Status, and Recreational Use, of

Ontario Hydro Corridors in the City of Toronto.

The Urban Environment and Development Committee recommends the adoption of the reports (May 22, 1998) from the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services and (June 1, 1998) from the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, subject to striking out the recommendation in each report and inserting in lieu thereof the following new recommendation:

"It is recommended that Council adopt this report and endorse its conclusions.".

The Urban Environment and Development Committee submits the following report (May 22, 1998) from the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services:

Purpose:

This report responds to the direction of the Urban Environment and Development Committee on May19, 1998, for information on the status of Ontario Hydro Corridors in the new City and the City-wide significance of these corridors.

Recommendation:

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 metres to 180 metres (100 to 600 feet).

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 focuses primarily on the linear transmission corridors.

GRID System's 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 Hydro's real estate assets through disposal of surplus lands, or through lease or licencing to secondary users where the Corporation's technical, environmental, safety and legal responsibilities will continue to be met.

In this regard, GRID System reviews Hydro's operational needs and identifies surplus lands across the Province on an ongoing basis. Within the City of Toronto only two 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 co-operation 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 Plan's 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 do not 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 the 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 Hydro's corporate policy on development within its corridors since 1979 has been to accommodate use by other parties subject to leases, licences or easements and Ontario Hydro's own operational requirements, in order to realize a return from its real estate assets. There are numerous examples where this has occurred across the City today.

Where Hydro's 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 NorthYork contains six 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 nine licences for recreation purposes on Hydro lands encompassing approximately 40 hectares (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 Hydro's 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 four kilometre (2.5 mile) north/south transmission corridor west of WardenAvenue, from Highway 401 to the Finch Transmission right-of-way south of McNicollAvenue (the Warden North corridor), surplus. The lands, varying from 84 to 98 metres (276 to 320 feet) 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 Hydro's needs, but is currently under lease to the Toronto Public Utilities Commission (previously the Scarborough Public Utilities Commission) for the Commission's 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 metres (150 feet) 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 No. 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 JonesvilleCrescent 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 kilometres (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 stormwater management. There are numerous examples across the City where the former municipalities in co-operation with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority have utilized corridor lands to implement stormwater 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 City's 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 benefitted business and residents alike. There will continue to 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:

Mr. Rod Hines, Principal Planner, 396-7020, Fax: 396-4265, hines@city.scarborough.on.ca.

The Urban Environment and Development Committee also submits the following report (June1, 1998) from the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism:

Purpose:

The purpose of this report is to provide further information on the potential for recreational uses in the Hydro corridors, and relevant economic strategies to achieve an enhanced level of use of both active, and surplus Hydro corridors.

Funding Implications:

Not applicable at this time.

Recommendation:

It is recommended that this report be received for information of the Committee and Council.

Discussion:

All former municipalities within Toronto make use of Hydro corridors for recreational purposes. It is clear that there is great potential within the Hydro corridor system for expansion of the current uses to satisfy growing recreational requirements. Current recreational uses of active Hydro corridors are diverse and include recreational and linear trail systems, garden allotments, parking for recreational facilities as well as a range of passive open space uses, which would include stormwater and local environmental management features. In some cases, active recreation areas and sports fields are also accommodated on Hydro corridor lands, but this is a very small percentage of use.

The potential uses of surplus Hydro corridors are equally attractive, but can also provide the added benefit of more active uses to address shortages of active parkland.

Ontario Hydro is disposing of many surplus corridors in the open marketplace and there are a number of mechanisms whereby these lands could be used for recreational purposes. These include:

(a)Acquisition: The entire surplus corridor, or selected sections could be purchased for use by the City as active or passive open space. Although desirable, the purchase of major portions of the surplus Hydro corridor system would not be practical from a financial standpoint in that our parkland acquisition funds are limited and are currently focused on achieving key objectives in parkland and trail linkages, satisfying current deficiencies and purchasing land for facility development.

(b)Parkland Dedication: Through parkland dedication, the development process itself does provide the opportunity for acquisition and development of smaller portions of properties for specific purposes and in limited quantities. Although this will assist in addressing specific deficiencies and provide open space for new residents of these developments, they will not have a significant impact on the overall parks and open space system.

(c)Public/Private Partnerships: If a suitable opportunity for involvement by the City could be achieved, a public/private partnership in the development of Hydro lands is possible and could be focused on achieving specific facility development objectives or to satisfy other local recreational needs. These would have to be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

These scenarios would have to be governed by budget considerations and should be further evaluated in the context of other economic development and assessment issues in specific development scenarios.

Conclusions:

It is clear that the City benefits from current uses of Hydro lands, and that there is the potential for additional parks and recreational needs to be addressed on existing and surplus Hydro lands. However, the costs of acquisition of large tracts of these surplus Hydro corridors is likely prohibitive. The objectives of the City would be advanced by focusing on selective acquisition, potential public/private partnerships and dedication of lands through the development process.

Contacts:

Mr. Tom Tusek, Parks and Recreation, Scarborough Office, 396-7377.

Mr. John Macintyre, Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, Metro Hall, 397-4451.