December 18, 1998

To:Urban Environment and Development Committee

From:Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services

Subject:FINAL RECOMMENDATION REPORT - ZONING AMENDMENT APPLICATION - Humber River Regional Hospital, 200 Church Street

File UDZ-98-05/R98-002 (Ward 6 - North York Humber; Ward 27 - York Humber)

Purpose:

This is a final recommendation report on the rezoning for the expansion of the Humber River Regional Hospital at 200 Church Street to permit additions to the existing hospital on the north and south sides. A two storey parking garage on the southeast corner of the site has also been proposed. This site straddles the boundary of the former municipalities of York and North York and therefore all planning reports have been directed to the Urban Environment and Development Committee for consideration and in order to hold the statutory public meeting.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that the rezoning application for 200 Church Street be approved subject to the following conditions:

1.The zoning be amended to a hospital zone in accordance with an implementing zoning by-law which generally complies with the draft by-law attached as Schedule "F" and the by-law be perfected prior to enactment;

2.Prior to the enactment of the zoning by-law, the following conditions shall be met:

(i)the southern 15.27 metres of Longview Drive be closed and stopped up and conveyed to those persons entitled by law to such conveyance;

(ii)The closed portions of Woodward Drive on the east and west sides of the hospital site be conveyed to the hospital.

3.The design principles outlined in Schedule "A" apply to the consideration of any site plan approval application.

4.Prior to site plan approval, a community meeting be held to discuss the parking and drop off areas for the proposed daycare at 180 Church Street and the daycare be included as a permanent use in the zoning by-law.

5.The conditions of the Works and Emergency Services Department as set out in Schedules "G", "H1" and "I" be met.

6.The conditions of the Public Health as set out in Schedule "K1" and "K2" be met.

7.The conditions of the utilities as set out in Schedules "M1", "M2", and "M3" be met.

Background:

1.0Site and Surrounding Area

The site straddles the former municipalities of York and North York in the southeast quadrant of Jane Street and 401 and is predominantly surrounded by detached homes. The hospital owns 10 of the 14 houses around the site (see Schedules "A" and "B").

The hospital site (see Schedule "C" - Site Plan) is characterized by the existing two to seven storey hospital building in the middle of the site with its main access on Uphill Avenue. Parking is located on the east, west and north portions of the site with the service areas are generally located on the west side of the hospital.

2.0Proposal

The Humber River Regional Hospital is proposing to expand the Church Street facility to implement the Provincial Health Services Restructuring Commission (HSRC) directives. The original proposal submitted was for the immediate expansion of both the mental health wing on the south side of the building (Church Street) involving a two level structure plus a basement level of approximately 2,415 m² (26,000 sq.ft.) and the expansion of the emergency wing on the north side of the building (Pelmo Crescent) involving a one level plus basement level addition of approximately 2,415 m² (26,000 sq.ft.). The north addition also requires the closing and acquisition of Longview Drive. A new electrical transformer station is also proposed on the west side of the existing building with an area of approximately 330 mē (3,570 sq.ft.).

Since the time of the original proposal, the hospital has determined that the mental health program can be moved to the Finch site of the Humber River Regional Hospital and therefore the south expansion of the Church Street site is not immediately necessary which responses to community consultation where a common suggestion arose to move any programs possible to the Finch site of the hospital where there is more room for expansion.

In addition, the applicant is proposing to construct a two level parking structure, located partially underground, on the southeast corner of the site at the junction of Church Street and Uphill Avenue. The parking spaces will increase by 150 spaces from 526 spaces to a total of 676 spaces. The total increase in the gross floor area including the south expansion would be 5,160 m2 (55,550 ft.) increasing the existing floor space index of 0.71 to 0.82. With the south expansion excluded, the increase in gross floor area is 2,745 mē (29,570 sq.ft.) which increases the floor space index to 0.77.

Table 2.1- Site Statistics

3.0Planning Controls:

The site straddles two former municipalities, therefore two Official Plan and Zoning By-law designations apply to the site.

3.1Official Plan Designations:

North York District:General Institutional which permits institutional uses including hospitals and uses ancillary and complementary to hospitals

York District:Institutional which permits the hospital use

The proposal complies with the Official Plans for both former municipalities.

3.2.Zoning

North York District:R4 (One-Family Detached Dwellings Fourth Density Zone) subject to site specific by-laws 11620, 21789, 25569, and 28638 which permit the existing hospital use and built form.

York District:R1 (Residential Zone 1) subject to site specific by-law Section 16(249) which permits the hospital use and built form.

The existing site specific by-laws in both municipalities do not contemplate any extension of boundary lines to include the house lots now owned by the hospital, or the expansion of the hospital uses onto those lots. Expansion of the hospital footprint and the parking areas is also not contemplated in the existing site specific by-laws.

4.0Community Consultation

Prior to the rezoning application, submitted on February 24, 1998, the hospital held several meetings with the community to inform the local residents of the future plans for the hospital and get their feedback. The Urban Planning and Development Services Department held an Information Meeting at Pelmo Park School on May 21, 1998. Two working groups were formed to address the issues identified by planning staff and the community. The issues are outlined below. As well, City Council, at its meeting of June 3, 4 and 5, 1998, recommended that an Advisory Committee on restructuring matters be created with representation from local councillors and the community.

4.1Working Groups

The Working Groups are comprised of local residents living, for the most part, in the immediate vicinity of the hospital. Representatives from the Pelmo Park and Weston Ratepayers Associations attended as representatives of the larger communities. Planning staff also attended the various meetings.

The Working Groups identified and discussed the issues over a span of nine meetings. The meetings were divided into two main topics: Design and Massing, and Parking and Traffic.

The following issues arose at the Design and Massing Group meetings:

-location and built form of the parking garage

-location of front entrance for the hospital

-substantial landscaping required over the entire site

-keep existing front yard (as much as possible) on Church Street

-reduction of berm by the west parking area

-built form and impact of the north addition on the adjoining residential homes

-facade improvements

The Parking and Traffic Group meetings focussed on the following issues:

-traffic speed and infiltration to neighbourhood

-circulation of traffic and pedestrians around and within the hospital grounds

-parking adequacy, location and potential reductions of staff parking

The issues from both groups are discussed in the Planning Issues and Urban Design sections of the report.

4.2 Advisory Committee on Restructuring Matters

In accordance with the direction given at the May 19, 1998 Urban Environment and Development Committee meeting, an advisory group was established composed of the six area Councillors, community representative and hospital and city staff. This group was given the direction to assess the impact of planning decisions on the respective communities, to discuss hospital program planning and the Health Services Restructuring Commission decisions. The group has had several meetings and has recommended that the hospital continue to work to shift some the substance abuse services (part of mental health) from the Church site back to the Finch site.

While the programming within the hospital is beyond the scope of the rezoning application, the program requirements of the hospital have directed the location and extent of the proposed hospital expansion. The north expansion responds to the need for the expansion of both the Emergency Room and the diagnostic imaging department on the main floor. The southern expansion reflected the need to upgrade the mental health department which subsequently will be moved to the Finch site in response to the Advisory Group's recommendation.

4.3Information Meetings

Three Information Meetings have been held for this project. One was held on May 21, 1998. Approximately 30 people attended this meeting. Two others were held November 3 and 4, 1998, one each in the former municipalities of York and North York. Similar issues were raised as in the Working Groups such as traffic, facades, parking, landscaping, and impact on surrounding residential area. The comments received at these meeting are attached as Schedule "N".

5.0Other Department Comments

The comments received from the various departments and agencies circulated are summarized in Schedule "G" and are also attached as Schedules "H" through "M".

Discussion:

6.0Planning Issues:

While the proposed additions to the hospital are relatively small, this hospital is located in the midst of a single family residential neighbourhood and therefore careful consideration is needed as to how the hospital can better fit within the residential community. In order to aid this evaluation, principles of development were established by the planning staff and the Working Committees. The principles are as follows:

(a)create/maintain residential character

(b)structure must not be visually intrusive to the surrounding neighbourhood

(c)the edge of the hospital property must be aesthetically appealing and well maintained

(d)traffic on surrounding roads must flow safely and efficiently

(e)reduce traffic and parking congestion throughout the neighbourhood

(f)internal vehicle circulation must be maximized to minimize external vehicle circulation

(g)emergency/visitor parking and entrance must be easily found and accessed

(h)efficient and effective emergency access must be maintained

As a result of recommendations from Working Group, the applicant has responded with changes to the design and internal traffic circulation. The following sections discuss the issues and how the principles were addressed.

6.1Built Form and Urban Design

There are three distinct key components of the proposal: the north addition, the parking garage, and the future south addition. Each of these components is outlined below and reflect the Urban Design Guidelines in Appendix "A".

6.1.1North Addition

The north addition (see Schedules "C" and "D2" - Site Plan and Elevations) is proposed to house an expanded emergency room function. Due to the immediacy of the functions occupying this portion of the hospital, the uses must be at grade and easily accessible. The emergency visits to the hospital are projected to increase from approximately 40,000 per year to 70,000 per year. The expansion is required to meet this increased load.

The addition requires the removal of an existing house at 15 Longview Drive which is now in hospital ownership. The addition is proposed to be 14.25 metres in depth and have a 68 metre width with a height of 2 storeys (6.5 metres above grade) . The first storey is below the established grade which reduces the visual impact of the addition.

The residents' concerns were that the north addition was too close to the house at 63 Pelmo Crescent which remains in private ownership. The addition is proposed to have a setback of 6.5 metres and a maximum height of 6.5 metres measured from the northeast corner of the proposed addition which is the closest point to the existing house at 63 Pelmo Crescent. Shadow diagrams were done which show there is not a significant shadow impact on the house. The proposed addition maintains a similar setback from the residential property line as specified in the existing zoning by-law (20 feet - 6.1 metres).

The location and size of the north addition is appropriate provided a high level of urban design and landscaping are achieved as part of the expansion.

6.1.2Future South Addition

The south addition was proposed to contain an expansion of the existing mental health wing that is currently located at the south edge of the hospital. However, since the time of the original proposal, the hospital has determined that the these facilities can be incorporated at the Finch site. The south addition proposal would still be appropriate if required in the future using the design principles of maintaining the residential character of the area and not being visually intrusive.

The south addition would extend to align with the adjacent houses on Church Street. The height of 11 metres meets the bylaw requirement in the former City of York (See Schedule "C" and "D1").

The original application had large institutional windows and strong horizontal lines. Revisions have been made to the facade design which include a sloped roof and vertical partitions which are similar to the residential lot widths. This would render the facade more in keeping with the residential streetscape.

6.1.3Parking

The following table 6.1.3 summarizes the existing and proposed parking on site.

Table 6.1.3: Parking