Official Plan Amendment Application SP1998020

Zoning By-law Amendment Application SZ1998039

Masaryktown Memorial Institute Incorporated

450 Scarborough Golf Club Road

Woburn Community

Ward 16 - Scarborough Highland Creek

The Scarborough Community Council, after considering the deputations and based on the finding of fact, conclusions and recommendations contained in the report, dated June 21, 1999, from the Director of Community Planning, East District, recommends that the report of the Director of Community Planning, East District, be adopted.

The Scarborough Community Council reports having held a statutory public meeting on July 15, 1999, in accordance with Section 17 and Section 34 of the Planning Act and the regulations thereunder.

The Scarborough Community Council submits the following report (June 21, 1999) from the Director of Community Planning, East District:

Purpose:

This report recommends amending the Woburn Community Secondary Plan and the Woburn Community Zoning By-law for the lands located on the west side of Scarborough Golf Club Road, south of Confederation Drive, as shown on the attached map. The proposed changes would permit a 74-unit residential building containing "Life Lease" units and the provision for a future 30-unit residential care facility.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that City Council:

(A)Official Plan:

amend the Woburn Community Secondary Plan, as amended, with respect to the lands located on the west side of Scarborough Golf Club Road, south of Confederation Drive, being Part of Lot 17, Concession D as follows:

(1)Add the following numbered policy:

"West Side of Scarborough Golf Club Road

South of Confederation Drive

High Density Residential and Community Facilities designations are permitted in addition to the existing Institutional Uses- Recreational designation. In considering Zoning amendments to allow for the development of these lands, Council shall consider the compatibility of the development to the surrounding land uses having regard for building height, massing and location.";

(B)Zoning By-law:

amend the Woburn Community Zoning By-law No. 9510, as amended, with respect to the lands located on the west side of Scarborough Golf Club Road, south of Confederation Drive, being Part of Lot 17, Concession D, as follows:

(1)Additional Permitted Uses:

All uses within the Apartment Residential (A) Zone, excluding group homes;

(2)Development Standards:

(a)maximum number of units 104 (of which a maximum of 74 units shall be apartments and a maximum of 30 units shall be nursing home and senior citizens' homes);

(b) minimum building setback (above or below grade) from streetline 3 metres;

(c) minimum building setback from top-of-bank 10 metres;

(d) minimum building setback from a lot line other than a streetline 3 metres;

(e) maximum building height 6 storeys, excluding basements and parking structures;

(f)a minimum of 1.1 parking spaces per apartment unit shall be provided, consisting of a minimum of 1 parking space per apartment unit for residents and 0.1 parking spaces per unit for visitors;

(g)a minimum of 0.25 parking spaces per nursing home or senior citizens' home unit shall be provided;

(h)residential Parking Regulations shall not apply; and

(C)Miscellaneous:

authorize such unsubstantive, technical, stylistic or format changes to the Zoning By-law as may be required to give effect to this resolution.

Proposal:

The owner of the subject property, as shown on the attached map on Page 1, has requested changes to the current "Institutional" designation and zoning of the site in order to facilitate the construction of a 74-unit residential development containing life lease units. "Life Lease" is an established alternative form of seniors housing in Ontario. Entering into a life lease agreement allows the purchaser to occupy an apartment unit for life, in exchange for a one-time payment and monthly fees. Masaryk Memorial Institute Incorporated will be responsible for the management of the project. This portion of the development will be terraced ranging from 3 to 6 storeys, with a 6-storey exposure along the valley slope to the south. Other than 10 surface parking spaces, the remaining parking would be provided in an underground-parking garage. The overall massing of the building is similar to the current development on the site. Accordingly, the proposal is in keeping with the overall development scheme of the subject lands.

As part of this application, the owner is also seeking permission to allow for the future development of a 30-unit residential care facility. No information is provided for this component. The applicant has advised staff that this latter concept has been considered as a potential future phase in the on-going development of these lands, given the aging population of the membership of the Masaryk Memorial Institute.

The details of the development proposal are as follows:

Total Land Area9.20 hectares (22.70 acres)

Development Area*1.33 hectares (3.30 acres)

Proposed Gross Floor Area12,775 square metres (137,510 square feet)

Life Lease Concept74 units

Care Facility Concept30 units

Proposed Parking Supply84 spaces

* In order to facilitate the development of the "Life Lease" and "Care Facility" concepts, a severance application (SB1998092) has also been submitted to sever a 1.33 hectare (3.3 acre) portion of the land holdings. Site Plan Control application (SS99040) has also been submitted seeking approval for the physical layout and form of the development.

Background:

Scarborough Community Council, in December 1998, considered a Preliminary Evaluation Report and directed that the Public Meeting for consideration of these files be targeted for the first quarter of 1999, subject to: staff providing the required notice, and the applicant submitting the required technical studies in support of these applications.

A Community Information meeting, hosted by Masaryk Memorial Institute Incorporated, was held on November 9, 1998. Notice was sent to all property owners within 120 metres (400 feet) of the subject property (approximately 135 notices). The two Ward Councillors and approximately 21 residents of the area attended the meeting.

The main issues discussed at the Community meeting included: tenure of housing, traffic, the size and massing of the proposed building, the location of the building and distance separation from the single-family dwellings to the north and east, and the parking scheme. The feedback of the meeting was generally positive indicating support for the proposed development. The other items discussed are technical in nature and will be resolved during the Site Plan review process.

The lands are designated and zoned for Institutional uses. Institutional uses are generally defined as lands providing for uses which occupy large parcels of lands with low building coverage. Some of the permitted uses include hospitals, educational institutions and recreational uses. The proposed development requires the lands to be redesignated to add High Density Residential uses in the Official Plan and rezoned to allow Apartment uses and a Residential Care Facility in the Zoning By-law.

The lands are subject to the Environmental Impact Zone (EIZ) and Ravine Protection policies of the Official Plan. The EIZ constitutes all lands located below the crest of the valley slope...and lands within the first 10 metres above and beyond the crest of a stable valley slope. The Plan does not permit buildings within the EIZ unless Council is satisfied through the completion of adequate studies that the natural environment can be adequately protected. Development within or abutting a watercourse subject to the Ravine Protection policies shall have regard for the natural environment with respect to slope stability, storm water drainage, vegetation and setbacks from the top-of-bank. Prior to development drawings and studies identifying changes to the natural environment have to be submitted to the satisfaction of the City in consultation with appropriate agencies.

Comments:

The applicant has submitted a "Slope Stability Analysis" report to the City regarding the suitability of the area to accommodate development. The Toronto Regional Conservation Authority (TRCA) have reviewed the report and concur with the findings indicating the proposed development can be built without any impact on the stability of the slope. The TRCA has requested that the development be zoned to ensure a minimum distance separation of 10 metres (32 feet) from the stable top-of-bank. Planning staff will continue to finalize these technical issues during the review of the Site Plan approval process, in co-operation with staff from other Department and Agencies.

A Traffic Impact Analysis report was submitted with the applications and has been reviewed by staff of the Works and Emergency Services Department, Transportation Services. Staff concur with the findings of the report indicating that minimal additional vehicular movements will occur based on the proposed development. Access to the site will continue to be provided and maintained via the private road, off of Scarborough Golf Club Road.

A Vegetation Assessment has been submitted indicating that some mature trees will have to be removed to accommodate the proposed development. This issue is being co-ordinated with Urban Forestry staff in conjunction with the Tree Preservation By-law. Staff will continue to deal with this issue during the review of the Site Plan approval process to ensure trees, which can be preserved, will be protected. As part of the site plan process staff will also explore additional tree planting to compensate for trees which will be lost as a result of the development, as well as providing trees along the street front to provide a visual buffer of the building face.

Masaryk Memorial Institute Incorporated created a similar type of development, at the most westerly portion of the site, which also required amendments to the Official Plan and Zoning By-law, as well as a severance. The Ontario Municipal Board approved the applications in January 1989.

The applicant is proposing to supply 84 parking spaces to accommodate the parking demand for the life lease building. This supply equates to 1.1 parking spaces per unit. Council's policy in the City's Parking Guidelines, with respect to parking for seniors' residences, requires a minimum supply of 0.5 parking spaces per dwelling unit. This policy does not however include seniors condominiums. Standard condominium developments typically require a supply of 1.4 parking spaces per dwelling

unit, as per the policy. Because the life lease concept allows the purchaser to occupy an apartment unit for life, in exchange for a one-time payment and monthly fees, this form of housing will fall somewhere between seniors housing and a condominium type of development. Therefore, a supply of 1.1 parking spaces per unit is proposed to meet the expected parking demand. Transportation Section staff concur with the amount of parking being proposed.

As discussed earlier in this report, the owner is seeking permission to also allow for the future development of a 30-unit residential care facility given the aging population of the membership of the Masaryk Memorial Institute. Council's policy indicates that the parking requirement for chronic care facilities is 0.25 parking spaces per bed.

The addition of the proposed use at this location would provide the owner with a means by which it could relieve its financial burden and at the same time provide housing for its members and the community. The proposed development provides an opportunity for additional dwelling units to the City's overall housing stock. It would also serve to increase the assessment on the property.

The development of this site with additional residential uses similar to the previous development at the westerly portion of the land holdings, having a good spatial separation from the abutting single-family dwelling properties to the north, will not adversely impact the surrounding uses. The accessible location of the site, in conjunction with the aesthetic natural environment, makes it an ideal location for a residential development. Accordingly, staff support the proposal to develop these lands with additional residential and care facility uses.

Contact Name:

Bill Kiru, MCIP, RPP

Planner, Community Planning Division

Scarborough Civic Centre

Telephone:(416) 396-7014

Fax: (416) 396-4265

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

The Scarborough Community Council submits, for the information of Council, the following communication (July 9, 1999) from Mr. Luigi Nunno:

1.Due to a previous commitment, unfortunately on this date I will be attending a convention in Halifax, Nova Scotia. About 15 years ago, our family chose to build our present home on the ravine empty lot, which is located immediately across the driveway, which provides the only access to the Masaryk park. While I am not necessarily opposing the development, I am very concerned of the location as to where it is going to be erected.

The reasons are the following:

2.Exactly across the road from the proposed project (on the east side) about 3 or 4 years ago, Metropolitan Toronto Road Department had to stabilize the bank by bringing in many truck loads of clean soil to create a less steep slope on the bank. This was followed by a plantation of trees. The reason for the soil erosion was due to a water spring which was erupting from the asphalt underground and washing away part of the easterly side of Scarborough Golf Club Road.

3.As we all know, all the residents of Guildwood who need to go north-west (to Hwy 401) use Scarborough Golf Club Road rather than Markham Road (because there are one third of the number of traffic lights) which traffic is only bound to increase in future.

4.They are talking about building a bridge at the railway track, thus inviting more traffic on our street, which at times seems like a highway.

5.The existing 400m long driveway not only has a very noticeable slope, but does not have any catch basin to pick up the water run off, especially during the winter days when the snow melts. It would take most of your meeting if I was going to inform you of the number of accidents that occur every year. It is almost a sure thing, especially during any noticeable snow accumulation because our home is the first home (east side) on top of the bridge, dozens of motorists ask to use our phone due to the countless number of accidents.

6.Once that the remainder of the parkland on the subject property is developed, there must be a traffic light installed at the present drive way location. Ironically at that exact location where Scarborough Golf Club reduces from 4 lanes to 2 lanes.

Because of all the reasons above, the proposed project (if approved) should be developed substantially further west (at least another 50 meters west). The remainder of the existing bank will be to be cut down, so that it will alleviate the soil pressure and provide better visibility from the south, not only for the people living in Masaryk Park, but mostly for the drivers coming from the north, who can not control their vehicles in the winter months even if they go 40 km per hour.

By doing so, if and when Scarborough Golf Club Road will be widened, it would be possible to widen the road on the west side rather than cut down these fairly young trees, which were just planted on the ravine a few years ago on unusable soil, along the east side of the road.

I hope you can appreciate my concerns and that you find them valid.

Thank you very much for your time.

Mr. Gary Zock, Life Lease Associates of Canada, and Mr. Andrew Gortat, Architect, appeared before the Community Council on behalf of the applicant and expressed support for the foregoing recommendations.