April 13, 1999

To:Chair and Members, Etobicoke Community Council

From:Karen V. Bricker, MCIP

Director of Community Planning, West District

Subject:Future Uses in Hydro Corridors

Purpose:

To provide the Etobicoke Community Council with a status report with respect to future uses in Hydro corridors, and the legal and/or planning means available to protect the community.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

City funding is not required. There are no impacts on capital or operating budgets.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that this report be received for information.

Council Reference/Background/History:

At its meeting held on Wednesday, February 17, 1999, the Etobicoke Community Council received for information, a report dated February 9, 1999 from the Secretary, Sign Variance Advisory Committee, advising of the decisions of the Sign Variance Advisory Committee at its meeting of February 9, 1999 with respect to the Mediacom Inc., Wendy's/Tim Horton's Restaurants and Bi-Way Stores. In noting the variance granted to Wendy's/Tim Horton's Restaurants, the Etobicoke Community Council requested that staff submit a report on future uses in Hydro corridors, and the legal and/or planning means available to protect the community.

Comments:

There is currently a diversity of permitted uses in active hydro corridors throughout the City. At its July 29, 30 and 31, 1998 meeting, City Council requested that, given this diversity, City Planning report on existing Official Plan designations and permitted uses in all active hydro corridors throughout the City, with the intent of developing a consistent City-wide Official Plan designation for hydro corridors.

A City-wide study is currently underway. Its aim is to report on current designations and primary and secondary land uses and development proposals within hydro corridors; to identify the City's interest in protecting and encouraging natural heritage areas and recreational/commuter pedestrian and bicycle trails and linkages; and to provide criteria for integrating both active and surplus hydro lands with their surrounding communities. This report will be forwarded to the Urban Environment and Development Committee by early summer. The Urban Environment and Development Committee will then forward the report to the Etobicoke Community Council and the other Community Councils for their feedback.

In the interim, Etobicoke's Official Plan provides planning policy direction for hydro corridors that fall within the boundaries of the former City of Etobicoke. Specifically, Section 4.10.3 of the Etobicoke Official Plan permits parks and transportation related uses in Hydro corridors, without amending the Plan, subject to certain guidelines. Buildings are not permitted under section 4.10.3. Secondly, where Hydro corridors are declared surplus and become available for development, (Section 4.10.4), they may be zoned for development in accordance with the adjacent land use designations, without amendment to the Plan, but subject to specific criteria being met (Section 4.10.5). A rezoning, however, may be required. The relevant policies are attached to this report as Exhibit 1. The protection currently afforded to the community stems from the Etobicoke Official Plan policies and the legislative and planning process to be followed, on the part of any applicant, in applying for an amendment to either these Official Plan policies or the Zoning Code.

Conclusions:

Etobicoke Community Council's request for a report on future uses in Hydro corridors has been folded into the City-wide review. Issues dealing with "community interests" will be reviewed and taken under advisement as part of the City-wide review.

Contact Name:

Helen BulatTel: (416)394-8229

Principal Policy Planner - West District Fax:(416)394-6063

Policy and Research

Karen V. Bricker, MCIP

Director of Community Planning

West District

Exhibit 1- Utility Designations

(Excerpts from the Etobicoke Official Plan)

Permitted uses4.10.1 The use of lands designated as Utility Areas on Map 4 includes water purification plants, sewage treatment plants, reservoirs, electric power facilities and associated buildings, structures and uses and the lands of Leaster B. Pearson International Airport.

4.10.2Recreational, parking and storage uses may be permitted in suitable Utility designations subject to agreement with the authority involved.

Additional uses in4.10.3The use of hydro corridors for additional uses other than electric power Hydro corridorsfacilities and associated works, through agreement with Ontario Hydro, may be permitted subject to the following guidelines:

a)park and public uses shall be given priority, particularly in areas where known deficiencies exist;

b)protection of options for accommodating linear uses such as paved walkways, bicycle paths and transit routes shall be provided;

c)uses shall be compatible with and supportive of the uses of lands in the vicinity; and,

d)no buildings shall be permitted.

Other Policies

Redevelopment of4.10.4Where Utility designations become available for development, they Utility designationsmay be zoned for development in accordance with the adjacent land withoutuse designation without an amendment to this Plan, subject to the amendmentcriteria in section 4.10.5. In cases where the adjacent Land Use designations on each side of the Utility designation are different, the zoning for each use may extend to the mid-point of the Utility designation.

4.10.5Prior to approving a rezoning to permit development as noted in Section 4.10.4 or an amendment to this Plan to redesignate a Utility designation to accommodate development, Council shall:

Deleting a Utilitya)consider the feasibility of acquiring lands which have been designationdeclared surplus by the authority involved for housing or to fulfill the objectives of the Municipal Open Space and Recreation Master Plan as described in Section 7.1;

b)be satisfied that the proposed use may be developed without environmental or safety hazard resulting from the previous or existing utility use of the property;

c)be satisfied that the proposed use is compatible with the surrounding land uses and within the intent of this Plan.

Utilities and telecommunications works and transmission lines serving the community are permitted in all land use designations in the Etobicoke Official Plan, subject to the provisions of Chapter 6 - Environmental Protection and Development Constraints. Also, electric power facilities owned by Ontario Hydro is one, among other land uses, considered to be a primary use in Industrial Designations. Lastly, Chapter 13 - City Centre Secondary Plan, also contains additional general and site-specific policies relating to Hydro corridors.