M I N U T E S

SHOPS ON STEELES WORKING GROUP

2010-04-12

York Room

 

Attendance

 

Members of Thornhill Sub-Committee:

Councillor E. Shapero

Deputy Mayor J. Heath

Mayor F. Scarpitti

Regional Councillor J. Jones

 

Councillor Regrets

Councillor V. Burke

 

Staff:

V. Shuttleworth, Director of Planning and Urban Design

R. Blake, Manager Development West

B. Lee, Manager, Development Engineering

T. Ku, Senior Transportation Engineer

J. Kee, Committee Clerk

 

MMM Group Limited

Alan Mihalj

Satbinder Dnesy

 

Applicant & Design Team

Maria Gatzios, Gatzios Planning

Jeff Greene, Gatzios Planning

James Koutsovitis, Gatzios Planning

Steven Kirshenblatt, Kirkor Architects

J. Mecklinger, Bayview Summit

 

City of Toronto

City of Toronto Councillor David Shiner            (Ward 24)

Pascoal D’Souza, City of Toronto

 

Residents

Gary Kay

Nafiseh Pourhassani

Marsha Winton

Bob James

Eileen Liasi

David Slotnick

Brian Compson

Patricia Hough

Karen Cilevitz, Advisor

D. James, Observer

 

 

 

The Shops on Steeles Working Group meeting convened at 6:05 p.m. with Councillor E. Shapero in the Chair.

 

 

1.         OPENING REMARKS AND INTRODUCTIONS

 

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and introductions were made around the table.

 

 

2.         MINUTES FROM MEETING OF FEBRUARY 25, 2010

 

It was noted that on Page 3, paragraph 3 should read: “Mr. James requested that the residents’ submission ….” rather than “his submission”.

 

 

Moved by Bob James

Seconded by Brian Compson

 

That the minutes of the Shops on Steeles Working Group meeting held on February 25, 2010, be adopted, as amended.

CARRIED

 

 

3.         COMMENTS FROM TOWN OF MARKHAM

 

Mr. B. Lee, Manager, Development Engineering, noted that some concerns have been raised regarding the proposed development’s potential impact on traffic and advised that MMM Group Limited was engaged to conduct a Traffic Impact Study and representatives were in attendance this date to provide an overview of the Study undertaken.  Mr. Lee noted that some issues remain outstanding and require further discussion.

 

 

4.         TRAFFIC STUDY PRESENTATION – MMM GROUP LIMITED

 

Mr. Alan Mihalj, Consultant, MMM Group Limited, distributed copies of the results of the traffic analysis taken on Friday, March 28, 2008 at the local intersections.  Additional volumes gathered on Thursday, November 5, 2009 at the intersection of Don Mills Road and Steeles Avenue were also presented.  Detailed information was also provided on A.M., P.M. and Saturday peak hour vehicle trips, and traffic volumes expected up to 2019.

 

 

5.         OPEN DISCUSSION AND QUESTIONS

 

The following matters were raised and discussed:

·         Traffic study only examined traffic on Friday and Saturday.  Applicant agreed to revise the traffic study to include mid-week traffic data

·         volumes in A.M. and P.M. peak hours are comparable

·         additional traffic counts will be undertaken;

·         work is intensive and requires large number of staff for one day; Ontario standards are followed

·         concern expressed regarding current bottlenecks at Steeles and Highway 404, and Steeles and Leslie Street; suggestion that traffic counts be conducted at these intersections; however applicant’s engineer indicated that traffic impacts at Leslie and Steeles will be limited from this development due to traffic dispersal

·         rationale for intersections chosen for traffic counts/scope of traffic study queried

·         concern expressed that Waggoners Wells Lane and Simonston Blvd have not been captured; however traffic counts for this intersection would not relate to current or proposed development

·         concerns expressed about traffic infiltration into surrounding neighbourhoods

·         license plate surveys have been done; some traffic cutting through current development

·         discussion of service level categories and how they are determined; definitions are related to “seconds of delay” - **The Consultant was requested to email service level category definitions to all Members of Working Group**

·         quadrant is constrained due to restrictions of railway tracks and Highway 404; difficult for some residents wishing to travel east; they must go to Don Mills Road

·         suggestion to include signalized intersection of Cliffwood Road and Don Mills Road in study; Consultant advised that traffic studies are typically conducted on major arterial intersections;

·         some traffic deviates via Townsend Road to Freshmeadow Drive and Cliffwood Road; it was determined that there was no material time saved by this route;

·         clarification requested regarding the inclusion of buses in the traffic count; buses are included, however, it was noted that some buses may be included under “trucks”

·         feasibility of advance signals or signal priority for transit at Don Mills and Steeles, allowing buses to move more effectively; impact on east/west movement; VIVA buses will be equipped with this technology

·         discussion regarding which intersections are considered to be at capacity; the extent to which signal timing changes will allow more vehicles through intersections; refinement of signal timing may  build more capacity into the system

·         staff and applicant confirmed that both background traffic and anticipated traffic from proposed development considered in the traffic study

·         traffic accommodations for seniors and disabled was queried

·         current plaza has been successful and has generated considerable traffic

·         residents concerned about peak traffic capacity

 

Staff advised that the Town of Markham has a mandate to accommodate growth.  It was noted that transit can be improved and people encouraged to take transit.  It is important to put new development adjacent to existing and future transit, however, increased funding is necessary.  The widening of roads is not the answer; availability of transit infrastructure is key, as well as other strategies, such as Transportation Demand Management strategies which should be looked at to reduce traffic.  Such strategies for this development could include, but not be limited to:

·         reduction of parking spaces

·         encourage car-pooling

·         use of smart car rental

·         parking standards/by-law amendments, and

·         shared parking

 

Staff reported that another new strategy is the introduction of “unbundling”, which allows residents to choose how much parking to rent with building space, rather than automatically including a set number of parking spaces.  Residential condominiums may also attract people who don’t have a car and prefer to use transit, or retirees with only one car, unlike single family homes that normally generate two cars.  There was discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of parking reduction.

 

In response to a query regarding the number of units proposed, Mr. Mihalj provided a breakdown of the total retail and office square footage, and total residential units proposed to 2019.

 

He explained that the “trip generation comparisons” were based on formulas from the ITE Trip Generation Manual used across Canada by traffic engineers.  The Working Group requested the Consultant to provide Members with detailed information on “transit ridership data”.

 

The Chair requested Members of the Working Group to forward any feedback and comments to Mr. Brian Lee, Manager, Development Engineering, at blee@markham.ca and this information will be reviewed and forwarded to the Consultant.

 

 

6.         NEW BUSINESS

 

A member of the Working Group made reference to a statement in the Minutes of the February 25th meeting regarding “the developers’ goals”.  Mr. Steven Kirshenblatt, Kirkor Architect, explained that a quality residential development is being planned and the developer wants to retain much of the commercial space, and also wants to bring in a variety of higher-end, better quality retail shops. 

 

 

7.         NEXT STEPS

 

The Manager of Development Engineering encouraged Members to provide additional comments in writing within the next two (2) weeks so that they can be dealt with in a coordinated manner.  When the additional information is received from Mr. P. D’Souza of the City of Toronto, an additional meeting of the Working Group may be scheduled.  In addition, staff will continue to assess traffic infiltration issues.

 

Mr. Ron Blake, Manager, Development West, advised that staff will review comments from the traffic study and the Public Meeting and will determine next steps at that time.

 

***A member of the Working Group queried whether the upcoming meeting of the Working Group, scheduled for April 28th, would go ahead, and the Chair suggested that it should be cancelled, as the matter will be considered at the Statutory Public Meeting scheduled for May 4th.

 

The Chair thanked all for attending the meeting.

 

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

The Shops on Steeles Working Group meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m.

 

 

***NOTE:  Subsequent to the meeting, there was further discussion regarding the need for a meeting the following week, and it was agreed that a meeting would be held on:

 

Wednesday, April 28, 2010 at 7:00 pm