June 29, 1999

To:Scarborough Community Council

From:Ted Tyndorf

Director of Community Planning, East District

Subject:PRELIMINARY EVALUATION REPORT

Zoning By-law Amendment Application SZ1999022

Draft Plan of Subdivision ST1999005

Paradise Homes Neilson Limited

Southeast of Finch Avenue and Neilson Road

Malvern Community

Scarborough Malvern

Purpose:

This report provides a preliminary evaluation of the application to amend the Zoning By-law for the 11.3 hectare (28 acres) property east of Neilson Road and south of Finch Avenue to provide for 265 single and semi-detached residential units. A draft plan of subdivision application has also been submitted.

Financial Implications:

None.

Recommendation:

That Scarborough Council direct the Director of Community Planning, East District to:

(1)Process the applications in the normal manner; and

(2)In consultation with the Ward Councillors, schedule a community information meeting to be held in September, 1999, and a Public Meeting in the last quarter of 1999.

Background:

The subject property was acquired by Paradise Homes earlier this year from the Canada Lands Company (CLC).

The Ontario Land Corporation (ORC) previously owned all lands in the Neilson-Finch-Canadian Pacific Railway triangle. In 1986 ORC made a land exchange and sale to the City of Scarborough whereby the City acquired the present Neilson Park property. As part of the same transaction, the lands west of Neilson Road and north of McLevin Road passed into ORC ownership. ORC also agreed to construct recreational facilities in the community, including development of Neilson Park.

With respect to the Official Plan designation, staff interpret the "District Park" designation within the Neilson-Finch-CPR triangle to be schematic and the balance of the lands within the "triangle" to be designated for Low Density Residential uses, which provides for the proposed development.

Staff interpret the plan reference "Reserved for Future Study" to refer to the Finch/Morningside intersection improvements shown at this location the Roads Plan, Schedule C. There is no reference in the text of the Malvern Secondary Plan to the wording on the plan. These improvements are the subject of an on-going City-initiated environmental assessment. Work undertaken to date has confirmed that the lands previously acquired by the City are adequate to accommodate the right-of-way requirements for the grade separations which may form part of these road improvements.

In the opinion of staff, an official plan amendment is therefore not required for the proposed development.

(Upon completion of the Finch/Neilson Environmental Assessment, Council may wish to direct staff to undertake a City-initiated Official Plan amendment to update and clarify the Malvern Secondary Plan and the Roads Plan for this part of the Malvern Community with respect to these and other outstanding "housekeeping" matters.)

The property is zoned "Agricultural-Residential Uses - R" permitting one single-family unit, private home day care, group homes and correctional group homes. The site is not under site plan control.

The property borders on Neilson Park to the south and west, the CPR Belleville line to the south-east, a triangular City-owned parcel of 2.5 hectares (6 acres) to the south side of Finch Avenue, and low density residential uses to the west of Neilson Road. The north side of Finch Avenue has two modern industrial buildings, Columbia House and Lithotech Inc.

The site contains two remnant woodlots. The north-western corner of the westerly woodlot is dominated by white cedar with some white elm, yellow birch, black walnut, Manitoba maple, hawthorn and white ash. The remainder is dominated by Manitoba maple with some white elm and white ash. The easterly wooded area consists primarily of white cedar, white elm and white ash. There are three hedgerows; the most significant, located in the south part of the site, supports a number of white pine trees.

According to the consultant's report, there are few trees of greater than 30 cm (12 inches) diameter. Most of the elms are in poor health and many of the cedars are evidencing stress, likely due to the fact that historically the site was wetter than at present. Further forestry and arborist reports will be required.

The only building on the site is a vacant one storey building located at the south-east corner of Finch and Neilson.

The site is bisected by a north-south 23 metre (75 feet) City storm and sanitary easement.

Proposal:

The owner is proposing a total of 265 residential units, consisting of 53 single detached units on 9.14 metre (30 feet) lots and 106 semi-detached lots (212 units) of 13.7 metre (45 feet) frontage.

An 0.87 hectare (2.15 acres) parcel at the south-east corner of Neilson and Finch and a small block at the south portion of the property would be retained as woodlots. A trail would be provided adjacent to the CPR line.

The proposal is supported by servicing, traffic, environmental, acoustical and market studies.

Comments:

The owner has consulted extensively with planning, parks, forestry and works staff, as well as with the school boards, prior to submitting the application.

Potential Benefits:

(1)The low density residential building forms are consistent with the existent residential character of this part of the Malvern community.

The "double fronted" orientation of units on Neilson Road and part of the Finch Avenue frontage will create an attractive "face" to the development.

The proposed greenspace dedication provides for the preservation of a significant part of the woodlots and provides potential for regeneration. (The parkland dedication will be over 8% of this total site area; this is equivalent of the alternative parkland requirement of 1 hectare per 300 units.)

The trail connection along the CPR line will provide a link from Neilson Park to eventually connect with the proposed Rouge Park trail system.

The proposed street along the north and part of the east edges of Neilson Park will provide enhanced access and "overview" from the houses facing the park, as well as creating a superior edge condition for the park.

The plan provides for the integration and future residential development of the City-owned lands to the north, should these ultimately not be required for road improvements.

Potential Concerns:

The loss of woodlots, even of marginal quality, should be minimized as much as possible. A detailed tree inventory, forest management and tree protection plan under the Private Tree By-law will be required; there may be some impact on the proposed plan design.

School capacity, particularly at the public elementary level, is a concern as most schools in central Malvern are operating at or about capacity.

The CPR main line and the arterial roads are noise sources which will require appropriate noise mitigation measures.

Conclusion:

The low density character of the proposed development will fit well into the existing community fabric, with less impact on community facilities than denser forms of housing. The increased parkland contribution will permit significant parts of the existing wooded areas to be preserved.

Contact Name:

David Beasley, MCIP, RPP

Principal Planner

Scarborough Civic Centre

Telephone: (416) 396-7026

Fax: (416) 396-4265

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

Ted Tyndorf, MCIP, RPP

Director of Community Planning, East District

DB/nk