Preliminary Evaluation Report

Official Plan Amendment Application SP98005

Zoning By-Law Amendment Application SZ98012

John Delic, South Side of Lawrence Avenue East

Ward 14 - Scarborough Wexford

The Scarborough Community Council recommends the adoption of the following report (May 12, 1998) from the Commissioner of Planning and Buildings, Scarborough, wherein it is recommended that the subject application be refused:

Purpose:

Amnon Kestelman, on behalf of John Delic, has applied to amend the Official Plan and Industrial Zoning to Industrial Commercial (MC) to permit an automobile sales and repair business on a 0.22 hectare (0.53 acre) vacant parcel of land located on the south side of Lawrence Avenue East, east of Crockford Blvd. A 361 square metre (3,886 square foot) two storey building is proposed on the subject lands which were previously part of a Canadian Pacific Railway corridor running north-south through Wexford Employment District.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that Council:

(1)refuse the applications by Amnon Kestelman, on behalf of John Delic, to amend the Official Plan and Industrial Zoning to Industrial Commercial (MC) to permit an automobile sales and repair business on the subject lands; this stretch of Lawrence Avenue East has evolved in recent years to include commercial uses such as retail stores and personal service shops but auto-related uses have been excluded in an effort to promote a more pedestrian friendly environment; the City recently amended several of its Employment District Secondary Plans and Zoning By-laws, including Wexford Employment, to provide for vehicle service and repair uses on some sites in the interior of the Employment Districts, removed from the arterial roads; and

(2)enact a Site Plan Control By-law for the subject lands, consistent with the site plan control Official Plan provisions for Lawrence Avenue.

Background:

(1)The subject lands are illustrated as part of the Canadian Pacific (CP) Railway corridor on the Wexford Employment District Secondary Plan Land Use Map and are therefore subject to the Public Utilities policies of the Official Plan. The subject lands are zoned AIndustrial@ (M) permitting Day Nurseries, Educational and Training Facility Uses, Industrial Uses, Offices (excluding Medical and Dental Offices), Places of Worship, and Recreational Uses. The southern quarter of the subject lands is zoned AGeneral Industrial@ (MG), ASpecial Industrial@ (MS), and AVehicle Service@ (VS).

(2)The stretch of Lawrence Avenue East, between Crockford Boulevard and Birchmount Road is characterized by a variety of uses including office, commercial, residential, and auto-related uses. To the immediate west of the subject lands there is an auto body repair business (Howden Collision) and to the immediate east there is a mixed commercial/office project. The abandoned Canadian Pacific Railway corridor lands continue on the north side of Lawrence Avenue.

Comments:

(1)The subject lands were created as a separate parcel when the City purchased the CP Railway corridor lands to the immediate south in December, 1996, for a watercourse regeneration project in the Massey Creek watershed. The lands acquired by the City run parallel to Massey Creek and will be utilized in the re-naturalization of the watercourse. The subject lands were not acquired by the City at that time because they do not abut the watercourse which swings to the west at the southerly point of the subject lands and therefore are not required from an engineering/operations point of view. The applicant advises that the owner purchased the subject lands in November, 1997.

(2)The subject proposal raises a number of urban design and land use issues. With such a narrow frontage of only 15 metres (50 feet) and a long depth of over 120 metres (400 feet), it will be difficult to develop an auto-related uses project on this property which meets the City=s Urban Design objectives to promote attractive streetscapes through the co-ordination of site, building, and landscaping design, on and between individual sites. The applicant=s preliminary site plan shown on Figure 1 illustrates a proposed building setback 45 metres (150 feet) from the streetline with parking in front. The proposed 5 metre (16.4 foot) wide access driveway along the west side of the proposed building is deficient in size for a two-way driveway which requires a minimum width of 6 metres (20 feet).

(3)The auto-related uses proposed will not contribute to the pedestrian friendly environment encouraged for this area. In recent years this stretch of Lawrence Avenue has evolved to include commercial uses such as retail stores and personal service shops but auto-related uses have been excluded. Projects recently approved along this stretch of Lawrence Avenue East which have excluded auto-related uses in their zoning include the mixed office/commercial project to the immediate east and the mixed residential/commercial project on the south west corner of Lawrence Avenue East and Birchmount Road, both of which have contributed positively to the pedestrian environment along Lawrence Avenue East.

One of the objectives of the Lawrence Avenue Study Terms of Reference endorsed by the former City of Scarborough in 1995 is to encourage aesthetic improvements along Lawrence Avenue. Although the study has remained dormant and is not in the 1998 work program, it may become active again in 1999. It was anticipated in the Terms of Reference that staff would continue to process applications received within the study area, provided the nature of the proposals did not undermine the objectives of the Study.

(4)There are already several properties along this stretch of Lawrence Avenue East which permit auto-related uses. The City recently amended several of its Employment District Secondary Plans and Zoning By-laws to provide for vehicle service and repair uses on some sites in the interior of the Employment Districts in an effort to remove these uses from arterial roads. In the Wexford Employment District, Vehicle Service Garages are permitted along portions of Underwriters Road and on the east side of Howden Road.

(5)The City will be undertaking an Environmental Assessment and feasibility study for the Massey Creek watercourse regeneration plan south of the subject lands. The funding year for this project is 1999. It is anticipated that the detailed design of the regeneration plan may include a pedestrian route running parallel to the watercourse. The subject lands are a logical linkage between the Massey Creek corridor and Lawrence Avenue for pedestrian purposes. However there are alternatives for bringing pedestrians out to Lawrence Avenue from the Massey Creek corridor. The most desirable alternative would be to continue a pedestrian path along side Massey Creek as it swings to the west where it meets the intersection of Lawrence Avenue and Crockford Boulevard. Although this stretch of Massey Creek is more narrow, there is some tablelands along the west side of the creek on which a pedestrian path could be accommodated. This alternative is desirable because it would bring pedestrians out to Lawrence Avenue at Crockford Boulevard where there is an existing traffic signal. Pedestrians can then cross Lawrence Avenue safely.

(6)The property is not subject to Site Plan Control because at the time site plan control was applied to surrounding lands it was not anticipated the subject lands would be declared surplus by CP Rail. The properties to the west and east on Lawrence Avenue are under Site Plan Control. I am recommending Council enact a Site Plan Control by-law for the subject lands to ensure that any developments proposed under the current as-of-right zoning are reviewed by the Planning and Buildings Department following submission of a Site Plan Control application.

Conclusions:

The proposal to permit an automobile sales and repair business on the subject lands is not desirable nor does it represent good planning for this stretch of Lawrence Avenue East. Pedestrian friendly commercial uses may be appropriate for this property such as retail stores and personal service shops, but auto-related uses should be excluded consistent with recent nearby developments.

Contact Name:

Joe Nanos, Acting Senior Planner

(416) 396-7037

(416) 396-4265 Fax Number

nanos@city.scarborough.on.ca

Mr. Amnon Kestelman appeared before the Scarborough Community Council in connection with the foregoing matter.

The Community Council also received a communication from Councillor Norm Kelly in support of the staff recommendation.