Report to: Development Services Committee Report Date: June 15, 2010
SUBJECT: RECOMMENDATION REPORT
World Tech Construction
Applications for Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments and Draft Plan of Subdivision, to facilitate residential development along the east side of Harry Cook Drive, south side of Castan Avenue, within the South Unionville community.
File Nos: OP 09 126937, ZA 09 123915 & SU 09 123916
PREPARED BY: Stacia Muradali, ext. 2008
Planner, Central District Team
RECOMMENDATION:
1) That the report dated June 15, 2010 titled “RECOMMENDATION REPORT, World Tech Construction, Applications for Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments and Draft Plan of Subdivision, to facilitate residential development along the east side of Harry Cook Drive, south side of Castan Avenue, within the South Unionville community (File Nos: OP 09 126937, ZA 09 123915 & SU 09 123916),” be received;
2) That the record of the Public Meeting held on February 2, 2010, regarding the proposed Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments and draft plan of subdivision be received;
3) That draft plan of subdivision 19TM-09005 (SU 09 123916) submitted by World Tech Construction, located on the east side of Harry Cook Drive, south side of Castan Avenue, be draft approved subject to the conditions outlined in Appendix ‘A’;
4) That Council authorize servicing allocation for eleven (11) single detached units and eight (8) semi-detached units, and that the Owner provide a clearance letter from the Trustee of the South Unionville Landowners Group, confirming that there is adequate servicing allocation for eleven (11) single detached units and eight (8) semi-detached units within the servicing allocation assigned to South Unionville;
5) That the Official Plan amendment application (OP 09 126937) submitted by World Tech Construction be approved;
6) That the Zoning By-law amendment application (ZA 09 123915) submitted by World Tech Construction be approved;
7) That the applicant provide to the Town the required 30% subdivision processing fees in accordance with the Town’s Fee By-law;
8) And that Staff be authorized and directed to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution.
Not applicable.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this report is to discuss and recommend approval of Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments and draft plan of subdivision 19TM-09005 submitted by World Tech Construction, to permit residential development on the east side of Harry Cook Drive, on the south side of Castan Avenue.
BACKGROUND:
Subject land and area context
The subject land is located along the east side of Harry Cook Drive, south of Castan Avenue, and north of the future South Unionville extension (Figure 1). The subject land is approximately 0.594 hectare (1.5 acres). The South Unionville Village Green park, Unionville Meadows Public Elementary School, low to medium density residential development and large residential lots surround the subject land (Figure 3).
The York Catholic School Board (the “School Board”) had previously expressed interest in developing the subject and adjacent lands with an elementary school, which was to comprise a total of 2.02 hectares (5 acres). However, after years of discussions with the relevant landowners and consideration of the School Board’s needs, the School Board has advised that they no longer require the subject land and adjacent lands to the east for a school site. Staff have also had preliminary discussions with adjacent landowners to the east regarding their intention to develop their lands for residential purposes, now that the school site has been declared surplus.
Proposal for residential development
World Tech Construction initially proposed developing the subject land with eleven (11) single detached homes north of the future Ian Baron Avenue extension, and two (2) townhouse blocks along Harry Cook Drive, south of the future Ian Baron Avenue extension (Figure 4). The applicant has since revised their proposal and are proposing eleven (11) single-detached units and eight (8) semi-detached units (Figure 6). The remnant blocks will be combined with abutting lands for future development. Lands for the applicant’s portion of the future Ian Baron Avenue will be secured through the draft plan of subdivision and the conditions of draft approval. The applicant has provided a concept plan (Figure 5) illustrating how the proposed development can be integrated with future development on adjacent lands to the east.
Official Plan and Zoning
The subject land is designated “Urban Residential” in the Town’s Official Plan. It is designated “Open Space” in the South Unionville Secondary Plan (OPA 22) and identified as Park/Open Space in the Community Design Plan for the area, although the lands have been previously considered for residential and Catholic elementary school purposes as discussed below. The “Urban Residential” designation provides for a variety of housing and related institutional and local commercial uses, which are compatible with and which serve the residential uses.
The “Open Space” designation provides for parks, recreational uses and municipal services and utilities. The Official Plan states that where lands are designated “Open Space” and under private ownership, the lands will not “indefinitely remain open to the general public or purchased by the Town. At any particular time, if proposals to develop such lands that are in private ownership are made and the Town does not wish to purchase such lands in order to maintain the open space, then an application for redesignation of such lands for other purposes will be given due consideration.”
The applicant is proposing to redesignate the lands to “Low Density Housing” in the South Unionville Secondary Plan (OPA 22). The proposed redesignation would be consistent with the designation of the neighbouring residential lands. The Region of York, the approval authority, has indicated that the proposed Amendment is a candidate for Regional exemption and the Official Plan Amendment will be brought forward to Council for adoption, upon receipt of exemption from Regional approval.
The subject land is zoned “Rural Residential One (RR1)”and the remaining sliver of land along Harry Cook Drive between Ian Baron Avenue and Castan Avenue was previously rezoned to “Residential Two (R2)” and “Residential Two-Special (R2-S)” with site-specific and Hold (H) provisions. The Hold could be lifted upon execution of a subdivision agreement, confirmation of servicing allocation and the provision of adequate hard and soft services. The applicant is proposing to implement similar zone categories to those on the previously rezoned sliver of land. The Zoning By-law Amendment will be brought forward to Council for enactment simultaneously with the Official Plan Amendment.
Public Meeting held on February 2, 2010
A statutory Public Meeting was held on February 2, 2010. One of the adjacent landowners spoke in support of the proposed development, but also spoke in opposition of the conceptual road pattern (Figure 5). Staff have had discussions with the adjacent landowner respecting future development of their lands. It is noted that the proposed road pattern through the subject lands will not adversely affect resolution of the road pattern on the adjacent lands. Two residents indicated that the extension of South Unionville should be constructed as soon as possible and one resident indicated that more parkland should be incorporated into the area.
OPTIONS/ DISCUSSION:
Redesignation of lands should not affect parkland in South Unionville
A parkland analysis of the South Unionville Secondary Plan Area (OPA 22) has been finalized and it has been determined that parkland to serve all low and medium density developments in South Unionville will be available in accordance with the Secondary Plan and the Community Design Plan (with a refinement as discussed below), and the redesignation of the subject lands will not impact the required parkland. In total 9.71 hectares (24 acres) of parkland has or will be provided through developments at a rate of 1 hectare per 300 units plus 1 acre per 1000 population. A 1.47 hectare (3.6 acres) portion of this parkland remains to be acquired on the south side of Helen Avenue, abutting the existing neighbourhood park in the area.
It should also be noted that an additional 1.23 hectares (3 acres) of parkland consisting of park built on an old Town owned right-of-way contiguous to the two (2) large existing neighbourhood parks central to South Unionville, as well as park space to be constructed on top of an underground storm water management tank at the northeast corner of South Unionville Avenue and the proposed Unity Gardens Drive are not included in the calculations of required parkland. Any parkland requirements generated through higher density developments along Kennedy Road will be provided as cash-in-lieu of parkland.
While the Secondary Plan and the Community Design Plan show a neighbourhood park of approximately 2 hectares (5 acres), generally located on the subject lands and the lands to the east, contiguous to the existing neighbourhood park to the east, it was previously determined that this park space was surplus to the park requirements of South Unionville. Accordingly more than a decade ago the Town had agreed to release this 2 hectares or so of lands designated for parkland for residential purposes. However, subsequent to that decision the Catholic School Board, which had previously abandoned their initial elementary school site to the south, in part due to difficulties in negotiating its acquisition, initiated discussions with the Town and the owners of the subject lands designated for park purposes to locate an elementary school at this location. In 2009 the School Board submitted a letter indicating that the site is no longer required for their purposes. This in turn revived development interests in the area including the subject application.
Therefore, as discussed above, the redesignation of the subject lands will not compromise parkland requirements in South Unionville.
Proposed development is consistent with surrounding residential
development
The proposed development is consistent with recent, surrounding residential redevelopment. The proposed development is also consistent with the road and development pattern established in the South Unionville Secondary Plan and the South Unionville Community Design Plan. The proposed development will assist in filling in a portion of the remaining lands which are still to be developed in the area.
Technical studies submitted and under review
The applicant has submitted a Phase 1 Environmental Assessment, Soils Study, Noise Study, Functional Servicing Report and Tree Inventory Plan. These studies are under review and the conditions of draft approval (Appendix ‘A’) provide for any requirements arising from these studies to be addressed by the applicant to the satisfaction of the Town.
Servicing allocation required
Currently there is residual allocation of 68 single family detached units of 2011 servicing allocation within the South Unionville Secondary Plan area. There is a Landowners Agreement in place and the Trustee for the Group will need to confirm through a clearance letter that sufficient allocation is available for the proposed eleven (11) single detached units and eight (8) semi-detached units, and that the Owner has satisfied all their obligations within the Landowners Agreement.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND TEMPLATE: (external link)
Not applicable.
HUMAN RESOURCES CONSIDERATIONS
Not applicable.
ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PRIORITIES:
The proposed development will assist in appropriate growth management and completion of the South Unionville community.
BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:
The applications have been circulated to Town departments and public agencies for comment, and their requirements have been incorporated into the Conditions of Draft Plan Approval which are appended to this report.
RECOMMENDED BY:
________________________ _______________________________
Biju Karumanchery, M.C.I.P., R.P.P. James Baird, M.C.I.P., R.P.P
Senior Development Manager Commissioner, Development Services
ATTACHMENTS:
Figure 1: Location Map
Figure 2: Area Context/ Zoning
Figure 3: Air Photo
Figure 4: Draft Plan of Subdivision
Appendix ‘A Conditions of Draft Approval
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Shakir Rehmatullah
President
Flato Management Inc.
3601 Highway 7 East, Suite 309
Markham, ON, L3R 0M3
Tel: (905) 479-9292
Email: shakir@flatogroup.com
File path: Amanda\File 09 123916\Documents\Recommendation Report