February 1, 1999

To:Scarborough Community Council

From:Ted Tyndorf, MCIP, RPP

Director, Community Planning, East District

Subject:FURTHER OPPORTUNITIES IN KNOB HILL AND CLIFFCREST

City-initiated Official Plan Amendment Application

Former Scarborough Transportation Corridor Lands Study

Phase 3 West - St. Clair Avenue to Brimley Road (W96052)

Cliffcrest and Eglinton Communities

Birchmount Park and Knob Hill Employment Districts

Scarborough City Centre and Scarborough Bluffs

Purpose:

This report presents recommendations to amend the Official Plan for the lands in the study area indicated on Figure 1.

This initiative introduces Low and Medium Density Residential Official Plan designations west of Brimley Road. A series of policies will guide the protection of the environment, the provision of services, the management of stormwater, and the phasing of construction as development opportunities arise. The wording of these proposed policies has been modified slightly from the June 4, 1998 staff report, to better reflect standard Official Plan terminology, but the intent and effect remains the same. In terms of the City planning documents, the affected lands are to be removed from the pertinent employment districts and added to the abutting residential communities, in recognition of the proposed land uses.

The Official Plan Amendment (OPA) would remove the Special Study Area designation associated with the defunct Scarborough Expressway, and provide opportunities for the revitalization of this part of southern Scarborough. The affected lands are owned by the City of Toronto, Canada Lands Company (CLC) and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company: these other landowners concur with the proposed development opportunities represented by the land use changes recommended in this report.

Financial Implications:

None.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that City Council:

(A)Official Plan

(1)amend the Birchmount Park Employment District Secondary Plan by:

(a)replacing the Special Study Area designation on the north side of St Clair Avenue with a Medium Density Residential designation; and

(b)transferring the lands bounded by St Clair Avenue, Midland Avenue and the railway to the Cliffcrest Community Secondary Plan;

(2)amend the Knob Hill Employment District Secondary Plan by:

(a)replacing the Special Study Area designation with Low and Medium Density Residential use designations;

(b)deleting the Industrial Area Uses designation south of the railway and introducing Low and Medium Density Residential use designations; and

(c)transferring all of these redesignated lands south of the railway to the Cliffcrest Community Secondary Plan;

(3)amend the Eglinton Community Secondary Plan for the lands adjacent to Shephard Drive by adjusting the southern boundary with the Cliffcrest Community to lie along the southern edge of the railway, and by extending the abutting designations to the northern edge of the railway if necessary;

(4)amend the Cliffcrest Community Secondary Plan by:

(a)adding the lands referenced in Clause A.2 above;

(b)deleting the proposed connection between Andrew Avenue and Brimley Road;

(c)introducing a Medium Density Residential designation on the east side of Midland Avenue to the north of the Highway Commercial designation;

(d)replacing the Industrial Area Uses designation around Vivian and Jeanette Streets with a Low Density Residential designation;

(e)designating a bicycle/pedestrian path throughout the length of the study area from St Clair Avenue East to Brimley Road; and

(f)introducing new Numbered Policy 9 as follows:

"9. West of Brimley Road, South of the Railway

1.When considering development applications, Council shall encourage consolidation of properties to achieve a comprehensive development which allows for an appropriate road pattern and overall stormwater management, while remaining compatible with the existing single family homes in the area and the businesses along St Clair Avenue. Council shall consider proposals for phased development, to permit portions of the lands to be developed over time.

2.The road network to serve new development shall provide a grid system based on connections to Brimley Road, St Clair Avenue and Midland Avenue, while minimizing the impact of new traffic on the existing residential streets in the area. Council may consider reduced rights-of-way, provided that the safe and orderly movement of vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians is secured, and that public utilities and services can be accommodated.

3.Proponents of development shall submit technical studies addressing transportation impacts, stormwater management, environmental impacts, tree preservation and provision of piped services. Consideration shall be given to designing managed wetlands to retain and purify stormwater run-off from developed areas while preserving existing wetland habitat.

4.Residential development on lands abutting the railway shall be designed to minimize the impact of noise and vibration, and shall be set back from the railway in accordance with the requirements of the railway company.

5.The boundary between medium and low density residential development shall be determined in conjunction with detailed development applications."; and

(B)Other Matters:

authorize such unsubstantive technical, stylistic or format changes to the Official Plan as may be required to give effect to this resolution.

Background:

On January 7, 1997, the former Scarborough Council adopted Terms of Reference for Phase 3 of the former Scarborough Transportation Corridor Lands Study. This section of the corridor, which runs from St Clair Avenue East to Eglinton Avenue East, is shown on Figure 1A.

Following two community meetings hosted by planning staff, a series of Working Group meetings involving interested residents and landowners in the area, and extensive agency consultation, staff recommended a series of changes to the Official Plan which would provide new opportunities for development in the area.

The report, entitled New Opportunities in Knob Hill and Cliffcrest, was considered by Scarborough Community Council as part of a statutory Public Meeting on November 12, 1998. Community Council directed that the study area be divided at Brimley Road: the staff recommendations for the lands to the east were adopted, while a decision was deferred for the lands to the west, to provide for more extensive community consultation and expanded notice of the application. Community Council directed that the matter be brought back to its February meeting. A Public Meeting is scheduled for February 17, 1999 at 7:30 p.m., with notice having been provided to the area shown on Figure 3.

A Community Information Meeting was scheduled for January 14, 1999 so that public input could be obtained and incorporated into this report: the area notified is also as shown on Figure 3, and contains over 4,000 addresses. Unfortunately, that meeting had to be cancelled due to the snow storm on that day. It was re-scheduled to January 28, 1999. Commentary from the meeting is provided later in this report.

Discussion:

As noted in the staff report of June 4, 1998 entitled "Proposals for a New Direction", technical agencies and the local residents involved up to that point are generally supportive of these proposals. There is support for residential development on the lands west of Brimley Road, while agencies such as the Toronto Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) have stressed the importance of appropriate stormwater management.

Approximately 70 people attended the community information meeting held at John A. Leslie Public School on January 28, 1999, together with several of the local councillors, and staff from planning and parks services. The overall tone of the meeting was very positive; the residents recognise the development potential of the private and City lands, but wish to retain or obtain as much parkland as possible for public use. Concern was expressed with a Medium Density Residential designation in terms of density, the number of units, and the number of new residents needing public services, school spaces and transportation capacity. Many residents indicated their interest in serving on a working group or task force to work with City staff, Councillors and future developers to achieve the best possible housing form and arrangement of new streets, open space, parkland and trails.

Staff are of the opinion that once a development application is filed for a rezoning and draft plan of subdivision on any portion of the privately-owned property, then such a working group would be very beneficial to deal with the detailed design of the proposed development. However, in the absence of an application, such work may be premature.

Staff continue to recommend the Official Plan redesignations for these lands as indicated on Figure 4, together with the development guidelines provided in Clause A.4.f. Staff also recommend that the lands retain their existing zoning for the present, and that Council await rezoning applications together with plans of subdivision, or other development proposals, from the private sector. Retention of the existing zoning will also permit the continuing operation of the warehouse business on Brimley Road, north of Comrie Terrace, which is owned by Metropolitan Life.

Canada Lands Company has been actively marketing its holdings to the north of the City lands between Midland Avenue and Brimley Road since last winter, and staff understand that a sale has been finalized. It is likely that the successful purchaser will submit development applications in the near future. Should Council declare surplus its abutting holdings, then a comprehensive redevelopment, perhaps in stages, could take place. The proposed policies are intended to guide such a phased building programme for new housing on these lands, as well as on the Metropolitan Life property, over the much longer term.

Development Considerations:

Part of the City-owned lands near the corner of Midland and St. Clair Avenues is currently leased until 2002 for a golf driving range and mini-golf operation. This use could continue if the lands to the north were developed earlier, since underground services could be provided across the driving range, on the line of the unopened Vivian Road allowance which connects to St. Clair Avenue opposite Chine Drive. Sewer connections are available at this point on St. Clair Avenue.

Additional access is available from Midland Avenue at the current driveway onto the CLC lands, and from connections to other existing local roads in the area. However, traffic impacts will have to be assessed and the impact on the existing community minimized in any future development. The proposed Official Plan Amendment deletes a previously planned connection between Andrew Avenue and Brimley Road, in order to reduce potential traffic infiltration into this community.

The proposed Official Plan Amendment provides for a mix of medium density homes, probably in a townhouse form, closer to the railway, and single family homes of a comparable and compatible built form closer to the existing houses to the south. Parkland dedication will be required to benefit both the new and existing residents. Stormwater management must also be carried out in a sensitive and environmentally friendly fashion. It is staff's intention that all such green spaces be integrated into the development and used to buffer the older homes from the new, where appropriate. Should Council so direct, this intent could be formalised through the designation of a park site within the potential development area. As well, the bicycle and pedestrian trail already proposed to the east is to be continued across these lands in a suitable and safe location.

Access to the vacant triangle of land west of Midland Avenue is also available from Midland, opposite the driveway mentioned above, but is not feasible from St. Clair Avenue. Due to railway setback and access constraints, this site is not suitable for development on a public street, but could support a low-rise apartment or other medium density block housing form.

Conclusions:

The recommended amendments conclude a two-year land use study for another part of the former expressway lands. The background knowledge and input from agencies and the local community have resulted in a good framework to guide the processing of future development applications in accordance with the proposed policies. Further public input will be essential in taking the study to its conclusion in terms of zoning amendments and concrete development proposals, and to this end the working group suggestion is a good one.

Through the draft amendment, a range of land uses is proposed which meets the objectives of the City in several ways: retention of some green space and protection of the environment; proposals for a bicycle and pedestrian trail connection between two GO Transit stations; opportunities for a return on the City's investment in land which may be released for sale and development; provision of infill housing in a location well served by public transit and other infrastructure; and potential revitalization of this area of the City.

Contact Name:

Carolyn Johnson, MCIP, RPP

Program Co-ordinator, Transportation Division

Telephone:(416)-396-5376

Fax:(416)-396-4265

E-mail:cjohnson@city.scarborough.on.ca

Ted Tyndorf, MCIP, RPP

Director, Community Planning, East District

City Planning Division

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RECREPORT.03