Ontario Municipal Board Decision

for Ontario Hydro Corridor, Graywood Lands

North of Highway 401

Ward 14 - Scarborough Wexford

Ward 17 - Scarborough Agincourt

The Scarborough Community Council reports having approved the recommendations in the following report from the City Solicitor, that the City Solicitor and the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development report directly to Council on December 16, 1998, on this matter.

The Scarborough Community Council submits the following report (December 8, 1998) from the City Solicitor:

Purpose:

The purpose of this report is to inform the Community Council of the Ontario Municipal Board decision respecting the portion of the Ontario Hydro Corridor lands north of Highway 401.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

This report has no financial impact.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1)the City Solicitor report directly to Council on whether an appeal of the Ontario Municipal Board decision respecting the Ontario Hydro Corridor lands north of Highway 401 is advisable; and

(2)the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development report directly to Council on the decision and its implications.

Council Reference/Background/History:

On October 2, 1998, City Council adopted a series of resolutions respecting Scarborough Official Plan Amendment No. 1001 and Graywood's development applications based on recommendations from Scarborough Community Council. The Ontario Municipal Board hearing respecting those matters commenced October 5, 1998 and proceeded for thirteen days over three weeks.

Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:

The Board has now released its decision, copies of which have been forwarded to affected Councillors and the City Clerk.

The issues in contention between the City and Graywood included appropriate frontages and areas for lots for single detached and semi-detached houses, location of dedicated parkland, front yard setbacks and proposed commercial blocks fronting on the south side of Finch Avenue East and on the north and south sides of Sheppard Avenue East.

Graywood made certain concessions during the course of the hearing with respect to front yard setbacks and location of park lands, and these are reflected in the decision. However, with respect to lot frontages, Graywood was largely successful in achieving approval of thirty-six foot frontages for single detached house lots and twenty-five foot frontages for semi-detached house lots. The City had argued for fifty foot lots for singles and thirty foot frontages for semi-detached. However, the Board approved the smaller lots on the basis that they would not create undue adverse impact.

In the most northerly block, between Beverly Glen Boulevard and the east-west Ontario Hydro Corridor running south along McNicoll, the Board approved lots with forty foot frontages for single detached houses.

Conclusions:

The decision was released December 8, 1998, and there has been insufficient time to analyze it fully. It would be appropriate to request the City Solicitor to report further on the advisability of an appeal and for the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development to report on the planning implications of the decision.

Contact Name:

John A. Paton

Legal Services

392-7230

jpaton@city.toronto.on.ca