RECOMMENDATION:
That
the record of the Public Meeting held on May 20, 2003 with respect to the
applications by Cornell Rouge Development Corporation
for draft plan of subdivision approval and
implementing zoning be received;
That the
first phase (432 units) of plan of subdivision 19TM-03006 (Cornell Rouge Development Corporation) be draft
approved subject to the conditions outlined in Appendix ‘A’, and the payment of
the required 30% subdivision processing fee in accordance with the Town’s
Tariff of Fees By-law; and the following red line revisions:
·
The distribution of dwelling types
(singles, semis, townhouses) and lot sizes to be finalized to the satisfaction
of the Commissioner of Development Services based on the “Phase 1 Concept Plan”
drawing prepared by KLM Planning Partners Inc., dated June 24, 2003 and
attached as Figure 5 to the Planning staff report dated July 7, 2003.
·
Reduce the number of units from 433 to
432.
·
Delete Block 349 and include its areas
in the adjacent lot fabric.
·
Buffer Blocks adjoining 16th Avenue
and the future Markham By-pass to be finalized to the satisfaction of the Town
of Markham and the Region of York.
That the application to amend Zoning By-laws 304-87
and 177-96 for the first phase be approved, and the implementing amendments be
enacted;
That
water supply allocation for 432 units be granted, such allocation to be from
the total allocation available for the Cornell Secondary Plan area;
That
the Town reserves the right to revoke or reallocate the water supply allocation
should the development not proceed in a timely manner;
-and
further-
That
staff report on the appropriateness of the inclusion of 9 metre wide, 25 metre
deep lots in future phases of Cornell once 50% of the buildings on such lots in
the first phase subdivision have been occupied for a minimum of 6 months and
the associated tree planting and fencing has been completed.
PURPOSE:
The
purpose of this report is to recommend conditions of approval and approval of
implementing zoning for the first phase (432 units) of a draft plan of
subdivision in Cornell.
BACKGROUND:
Property and Area Context
The subject lands are 27.703 hectares
(68.45 acres) in area and are located within the Cornell Community with
frontage on the south side of 16th Avenue and also on the east side
of the existing Markham By-pass and the west side of the future Markham By-pass
(see Figure 1). The lands are currently
vacant and in agricultural use.
To the north, across 16th
Avenue, are lands that are currently in agricultural production as well as
additional lands within the Cornell Community that have been draft-approved for
development to the northwest. To the
south are additional lands owned by the applicant that extend to Highway 7,
between the existing Markham By-Pass and the future Markham By-pass. To the east, beyond the future Markham
By-pass are lands within the Rouge Park North.
To the west, across the existing Markham By-pass, are lands that are
currently in agricultural production and are also the subject of applications
for draft approval and rezoning (Mattamy) (see Figures 2 & 4).
Proposal
The applicant is seeking draft plan
approval for a 433 unit first phase of a 487 unit draft plan of subdivision
(Figure 3). A concept plan, attached as
Figure 5, further illustrates the proposed lotting. The first phase of the plan consists of the following:
·
433 grade-related dwellings, all
served by a rear lane, as follows:
Unit Type
|
Residential
Units
|
Lot Dimensions
|
|
|
|
Single Detached
|
|
12.0
m x 25 m (39.4 ft. x 82 ft.)
11.0
m x 25 m (36.1 ft. x 82 ft.)
9.0
m x 25 m (29.5 ft. x 82 ft.)
|
Semi-Detached
|
66
|
7
m x 25 m (22.9 ft. x 82 ft.)
|
Townhouses
|
81
|
4.5 m x 31 m (14.8 ft. x 101.7 ft.)
|
·
A mixed-use building containing a café
or small store on the ground floor, and apartment above, which will act as a
neighbourhood centre, on the north side of the extension of White’s Hill Avenue
east of Street “1”. This building will
face onto a small parkette (urban open space).
·
An elementary school block 2.46
hectares (6.1 acres) in area abutting the east side of the existing Markham
By-pass. (Block 345)
·
Two parks. The first park is centred around the existing woodlot and is 2.84
hectares (7 acres) in area (Block 346).
The second park is on the east side of Street “11” and is 0.49 hectares
(1.2 acres) in area (Block 347).
·
An urban open space located in the
neighbourhood centre at the northeast corner of the intersection of the
extension of White’s Hill Avenue and Street “1” and is 0.07 hectares (0.2
acres) in area (Block 348).
·
Linear open spaces (landscape buffers)
along the existing Markham By-pass (future 16th Avenue). The
landscape buffers link a series of parkettes which connect the buffers to the
internal street network. The buffers
and parkettes total 0.31 hectares (0.8 acres) in area.
Official Plan and Zoning By-law
The Official Plan designates the
majority of the lands as Urban Residential and a portion around the woodlot as
Environmental Protection Area. The
Cornell Secondary Plan designates the lands a combination of Neighbourhood
General, Neighbourhood Centre, Neighbourhood Park, Open Space, Open Space –
Environmentally Significant Area, and Elementary School. The proposed draft plan is fully lane-based
as required by the Secondary Plan and includes higher density uses in the area
designated as Neighbourhood Centre (at the intersection of the extension of
White’s Hill Avenue and Street “1”, a new north-south minor collector road) in
accordance with the policies of the Secondary Plan. By-law 304-87 currently zones the lands Agricultural One (A1) and
Open Space Two (O2).
DISCUSSION
Proposed plan is consistent with
principles of New Urbanism and Cornell Secondary Plan
The proposed draft plan of subdivision
is consistent with the principles of New Urbanism and provides the basis for a
fully lane-based community that is compact, pedestrian-oriented and
transit-supportive. Approval of the
draft plan and rezoning would continue the implementation of the Cornell
Secondary Plan, extending the pattern of development east from the existing
Markham By-Pass to the ultimate Markham By-Pass.
The
plan is well structured and includes a number of attractive features, most
notably:
- It is fully lane based.
- It has a highly connective modified grid
street pattern.
- It provides for a mixed-use building which
will act as a neighbourhood
centre.
- Homes will front, rather than back, onto
16th Avenue and will be enhanced by landscape buffers and
associated parkettes.
Issues raised at the Public Meeting have been addressed
On May 20, 2003, a public meeting
was held to consider the proposed draft plan of subdivision and zoning by-law
amendment. Gary Atkins, representing
the Cornell Ratepayers Association, advised Committee that the ratepayers
association is generally satisfied with the applicant’s plans. Mr. Atkins suggested that the fences
proposed by the applicant to close the rear yards off from the lanes should be
low and “see through” in order that residents can see into the lanes. He also expressed concern that future phases
of Cornell need to include more retail/commercial uses. Committee requested that the applicant speak
to Mr. Atkins about these concerns.
Committee discussed the height of the fences at the lanes and generally
concurred with Mr. Atkin’s position that these fences should be kept low.
(There was some discussion to the effect that the lane fence heights should be
limited to 40 inches or 1 metre).
Reduced Lot Depth Pilot Project
In the existing Cornell community, lots
are generally a minimum of 31 metres (102 feet) in depth. This depth allows the
garage to be a separate building at the rear of the lot and the outdoor amenity
area (back yard) to be located between the house and the garage.
The applicant is proposing that the
majority of the lots on the proposed plan of subdivision be 25 metres (82 feet)
in depth. The homes proposed on these
lots include garages attached to the rear of the home, with the outdoor amenity
area beside the garage and driveway.
On lots having a frontage of 11 metres or greater, there is sufficient
area to accommodate a rear attached double car garage and a spacious well
proportioned outdoor amenity area.
However, on smaller frontage lots such as the 9 metre single detached
and 7 metre semi-detached lots proposed by the applicant, staff have concerns
with respect to the potential impact of the rear attached single car garages;
specifically:
·
The area beside the garage and
driveway (the outdoor amenity area) is less than 4 metres (13 feet) wide for
the 7 metre semi-detached units and 5.2 metres (17 feet) for the 9 metre single
detached units.
·
The outdoor amenity area is highly
exposed to the lane and the driveway.
·
There is sufficient width to
accommodate only a single car garage. The garage therefore needs set back from
the lane in order that the second required parking space can be accommodated on
the driveway leading to the garage and the lane. This could result in the lanes appearing to be inordinately wide.
·
Some residents may attempt to widen
their driveways in the future to create independently accessible parking
spaces. This could effectively eliminate any meaningful outdoor amenity
area.
To address these concerns, the applicant
agreed to the following plan revisions and measures:
·
Mixing lots - with generally no more
than three - 9 metre lots in a row separated by not less than three - 11 or 12
metre lots. (This reduced the total number of 9 metre lots from 42% of total
units on the original submission to 25% of total units on the current plan.)
·
All flankage lots to be 11 or 12 metre
lots. These homes will have double car
garages located at the lane which will reduce the visibility into the lane from
the adjoining street.
·
The semi-detached homes facing 16th
Avenue are to incorporate a useable outdoor amenity area either in the form of
a wrap around porch or a second storey deck
·
Fencing to close the rear yards off
from the lanes. Staff are concerned
that the 1 metre height for these fences as discussed at the Public Meeting may
not provide sufficient separation between the yards and the lanes and recommend
a modest increase to 1.2 metres.
·
Planting one tree in the rear yard of
each dwelling adjoining the lane.
Staff are prepared to recommend the
applicant’s proposed lotting as a pilot project, subject to the following
conditions, which are included in the recommended conditions of draft approval
(Appendix ‘A’), and would be secured in the subdivision agreement:
1.
An acknowledgement by the applicant as follows (Condition 6.1):
- The 25 metre lot depth and associated development standards are
being accepted by the Town on a pilot basis, only for this plan of
subdivision.
- The Town has not yet taken a position that this lot depth and
associated development standards are acceptable for general application to
future phases of Cornell.
- The Town will undertake a review of the 25 metre lot depth and
associated development standards to determine whether they are acceptable
for general application to future phases of Cornell. This review will take place once 50% of
the buildings on such lots in this subdivision have been occupied for a
minimum of 6 months and the tree planting and fencing referred to in
Condition 6.2 has been completed.
- The Town will not consider applications for the further general
application of the 25 metre lot depth until Council has received a staff
report and endorsed (by resolution) regarding the continued use of this
lot depth and associated development standards in future phases of
Cornell.
2. The special designs for
the semi-detached homes facing 16th Avenue and the rear yard fencing
and tree planting as outlined above (Conditions 6.2 and 6.3).
Cornell Community Structure and Open Space Master Plan
Review
In 2002 a draft revised
Open Space Master Plan was prepared for the Cornell community with the
assistance of George Dark of Urban Strategies Inc., one of the consultants
involved in the preparation of the original master plan in 1994. This plan, which was focused primarily on
the quantity and distribution of parkspace, was prepared through a series of workshops
involving landowners, residents, public agencies. The draft revised Open Space Master Plan shows an open space
system consisting of one large (35 – 40
acre) central park and many small parkettes, whereas the original plan shows of
a system of dispersed neighbourhood parks, often campussed with schools.
Duany Plater Zyberk and
Company was subsequently retained by the Town with the financial assistance of
the applicant and Mattamy Homes to review and update the housing product for
Cornell, with the emphasis on exploring opportunities to provide a greater
diversity of housing product in future phases; and to refine the street, block
and open space layout shown of the draft Open Space Master Plan. Andres Duany presented the outcome of this
exercise to the Town on June 12/13.
Staff are currently finalizing the new master plan for Cornell in
consultation with the agencies, landowners and residents and will be preparing
an updated secondary plan to correspond to the new master plan.
The applicant has participated actively
in this process and the proposed draft plan is consistent with the evolving
direction of the new Master Plan. A
number of significant revisions were made to the structure of this plan, at the
suggestion of Andres Duany. Duany
Plater-Zyberk & Company has reviewed the latest proposed plan of
subdivision and is satisfied that it is consistent with the principles of New
Urbanism, and can be supported.
Limited water allocation restricts draft approval
Cornell has a remaining
approved water allocation of 2178 units.
The members of the developers group have negotiated a division of the
water allocation providing the subject lands with 432 units (Appendix “B”). The
applicant is requesting approval of a first phase (Figure 3) that corresponds
with the approved water allocation.
(One additional unit beyond the allocation is shown on the proposed
concept plan and is recommended to be removed by red-line revision.)
Conditions of draft approval
Recommended conditions of draft approval
are attached as Appendix “A”. In
addition to the standard conditions and those outlined above, the following
special conditions should be noted:
·
The
Owner is required to enter into a Developers Group Agreement to ensure
provision of community and common facilities such as school sites, municipal
services, parks and public roads in the Cornell Secondary Plan area, including
provisions requiring the Group to assume the obligations contained in the
School Site Agreement between Law Development Group and the Town. These
obligations include the conveyance of parkland at a rate of 5 acres per 1000
population as well as the conveyance of woodlots, urban open space areas and
landscape buffers to the Town at no cost.
·
The
area of parkland to be dedicated to the Town within the proposed draft plan is
based on the neighbourhood park component of the overall required
dedication. The community park
component (1 acre per 1000 people) will be attributed to a larger community
park to be located south of 16th Avenue and which will serve the
entire Cornell community.
·
The
Developers Group is required to prepare an update to the Development Phasing
Plan for the Cornell Community and enter into a legal agreement documenting the
Group’s commitment to a number of items including the schedule for the
completion of Bur Oak Avenue through the Cornell community and the provision of
road connections to the existing Markham By-pass.
Implementing
zoning
The
implementing zoning by-laws for the first phase development are attached as
Appendix “C”. The by-laws include a specific
exception to permit the proposed attached garage product on lots having less
than 11 metres frontage.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
No
financial implications are to be considered in this report.
BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:
The
proposed draft plan is being reviewed by Town Departments and external
agencies. Department/agency
requirements will be incorporated in the plan, conditions of draft approval and
implementing zoning by-law as required.
ATTACHMENTS:
Figure
1 - Applicant/Agent & Location Map
Figure
2 - Area Context/Zoning
Figure
3 – Proposed Draft Plan of Subdivision
Figure
4 – Aerial Photo
Figure
5 – Phase 1 Concept Plan
Appendix
‘A’ -
Recommended conditions of draft approval
Appendix
‘B’ -
Letter regarding water allocation
Appendix
‘C’ -
Draft by-law amendments
|
|
|
|
|
Valerie Shuttleworth, M.C.I.P., R.P.P.
Director of Planning & Urban Design
|
|
Jim Baird, M.C.I.P., R.P.P.
Commissioner of Development Services
|
DOCUMENT: q:\development\planning\appl\subdiv\03109544
cornell rouge development corp\final report.doc
LOCATION MAP:
