City-Initiated Official Plan Amendment Application W98009
Road Allowance Linking Metropolitan Road
and Continental Place
Ward 14 - Scarborough Wexford
The Scarborough Community Council, after considering the deputations and based on
the finding of fact, conclusions and recommendations contained in the report, dated
June 19, 1998, from the former Commissioner of Planning and Buildings, Scarborough,
recommends that the report of the former Commissioner of Planning and Buildings,
Scarborough, be adopted.
The Scarborough Community Council reports having held a statutory public meeting on
October 14, 1998, in accordance with Section 17 and Section 34 of the Planning Act, and that
appropriate notice of this meeting was given in accordance with the Planning Act and the
regulations thereunder.
The Scarborough Community Council submits the following report (June 19, 1998)
from the former Commissioner of Planning and Buildings, Scarborough:
Purpose:
This report presents recommendations to amend the Scarborough Official Plan, specifically
Schedule "C", the Roads Plan, to identify a new road connection linking the eastern terminus
of Metropolitan Road southerly to Warden Avenue through Continental Place, as shown.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that City Council:
(A)Official Plan:
amend Schedule "C" of the Official Plan, the Roads Plan of the former City of Scarborough,
by identifying a new 23 metre (75 foot) road right-of-way connection linking the eastern
terminus of Metropolitan Road southerly to Warden Avenue through Continental Place, and
by amending Schedule "A" of the Official Plan, the Land Use Plan, to also reflect the
proposed road; and
(B)authorize such unsubstantive technical, stylistic or format changes to the Official Plan
amendment as may be required to properly carry out the intent of this resolution.
Background:
In September 1997, the Council of the former City of Scarborough considered a preliminary
report on Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendment applications for the vacant Ontario
Hydro lands on the east side of Warden Avenue south of Metropolitan Road. (Those lands
were declared surplus by Hydro in 1996 and subsequently tendered for sale. The applications
propose commercial development on the Warden frontage with industrial and vehicle service
and repair uses toward the rear. A Public Meeting on the applications is also scheduled on this
agenda.)
Council at that time saw an opportunity to develop a new road in the area that could provide
frontage for the proposed industrial user on the former Hydro corridor and additional frontage
for other vacant lands in the vicinity in the future. The City already owns a 24 metre (80 foot)
wide strip that runs between 41 Metropolitan Road (iCom Information and Communications
Inc.) and 100 Metropolitan Road (Zellers Inc. Distribution Centre) southerly from the eastern
terminus of Metropolitan Road to the eastern extremity of the Hydro corridor adjacent to the
CP rail line.
With the concurrent applications on the former Hydro lands, there is an opportunity through
conveyance to extend this strip to facilitate a looped connection to Warden Avenue through
Continental Place, as has already been informally presented to staff by the owners of land
surrounding Continental Place, Pensionfund Realty Ltd. (Morguard Investments Ltd.).
Council therefore, in directing the normal processing of the applications on the Hydro
corridor, further directed that an amendment to Schedule "C", the Roads Plan of the Official
Plan, be initiated to identify such a new road link in the Plan.
The Official Plan designates most of the subject lands General Industrial Uses permitting
industrial, office, education and training, recreation, technical research and development, and
subordinate incidental retailing. The eastern end of Continental Place is also designated High
Performance Standards permitting possible use, siting, landscaping, parking, exterior
materials, signs and screening limitations. The area north of the Hydro corridor is also
designated to permit Vehicle Service and Repair Uses. The remainder of the land is Ontario
Hydro Corridor, providing for the primary transmission of the public utility, with limited
secondary uses permitted which include parking lots, walkways, bikeways, gardening plots
and recreational uses.
The subject lands have various zoning under the Employment Districts Zoning By-law. The
lands south of the Hydro corridor on Continental Place are Industrial (M) permitting industrial
uses, offices, educational and training uses and day nurseries. The same uses are permitted
under the General Industrial (MG) zoning north of the corridor, together with open storage.
Additionally, Vehicle Service Uses (VS) zoning permits vehicle repair and service garages,
sales and service station uses north of the corridor. The Public Utilities (PU) zoning on the
former Hydro corridor permits public utilities, pipelines and horticulture. Public streets are
permitted in all zones.
Comments:
(1)This City-initiated application was circulated to various agencies, none of whom have
expressed concerns. Statutory Public Notice has been provided to all assessed persons within
120 metres (400 feet) of the subject property. Notice of the City's initiative was also provided
to affected abutting owners (Ontario Hydro, iCom, Zellers, Pensionfund and CPR) who have
not responded with concerns to date.
(2)The current City ownership north of the former Hydro corridor is 24 metres (80 feet) in
width. Transportation staff advise that given the function of this road, a 23 metre (75 foot)
right-of-way will be sufficient for the proposed future road..
(3)There are benefits to considering this road connection. This would complete a collector
road system for this portion of the Employment District and improve traffic operations on
Warden Avenue, particularly for the intersection with Metropolitan Road which provides the
only means of egress to Warden Avenue for most businesses on that street. In addition, this
road would provide approximately 915 metres (3,000 feet) of additional frontage to enable
redevelopment and intensification opportunities for the adjacent properties, which would
assist in promoting needed business development in this City.
(4)The September 1997 direction of the former City of Scarborough Council was for an
amendment to the Schedule "C" Roads Plan. Most people consulting the Official Plan,
however, generally refer to the various Secondary Plans and rarely the Roads Plan. To better
inform parties interested in the planning for this portion of the Employment District in future,
I feel it appropriate that the Ellesmere Employment District Secondary Plan also be modified
to reflect the proposed new road connection, in the same manner as "proposed roads" are
indicated in the Neilson and Rouge Employment District Secondary Plans.
Contact Name:
Rod Hines, Principal Planner
Phone: (416) 396-7020, Fax: (416) 396-4265, E-Mail: hines@city.scarborough.on.ca