May 22, 1998
To: Urban Environment and Development Committee
From: Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services
Subject: Ontario Hydro Corridors in the City of Toronto
Purpose:
This report responds to the direction of the Urban Environment
and Development Committee on May 19, 1998 for information on the
status of Ontario Hydro Corridors in the new City and the
City-wide significance of these corridors.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that the Committee receive this report for
information.
Ontario Hydro Corridors:
Ontario Hydro corridors across the City of Toronto represent
integral links in the provincial power grid system. These
corridors carry transmission lines ranging in voltage up to 500
kV, and generally vary in width from 30 m to 180 m (100 to 600
ft.).
Operating lands of Ontario Hydro are managed by Ontario Hydro
GRID System Real Estate, a distinct autonomous business unit
created in 1993 following a substantial corporate restructuring
program. In addition to lands for linear transmission facilities,
the group is responsible for the property management of
transformer station sites, certain non-essential holdings
adjacent to corridors, maintenance yards and other real estate
assets. This report focusses primarily on the linear transmission
corridors.
GRID Systems core business is to integrate and deliver
electricity produced by various generating facilities to
electricity distributors and direct customers of Ontario Hydro.
One of its primary objectives is to maximize the value and
financial return of Hydros real estate assets through
disposal of surplus lands, or through lease or licencing to
secondary users where the Corporations technical,
environmental, safety and legal responsibilities will continue to
be met.
In this regard, GRID System reviews Hydros operational
needs and identifies surplus lands across the province on an
on-going basis. Within the City of Toronto only 2 corridors, in
the former City of Scarborough, have recently been declared
surplus and they have been sold as discussed further below. A
third corridor, also in Scarborough, is no longer used by Ontario
but continues to be used by the Toronto Public Utilities
Commission. Every indication from Ontario Hydro is that all
remaining corridors in this City are, and will remain, in active
use for the transmission of electricity.
Current Planning Status:
The Metropolitan Official Plan encourages the cooperation of
agencies responsible for the regulation, transmission and
delivery of , among other services, electric power, in the
planning and future upgrading of their systems to achieve the
Plans objectives. The Plan also provides for the orderly
integration of other uses that do not adversely affect the
industrial integrity of Metropolitan Industrial/Employment Areas,
many of which contain Ontario Hydro corridors. Similarly, the
Plan speaks to creating or improving connections for recreational
trails and linkages between elements of the Metropolitan Green
Space System, many of which are already linked by or include
portions of active transmission corridors.
The Official Plans of the former area municipalities, while
differing somewhat in specifics, all generally apply "public
utility" designations to Ontario Hydro corridors and
particularly provide for secondary uses within the corridors,
such as parking lots, walkways and bikeways, gardening plots,
storage and recreation uses, providing they are compatible with
the utility use and adjacent uses and dont require
construction of buildings.
While few Plans contemplate conversion of surplus utility
corridors to other uses, the North York Plan states that in such
cases, re-use for housing shall be given first consideration. The
Uptown Secondary Plan also contains policies that assign
transferable density from a future service road within a
corridor. Both the North York and Etobicoke Plans recognize
potential for commercial uses on certain arterial frontages. The
Etobicoke Plan also provides for the rezoning of surplus Hydro
corridor lands without an Official Plan amendment where the
zoning conforms to adjacent designations. The criteria for such
rezoning includes whether it is feasible for the City to acquire
the lands for housing or open space, can the land be developed
without environmental or safety hazards, and is the use
compatible with adjacent uses.
The Zoning By-laws of the former municipalities also treat
Ontario Hydro corridors in a similar fashion, generally applying
Transportation/Utility, Public Utility, Open Space or
Agricultural zoning permitting the utility use and local utility
uses, agriculture and garden plots, recreation uses, parks,
walkways and pathways, and parking or open storage uses
associated with abutting lands. (In some cases parking and
storage have required minor variance.)
Secondary Uses of Corridor Lands:
Ontario Hydros corporate policy on development within
its corridors since 1979 has been to accomodate use by other
parties subject to leases, licences or easements and Ontario
Hydros own operational requirements, in order to realize a
return from its real estate assets. There are numerous examples
where this has occured across the City today.
Where Hydros corridors run through commercial or industrial
areas, there are many examples, particularly in Etobicoke, North
York and Scarborough, where corridor lands are being used
extensively by abutting retail, restaurant, cinema, hotel,
hospital and industrial uses for parking and storage. In many
cases all of the required parking for the abutting use is
being provided on corridor land. Corridors in both Etobicoke and
North York contain expansive commuter parking lots, TTC
"Kiss and Rides" and GO Transit termini.
Corridor lands are used extensively by the former local
utilities for electric distribution and water or sewer mains, or
for oil and gas pipelines. For example, the Finch Transmission
right-of-way in North York contains 6 major pipelines from
Western Canada and Sarnia serving the large tank farm complex on
Finch Avenue West.
There are numerous garden plots, playgrounds and neighbourhood
parks on these corridors across the City. The former City of
Scarborough alone had 9 licences for recreation purposes on Hydro
lands encompassing approximately 40 ha (100 acres). In this
respect, such corridors do offer the potential to help offset
localized deficiencies in public park facilities. There are also
a variety of private recreation activities such as mini-golf
courses, a cricket pitch in the Finch corridor in Scarborough for
the Toronto Police Association, etc. Adjacent to Centennial Park
in Etobicoke are a go-kart track and driving range on Hydro
lands, together with the public access to the park itself.
There are also examples of Ontario Hydro allowing buildings
within its corridors such as the new Loblaws Superstore on Redway
Road west of Laird Drive in Leaside, or the Knob Hill Farms store
on Highway 2 and the Pickering Playing Fields complex on Bayly
Street in Pickering.
Current Status of Hydro Corridors and Development
Applications:
Generally across the new City, Ontario Hydros corridors
remain in active use for electricity transmission and there are
no indications at this time that any are going to be declared
surplus and sold. There are, however, three recent exceptions
within the former City of Scarborough. Ontario Hydro in March,
1996 declared the 4 km (2.5 mile) north/south transmission
corridor west of Warden Avenue, from Highway 401 to the Finch
Transmission right-of-way south of McNicoll Avenue (the Warden
North corridor), surplus. The lands, varying from 84 to 98 m (276
to 320 ft.) wide, were marketed in early 1997 through Requests
for Qualifications and Proposals, preferably from a "master
developer" for the length of the corridor. The lands have
now been purchased largely by Graywood Investments Ltd., a
residential developer.
The First Alliance Church on the north side of Finch Avenue
East has also purchased the corridor lands abutting its site for
proposed expansion of the church and development of housing for
seniors.
The corridor then splits as it crosses Highway 401. The Warden
South corridor continues southerly, connecting to the Gatineau
Transmission right-of-way north of Eglinton Avenue. This corridor
is presently surplus to Ontario Hydros needs, but is
presently under lease to the Toronto Public Utilities Commission
(previously the Scarborough Public Utilities Commission) for the
Commissions own transmission facilities. This corridor will
only be sold as and when the Commission has no further need for
it, however, redevelopment potential is limited by its 46 m (150
ft.) width.
The second corridor generally runs diagonally south-easterly
to the Scarborough Transformer Station at Lawrence Avenue East
and Kennedy Road, adjacent to the Gatineau corridor. This
corridor has also been declared surplus and marketed in a similar
manner as the Warden North corridor. A buyer for the two portions
of corridor within the Maryvale and Dorset Park residential
communities has been identified as Norstar Development
Corporation.
Preliminary Evaluation Reports on development applications by
Graywood and Norstar continue to be deferred by the Scarborough
Community Council.
Following a year of land use review of the Warden North and
southerly "diagonal" corridors commenced in May, 1996,
the former Scarborough City Council in September, 1997 approved
Official Plan Amendment 1001 which added an Open Space
designation to the existing Ontario Hydro Corridor designation on
these corridors, and which designated three Special Study Areas
for future place of worship uses. That amendment was appealed to
the Ontario Municipal Board by Ontario Hydro and First Alliance.
More recent appeals by Graywood and potentially Norstar on their
applications will be consolidated by the Board into the same
hearing, likely to commence this fall.
A restaurant proposal on Dundas Street as a secondary use
within the Manby-Richview corridor, supported by both Planning
staff and Ontario Hydro, was refused by the former Etobicoke City
Council. A decision by the Ontario Municipal Board is pending.
Staff in the North York District office are presently
reviewing Official Plan and rezoning applications for a car
dealership and restaurant on the south-west corner of Eglinton
Avenue East and Jonesville Crescent within the Gatineau corridor
west of Victoria Park Avenue.
These development proposals are the only ones currently
affecting (former) Ontario Hydro corridors lands in the City of
Toronto.
The City-wide Significance of Ontario Hydro Corridors:
Aside from the obvious benefits to the City and broader region
from accommodating electricity transmission facilities, it is
difficult to identify discrete attributes of these corridors that
are common across the City. Clearly their use for such secondary
purposes as pipelines or to support the requirements of other
utilities, neighbouring businesses and industries has substantial
economic benefits for the City of Toronto. It should be
recognized that their continued use and availability for these
purposes is of great significance in maintaining the economic
vitality of this City.
Being linear in nature there are many opportunities for
pedestrian and bicycle pathway linkages. The Rail and Hydro
Corridor Pathway Opportunities Study has been underway across
Toronto for some time. The study has identified approximately 168
km (104 miles) of corridor lands for further detailed examination
which, in addition to railway lands, could make a significant
contribution toward realizing a significant linear trail system
throughout the new City.
Such further investigation is essential, since in many
employment areas such trails would be through existing parking or
industrial storage areas, already encumbered through various
leases and licences. Not all stretches of corridor in these areas
provide beneficial linkages, such as between a residential and
employment area or transit facility. Many links are obstructed by
other features such as stream or railway crossings.
The corridors do provide significant opportunities for
environmental enhancement. Undeveloped stretches provide habitat
for wildlife, groundwater recharge and in many cases
opportunities for storm water management. There are numerous
examples across the City where the former municipalities in
cooperation with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
have utilized corridor lands to implement storm water management
works to improve the quantity and quality of stormwater discharge
for the benefit of both stream systems and often abutting
properties as well. Such problems have been addressed through
substantial public investment, however, some private sector
development initiatives for corridor lands should be considered
on a case by case basis where they have the potential to provide
similar benefits.
Perhaps the most significant importance of these corridors is
where they run through residential areas. While to some, the
transmission towers are an eyesore or potential health hazard, to
many residents these corridors provide passive recreation
opportunities and green spaces to enhance the fabric of their
community. Many Toronto residents backing onto corridor lands
already enjoy licences for backyard extensions onto a corridor
for landscaping purposes. There are numerous public recreation
facilities within these corridors through lease or licence as
well, and Ontario Hydro is not adverse to considering more. Many
residents have responded to the recent development applications
in Scarborough that these surplus corridors should be retained
entirely as Open Space. Such actions will, however, require a
clear commitment by City Council to the allocation of necessary
funds to acquire such surplus lands.
Conclusions:
The remaining Ontario Hydro transmission corridors in the City
of Toronto are going to remain active for some time. This
continuing primary function is necessary and important to the
well being of the Citys residents and businesses, and
should clearly be recognized. The only other potential use of
these corridors will therefore continue to be for secondary
purposes. There are many successful examples of such uses in a
variety of land use contexts and under various planning
objectives established across the City, which have benefited
business and residents alike. There will continue be other
opportunities. The City-wide significance of these corridors is
that they can and do serve a variety of interests in a variety of
ways. Opportunities exist to secure passive recreational walking,
trail and cycling facilities within the current planning
environment My report, on the results of a consultants
study, is also before your Committee. This report recommends a
strategy for Council to advance these opportunities.
Contact Name:
Rod Hines, Principal Planner
(416) 396-7020
(416) 396-4265 Fax Number
hines@city.scarborough.on.ca
Reviewed by:
______________________________ ______________________________
Paul J. Bedford, Virginia M. West,
Executive Director and Chief Planner Commissioner of Urban
Planning and
City Planning Division Development Services
RH/KS