September 1, 1999

To:Scarborough Community Council

From:Ted Tyndorf

Director of Community Planning, East District

Subject:Site Plan Control Application S98069

Parasco Morrish Inc.

34 Morrish Road

Part of Lots 14 and 15, Registered Plan 114

Highland Creek Community

Scarborough Highland Creek

Purpose:

To report on Council's direction on the possibility of including part of the adjacent property south of 34 Morrish Road for a townhouse development.

Financial Implications:

Potential revenue generation to the City.

Recommendations:

For the information of Scarborough Community Council.

Background:

The owner of the property at 34 Morrish Road applied for Site Plan Control approval for the development of a self-storage unit facility. Councillor Moeser requested that the application be brought forward for Community Council's consideration. On July 15, 1999, Community Council approved the staff report recommending staff continuing to negotiate with the owner to resolve issues dealing with design, trees, street yard parking and signage. Community Council also directed staff to explore the possibility of including a portion of the adjacent lands for a townhouse development and reporting back to Community Council on September 14, 1999.

 The vacant City owned 0.352 hectares (0.87 acres) south of 34 Morrish Road has a frontage of 43.8 metres (144 feet) on Morrish Road. These lands were occupied by a firehall and library until approximately 1982. When these uses ceased, the site received minimal maintenance by the former City of Scarborough and was a site for illegal dumping. The property was considered to have redevelopment potential however no discussions toward redevelopment occurred. In December 1995, the former Scarborough Council agreed to improve and develop the property as a temporary parkette in partnership with three community groups: Highland Creek Community Association, Highland Creek Village Business Association and West Hill-Highland Creek Lions Club. The community groups would maintain the property by cutting the grass and planting flowers and shrubs, and would use the parkette for summer carnival events. Scarborough would improve the property by removing the exposed building foundations and dead trees, installing fencing, planting trees, improving soil conditions, undertaking seeding, and providing garbage pick-up. An agreement for the partnership was proposed for a term of five years, with the opportunity for a further five year extension. But, no formal written agreement between the City and the community groups exists.

Staff were advised by Real Estate Services that the City lands have not been declared surplus nor have they been transferred to the jurisdiction of Parks and Recreation. Parks and Recreation staff advised that these lands have not been included for parkland calculations within the Highland Creek Community.

The City lands are designated Medium Density Residential with Morrish Road, south of Old Kingston Road to be closed. The designation provides a maximum density of 37 units per hectare. The lands are zoned Institutional permitting day nurseries, cemeteries, fire halls, homes for the aged, hospitals, libraries, municipal parks, nursing and convalescent homes, private and public educational institutions. By exception, ground signs and wall signs which are non-accessory are also permitted.

Comments:

Staff investigated various conceptual options for townhouse development utilizing a portion of the City lands with the ownership of 34 Morrish Road. Two basic concepts with various interior layouts are illustrated by Concept 1 and Concept 2. Both concepts maintain the existing ownership frontages on Morrish Road.

Concept 1 regularizes the 34 Morrish Road property to create a parcel of approximately 0.33 hectares (0.84 acres) with 12 units, the maximum density permitted. Concept 2 creates an irregular shaped parcel of approximately 0.31 hectares (0.77 acres) with nine units. Due to the irregular shaped parcel, the maximum density permitted of 11 units is not achieved. Concept 2 however generally maintains the front portion of the existing "parkette" that is maintained and utilized by the community.

Mr. Parasco, the owner of 34 Morrish Road, nevertheless advised staff that he has no interest to develop townhouses on his property or together with a portion of the City's lands.

Conclusions:

Should development of the City lands be envisioned in the future, Corporate Services would need to investigate whether the lands are surplus to the City's needs.

A townhouse development of the lands would implement the Medium Density Residential designation of the Highland Creek Community Secondary Plan, however Mr. Parasco is not interested in a townhouse development.

Contact Name:

Sylvia Mullaste, Planner

Scarborough Civic Centre

Telephone: (416) 396-5244

Fax: (416) 396-4265

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

    Ted Tyndorf, MCIP, RPP

Director of Community Planning, East District

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