August 24, 1999

To:Scarborough Community Council

From:Ted Tyndorf, MCIP, RPP.

Director of Community Planning, East District

Subject:PRELIMINARY EVALUATION REPORT

Official Plan Amendment Application SC-P19990016

Zoning By-law Amendment Application SC-Z19990032

Beechgrove Developments Ltd.

Beechgrove Drive/Coronation Drive

Part of Lot 5, Concession D

Coronation Drive Employment District

Scarborough Highland Creek

Purpose:

 This report provides a preliminary evaluation of applications to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law to permit a 57 unit residential subdivision consisting of single and semi-detached dwellings and street townhouses on a 2.49 hectare (6.15 acre) parcel on Beechgrove Drive in the Coronation Drive Employment District. The subject lands are currently designated General Industrial Uses with High Performance Standards in the Official Plan and zoned Industrial Zone (M). As staff are unable to provide a definitive recommendation regarding the merits of this proposal at this time, it is recommended that a second Preliminary Evaluation Report be brought forward after further review and consultation with City departments as well as the local industrial and residential communities.

Financial Implications:

None.

Recommendation:

That Scarborough Community Council direct staff to provide a further report on the merit of these applications, by December 1999, following consultation with City Departments and the local residential and industrial communities.

 Background:

The subject lands are located along the north boundary of the Coronation Drive Employment District. The site is vacant with limited vegetation. Surrounding land-uses are illustrated on Figure 2. There are a variety of light and heavy industrial uses to the west, south and east of the property. Single-family dwellings are located to the north separated from the subject site by the Highland Creek ravine. There are also a number of dwellings located to the east and south of the subject lands. It is our understanding that some of these dwellings were purchased by the former Metro due to concerns regarding their proximity to the new anaerobic digester tanks currently under construction at the Highland Creek Sewage Treatment Plant.

A Planning Justification Report has been prepared by the applicant in support of the proposal. The applicant submits that the requested redesignation would not represent an intrusion into the industrial area and would not foster similar applications on other properties. Moreover, the report argues that the site is not feasible for future industrial use and that a residential development on the subject lands can co-exist with surrounding industrial uses. Figure 3 provides an illustration of the preliminary concept plan for the development.

 Comments:

Potential Benefits

The subject site is located at the entry point to Coronation Drive Employment District in close proximity to a vibrant stable residential community to the north. There are examples in the immediate area of residential uses co-existing with industry along Manse Avenue, Beechgrove Drive and Coronation Drive which may assist in evaluating residential development in this location.

Residential development of the subject lands could provide for a variety of new housing opportunities and make use of existing infrastructure and community facilities.

Potential Concerns

The ravine located to the immediate north of the subject lands acts as a natural barrier separating the existing residential community from the Coronation Drive Employment District. This would substantiate the current industrial designation on the property.

Residential development on the subject site may conflict with the normal activities of the Employment District including noise, truck traffic, dust and odours. While the subject site is at the periphery of the Employment District, trucks from area industries routinely pass this site as they enter and leave the District. Furthermore, the subject lands are in close proximity to heavy industrial uses such as the plants on Chemical Court and the Highland Creek Sewage Treatment Plant. This may not be a desirable living environment for the future residents of this development and may generate resident complaints. This would create an additional burden on existing industrial operations and could affect the viability of this Employment District.

Contact Name:

Ms. Jayne Naiman, Senior Planner

Scarborough Civic Centre

Telephone: (416) 396-7040

Fax: (416) 396-4265

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

   Ted Tyndorf, MCIP, RPP.

Director of Community Planning, East District

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