee is comprised of Mayor Scarpitti ex officio, Deputy Mayor Heath, Regional Councillor Jones and Councillors Burke and Shapero. They met five times during the course of the process and received updates from and provided input to staff and the Calthorpe/Ferris team.

Since May, Town staff have continued to work with the Calthorpe/Ferris team to refine the Langstaff – Land Use & Built Form Master Plan and study report. The final plan document was received in October 2009 and is attached to this report. (Appendix ‘A’.)

Langstaff – Land Use & Built Form Master Plan Overview

The Calthorpe/Ferris Land Use & Built Form Master provides for a wide variety of commercial, cultural, employment, institutional, recreational, and residential activities in a compact transit dependant community, with an ultimate population of up to 15,000 dwelling units, 32,000 residents and at least 10,000 jobs. The proposed Official Plan and Secondary Plan amendments will be based on the Calthorpe/Ferris Land Use & Built Form Master Plan, dated October 2009, and associated background studies (transportation and servicing).

The fine grain grid network of streets, that is bisected by a green open space and park spine, will provide bicycle, pedestrian and transit friendly connections to the GO station, the future Yonge subway and mobility hub centered in Richmond Hill. The resultant block sizes provide for the design and built form proposed, as articulated in the Calthorpe/Ferris plan, and contributes to the walkability of the community.

Office employment uses will be centered in locations with access to higher order transit and along Highway 407. The offices located along Highway 407 will buffer the interior residential development from potential negative impacts of the highway.

The central spine main streets will be active locations supporting a mix of retail, service commercial and civic uses to serve residents and employees. Additional civic and community uses will be encouraged to locate in the ground floor of buildings on either side of the spine road in the east end of the site. The plan anticipates that larger civic and community uses, such as places of worship and elementary schools will be integrated into the first two or three floors of mixed-use buildings. This mixed-use format will allow multiple civic and community uses to share facilities.

The Master Plan recognizes that development will occur in phases over time. Staff expect that the ultimate build out will likely occur beyond 2031. The Langstaff Gateway portion of the Urban Growth Centre has been designed to accommodate up to 15,000 residential units (32,000 population) and at least10,000 jobs. (See Table 1 below.)

TABLE 1
Land Use Summary
Land Area	47 ha.(116ac.)

Total
Units	15,140
Population	32,000

Employment/Jobs	+/- 10,000

Park & Open Space Area	12.2 ha. (30.2ac)

It is anticipated that development will only occur coincident with the provision of community facilities, employment, retail, services and required infrastructure. This will not only ensure that required infrastructure, such as transit facilities are in place prior to development, but will also ensure that the elements to create a complete community, such as employment, retail, civic and community uses will be in place at every phase. The provision of these facilities, services and infrastructure must coincide with development. Early stages of development are planned and designed with the ultimate build out in mind.

A linear concourse under Highway 407, to connect Langstaff and Richmond Hill, adjacent to the CN rail line, is proposed. This connection will provide access to the Mobility Hub, including the subway, the 407 Transitway and the VIVA bus network.

In October 2008 Markham Council endorsed a subway alignment which provides for the subway to veer east of Yonge Street, to a mobility hub in Richmond Hill Centre. This will enable direct inter-modal connection to GO Rail Transit, 407 Transit and VIVA. Markham Council also requested the Langstaff station on Yonge Street to be located as far north as possible, and the Hub station to be as far south as possible, to improve connectivity to the Langstaff Gateway lands in Markham via a pedestrian and transit concourse. The multi-modal transit station locations and integration at this Anchor Mobility Hub has not been finalized and requires further analysis and discussion.

Transportation and Servicing

The Richmond Hill/Langstaff Gateway Urban Growth Centre will be one of the most significant transportation nodes in the Greater Toronto Area. It is at the intersection of a number of existing and proposed transit lines, including:

· the proposed Yonge Street subway line extension,

· North Yonge VIVA service,

· Highway 7 VIVA service,

· Highway 407 transitway,

· existing GO rail,

· local YRT, and

· Go Bus.

IBI Group, a firm that specializes in transportation engineering, was retained by the Town to provide an analysis of the transportation implications of re-development in the Langstaff Gateway portion of the Richmond Hill/Langstaff Gateway Urban Growth Centre. This development will be unique, in that a much greater emphasis will be placed on sustainable modes of transportation (carpooling, cycling, transit and walking). IBI has completed their report, which provides guidance to transportation and phasing policies to be incorporated into the Secondary Plan.

Their report accounts for development potential in the surrounding area, including: plans for the Richmond Hill portion of the Growth Centre, and concludes that existing Regional infrastructure in the area is already near capacity and will require upgrades or alternative solutions in order to service the Urban Growth Centre. Given the amount of growth anticipated within the influence area, the report asserts that certain network improvements are essential. These improvements include: opening the Cedar Avenue connection under Highway 407 to connect both parts of the Urban Growth Centre, improving the capacity of the Yonge Street/Langstaff Road intersection and improvements to the north-south transit capacity of Yonge Street and Bayview Avenue.

Even with these improvements, to achieve the development proposed, it is estimated that more than 60 percent of morning peak hour trips will have to be made by sustainable modes of transportation such as auto passenger, cycling, transit and walking. Consequently, the proposed development, as articulated in the Master Plan, is based on serving the needs of these modes ahead of single occupant automobile users.

Additional transportation analysis and study for the entire Urban Growth Centre, and its area of influence is required. It is anticipated, based on the comments and findings to date of the Regional and inter-municipal planning group, that York Region will complete a coordinated transportation study for the entire Urban Growth Centre and its influence area.

Recognizing that the required transit infrastructure is not yet fully developed the IBI report concludes that development should only advance in incremental phases, linked directly to the provision of transit infrastructure and monitoring of transportation key performance indicators, with early stages of development planned and designed with the ultimate build out and targets for transit use in mind. Key performance indicators include for example, ratio of jobs to households, number of zero car households, non-resident parking supply, non-auto modal shares, transit capacity and service levels.

The Metrolinx Plan “The Big Move” includes, amongst other proposals, a plan for a subway extension north from Finch Station to Richmond Hill and a 407 Transitway. However, even though the Province of Ontario announced it intention to construct this infrastructure there has been no announcement regarding specific project funding and timing as yet.

For the development to be a successful sustainable community for the long term it must be a place where people can live and work without owning or relying on an automobile. Consequently, strong transportation policies related to matters such as parking, zero car households, active transportation, and Transportation Demand Management (TDM) will be required.

State of the art water, wastewater and storm water system design options are being evaluated, by the MMM Group, to ensure development within the Langstaff area will be truly sustainable. MMM will provide a comprehensive review of the municipal servicing requirements and liaise with the Region to ensure the Regional trunk systems have capacity to support the anticipated growth. They have been directed to place a strong emphasis on the use of sustainable and green infrastructure.

Storm drainage is being analyzed to ensure that it is controlled with appropriate techniques to maintain water quality and to control quantity. Runoff volume is also be analyzed to ensure that it is controlled, with appropriate techniques, to mitigate downstream flooding and erosion concerns.

The servicing report(s) have not yet been received by the Town. The statutory Public Meeting, for the Official Plan and Secondary Plan amendments will only be scheduled after the servicing report(s) are received and staff have had time to review and comment on them.

Development will only be allowed to advance in incremental phases that are linked directly to the provision of transportation and servicing infrastructure. (See page 171 of Appendix ‘A’.) Developer Group agreements, and use of Hold provisions in zoning, amongst other tools, are mechanisms the Town will employ to ensure that development occurs in an orderly fashion with complete communities being built at each phase of development.

Regional and inter-municipal planning process

Langstaff forms part of a larger Urban Growth Centre (the northerly part is in Richmond Hill) and it is imperative that planning efforts with Richmond Hill be coordinated. Since April of this year staff of Markham, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, the Region and affected agencies have been in discussion regarding the opportunity for a cohesive and integrated Centre. Early in this process a set of overarching principles were identified by a Working Group of governments and agency staff, to achieve a complete, diverse, compact, vibrant, sustainable well designed Urban Growth Centre. (Development Services Committee received a staff report on this process in October 2009.)

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.

Each of the four staff teams are in the process of determining short, medium and long term recommendations for planning of the centre. This will include policy recommendations as input to 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.

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. Appropriate policies, from this collaborative process, will be incorporated into the draft Official Plan and Secondary Plan.

Official Plan Amendment and Secondary Plan

Concurrent with the Master Plan process, Markham staff have initiated an Official Plan and Secondary Plan amendment process, to allow the development as contemplated by the Land Use & Built Form Master Plan. The Town has retained Butler Consultants and Keir Corp. to prepare the draft Official Plan amendment and Secondary Plan. Staff, along with Butler Consultants and Keir Corp., are working with the land owners and their planning consultants to finalize draft documents which will be available for public review when the notice of the Public Meeting is issued.

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

There are no direct financial impacts associated with this report. However, prior to and concurrent with development in the Urban Growth Centre, significant amounts of expensive infrastructure will be required. Markham, Richmond Hill and York Region staff have all been exploring options for new and innovative financial tools and models to ensure that the development pays for itself. Options include the use of Planning Act tools such as a Section 37 zoning By-law for the provision of community benefits, facilities and services or contributions in kind, in return for the increased height and density being proposed in the Master Plan and Secondary Plan.

HUMAN RESOURCES CONSIDERATIONS

Not applicable.

ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PRIORITIES:

The process outlined in this report ensures that development in the Langstaff Gateway area will align 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:

External agencies, adjoining municipalities, senior levels of government and other stakeholders, are participating in the Master Plan and Secondary Plan process.

CONCLUSION

Staff recommend that the “Langstaff Land Use & Built Form Master Plan”, be endorsed as the basis for an Official Plan amendment and new Secondary Plan and that a Public Meeting be held early in 2010 to obtain public and stakeholder comments and input on proposed amendments to the Town’s Official Plan and a new Secondary Plan for the Langstaff area of Thornhill.

If authorized, staff anticipate holding the statutory Public Meeting in February 2010 provided MMM submits the required servicing reports in time for staff to review. In a report to Development Services Committee, prior to the Public Meeting, staff will provide a draft of the proposed Official Plan and Secondary Plan, and the IBI Group transportation and MMM Group servicing reports.

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

ATTACHMENTS:

Figure 1 – Location Map

Appendix ‘A’ – Langstaff Land Use & Built Form Master, dated October 2009 prepared by Calthorpe Associates and Ferris + Associates (To be distributed at the December 14^th, 2009 Development Services Committee meeting)

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