Report to: Development Services Committee                              Report Date: June 1, 2010

 

 

SUBJECT:                         Langstaff Gateway Proposed Official Plan and Secondary Plan Amendments Recommendation Report

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

 

 

 

RECOMMENDATION:

1)      That the report entitled “Langstaff Gateway Proposed Official Plan and Secondary Plan Amendments Recommendation Report” be received;

 

2)      That the Official Plan amendments and new Secondary Plan for the Langstaff Gateway Planning District (attached as Appendix ‘A’) be finalized and adopted, and forwarded to York Region for approval;

 

3)      That the Langstaff Gateway Urban Design and Streetscape Guidelines (attached as Appendix ‘E’) be finalized and approved;

 

4)      That the Town continue to work collaboratively with staff from York Region, Richmond Hill and Vaughan on the Regional Planning and Co-ordination process;

 

5)      That a request be sent to the Minister of Municipal Affairs to amend the Parkway Belt West Plan to either:

 

a)       delete lands, at the south-east corner of Highway 407 and Yonge Street, from the Parkway Belt West Plan; or

b)      to amend the Parkway Belt West Plan to clarify that the policies of the Growth Plan prevail;

 

6)      And that Staff be authorized and directed to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution.

 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The purpose of this report is to recommend adoption of Official Plan amendments and a new Secondary Plan for the Langstaff Gateway community.  This recommendation is based on a process that began in May of 2008, when the Town retained Calthorpe Associates (lead) and Ferris + Associates (landscape architecture & urban design) to create a new Master Plan for the Langstaff area.  IBI was retained by the Town to provide professional advise regarding transportation, and the MMM Group was retained by landowners to provide input regarding servicing.

 

The Calthorpe/Ferris Langstaff Land Use & Built Form Master Plan, dated October 2009 was received by Development Services Committee and endorsed as the basis for amendments to the Town’s Official Plan and a new Secondary Plan for the Langstaff area of Thornhill by Development Services Committee and Council in December 2009.

 

The Official Plan amendments create the new Langstaff Gateway Planning District and together with the new Secondary Plan implement the vision of the Langstaff Land Use & Built Form Master Plan. 

 

The Secondary Plan provides for a compact, complete, integrated, sustainable, vibrant and well designed high density urban centre to serve as a portion of the Regional Centre and the Richmond Hill/Langstaff Gateway Urban Growth Centre.  At full build out the Secondary Plan contemplates an ultimate population of as many as 32,000 residents (living in 15,000 dwelling units) and 15,000 jobs.  The Secondary Plan contemplates and allows for a variety of densities and uses in a sustainable form connected to a central green spine that links existing open spaces (Pomona Mills Creek and the Langstaff Woodlot), transit, retail, employment, civic and residential uses.  Langstaff Gateway  is intended to be a complete and integrated community with a mix of land uses, including: commercial, cultural, institutional, office, open space, recreational, residential and retail, designed to make the development most accessible to transit, pedestrian and other non-auto modes of transportation.

 

The statutory Public Meeting for the Official Plan amendments and the new Secondary Plan was held on March 2nd, 2010.  Following the Public Meeting the draft Official Plan amendments and the new Secondary Plan were referred back to staff  to respond to comments and questions raised at the Public Meeting and through ongoing review with staff of external agencies and municipalities, including the Region and the inter-municipal planning process.

 

The Secondary Plan creates three Precinct Plan areas.  Approval of development within these Precincts will be conditional on the provision of a Precinct plan and supporting documents.  The Secondary Plan also creates three Phases, that are layers within the Precincts, where development of each Phase is tied to benchmarks and triggers related to the provision of transportation improvements, transit, infrastructure and the delivery of community facilities.  The benchmarks and triggers will be finalized and incorporated into a Development Phasing Plan.

 

As Langstaff Gateway forms part of the only provincially designated Urban Growth Centre that spans a municipal boundary, it is appropriate that the planning efforts of the two municipalities (Markham and Richmond Hill) be coordinated.  Consequently, since April 2009 the Region of York, as the approval authority, has been leading discussions with staff from Markham, Richmond Hill and Vaughan regarding opportunities to create a cohesive and integrated Urban Growth Centre.

 

As part of this process the Region has adopted recommendations from two reports.  The first report relates to the planning coordination efforts, and the studies that they will require, prior to approval of the Secondary Plan.  The studies include, a transportation study, a servicing study and a financial analysis.  The Region is also planning on adopting its own Regional Official Plan amendment, prior to approving any local Official Plan amendments.  The second report made recommendations about the proposed Region-led macro transportation study.

 

A number of issues remain to be resolved prior to the Region approving the Official Plan amendments and the new Secondary Plan.  These concerns include issues regarding density, mix of residents and jobs, and the phasing and staging of development and the associated benchmarks.

 

This report recommends that the Official Plan amendments and the new Secondary Plan be finalized and adopted and forwarded to York Region for approval.  It is anticipated that the Region will complete the related Region led planning and transportation studies prior to dealing with the Markham plan, and that this process may lead to modifications to the Markham plan.  Prior to approval by the Region Town staff will continue to work closely with the Region. 

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

 

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

 

PURPOSE:

This report recommends the Official Plan amendments and a new Secondary Plan (attached as Appendix ‘A’ to this report) for the Langstaff Gateway portion of the Richmond Hill/Langstaff Gateway Urban Growth Centre be finalized and adopted.  Following adoption, the Official Plan amendments and new Secondary Plan will be forwarded to York Region for approval.

 

The Official Plan amendment creates a new Planning District, the Langstaff Gateway Planning District (Planning District No. 44), for lands on the south side of Highway 407 between Yonge Street and Bayview Avenue north of the Holy Cross Cemetery.

 

The Secondary Plan provides a detailed land use plan and policies for the regulation of land use and development in accordance with the land use designations proposed to be established in the Official Plan.

 

There is also a separate technical Official Plan amendment that removes all references and policies relating to the Langstaff Gateway Planning District from the Thornhill Secondary Plan.

 

BACKGROUND:

 

Location/Area Context

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.  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.  There is an environmentally significant woodlot, at the east end of the site, towards Bayview Avenue.  The 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 forms the south part of the Richmond Hill/Langstaff Gateway Urban Growth Centre, as identified by the Province in its 2006 Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, and has been identified as part of a Regional Centre in the new Region of York Official Plan.  The Richmond Hill/Langstaff Gateway Urban Growth Centre is comprised of two parts, one located in Markham and the other in Richmond Hill, separated by Highways 7 and 407, and a major hydro corridor.

 

The Langstaff area also forms part of the Richmond Hill/Langstaff Gateway Anchor Hub, as identified by Metrolinx in their November 2008 Regional Transportation Plan, The Big Move.

 

Master Plan process was completed in the fall of 2009

In May of 2008 the Town embarked on a process to create a new Master Plan for the Langstaff Gateway area.  In December 2009 Development Service Committee received and endorsed the Langstaff Land Use & Built Form Master Plan, prepared by Calthorpe Associates and Ferris + Associates dated October 2009, as the basis for amendments to the Official Plan and a new Secondary Plan for the Langstaff area.  (The Land Use & Built Form Master Plan, dated October 2009 is appendix ‘A’ to a Dec 14th 2009 report to Development Services Committee titled: “Langstaff Gateway Land Use & Built Form Master Plan and proposed Official Plan and Secondary Plan Amendment”.)

 

OPTIONS/ DISCUSSION:

 

The Official Plan amendment creates the Langstaff Gateway Planning District

The Official Plan amendment creates a new Planning District, the Langstaff Gateway Planning District (Planning District No. 44) for lands on the south side of Highway 407 between Yonge Street and Bayview Avenue north of the Holy Cross Cemetery.  It incorporates, into the Official Plan, a new Secondary Plan which designates the lands in the District for higher density residential, employment and mixed uses within a new Urban Growth Centre designation.

 

A separate technical Official Plan amendment removes the Langstaff Gateway Planning District from the Thornhill Secondary Plan

There is also a separate technical Official Plan amendment that removes all references and policies relating to the Langstaff Gateway Planning District from the Thornhill Secondary Plan.  The provisions for the Langstaff Gateway area and the cemetery are being separated so that Langstaff Gateway can be removed from the Thornhill Secondary Plan and the status quo regarding the cemetery provisions maintained.  The cemetery lands do not form part of the Richmond Hill/Langstaff Urban Growth Centre, and are not proposed for redevelopment or intensification as part of the new Langstaff Gateway Secondary Plan.

 

The Secondary Plan will allow for a complete transit and pedestrian oriented mixed use community

The Secondary Plan will allow for a complete, compact, vibrant, integrated community of transit and pedestrian oriented development containing a mix of land uses and intensity of development suitable to a portion of a Regional Centre, including residential, mixed use, commercial, office, open space, recreational, cultural and institutional facilities that are transit dependant.  It is anticipated that the Langstaff Gateway Planning District will accommodate up to 15,000 residential units or a population of approximately 32,000 and approximately 15,000 jobs.

 

The Secondary Plan provides for high density mixed uses along a central spine

The Secondary Plan contemplates a variety of densities and uses connected to a central green spine that links Pomona Mills Creek to the Langstaff Woodlot.  The central spine main streets are to be active locations supporting a mix of retail, service commercial and civic uses to serve both residents and employees.  The fine grain grid network of streets will provide bicycle, pedestrian and transit friendly connections to the GO station, the future Yonge subway and the multi-modal transit station in the Richmond Hill portion of the Urban Growth Centre.  To connect Langstaff Gateway Planning District and Richmond Hill Centre, a linear cyclist/pedestrian/transit/ concourse is proposed under Highway 407, adjacent to the CN rail line.  The concourse will assist in integrating the proposed subway, the proposed 407 Transitway, GO Transit, and the VIVA and YRT bus network, and the proposed internal Langstaff circulator bus.

 

Three Precincts within the Langstaff area will be created

The Secondary plan creates three Precinct Plan areas (west, central and east) within the Langstaff area.  Approval of development within each of these precincts will be conditional on the provision of a Precinct Plan and supporting plans, reports, and studies acceptable to the Town.  The Secondary plan also creates three Phases, that are layers within the precincts.

 

A Langstaff Gateway Development Phasing Plan is required

Development of the Langstaff Gateway community is anticipated to proceed in a manner that is generally consistent with the Development Phasing and Precinct Plan, (Schedule ‘II’ of the proposed Secondary Plan.)  To ensure an orderly sequence of development coordinated with the timely and efficient implementation of the key infrastructure components needed to support development a detailed Development Phasing Plan is required.  The Development Phasing Plan is to be approved by Council prior to consideration of any Precinct Plan.

 

The three Phases of development are to be tied to benchmarks and triggers

The Secondary plan establishes an integrated program of planning approvals and infrastructure commitments to ensure that development is linked to the delivery of a mix of land uses (e.g. space for community facilities, employment, retail), as well as transportation and servicing infrastructure to ensure that the community is liveable during all phases of development.  It is anticipated that the three phases will be constructed over many years, and that full build out will extend well beyond the 2031 time horizon of the Town’s Growth Management strategy/new Official Plan exercise.  A mix of residential and non-residential uses, at each phase is important to create a healthy live-work balance to reduce the need to travel outside the community.

 

Phase one includes:

 

•         Up to 5,000 residential units,

•         Approximately 1,790 jobs,

•         At least 21,600 m2 of retail and service commercial floor space,

•         At least 6,100 m2 of community services and facilities (civic uses) floor space,

•         At least 33,600 m2 of office floor space, and

•         Approximately 4.8 hectares (12 acres) of parks and open space

 

Key benchmarks included in Phase one includes the restoration of Pomona Mills Creek and the dedication of the woodlot, a transit circulator connection to Richmond Hill, the Richmond Hill VIVA station, and completion of the Cedar Avenue underpass.

 

Phase two includes further development, as follows:

 

•         Up to 3,650 residential units,

•         Approximately 6,432 jobs,

•         At least 20,300 m2 of retail and service commercial floor space,

•         At least 5,350 m2 of community services and facilities (civic uses) floor space,

•         At least 132,700 m2 of office floor space, and

•         1.6 hectares (4 acres) of public parks and open space

 

Key benchmarks for advancement to Phase 2 include the extension and operation of the proposed Yonge Street subway line, the completion of an elementary school(s), to the satisfaction of the school boards, and the construction of the north CN rail grade separation, in part to facilitate the GO Station location remaining in its current location when two-way all-day GO service is implemented.

 

Phase three includes further development, as follows:

•         Up to 6,514 residential units,

•         Approximately 6,365 jobs,

•         At least 24,400 m2 of retail and service commercial floor space,

•         At least 1,775 m2 of community services and facilities (civic uses) floor space,

•         At least 126,555 m2 of office floor space, and

•         0.5 hectares (1.24 acres) of public parks and open space

 

Key benchmarks for advancement to Phase three include, the completion of the Highway 407 Transitway.

 

More detailed benchmarks and triggers will be finalized and incorporated in the Langstaff Gateway Development Phasing Plan

Additional benchmarks and triggers related to servicing, infrastructure and internal and external road improvements, the provision of community services still remain to be finalized.  They will be finalized and incorporated into the Langstaff Gateway Development Phasing Plan.  The Langstaff Gateway Development Phasing Plan is to be approved by Council, and is required prior to consideration of any Precinct Plan.

 

Urban Design and Streetscape Guidelines

The Langstaff Gateway Urban Design and Streetscape Guidelines (attached as Appendix ‘E’) are comprised of extracts from the Calthorpe/Ferris Langstaff Land Use & Built Form Master Plan, dated October 2009.  The extracts includes the Master Plan, Development Guidelines (Chapter 5) and the Street Sections from Chapter 4.  The Langstaff Gateway Urban Design and Streetscape Guidelines consider such matters as:

 

·               development blocks;

·               heights;

·               building front, side and rear setbacks;

·               pedestrian entry points and locations;

·               building massing;

·               parking, loading, circulation and access;

·               exterior design;

·               maximum floorplate for high-rise buildings;

·               tower placement; and

·               street sections.

 

As a condition of development approval, the applicant will be required to engage the services of a qualified architect, acceptable to the Town, who shall review all development plans and certify their consistency with the Langstaff Gateway Urban Design and Streetscape Guidelines.

 

Parkland Acquisition

Approximately 14.5% (6.8 hectares) of the lands are to be dedicated as parkland.  A further approximate 11.5% (5.4 hectares) of open space, such as the valley land and multi-use trail, but not included as part of the parkland dedication, will come to the Town.  The Secondary Plan anticipates that the parkland dedication requirements for the Langstaff Gateway area will be consistent with the policies in the Official Plan.  The obligation to meet this requirement will be met through a combination of land dedication and cash-in-lieu of parkland.  The ultimate amount and location of parkland will be further refined through the approval of the Precinct Plans, and development applications.

 

York Region’s Planning Coordination Efforts

As Langstaff Gateway forms part of the only provincially designated Urban Growth Centre that spans a municipal boundary (Markham/Richmond Hill), it is imperative that the planning efforts of the two municipalities be coordinated.  Although not physically included in the Urban Growth Centre, development within the Urban Growth Centre will also have implications for the City of Vaughan. 

 

Consequently, since April of 2009 the Region of York, as the approval authority, has been discussing opportunities to create a cohesive and integrated Urban Growth Centre with staff from Markham, Richmond Hill, Vaughan and public agencies.  The Region brought together four teams, from affected municipalities and agencies, of specialized staff to examine specific planning and implementation issues related to the development of the Urban Growth Centre.  The focus areas of the four teams are:

 

1.            Physical Infrastructure

2.            Planning & Design

3.            Community Facilities & Services

4.            Financial Tools & Models

 

Two reports regarding the Region-led planning coordination efforts for the Richmond Hill/Langstaff Gateway area were submitted to committees of Regional Council on April 7th, 2010.  The first report, regarding Planning Coordination, went to the Region’s Planning and Economic Development Committee, and the second report, regarding Transportation, went to the Transportation Services Committee.  (These reports are attached as Appendix ‘B’.)  

 

The Planning Coordination report entitled “Planning Coordination for the Richmond Hill/Langstaff Gateway Regional Centre and Provincial Growth Centre – Summary of Progress, Recommendations and Next Steps” summarized the Regionally-led planning coordination process, the anticipated work product and next steps, including a number of recommendations regarding the process to be followed prior to Regional approval of the local municipal Secondary Plans. 

 

The report highlights a desire to address concerns about density, mix of residents and jobs, and the phasing and staging of development and the associated benchmarks.  The report included recommendations regarding additional studies, such as a Centre-wide transportation and servicing studies and a comprehensive fiscal analysis, as well as a recommendation that a Regional Official Plan Amendment be drafted to establish a high level macro policy framework, and to support and guide the approval of the local municipal secondary plans.

 

The Transportation Study report, to the Region’s Transportation Services Committee, provided an update and recommendations about the transportation planning activities of the Richmond Hill/Langstaff Gateway Urban Growth Centre.  This report, entitled “Richmond Hill/Langstaff Urban Growth Centre – Transportation Study”, recommended that “Regional Council approve an allocation within the approved Regional Transportation Roads Capital budget for a Richmond Hill Centre/Langstaff Gateway Urban Growth Centre Transportation Study”.  The report includes draft terms of reference for a Urban Growth Centre wide Transportation Study.

 

These two reports were subsequently considered by Regional Council on April 22nd, 2010, and the recommendations adopted without modification.

 

The four sub-groups each formulated conclusions and recommendations regarding their area of interest

 

Physical Infrastructure

The Physical Infrastructure sub-group looked at requirements, within the influence area of Richmond Hill/Langstaff Gateway Urban Growth Centre, for the delivery of physical infrastructure, such as water, wastewater and stormwater management, and transportation.  They recognized that new and innovative approaches to the provision of physical infrastructure will be required.  Additional analysis of water and wastewater servicing, and stormwater management by the Region will be required in order to establish the most efficient servicing options to serve the Richmond Hill/Langstaff Gateway Urban Growth Centre.  This will include a review of the local municipal servicing studies to identify potential system gaps.

 

This sub-group also reviewed and compared the interim assumptions and conclusions of the local transportation studies prepared by Markham (the IBI Group) and Richmond Hill (HDR/iTrans).  The sub-group concluded that a macro review of the local transportation studies, to test each study’s assumptions (e.g. modal splits) is advisable.  Regional staff agree and included this recommendation in their report to the Regional Transportation Services Committee on April 7th, 2010.

 

Town staff requested that the Calthorpe Master Plan for the Langstaff Gateway be included in the base assumptions for additional transportation analysis by the Region.

 

Planning & Design

The Planning & Design sub-group looked at three main areas, based on a number of shared principles (attached to the Region’s report):

 

a)      Connectivity & integration

b)      Development phasing & staging

c)      Built form & design

 

Within this framework the Planning & Design sub-group recommended that the secondary plans for the Richmond Hill/Langstaff Gateway Urban Growth Centre incorporate land use, urban design and implementation policies that are compatible across the Urban Growth Centre, to create a cohesive and integrated Centre. 

 

Community Services & Facilities

The Community Services & Facilities sub-group concluded that facilities and services, such as, schools, emergency services, parks and recreation are essential for the creation of a complete, self-sufficient liveable community.  The sub-group recommended that the secondary plans require community services and facilities, and that the phasing of development be tied to the provision of these services.  The sub-group also recognized that service providers, such as the school boards, need to work towards more efficient standards for facilities and operations, including optimizing co-location with other uses and compact buildings/sties opportunities.

 

Financial Tools

The Financial Tools sub-group recognized that new and innovative financial practices will be required to achieve the collective vision for the Urban Growth Centre.  The sub-group surveyed existing development funding mechanisms, in part to identify areas where gaps exist between expected development revenues and the cost of servicing the anticipated development.  The sub-group recommended that the Region lead a comprehensive fiscal analysis to assess revenues and costs, with municipal cost recovery as key to the Urban Growth Centres success.  This sub-group also recommended that the Province make changes to legislation to provide municipalities and agencies with a greater range of financial tools to support the implementation of the higher-density, mixed use and transit-oriented development.

 

York Region as the approval authority for the Official Plan Amendments and the new Secondary Plan is requiring Studies to be completed first

As the approval authority, for the Town proposed Official Plan Amendments and new Secondary Plan, York Region has provided comments on these policy documents for the Langstaff Gateway area.  (See Appendix ‘C’.)  The comments document regional issues that will need to be addressed and/or require further study prior to the approval of the Official Plan Amendments and the Secondary Plan.

 

As mentioned earlier in this report, York Region is requiring three major studies be completed, in support of development in the Richmond Hill/Langstaff Gateway Urban Growth Centre, prior to the approval of any local Official Plan amendments and Secondary Plans, including the Langstaff Gateway Official Plan amendment and Secondary Plan.  The three studies are:

 

1.      A Region-led transportation study for the entire Urban Growth Centre and its influence area.  This study is to provide a macro multi-jurisdictional analysis of the transportation and transit in and around the Urban Growth Centre.  This study will build on and consolidate Markham’s and Richmond Hill’s local transportation studies to ensure that there is a compatible transportation vision for the Urban Growth Centre and surrounding area.

2.      A Region-led analysis of the servicing requirements for the Urban Growth Centre, including servicing requirements for water and wastewater, and stormwater management.  This study will build on and consolidate the local municipal servicing studies to identify and make recommendations regarding multi-jurisdictional servicing system gaps, efficiencies and potential Centre wide system improvements.

3.      A Region-led financial analysis for the Urban Growth Centre to assess development costs and revenues, and to identify and make recommendations about new financial tools, based on the emerging land use schemes and the anticipated costs of providing services and infrastructure.

York Region is also planning on adopting a Regional Official Plan Amendment, prior to the approval of any local Official Plan Amendments or Secondary Plans.  This Regional Official Plan Amendment will establish policies and thresholds, for the Urban Growth Centre, to be used to guide and support the local plans.

 

York Region recommends that the planning coordination efforts continue

Considering the complexity of issues and the multiple jurisdictions engaged in the planning, of the various elements of the Richmond Hill/Langstaff Gateway Urban Growth Centre, York Region staff, in their April 7th, 2010 Planning and Economic Development Committee report, recommended that the high-level planning coordination process should continue.  This ongoing collaboration will assist all stakeholders to move collectively towards the objective of achieving a shared vision for the Richmond Hill/Langstaff Gateway Urban Growth Centre.  Staff of the Development Services Commission agree with this recommendation and will continue to actively participate with the Region and other stakeholders, in this planning coordination process.  Town staff and consultants will also work closely with the Region in regards to the additional studies that they intend to undertake.

 

Public consultation regarding the proposed Official Plan amendments and new Secondary Plan

In December 2009 Council authorized staff to schedule the statutory Public Meeting to consider the draft Official Plan amendments and proposed new Secondary Plan for the Langstaff Gateway Planning district.  Following the release of the draft Official Plan amendments and the new Secondary Plan a number of comments and submissions were received, including comments from York Region, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, the two school boards, the TRCA, the Ministry of Transportation, and other stakeholders.  (The comments received and a summary of them is attached as Appendix ‘C’.)  The Public Meeting was held on Tuesday March 2nd, 2010.  Some of the deputants who spoke at the Public Meeting also submitted written comments.

 

Following the Public Meeting Council referred the draft Official Plan amendments and new Secondary Plan back to staff to provide a follow-up report including final recommendations.

 

A number of additional issues remain to be addressed prior to the Region approving the Official Plan amendments and the new Secondary Plan

As mentioned earlier in this report, there are concerns that remain to be addressed.  These concerns include issues regarding density, mix of residents and jobs, and the phasing and staging of development and the associated benchmarks.  It is anticipated that these concerns can be addressed through the ongoing Regionally-led planning coordination process. 

 

Through this planning coordination process, prior to Regional approval, there will be opportunities to continue to refine the Official Plan amendments and the new Secondary Plan.  These refinements may be in the form of Regional modifications to the planning documents.   Staff will provide updates to Development Services Committee regarding refinements/modifications to the Official Plan amendments and new Secondary Plan.

 

As the approval authority the Region may also make modifications, to the Official Plan amendments and the new Secondary Plan, based on the three Regionally-led studies (Transportation, Servicing and Financial).

 

Staff are in general agreement with directions from the Draft Transportation Report, however the  Draft Langstaff Gateway Master Servicing Plan will need to be updated to respond to staff’s comments

The Transportation Report, dated August 2009 by the IBI Group, and the Langstaff Gateway Master Servicing Plan, dated December 2009 by the MMM Group, served as the basis and informed the Langstaff Land Use and Built Form Mater Plan, prepared by Calthorpe Associates and Ferris + Associates Inc., dated October 2009.  (The Land Use and Built Form Master Plan was endorsed by Council in December 2009)

 

The Transportation Report is substantially complete, and staff are in general agreement with its directions to achieve intensification.  However, the Servicing Plan still needs to be revised and re-submitted.  Town staff have reviewed the Servicing Plan and have provided comments, regarding the outstanding issues, to the MMM Group in January 2010.

 

These reports will serve as background information to the additional reports and studies that will be required as part of the development approval process.  These reports should be finalized, to the Town’s satisfaction, prior to Development Services Committee approving a precinct plan/development applications.

 

Concerns regarding the amount of traffic generated by Phase I were raised at the March 2nd, 2010 Development Services Committee meeting and the Public Meeting

At the morning Development Services Committee meeting and at the evening Public Meeting on March 2nd, 2010, concerns about the traffic generated by the Phase I development, prior to the Yonge Street subway extension, were raised.

 

Based on the conclusions and recommendations of the Langstaff Land Use and Built Form Master Plan Draft Transportation Study, dated August 2009 prepared by the IBI Group, Development Services Commission staff concur with IBI’s recommendation that all of Phase I, as contemplated by the Secondary Plan, can occur prior to the Yonge Street subway extension.  This conclusion is based on established transportation analytical methods.

 

Although staff are of the opinion that all of Phase I can proceed without the Yonge Street subway being extended from Finch Station to Richmond Hill Centre, a zoning By-law Holding provision could be used to incrementally permit Phase I development.  A pre-condition to remove a Holding provision could include a commitment for funding to build the Yonge Street subway extension. 

 

The primary concern, articulated at the March 2nd, 2010 committee meetings, was with respect to the amount of traffic anticipated with Phase I, given that the Province has yet to commit funding for the Yonge Street subway extension.  In response to the comment, IBI was asked to review the current Thornhill Secondary Plan designation for the Langstaff area, and to calculate, based on automobile trip generation, an equivalent amount of  development for the proposed Secondary Plan.

 

The current Secondary Plan designations for the Langstaff area includes Retail Warehouse uses between Yonge Street and the CNR line, and Urban Residential (Medium Density) between the CNR line and Bayview Avenue.  IBI estimates that the traffic volumes, associated with the designations, as contemplated by the Thornhill Secondary Plan, are equivalent to approximately 65% of the 5,000 residential units residential and 100% of the non-residential uses contemplated to occur in Phase I of the proposed Secondary Plan.  (65% of 5,000 units = 3,250 units.)

 

A policy regarding a Zoning By-law Holding provision has been added to the Secondary Plan to clarify that Council, when adopting the implementing zoning By-law, can include, amongst other provisions, a condition that limits Phase I development until funding for the proposed Yonge subway extension has been confirmed.

 

When considering if the inclusion of such a Holding provision in the zoning By-law is appropriate, the Council of the day will be guided and informed by the Region-led transportation study, and the Council approved Precinct Plan.

 

Langstaff Gateway Planning District should not be included in the Parkway Belt West Plan

A small part of the Langstaff gateway area, at the south-east corner of Highway 407 and Yonge Street, and another small part at the south-west corner of Highway 407 and Bayview Avenue, are subject to the Parkway Belt West Plan.  Development Service Commission staff are of the opinion that lands associated with Langstaff Gateway Planning District portion of the Urban Growth Centre should either be removed from the Parkway Belt West Plan, or identified in the Parkway Belt West Plan as forming part of an Urban Growth Centre. 

 

Should these lands, within the Urban Growth Centre, remain in the Parkway Belt West Plan, a policy should be added to Parkway Belt West Plan to clarify that if there are any conflicts between the policies of the Parkway Belt West Plan and the Growth Plan, then the Growth Plan policies will prevail.

 

Staff recommend that a request be sent to the Minister of Municipal Affairs to amend the Parkway Belt West Plan to either, delete lands from the Parkway Belt West Plan or to amend the Parkway Belt West Plan to clarify that the policies of the Growth Plan prevail.

 

Recommendation to adopt the Official Plan amendments and new Secondary Plan

It is recommended that the Official Plan amendments and the new Secondary Plan (attached as Appendix ‘A’) for the Langstaff Gateway area, be finalized and adopted, and forwarded to the Region of York for approval.

 

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND TEMPLATE

There are no direct financial impacts associated with this report.  However, prior to and concurrent with development in the Urban Growth Centre/Regional Centre, significant amounts of expensive infrastructure, such as roads, services, transit concourse and local transit circulator system, will be required.  Markham, Richmond Hill and the Region have all been exploring options for new innovative financial tools and models to ensure that the development pays for itself.  Options include Development Charges, Developer Group Agreements, and the use of Planning Act tools, such as a Section 37 Zoning By-law, where the Town passes a Section 37 By-law and the owner elects to provide community benefits, facilities and services or contribution in kind, that would not otherwise be secured under the other provisions of the Planning Act and which may be of particular benefit to the Langstaff Gateway community or the Town at large, in return for increased height and density.  Prior to consideration of any Precinct Plan a “Financial Impact Analysis” is required.  This analysis can identify Section 37 opportunities for the delivery of these community benefits.

 

As mentioned earlier in this report, prior to the approval of the Official Plan amendments and a new Secondary Plan, the Region will be leading a financial analysis for the entire Urban Growth Center to assess development costs and revenues.  The Town will be an active participant in this analysis

 

HUMAN RESOURCES CONSIDERATIONS

Not applicable.

 

ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

The development proposed and contemplated, in the Langstaff Gateway Area, will align with Council’s six areas of strategic focus.  (Growth Management; Transportation/Transit; Environment; Parks, Recreation, Culture and Library Master Plan, Public Safety; Municipal Services; and Diversity.)

 

BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED

Internal Departments, external agencies, adjoining municipalities, senior levels of government, transit service providers, school boards, and other stakeholders have participated in the Master Plan, Official Plan and Secondary Plan process.

 

RECOMMENDED BY:

 

 

 

                                     

Biju Karumanchery, M.C.I.P, R.P.P

Senior Development Manager

Development Services Commission

 

 

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

Commissioner of Development Services

 

 

 

ATTACHMENTS:

Appendix ‘A’ –   Official Plan Amendments and new Secondary Plan for the Langstaff Gateway Urban Growth Centre

Appendix ‘B’ –   April 2010 York Region Reports on Region-led Planning Coordination

Appendix ‘C’ –   Comments Received and Summary

Appendix ‘D’ –   Modifications to the Draft Official Plan Amendments and New Secondary Plan since the March 2nd, 2010 Public Meeting

Appendix ‘E’ –   Langstaff Gateway Urban Design and Streetscape Guidelines

 

 

Figure 1 – Location Map

Figure 2 – Area Subject to Parkway Belt West Plan

 

File path: Amanda\File 03 116189\Documents\Recommendation Report