Downsview Area Secondary Plan - Deferral of Consideration of

'Sports and Entertainment' Designation - North York Spadina

The North York Community Council recommends:

(1) the adoption of the report (August 30, 1999) from the Director, Community Planning, North District; and

(2)that in view of the approval of Zoning Amendment Application UDOZ-97-41 - Costco Canada Limited by the North York Community Council at its meeting held on September 14, 1999 the requirement to couple this project with the approval of the extension of Transit Road northward is no longer necessary and this project can be considered separately from Official Plan Amendment No. 464 as previously determined by the Ontario Municipal Board.

The North York Community Council submits the following report (August 30), 1999 from the Director, Community Planning, North District:

Recommendation:

The City Solicitor be authorized to seek a deferral of the Sports and Entertainment (SE) designation and approval of the remaining designations and policies in the Downsview Area Secondary Plan at the October 8, 1999 Ontario Municipal Board pre hearing conference.

Comments:

The Downsview Area Secondary Plan (OPA 464) is scheduled for a second pre hearing conference at the Ontario Municipal Board on October 8, 1999.

Recently initiated discussions by some of the objectors to the Downsview Secondary Plan and local ratepayer organizations with Canada Lands Company - Downsview, the property owner, have raised concerns with the Sports and Entertainment designation on the lands at the south-west corner of Allen Road and Sheppard Avenue West. (see Schedule "B") As the Destination Technodome project has been withdrawn, the ratepayers feel that the emphasis on sports and entertainment is no longer appropriate. The ratepayers are proposing that consideration of the Sports and Entertainment designation at the up coming Ontario Municipal Board pre hearing conference should be deferred until the City has had the opportunity to reassess the land use provisions in the SE designation.

The deferral of consideration of the Sports and Entertainment designation at the OMB hearing was supported by all the objectors to the Downsview Area Secondary Plan who attended a meeting held by City staff on August 26, 1999.

Therefore, in response to the proposal to defer consideration of the SE designation made by ratepayers, concurred to by Canada Lands Company - Downsview, (see Schedule "A") it is reasonable that the City Solicitor should be authorized to seek a deferral of consideration of the SE designation at the Ontario Municipal Board pre hearing conference on October 8, 1999.

The Director, Community Planning, North District will report on a process for assessing the land uses of the Sports and Entertainment lands and its relationship to the ongoing Allen Sheppard Study that City staff and outside consultants are currently undertaking. Any assessment would be in the context of the approved policies for the balance of the Secondary Plan.

Contact Name:

Paul Byrne, Senior Planner

North York Civic Centre

Telephone: (416) 395-7105

Fax: (416) 395-7155

(A copy of the Schedules referred to in the foregoing report is on file in the office of the City Clerk, North York Civic Centre.)

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The North York Community Council also reports having had before it the following communications:

(i)(August 31, 1999) from Mr. David Birnbaum, President, Friends of the Downsview Lands Inc., outlining this group's concerns with respect to the land designated Sports and Entertainment and with respect to potential traffic impacts on adjacent residential neighbourhoods resulting from the proposed "big box" buildings on Block H; and

(ii)(August 31, 1999) from Mr. Jeffrey D. Chelin, Vice President, Finance and Corporate Secretary, ARC International Corporation, withdrawing its appeal to Official Plan Amendment No. 464.

Councillor Li Preti, Black Creek, declared his interest in the foregoing matter as it relates to the city-owned lands at the southeast corner of Sheppard Avenue West and the William R. Allen Road, in that he owns a property in the vicinity.