Communication Plan for New Bus Garage.

The Urban Environment and Development Committee recommends the adoption of the following joint report (September 29, 1998) from the Chief General Manager, Toronto Transit Commission, and the Chief Administrative Officer, City of Toronto:

This report outlines a process for obtaining input to the design of the new bus garage located at Comstock Road and Lebovic Road to keep Councillors informed of intentions/progress prior to final decisions as requested by Toronto City Council at its meeting of July8, 9 and 10,1998.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statements:

If the recommendations of this report are adopted, the risk of incurring additional project costs related to schedule delays will be reduced.

Recommendation:

It is recommended that Toronto City Council endorse the process for obtaining public and technical input for the new bus garage as described herein.

Background:

At its July 8, 9 and 10, 1998 meeting, City of Toronto Council asked that "the Chief Administrative Officer and the Chief General Manager of the Toronto Transit Commission be requested to submit a report to the Urban Environment and Development Committee on changes to current protocol of the Toronto Transit Commission to provide that City Councillors representing Wards in which initiatives are being considered and that will have an effect on the local community are kept informed of intentions/progress prior to any final decisions at the Commission."

Discussion:

The design process for the new bus garage and related facilities occurs over a period of approximately 15 months. Preliminary Design occurs in the first 30 percent of the design activity and is aimed at conceptualizing and finalizing the configuration and layout. Detail design advances the design from 30 percent to 100 percent completion and produces tender-ready documents.

An outline of the basic steps of the consultative process which the TTC will be undertaking during the design of the new bus garage is illustrated in Exhibit A, attached, and described as follows:

(a)0 Percent to 10 Percent Stage (Conceptual Design):

During this stage, garage plans and site layouts will be distributed to all agencies involved in the design review and approval process. Working meetings to discuss the plans will be arranged with City Planning staff and other affected Departments and Agencies. At the end of this design stage, the proposed layout and architectural concept is completed and will be submitted to City staff through a site plan control application, to local Councillors and subsequently to the Commission for approval. An information package will be distributed through the local Councillors to the local community inviting them to a public meeting. Garage plans and configuration will be presented at the public meeting. Comments from the public will be incorporated into the design, as appropriate. Subsequently, an information report will be submitted to the Commission and the Urban Environment and Development Committee regarding the outcome of the public meeting.

(b)10 Percent to 30 Percent Stage (Preliminary Design):

Following approximately four to six months of design, at the 30 percent stage, the basic functional layout of the project and related surface facilities has been confirmed. At this stage, project plans will once again be distributed and a second set of working meetings will be held with the involved agencies. Input from these reviews will be incorporated as appropriate.

(c)30 Percent to 90 Percent Stage (Detail Design):

Approximately half-way through this design stage, the proposed design will be submitted to City staff, local Councillors and subsequently to the Commission for approval with regard to external appearance. Working meetings to discuss the plans will be arranged with City Planning staff and other affected Departments and Agencies. An information package will be distributed through the local Councillors to the local community inviting them to another public meeting to review the garage appearance. Subsequently, an information report will be submitted to the Commission and the Urban Environment and Development Committee regarding the outcome of the public meeting.

(d)90 Percent to 100 Percent Stage (Document Preparation):

During this design stage, the site plan control agreement will be finalized and executed with the City staff. This agreement is a prerequisite to the issuance of a building permit.

The TTC has adopted this pre-submission consultative process related to site plan approval to ensure that opportunities for timely input by all affected parties are built into the design process at an early stage. The consultative process described in this report is intended to avoid expensive redesign costs and expedite approval.

Conclusions:

A process has been established to ensure adequate input on the design of the new bus garage related surface facilities from the public and local Councillors, Agencies and staff. The proposed process enables construction to proceed in a timely manner in order to meet the project schedule. This process also ensures that the interests and inputs of all affected parties are included in the design in a timely manner.

The Urban Environment and Development Committee also submits the following communication (October 8, 1998) from the General Secretary, Toronto Transit Commission:

At its meeting on Wednesday, October 7, 1998, the Toronto Transit Commission (Commission) considered the attached report, entitled "New Bus Garage Design: City of Toronto Council Motions of July 8, 9 And 10, 1998."

The Commission received the above report for information and requested that it be forwarded to the City of Toronto Urban Environment and Development Committee for information in response to items raised by City of Toronto Council at its meeting on July 8, 9 and 10, 1998.

The foregoing is forwarded to the City of Toronto Urban Environment and Development Committee for information.

(Toronto Transit Commission Report No. 21, entitled

"New Bus Garage Design: City of Toronto Council Motions of July 8, 9 and 10, 1998.")

Recommendations:

It is recommended that the Commission receive this report for information and that it be forwardedtothe Urban Environment and Development Committee in response to items raised at the July 8, 9 and 10, 1998 City of Toronto Council meeting.

Funding:

Sufficient funds are included in Project No. 3.9 - Buildings and Structures, under the section for Bus Garage Replacement Program (as set out on pages 377-389, State of Good Repair) of the TTC 1998-2002 Capital Program which was approved by the City of Toronto Council at its meeting of April 29, 1998.

Background:

In 1995, a bus garage replacement study recommended the purchase of property in a centrally located industrial area for construction of a new 250 bus garage to replace the Eglinton and Danforth bus garages. At its July 8, 9 and 10, 1998 meeting this year, City of Toronto Council requested that the TTC address several issues related to the construction of the new bus garage. Subsequently, at its July 22, 1998 meeting, City of Toronto Council approved the purchase of property at ComstockRoad and Lebovic Road (south of Eglinton Avenue between Warden Avenue and Pharmacy Avenue).

Discussion:

The following outlines steps taken or to be taken to address each of the items raised by Council:

(1)"As part of the Site Plan Control Application, the Toronto Transit Commission be requested to address air quality, noise concerns and urban design."

The TTC is currently recruiting an acoustical consultant to conduct a noise study. An air quality study is being conducted by TTC staff. Both reports resulting from these studies will be submitted to the Ministry of Environment and will be included in the Site Plan application process. Urban design issues are being addressed through extensive consultation with City staff as well as local residents.

(2)"The Toronto Transit Commission be requested to agree that vehicle servicing shall not take place within 45 metres of Comstock Road, as provided for in the Zoning By-law."

This requirement has been incorporated in the conceptual design which was accepted by City staff on July 29, 1998.

(3)"The Chief General Manager of the Toronto Transit Commission be requested to submit a report to the Urban Environment and Development Committee on any future routing changes as a consequence of the new TTC bus garage relocating in Scarborough."

Preliminary routing changes will be identified and submitted as part of the traffic impact study currently underway to address item (5) below.

(4)"The Chief Administrative Officer and the Chief General Manager of the Toronto Transit Commission be requested to submit a report to the Urban Environment and Development Committee on changes to current protocol of the Toronto Transit Commission to provide that City Councillors representing Wards in which initiatives are being considered and that will have an effect on the local community are kept informed of intentions/progress prior to any final decisions at the Commission."

The attached report has been submitted to the Urban Environment and Development Committee meeting of October 5, 1998.

In summary, the report indicates that at the completion of the conceptual phase and prior to completion of the detailed design phase, TTC staff will:

-brief and obtain input from local Councillors;

-present the design to the Commission;

-present the design to the public; and

-advise the Commission of any design issues.

During the latter part of the design, a Site Plan application will be finalized so that an agreement can be executed prior to construction.

(5)"The Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services, in consultation with appropriate staff of the City of Toronto and the Chief General Manager of the Toronto Transit Commission, be requested to submit a further report to the Urban Environment and Development Committee on any necessary improvements to the road system to facilitate the operation of this facility."

A traffic impact study is currently underway to investigate, analyze and report on the impact of the bus garage on intersection/roadway operation and to recommend operational or physical road and intersections improvement. The traffic impact study will be concluded by the end of September 1998. The Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services in consultation with City staff and the Chief General Manager of the TTC will submit a report to the Urban Environment and Development Committee in November 1998 regarding improvements to the road system to facilitate the operation of this facility.

Current Status:

TTC staff met City staff on July 29, 1998, and September 18, 1998, to present the project concept and to incorporate any concerns related to zoning, by-laws and community concerns into the project's overall concept, where possible.

Design of the utilities and site services contract has been completed and construction is anticipated to commence this year. The preliminary design for the new bus garage is underway and is scheduled to be completed later this year.

Input from local Councillors, the Commission and the community will be obtained upon completion of the preliminary design and again prior to completion of the detailed design, as shown in the attached project schedule.

Justification:

This report is being submitted to the Commission to address items raised by City of Toronto Council at its July 8, 9 and 10, 1998 meeting.

(A copy of each of the following attachments has been forwarded to all Members of Council with the agenda of the November 2, 1998 meeting of the Urban Environment and Development Committee, and a copy thereof is also on file in the office of the City Clerk:

(i)Exhibit A, referred to in the foregoing joint report dated September 29, 1998, from the ChiefGeneral Manager, Toronto Transit Commission, and the Chief Administrative Officer, Cityof Toronto; and

(ii)the Project Schedule, referred to in the foregoing TTC Report No. 21.)