July 15, 1998

To:North York Community Council

From:Bryan Tuckey

Acting Commissioner of Planning

Subject:OPPI 1998 EXCELLENCE IN PLANNING AWARDS

Purpose:

To advise Council of recent awards conferred by OPPI for North York Planning Projects.

Recommendation:

It is recommended that:

(1)Council receive this report for information.

Discussion:

I am pleased to announce that two North York Planning Office projects have been selected for the OPPI District Level Professional Merit Awards competition as follows:

1."The Downsview Lands Re-Development Project, Public Consultation & Education Process" in the Communications/Public Education category. This project provides a wide range of effective and easy-to-understand communication and education materials that were used as part of an extensive, innovative, open public consultation process, including collaborative events with the Canada Lands Company Ltd; and

2."Replacement Housing Design Guidelines Study" in the Urban/Community Design category. This project addresses the long and often volatile issue of Replacement Housing (monster homes) in an innovative way. Two main areas of innovation are the full participation of stakeholders in developing workable approaches to the replacement housing issue, and the adoption of a holistic, graphically-based approach to regulating replacement housing, starting with the view from the street.

In addition, we retained and directed the firm of duToit Allsopp Hillier to undertake the "North York Centre Urban Design Study" as part of the North York Centre Plan review. "The Final Recommendations" of this study received the OPPI Professional Merits Awards in the Planning Studies/Reports category.

These winning entries will be recognized and presented their awards at the AGM luncheon of the 1998 OPPI Symposium in Kingston, on Tuesday August 18, 1998. The projects will also be entered for competition at the provincial level.

Bryan Tuckey

ACTING COMMISSIONER OF PLANNING

BT:el