RECOMMENDATION:
That a Public Meeting be held to
consider the applications submitted by Wykland
Estates Inc. (Mattamy Homes) for draft plan of subdivision approval and
implementing zoning to permit a residential plan of subdivision on Part of Lots 15 and 16, Concession 9 and Part of the Road
Allowance between Lots 15 and 16, Concession 9 in the Cornell Community.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this report is to provide
preliminary information regarding applications for draft plan of subdivision
approval and implementing zoning and to recommend that the Committee authorize
the scheduling of a public meeting.
BACKGROUND:
Property and Area Context
The subject lands are 28.267 hectares
(69.85 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 9th Line. An existing
farm residence and several associated agricultural buildings and trees are
located in the south-east portion of the site.
The residence is listed in the Town’s Inventory of Heritage
Resources. The balance of the subject
lands are in agricultural use.
To the north, across 16th
Avenue, are additional lands within the Cornell Community that have been
draft-approved for development as well as lands that are in agricultural
production. To the south is the
existing Cornell Community and additional lands owned by the applicant that
extend to Highway 7 between the current development limit of the Cornell
Community and the existing Markham By-Pass.
To the east are lands that are currently in agricultural production and
are the subject of separate applications for draft approval and rezoning. To the west is the existing Cornell
Community and the existing community west of the 9th Line. A 7.94 hectare (19.63 acre) parcel located
at the southeast corner or 9th Line and 16th Avenue is
under separate ownership and is not included within the proposed draft
plan. However, it is anticipated that
separate applications for draft plan approval and rezoning will shortly be
submitted for this parcel (see Figure 2).
Proposal
The applicant has submitted applications
for draft plan of subdivision approval and implementing zoning. The draft plan of subdivision proposes 380
dwelling units consisting of Single Family, Semi-Detached, Townhouse and
Live/Work building types. The applicant
is presently working to finalize the specific unit count, housing mix and
phasing.
Official Plan and Zoning By-law
The Official Plan designates the majority
of the lands as Urban Residential and a portion along the Bur Oak Avenue
corridor as Commercial. The Cornell
Secondary Plan designates the lands a combination of Neighbourhood General,
Neighbourhood Centre, Community Amenity Area – Corridor, and Open Space. The proposed unit types are permitted within
the respective Secondary Plan designations.
By-law 304-87 currently zones the lands Agricultural One (A1).
POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF APPROVAL OF THE
PROPOSAL:
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. The draft plan is
also consistent with the broad principles emerging from the Town’s current
review of the Cornell Community Structure and Open Space Master Plan. Approval of the draft plan and rezoning
would continue the implementation of the Cornell Secondary Plan, extending and
completing the pattern of development within the existing Cornell Community
northwards to 16th Avenue.
This includes a vital segment of Bur Oak Avenue that will link the
existing community of Cornell to 16th Avenue and the approved
development to the north within Cornell Phase 6 (Metrus) as well as to the
other new communities to the west (Greensborough, Wismer Commons and Berczy
Village).
CONCERNS/ISSUES TO BE RESOLVED:
The following is a
brief summary of concerns/issues raised to date. These matters, and any others
identified through the circulation and detailed review of the proposal, will be
addressed in a final staff report to be presented to Committee at a later date.
Heritage Home
The current draft plan indicates the
heritage home within a park block, which would not generally be acceptable to
the Town. Depending on the outcome of
the analysis of the heritage value of the home, the plan may need to be
reconfigured to provide an appropriate lot for the heritage home.
Mix of Unit Types
The current draft plan indicates blocks
of single unit types. Town staff are
working with the applicant to ensure that the draft plan provides an
appropriate unit mix within each block.
Lot and Street Patterns
Based on a preliminary review of the
plan, staff are generally satisfied with the proposed layout of the development
(except as noted above). However, staff
have identified several areas where the proposed street pattern, lots and open
spaces may be subject to refinement.
Cornell Community Structure and Open Space Master Plan
Review
The Town is currently completing a review
of the Community Structure and Open Space Master Plans for all of the remaining
phases of Cornell, with the assistance of Urban Strategies Inc. and Duany
Plater-Zyberk & Company. As part of
this process, Andres Duany is tentatively scheduled to present drafts of the
new plans to Council and the public on May 7th, 2003. The applicant has participated actively in
this process and the proposed draft plan reflects the outcomes of the process
to date. Town staff will work with the
applicant to incorporate any required revisions to the draft plan and
implementing zoning by-law that may be necessitated as a result of further
structural changes to the overall community plan.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
No
financial implications are to be considered in this report.
BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:
The
proposal is currently in circulation to other Town Departments and agencies.
ATTACHMENTS:
Figure
1 - Applicant/Agent & Location Map
Figure
2 - Area Context/Zoning
Figure
3 – Proposed Draft Plan of Subdivision
Figure
4 – Aerial Photo
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Valerie Shuttleworth, M.C.I.P., R.P.P.
Director of Planning & Urban Design
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Jim Baird, M.C.I.P., R.P.P.
Commissioner of Development Services
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DOCUMENT: q:\development\planning\appl\subdiv\03108934
wykland estates inc\preliminary report.doc
LOCATION MAP:
