Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPSD-095-10 Clarin n Leading tke Way REPORT PLANNING SERVICES PUBLIC MEETING Meeting: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE Date: September 13, 2010 Resolution #: C'39o`I0 By-law#: N/A Report #: PSD-095-10 File #: COPA 2010-0004, ZBA 2010-0022 Subject: PROPOSED OFFICIAL PLAN AND ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT TO PERMIT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A FREE STANDING FOOD STORE OF 2,829M2 AND A 2ND BUILDING OF 783M2 FOR RETAIL/SERVICE COMMERCIAL USES APPLICANT: 1804603 ONTARIO INC. RECOMMENDATIONS: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: 1. THAT Report PSD-095-10 be received; 2. THAT the application submitted by 1804603 Ontario Inc. continue to be processed by staff and that a further report be prepared following the receipt of all outstanding agency comments; and, 3. THAT the interested parties listed in Report PSD-095-10 and any delegations be advised of Council's decision. .� Submitted by*ryector Reviewed by: mai , FCSLA, MCIP Franklin Wu, Planning Services Chief Administrative Officer DJ/FL/df/av September 8, 2010 CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON 40 TEMPERANCE STREET, BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO L1C 3A6 T (905)623-3379 F (905)623-0830 REPORT NO.: PSD-095-10 PAGE 2 1.0 APPLICATION DETAILS 1.1 Applicant: 1804603 Ontario Inc. 1.2 Official Plan: To remove the Medium Density Residential symbol within the Urban Residential Area and replace it with a Neighbourhood Centre symbol, to permit the development of a free standing food store of 2,829m2 and a 2nd building of 783m2 for retail/service commercial uses. The effect of the re-designation may mean that the population and housing targets for the Knox neighbourhood may have to be adjusted 1.3 Rezoning: To change the zoning from Holding - Urban Residential Type Three Exception ((H) R3-25) to an appropriate zone to permit the proposed development, and to implement the Official Plan Amendment 1.4 Location: 680 Longworth Avenue, located on the north-east corner of Longworth Avenue and Scugog Street, Bowmanville 1.5 Site Area: 1.43 Hectare (3.53 Acres) 2.0 BACKGROUND 2.1 On June 30, 2010, 1804603 Ontario Inc. submitted an incomplete application for an official plan and zoning by-law amendment for a parcel on the north-east corner of Longworth Avenue and Scugog Street, Bowmanville, to permit the development for retail/service commercial uses. Attachment 2 contains a concept site plan of the proposed development which shows the proposed location of buildings, access points, associated parking provisions on site, and preliminary elevation drawings. I 2.2 The applicant also submitted the following background studies in support of development application: • Planning Rationale Report, prepared by R.G. Richards & Associates; • Supermarket Impact Analysis, prepared by UrbanMetrics Inc.; • Traffic Study, prepared by HDR Corporation; and • Noise Impact Study, prepared by Swallow Acoustic Consultants Ltd. A further discussion regarding the above listed studies is contained in paragraph 8.0 of this report. 2.3 The application was deemed complete on August 4, 2010 following the submission of outstanding documents and a revised planning rationale report. The application has been circulated to outside agencies; however some comments have not been received as of the writing of this report. REPORT NO.: PSD-095-10 PAGE 3 2.4 It is important to note that this site was the subject of an official plan amendment and rezoning application in 2003,the planning process of which was concluded through OMB order 0764 on April 1, 2005. Through the OMB decision, the site was re- designated from "Local Central Area" (now called "Neighbourhood Centre") to "Medium Density Residential"for the development of 57 medium density residential units, and rezoned from "General Commercial (Cl)" zone to "Urban Residential Exception (R3- 25)" zone. This decision was carried forward into the recommendations of the last comprehensive commercial policy review of the official plan that was finalized in 2005. Part of the planning analysis for this application considers the site's planning history within the context of the commercial policy review. 3.0 SITE CHARACTERISTICS AND NEIGHBOURHOOD CHARACTER 3.1 The site is vacant and has been extensively graded. 3.2 The site is bounded by two roads. Running along the western edge of the site is Scugog Street, a Type C Arterial road that among other things serves as a main linkage between Downtown Bowmanville and the residential areas in the north-western part of Bowmanville. To the south, the site is bounded by Longworth Avenue, also a Type C Arterial road that serves as an important east-west link between Regional Road 57 and the residential neighbourhoods north of the CP rail way line. Photo 1: Northward view of application site (13/8/210) REPORT NO.: PSD-095-10 PAGE 4 3.3 Neighbourhood character and surrounding land uses: North and East: A low density residential neighbourhood consisting of semi-detached 2 storey residential dwellings (link-homes). The backyards of these houses face the application site. There is a 6 ft. privacy fence along the rear lot boundaries facing the application site. South: across Longworth Avenue, vacant lands set aside for medium density residential purposes. West: across Scugog Street, single detached dwellings on relatively large residential lots between 510m2 and 1100m 2 in size, with frontages ranging between 28 metres to 35 metres. These dwellings are set back between 7.5 meters and 15 meters from the Scugog Street road allowance. 'i iI I i ,:ii l(ii Photo 2: View of residential properties to the west, backing onto Scugog Street (13/8/2010) 4.0 PUBLIC NOTICE AND SUBMISSIONS 4.1 Public notice was given by mail to each property owner within 120 metres of the subject property and two public meeting notices were installed on the property. A notice was REPORT NO.: PSD-095-10 PAGE 5 also posted on the municipal website, and supporting documents are also available on the municipal website. 4.2 A notice was placed in the local newspaper on August 25, 2010 and September 8, 2010, in view of the potential impact of the re-designation of this site within the broader context of the commercial policy review. 4.3 It was established during the statutory notification period that a small number of property owners (7 in total) did not receive the notification (due to a technical omission) Staff immediately corrected the error and delivered notices in person to each of the affected land owners. 4.4 As of writing this report, two submissions have been received from residents in the area. One resident pointed out that the lands west of Scugog Street underwent significant changes during the past 5 years; houses were designed or built with the understanding that there would be a medium density residential development on the site. He expressed concern over the impact of the proposed change of land use on the value of the residential properties, the character of the neighbourhood and light pollution from parking lot lighting, noise, odour and additional traffic. The other resident expressed concern that the grocery store may become a destination for students from nearby schools to loiter and pollute the area with litter. 5.0 PROVINCIAL POLICY 5.1 Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) The planning rationale report submitted by the applicant (paragraph 6.1, pg.14) contains an explanation of how this development proposal is consistent with the PPS. Staff generally agree with the applicant's assessment however, Council should be aware that transportation and land use considerations are to be integrated at all stages of the planning process. The desirability of the proposed land use at this location cannot be separated from the traffic impact and functioning of the road network in the area. The traffic impact study that has been submitted in support of this application and its analysis are subject to ongoing review by Planning & Engineering Staff to ensure conformity with the PPS. 5.2 The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe The planning rationale report submitted by the applicant (paragraph 6.2, pg.15) contains an explanation of how this development proposal conforms to the Growth Plan. The application is within the designated greenfield area, which is a result of the unique methodology the Province employed in the delineation of the built boundary. In addition to the applicant's discussion, Staff are cognizant of a key growth management policy (Section 2.2.7 - Designated Greenfield Areas) in the Growth Plan, which stipulates that the designated greenfield area of each upper -or single-tier REPORT NO.: PSD-095-10 PAGE 6 municipality will be planned to achieve a minimum density target that is not less than 50 residents and jobs combined per hectare, and this density target will be measured across the entire upper—or single-tier municipality. One of the objectives of this target is to promote the creation of employment opportunities closer to places of residence, which would reduce live-work trips and contribute towards the concept of"complete communities". The complexity in measuring the performance of this application against this policy lies in the fact that this vacant parcel is a very small part of the designated greenfield area across all of Durham Region. However, the development of the proposed commercial uses on this site implies the creation of local jobs in close proximity to living areas, which would contribute towards a more balanced job to resident ratio within the greenfield area in Bowmanville. 6.0 OFFICIAL PLANS 6.1 Durham Regional Official Plan (ROP) 6.1.1 The ROP designates the lands "Living Area" which is intended predominantly for housing purposes. In addition to permitting other uses such as convenience stores, limited office development and retailing of goods and services subject to certain conditions, the ROP also permits the designation of Local Centres (of which Neighbourhood Centres is a subcategory) in living areas, subject to the following criteria: • Neighbourhood Centres shall be planned and developed similar to, but generally smaller in scale than Community Centres, and shall serve the day-to-day needs of the residents of the surrounding neighbourhood. • The Council of the regional municipality shall determine if there is a regional interest in accordance with policy 8.3.9 (Any commercial proposal that would have the potential to negatively impact the planned function of a Regional Centre). Where there is a regional interest, a retail impact study shall be required to justify such designation and ensure that the proposal does not unduly affect the planned function and viability of any other centre. Furthermore, in regard to development applications in living areas, the ROP stipulates that regard shall be given to: • the promotion of compact urban form, including intensive residential, office, retail and service and mixed uses along arterial roads and in conjunction with present and potential transit facilities; and, • the use of good urban design principles with particular emphasis on internal traffic circulation, restricted access to arterial roads, attenuation of noise and orientation and design of buildings to maximize direct sunlight exposure. As far as meeting the above-listed criteria in the ROP, the applicant has submitted a supermarket impact analysis, traffic study report and noise study report in support of the REPORT NO.: PSD-095-10 PAGE 7 application. This methodology is consistent with the direction in the ROP. These technical reports have been circulated to the Region for review. Accordingly, a Neighbourhood Centre development can be permitted in the living area designation in the ROP, provided that the above criteria are satisfactorily met. This forms part of the further planning analysis by Local Municipal Planning Staff, before making a recommendation to Council 6.2 Clarington Official Plan (COP) 6.2.1 The subject lands are situated in the Knox neighbourhood and the COP designates it "Urban Residential" with a "Medium Density Residential" symbol. The predominant use within this designation shall be housing and other uses may be permitted which, by nature of their activity, scale and design are supportive of, compatible with and serve residential uses. These include corner stores, home based occupations, parks, schools and community facilities. The current COP designation does not permit the scale and form of commercial development proposed, thus the proposed official plan amendment by the applicant. 6.2.2 The COP also contains certain core principles which set the basis for the consideration of all development applications in Clarington, of which the following are most relevant: (Staff comments are noted in italics) • Future development will contribute to the reduction of per capita energy consumption. (In the event of Council approval, Staff will seek the introduction of sustainable development concepts e.g. LEED certification, more permeable surfaces, etc. through the site plan process); • Opportunities and services will be provided for employment, learning, culture, recreation and emotional, physical and social well-being opportunities (The development proposal would appear to partially complement this principle in that potential opportunities for employment and services may be created); • A competitive, adaptable economic environment will be promoted to encourage i investment and diversity of employment opportunities (The development proposal would appear to complement this principle in that it could potentially encourage investment and diversify our employment base); • The participation of all residents will be encouraged in the process of decision making and community building which affect their lives (This development proposal have been publicized through legal notices in the mail, the local newspaper, and the municipal website - community's comments are reviewed in Section 4 of this report); • Excellence in urban design will be pursued to contribute to a sense of place, ensure physical safety, promote social interaction and enjoyment, provide human scale to the urban environment and promote the integration of land uses (The location and surrounding context of this site require careful consideration of the urban design elements associated with the development proposal. The preliminary elevation drawings submitted by the applicant do not appear to REPORT NO.: PSD-095-10 PAGE 8 complement this principle— this is further elaborated on in paragraph 10.0 of this report); and, • Compact urban form will be achieved with an emphasis on infill and redevelopment, higher densities and a mix of uses. (Although this site is not within the built boundary as defined by the Provincial Growth Plan, it is within the urban area and technically an infrll site. Proposed as a single commercial site, it does not appear to complement the principles of compact urban form and higher density, but within the context of the wider area it could be perceived as complementary to this principle by adding to the mix of uses in this area). 6.2.3 The COP contains design guidelines to be considered for neighbourhood centres. The applicant's planning rationale report (paragraph 6.4.1) contains a discussion of how the development proposal conforms /intends to conform to these policies. The development proposal appears to conform to the Official Plan, with regard to the maximum floor space, size of shops, and scale in that the proposal is less than 5000m2, has a proposed floor space index that is less than the limit of 0.3 and the size of smaller stores is less than 500m2. However, there are some urban design principles that are relevant at this stage of the planning process. Staff have provided comment to the applicant that the elevations submitted do not implement some of the urban design guidelines in the Official Plan or complement the character of the surrounding residential development. Of particular note are the large expansive blank walls along Longworth and Scugog Streets and the lack of public realm and amenities. A more detailed discussion on these matters is contained in paragraph 10.0 (Staff comments). 6.2.4 As noted in paragraph 2.5 (Background section) of this report, this site was the subject of an official plan amendment and rezoning application which was concluded through an OMB decision in April 2005:The lands were re-designated from "Local Central Area" to "Medium Density Residential" in the Official Plan and rezoned from "General Commercial (Cl)" zone to "Urban Residential Exception (R3-25)" zone. The OMB decision also included specific urban design principles to be considered in the development of the site. This issue is explained in detail in section 10.4. 6.2.5 In view of the fairly recent conclusion to the commercial policy review and the OMB decision, Staff requested the submission of a supermarket impact analysis. The analysis examines the market for additional supermarket space in Bowmanville and the potential impact of an additional neighbourhood centre in this location within the broader context of the commercial structure of the community. This issue is discussed under paragraph 10.0 (Staff Comments) of this report. 7.0 ZONING BY-LAW 7.1 The property is in the "Holding - Urban Residential Exception (R3-25)" Zone which does not permit the proposed food store of 2,829m2 and a 2 nd building of 783m2 for REPORT NO.: PSD-095-10 PAGE 9 retail/service commercial purposes. In order to permit the proposed development a rezoning application was submitted for consideration. 8.0 BACKGROUND STUDIES 8.1 The applicant submitted a Planning Rationale Report (prepared by R.G. Richards & Associates), Supermarket Impact Analysis (prepared by UrbanMetrics Inc.), Traffic Study (prepared by HDR Corporation), and a Noise Impact Study (prepared by Swallow Acoustic Consultants Ltd.), to provide sufficient information and justification to enable Council to evaluate the development application. 8.2 The Planninq Rationale report The Planning Rationale report, enclosed as Attachment 3, sets out supporting arguments that can be summarized under the following points: The need is demonstrated by the conclusion of the Supermarket Impact Analysis that the proposed development can be supported and would act to serve the day- to-day retail and service needs of the immediate community. There is no food store available to the immediate community in this part of Bowmanville. The desirability is demonstrated by the following: • the site's convenient location amidst a new and growing residential community; • The site's location next to two arterial roads, which can accommodate traffic flow and access to the site at an appropriate level of service, as outlined in the supporting Traffic Impact Study; • The relationship of the site to the adjacent residential uses, which is perceived as ideal for a neighbourhood centre development because the town homes back on to the subject site and are separated from the site by a 6ft. wooden fence; • The submission of a favourable Noise Impact Study and the commitment to the required noise attenuation, landscaping and screening of garbage pickup, loading and lighting requirements through the site plan process; • The proposed development's compliance with or conformity to Provincial Policies, the Regional Official Plan and the Official Plan policies pertaining to Neighbourhood Centres; • The proposed development will utilize existing infrastructure and will benefit from existing public transit services, which will reduce the length of automobile trips to retail service areas outside this area; • The conclusions of the Supermarket Impact Analysis supports the establishment of this use at this location and implements the original planned function for retail uses on this site; and • The proponent referred to the submitted conceptual site plan and preliminary elevation drawings, detailing how the proposed development would meet the relevant development and urban design criteria in the REPORT NO.: PSD-095-10 PAGE 10 Official Plan in order to maximize the quality of urban design and minimize any adverse impact on surrounding residential developments. 8.3 The Supermarket Impact Analysis 8.3.1 The Supermarket Impact Analysis, prepared by UrbanMetrics Inc., consists of the following key components: A site and access evaluation, to evaluate the suitability of the site for the proposed commercial development; Trade area delineation, which consisted of the definition of the trade area for the proposed supermarket, establishing Market Dimensions of the trade area which includes aspects such as population, per capita income, and food store expenditures within the defined Trade Area; • Competitive analysis, which included an updated inventory of all supermarkets and specialty food stores in Bowmanville and Clarington, and major proposals for new competitive developments or expansions to existing food stores have also been included; A calculation of the future market opportunity for the proposed supermarket and evaluation of the potential sales impact on existing supermarkets in Clarington; and, An assessment of the development application in the context of the 2004 Commercial Policy Review for Clarington. 8.3.2 The key conclusions from the Supermarket Impact Analysis are as follows: Based on the market and impact analysis the development application as proposed can be supported; The subject site would provide a focal point for the developing north Bowmanville community and would provide for day-to-day retail and service needs; Although there will be market impacts on the existing supermarkets in Clarington with the addition of the subject site (with 1gt full year of operation assumed in 2012), the sales impacts are not expected to critically affect the planned function of any Town or Village Centre in Clarington. Between 2014 and 2016, any sales impact with both Walmart and the subject site added would dissipate with opportunities for more supermarket space over the longer term period up to 2031; A supermarket anchored development on the subject site could potentially pre-empt the development of one or more of the two vacant Neighbourhood Centre sites along Concession Road 3 in north Bowmanville. From a market perspective, the designated Neighbourhood Centre at the corner of Concession Road 3 and Regional Road 57 has better locational characteristics for a supermarket anchored centre compared to the subject site and the other vacant Neighbourhood Centre site on the southwest corner of Means Avenue and Concession Road 3. The subject site would not pre-empt the ability of the Bowmanville West Town Centre, which has a regional service function, to build out as planned. REPORT NO.: PSD-095-10 PAGE 11 8.4 The Traffic Study 8.4.1 The Traffic Study, prepared by HDR Corporation, consists of the following key components: • An assessment of existing traffic conditions and operations in proximity to the site; and • An assessment of future background traffic conditions with and without the proposed development to determine the net impact of the development, as reflected on the submitted conceptual site plan. 8.4.2 The conclusions from the Traffic Impact Study are as follows: The existing roadway network can accommodate the additional traffic expected to be generated from the proposed commercial development, and roadway improvements are not required. 8.5 The Noise Impact Study 8.5.1 The Noise Impact Study, prepared by Swallow Acoustic Consultants Ltd., consists of the following key components: - Identification of the Critical Noise Receptors; - Determination of the sound level limits; - Identification of the Noise Sources, assessment of sound levels and noise control recommendations, as per the submitted conceptual site plan. 8.5.2 The recommendations and conclusion of the Noise Impact Study are as follows: The following noise control measures are to be implemented: - Sound power levels of the rooftop mechanical equipment are not to exceed the levels listed in the Table on pg.6 of the Noise Impact Study; - A 2.4 m (8 ft) high noise barrier along the east property line and north property line, which terminates at the plane of the proposed retail building. It can attenuate the sound level due to truck movement and truck idling noise. - A 3.7 m (12 ft) high noise barrier immediately east of the loading docks. It can attenuate the sound level at the residential properties east of the loading docks due to truck idling. - A 2.4 m (8 ft) high noise barrier east of the compressor penthouse and HVAC-1 along the east perimeter of the roof of the proposed supermarket. The noise barrier returns at the north end and south end. In addition, a 2.4 m (8 ft) high noise barrier north of Source 5 condenser. They can attenuate the sound level due to rooftop mechanical equipment for the supermarket. - A 2.4 m (8 ft) high noise barrier on the roof of the retail building at 2 m north of the HVAC units and return at the east end. It can be one long continuous noise barrier that shields all 7 HVAC units; or there can be one shorter noise barrier for each HVAC unit. The noise barrier(s) can attenuate the sound level due to rooftop HVAC units for the retail building. REPORT NO.: PSD-095-10 PAGE 12 The consultant concluded that with the recommended noise control measures, the sound level emanating from noise sources associated with the proposed commercial development will meet the MOE sound level limits for commercial sites adjacent to residential areas. From a noise aspect, the proposed commercial development at 680 Longworth Avenue, Clarington can be approved if the above measures are taken. 9.0 AGENCY COMMENTS 9.1 The Clarington Engineering Services Department has no objection in principle to this proposal. Prior to final approval of the subject site plan, the applicant will be required to satisfy the Engineering Services Department regarding traffic entrances, drainage, noise attenuation and servicing. 9.2 The Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority has no objections to the development proposal and has stipulated certain requirements that have to be met prior to site plan approval. 9.3 Most of the utility companies have responded and indicated to have no objection to the development proposal. 9.4 The Regional Planning, Works and Transit Departments provided comments of which the following are relevant to this stage of the planning process: • This proposal will maintain the planned functions of the designated Regional Centres in Bowmanville, and conforms to the policies of the ROP. • Consideration shall be given to the design of the proposal in order to provide for an urban form that supports various modes of transport, as per the policies of the Provincial Growth Plan. It appears, from the preliminary site plan, that the public entrances to the food store and the retail/commercial building are over 100m and 200m away from the current bus stop respectively. These distances, when compared to the proposed accesses provided for vehicular activity, diminish the attractiveness of public transit for patrons to this proposal. It is suggested that alternative building entrances and footprints be considered to improve access for public transit users. • The municipality should ensure the Noise Study report is verified by a third party (e.g. peer review). • The Official Plan amendment does not have significant Regional or Provincial concerns, provided the above noted issues are addressed. In accordance with Regional By-law 11-2000 the Official Plan amendment application is exempt from Regional Approval. REPORT NO.: PSD-095-10 PAGE 13 10.0 STAFF COMMENTS 10.1 Staff is generally satisfied that the Planning Rationale Report submitted by the applicant addresses most of the key aspects, except for the details regarding the actual type of retail and service commercial uses proposed in Building B were not discussed. An open ended statement that building B would accommodate typical neighbourhood centre service retail uses that may include but would not be limited to personal service shops, financial institutions, retail stores and banks was included. 10.2 There is an array of uses within the broad category of commercial uses including uses that may not be conducive to the functioning of the site that may create compatibility issues, or have a reputation of controversy, such as drive-through facilities. There are Official Plan designations and zones in Clarington where drive-through facilities are explicitly prohibited. In addition there are limits on allowing banks outside the Bowmanville downtown area. The desirability of these types of uses on the site requires further review. 10.3 Staff finds the submitted site plan concept to be quite conventional, with two building boxes on opposite ends separated by parking area, and it does not reflect the area's character. Other design options should be considered, for instance, the incorporation of small tenant merchants into the rear or side of the supermarket facing onto Scugog and Longworth or moving the smaller building to face Scugog Street. The applicant should investigate alternative site plan concepts that could better address the street fronts, the street corner, and the functional relationship between buildings, especially with regard to pedestrian accessibility and convenience. 10.4 Staff is generally satisfied that the background studies submitted by the applicant are sufficient to properly assess the development proposal. Part of the planning analysis is to examine the methodology, conclusions and recommendations of the background studies and the merits of the case presented. 10.5 As stated before, Staff is concerned about the proposed elevations, particularly those of the proposed food store building. The facades do not address the urban design guidelines in the COP or the built character of the surrounding residential development. For example a typical big box look does not contribute to this high-visibility intersection and character of the neighbourhood. Staff have informed the applicant that the proposed elevations require modifications to meet the standards set by Council in the Official Plan and required of other development applications. The applicant responded and recently presented revised elevation drawings for the proposed foodstore building which include architectural elements that enhances the appearance of the building. Staff requested that the architect investigate alternatives to further improve the proposed elevations, particularly how they relate to the streets and public square component. Details for the second commercial building are outstanding. 10.6 Through the minutes of settlement that preceded the OMB decision for this site in 2005, which saw the site being re-designated from Local Central Area to Medium Density Residential, a number of urban design principles were listed to which the developer of REPORT NO.: PSD-095-10 PAGE 14 the medium density development had to adhere to, such as units are to be oriented towards the street, and the provision of wrought iron fencing along the street line. Alternative development proposals on the site need to be sensitive to the history of the site, particularly the conditions that were agreed to through the Minutes of Settlement. 10.7 The Planning history of this site requires further examination. Even though the Supermarket Impact Study submitted a favourable recommendation with regard to this development proposal, there are certain policy questions that need to be answered through the planning analysis, such as the following: Are there sufficient merits to consider reversing an OMB decision after just 5 years? And, how does the project fit into the existing character of the neighbourhood? 10.8 As of the writing of this report, there are a number of outstanding issues. Staff continue to review the application concentrating primarily on the key aspects: The planning history, particularly with regard to the previous OMB decision; Any concerns or objections raised by the public; The residential character of the area with specific emphasis on urban design, building elevations, the interface with proposed new uses, and sustainability (LEEDs designation); The type of uses that would be desirable on the site, for the second building; and The desirability of the concept site plan layout, specifically with regard to the siting of the two buildings, the interrelation of uses on site, pedestrian flow and customer safety and convenience. 11.0 CONCLUSION 11.1 The purpose of this report is to satisfy the requirements of the Public Meeting under the Planning Act. It is respectfully recommended that Staff continue to process this application. A subsequent report will be brought forward when Staff have completed the analysis of the planning history/context. 11.2 It may be advisable for the applicant to consider holding an open house with the neighbourhood to review the application and design of the buildings including contextual aspects which may assist him in addressing residents concerns. Staff Contact: Dean Jacobs Attachments: Attachment 1 - Key Map Attachment 2 - concept site plan and preliminary elevations Attachment 3 - Planning Rationale Report REPORT NO.: PSD-095-10 PAGE 15 List of interested parties to be advised of Council's decision: Erik and Kathrene Peterson Kelly August i Property Location Map(Bowmanville) n Subject Site RETAIL BUILDING ss N w r I r O „G,�TM if U.1 ?� p te Cn a O aq ILL" v v v ZBA 2010-0022 Zoning By-law Amendment SUPERMARKET BUILDING COPA 2010-0004 Clarington Official Plan Amendment $1z X Owner: 1804603 Ontario Inc. D N can ni �o Cm T :3 jI 0 NO ' Y r C p N p 0 U Q Im U) ¢ a 0 Q CL a — — WTRAFFIC SIGNS anRINGTON FILE N.. G h R B IL r� �E a i� .$ = Z I G Z' W J ~ .V S9 ,Mw mE33 :tl 0 SUPERMARKET lv,OCk - h t IfP. { ueass, 2.849.)3 I 541E NOTE O I C�AC0 � ❑ me M, Traugott Building Canlracmrs Inc 9, Z \\y0," _ Goldmanco COMMERCIAL L 9 f hE ENT Avenue All HEI AN OLARINOTON,ONTARIO SITE PLAN Bpi ;�M _1 4W , v� a r �rLEUAPON '°"� ®_ta \\ wm B m LA ARA ....e..,�.� n.�42 m t m ® J owRSl„arANLLN -- �- - - _� - Traugott Building Contractors Inc. Goldmanco ® m t TENANT SIGNAGE SIGNAGE � ��i<1m�1�e IN dill COMMERCINL.CEVELOPMEM __ ® 680 LonAw✓orth Avenue ��'°”' .__�� CLARINGTON,ONTARIO aul�olNG'A' 1 NORIX ELEVATION A-3a 8 AA mwm. AR C H ITE C T6 ING uew ww.o.uuarw® .uf x.�....nx .i..ereem sr.ziw '"u' roar uaxnw uww,�m "`� F mm�wrniw � o� rormrix noon _ wau no � iy �` �y E�SOUTH ELEVATION ar ve=b.w Traugo�tt !Building Contractors Inc. Goldmanco R I F.(4IE'51 1 COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT 660 Longwodh Avenue CLARINGTON,ONT_A_RIO__ BUILDING R EXTERIOR ELEVATIONS A-3b Attachment To Report PSD-095-1i i PLANNING RATIONALE REPORT Official Plan and Zoning By-Law Amendment Application for 680 Longworth Avenue, Municipality of Clarington 1804603 Ontario Inc. r ►_� R.G. Richards &Associates July 2010 Revised TABLE OF CONTENTS COVER PAGE TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 LIST OF FIGURES 3 1.0 INTRODUCTION 4 i 2.0 CONTEXT 5 3.0 LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF SUBJECT PROPERTY 7 4.0 THE PROPOSAL 10 4.1 Noise Impact Study 11 i 42 Traffic Impact Study 11 4.3 Market Study 11 5.0 APPLICATIONS REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT PROPOSAL 14 5.1 Official Plan Amendment 14 5.2 Zoning By-Law Amendment 14 6.0 POLICY CONTEXT 14 6.1 Provincial Policy Statement 14 6.2 Places to Grow 15 6.3 Durham Regional Official Plan 16 6.4 Current Municipality of Clarington Official Plan Designation 16 6.4.1 Conformity with Section 10.6 (Neighbourhood Centres) 16 6.4.2 Recent OMB Decision pertaining to the Site 18 6.5 Current Municipality of Clarington Zoning (By-law 84-63) 19 7.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 19 R.G.Richards and Assodates - 3- LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Context Map _ 5 Figure 2 Bowmanville Neighbourhood Map 6 Figure 3 Subject Property Location Map 7 Figure 4 Subject Property(looking northeast) 8 Figure 5 Mearmes Ave and Concession St. Neighbourhood Centre 9 Figure 6 Liberty St. and Longworth Ave Neighbourhood Centre 9 Figure 7 Conceptual Site Plan (SK-10) 13 Figure 8 Municipality of Clarington Official Plan, Land Use Map A3 17 Figure 9 Municipality of Clarington Zoning Map 19 R.G.Richards and Assodates - i 4 1.0 INTRODUCTION R.G. Richards &Associates (RGR) have been retained as Development Consultants by 1804603 Ontario Inc. to provide land use planning advice and to prepare this Planning Rationale Report for the development of 680 Longworth Avenue. The site consists of a vacant parcel of land located at the northeast corner of Longworth Avenue and Scugog Street. The property is currently designated Medium Density Residential under the Municipality of Clarington Official Plan, 2008 and zoned Urban Residential Type 3 (R3-25,H) by the Municipality of Clarington Zoning By-law Number 84-63. The proposal is to develop the 1.43 hectare (3.54 acre) site as a local shopping centre that will include a freestanding 2,829.4 mz (30,460 ft2) food store and 783.2 m2 (8430 ftz) of retail/service commercial uses to be accommodated in a second building. A food store tenant has been secured and it is expected that the smaller retail tenants will follow once the zoning has been finalized. Both these buildings can be built on the site with adequate access and parking. 1804603 Ontario Inc. is requesting the Municipality of Clarington to consider Official Plan (OPA) and Zoning By-law(ZBA) Amendments to allow for the proposed development. A site plan application will be filed in the near future. In preparing this report RGR has reviewed the relevant policies from the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (Places to Grow), the Provincial Policy Statement, the Durham Regional Official Plan, and the Municipality of Clarington Official Plan, This Planning Rationale Report is prepared in support of the concurrently filed applications for the Official Plan Amendment (OPA) and Zoning By-law Amendment (ZBA) that are necessary to allow the development of the Site for the proposed uses. This report will outline the planning merits of the proposed development and justify the need for the OPA and ZBA i I I R.G.Richards and Associates - 5 2.0 CONTEXT The Site is located approximately 1.5 km north of downtown Bowmanville within the Municipality of Clarington (Figure 1). According to the 2006 census data, the Municipality of Clarington has a population of 77,820 (Statistics Canada, 2010). The 2008 Growth Trends Review report forecasts the population of Clarington to reach close to 90,000 people by 2011 and the Official Plan Review is anticipating an additional 65,000 people over the next 25 years. Residential growth as measured by the number of building permits issued has been very strong despite a recent slow down due to less favourable economic conditions. Nevertheless, Clarington is expected to have close to 1,000 new residential units approved for construction annually over the next couple of years. Approximately 55 percent of these new units are to be built in Bowmanville. Figure 1 -Context Map _ - cu,�,Yasm _ t'ayt t4 .�npeAe 1 , L M as © soma 3 t a2 Q sr m ol e — O ca«*"wnR°'a min 4 Zr+"0a 17 ioR4E. 1_ r., "ec,.ma,wi Gcn. .'.y t75 f Tel _`- 6 P "�O - e C18f1e1g100 16 GoW e3 - Centemal p �iil Q A 2 CameR 'S p., Z yl•J i m ,' - '. c:, Newcastle,_.. °"" -.g Easteak t)rM1arro Keph ... �BaYl P y"E — Owrw:NAiYA w«e 11 �2, _ ,p tAYr1ICe Maple -� 2 QIOYe � v-.�"``�� yMarmary _-. k �- Plai D PC DI Oshawa ' mss' f .. y ,�.•...�a,xa�a !> DAI 'ik � - ". FarewN e8earan �OtFky ,;lam lakewew kakewew DnrinY k all Pmk » -sT 1:1, lily The subject property is situated within the Knox Neighbourhood Planning Unit, adjacent the Elgin Neighbourhood directly to the south (Figure 2). The population of Elgin and Knox is 9,559 people. The R.G.Richards and Associates proposed Neighbourhood Shopping Centre would serve both of these communities. It is likely that it will also draw people from beyond, since this development would contain the only food store in this part of Bowmanville. Figure 2— Bowmanville Neighbourhood Map 1 Subject ( 10 N(3 5G) Property 1 NV,^,ESF¢Y M40 J N9X (550 -65;) — EN* 7 6° .1 1 ELGIN APPLE St0580M CGN, (3800) (1750 1 1 C".MCF F% SIFT {1 2 amu .. 1 (2000 ) VIN 5 rr I OWN (36 ) i CUME CENNE , 3m) 14 (3160) *AYERLY g 1 3 (A200) N(E K 1 z v N�4Ur:E AWO r,�n4 I ` 1 L « 15 WUNC I Rs (32CO)zco) ' LAVZ- CWT4R/O MAP H2 ' NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNM UNRS J BOWMANViLLE URBAN AREA �)+) ^FFICIAL PLAN MUNICIPALITY OF C.Ai14GTON xrux t Ao IfQMV 9'NNNt1 NFfEA LO YCI%Y6 5 M9 9 N]511IX'H'A1'�b B�WIYA!' (1000) PC uU R.G.Richards and Associates 3.0 LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF SUBJECT PROPERTY The Site is currently a vacant 1.43 hectare (3.54 acre) parcel of land located at 680 Longworth Avenue, on the northeast comer of Longworth Avenue and Scugog Street(Figure 3). This property is identified as Block 129 on the Draft Plan of Condominium, Registered Plan 40M-1852, Municipality of Clarington, Regional Municipality of Durham. The site is conveniently situated amidst a new and growing residential community with a variety of housing types. It is bounded by townhouses to the north and east, Longworth Avenue to the south and Scugog Street to the west. On the west side of Scugog Street, opposite the site, are single and semi- detached homes and St.Stephen's Secondary School immediately to the north. South of the subject property is a vacant parcel of land and bungalows. On the southwest corner of Scugog Street and Longworth Avenue is a parkette planned as part of the recently completed Longworth Estates subdivision. Figure 3—Subject Property Location Map i The relationship of the site to the adjacent residential communities is ideal for a Neighbourhood Shopping Center. The residential properties, in this case town homes, back onto the subject site and are separated from it by a tall wooden fence. The town homes are also at a higher grade than the subject site. Matters with respect to noise attenuation, landscaping and screening and garbage pickup, loading and lighting will be addressed at the time of site plan approval, but are not expected to be significant or unusual for this type of development. R.G.Richards and Associates 8 Access to the site is proposed from the adjacent public (arterial) roads; Longworth Avenue and Scugog Street. Traffic flow-and vehicular access to the Site can be accommodated at an appropriate level of service, as detailed in the Traffic Impact Study conducted by HDR I !Trans that accompanies this application. The site is served by local transit provided by Durham Region Transit Bus Route 502 (Liberty),which travels north and,south along Scugog Street.A bus stop is located in front of St. Stephens Secondary School located just north of the proposed development. The bus currently only travels southbound on Scugog Street but if a northbound service was introduced in the future the subject site would serve as an ideal location for a bus stop. I The site will be fully serviced with public storm and sanitary sewers and municipal water. I Figure 4—Subject Property(looking northeast) i 1 Y I I Overall the site offers an excellent opportunity to provide a food store and related retail/commercial services to the immediate community. Such needed services, currently unavailable in this part of Bowmanville would also result in the reduction of automobile related trips and the need of residents to travel longer distances to obtain the same services. There are currently four neighbourhood centres designated by the Official Plan north of Concession Street. Two have been built, and the ones located in the extreme northwest and northeast corners of the Bowmanville urban area remain vacant. These are all relatively small neighbourhood centres, R.G.Richards and Associates largely catering to the convenience needs of the surrounding communities (Figure 5 and 6). None of these centres contain a food store. Figure 5—Mearmes Ave and Concession St. Neighbourhood Centre t Y Siv R �9 Figure 6—Liberty St. and Longworth Ave Neighbourhood Centre R7A W's �v � , , 0�..PERS, R.G.Richards and Assodates i - 10 - I Currently the closest food stores are located along King Street; near Green Road (Loblaws), at Bowmanville Mall (Metro) and a Foodland just west of Bowmanville Mall. There is also a Wal-Mart Supercentre being constructed at the western edge of the Bowmanville Urban Area, at King Street West and Green Road. When complete it is expected that this centre will serve a regional market and, due to its size, will not be as convenient for day-to-day shopping as the proposed Neighbourhood Centre. i The proponent has secured a food store tenant (Sobeys) for the subject property. The 2,829.4 m2 (30,460 ft2)food store is intended to serve the day-today grocery needs of the adjacent neighbourhoods. I 4.0 THE PROPOSAL 1804603 Ontario Inc. is proposing to redesignate and rezone the subject property to permit the development of a Neighbourhood Shopping Centre anchored by a 2,829.4 m2 (30,460 ft2)food store (Figure 7). A second general retail building of 783.2 m2 (8430 ft2) is proposed at the north end of the property. Since the food store tenant has been secured, the smaller tenants will follow once the zoning has been finalised.With the exception of the food store, no tenants have been secured as of yet. The types of retail uses contemplated for Building B are typical neighbourhood centre service retail uses that may include but would not be limited to personal service shops, financial institutions, retail stores banks etc. The total gross floor area (GFA) of the development will be 3,612.6 mZ(38,890 ft 2) with a coverage ratio of 0.25, both of which are within the limits prescribed for Neighbourhood Centres by Section 10.6 of the Clarington Official Plan. The shape of the subject property has influenced the layout of the proposed buildings as shown on the site plan. The food store is currently proposed to be sfted along Longworth Avenue with the main entrance facing northwest toward the retail building at the opposite end of the property. Siting the food store as shown on the Conceptual Site Plan (Figure 7), will help define the intersection and provide many opportunities for attractive landscaping and buffering. The two single story buildings will be designed to respect the character and urban form of the surrounding residential communities. The following urban design features, treatments and components are proposed for this Site. The main entrance to the food store is located at the northwest comer of the building. The entrance has been accentuated with an increased parapet height to display tenant signage above the overhang that extends over the concrete sidewalk in front of the main entrance doors. The street level portion of the fagade (north elevation)will consist of a row of clear windows divided by brick piers. The upper level of the fagade will be for tenant signage made from EIFS (Exterior Insulation Finishing System) and painted using two shades of light taupe from the Benjamin Moore Designer Classics Collection. These colours will compliment the similar colour of brick used on the homes adjacent the site to the north and east. The south elevation will be similar except the spacing of the block piers has been increased to mimic the spacing and rhythm of the surrounding town homes. The smaller retail Building B will be approximately 1.5 meters shorter than the food store building and given the higher grade to the north and east, it will be comfortably nestled adjacent the town homes to the rear. The building will be able to accommodate up to a maximum of seven retailers. It will be constructed using the same materials as described above with colours that compliment the food store building and respect the tone of the surrounding residential buildings. R.G.Richards and Associates Loading and garbage enclosures will be appropriately screened to mitigate noise impacts and have been sited so as to separate the adjacent residential dwellings an appropriate distance from the buildings in the proposed development. A Noise Impact Study has been prepared in support of the proposal and is briefly discussed in the following section. There is one access proposed off of Longworth Avenue and one access proposed off of Scugog Street to efficiently manage the traffic flows generated. Full turning movements are proposed for both accesses. The parking for the Shopping Centre is sited between the food store and the retail building and is to be shared by both, with additional parking along the rear of the property. An appropriate number of parking spaces will be provided in accordance with the Zoning Bylaw. A Traffic Impact Study has been prepared in support of the proposal and is briefly discussed in the following section. Further details of the site development, including landscaping, will be determined as part of the future Site Plan Application. 4.1 Noise Impact Study Swallow Acoustic Consultants Ltd, were retained to conduct a Noise,Study for the proposed retail commercial development anchored by a supermarket. The study focused on mitigating the noise generated from the loading areas, truck traffic and roof top equipment. Several mitigation measures are listed in the Noise Study report which are required to be implemented in order to support the proposed development. In summary, a noise barrier fence is required along the property line to the east, loading screen wall, and noise barriers to screen the roof top mechanical equipment as specified by the Noise Study. The owner intends to implement the required noise barriers which will meet MOE standards. From a noise perspective the proposed development application is acceptable. 4.2 Traffic Impact Study HDR Corporation was retained to conduct a Traffic Study for the proposed development as described above. Two full movement driveways were assumed and supported by the analysis, one on Longworth Avenue and the second on Scugog Street. The study included an analysis of existing traffic conditions at both the signalized and unsignalized intersections near the subject site, background traffic growth to the year 2015 (including other development traffic within the study area), as well as an analysis of the traffic generated by the proposed development. "Based on the traffic analysis conducted in this study, the existing roadway network can accommodate the additional traffic expected to be generated from the proposed commercial development. Roadway improvements are not required".' 4.3 Market Study urban Metrics inc. was commissioned by the Municipality of Clarington to examine the market opportunity for additional supermarket space in Bowmanville and at 680 Longworth as proposed by 1804603 Ontario Inc. The Market Study report includes an update of the food store inventory in Bowmanville and supermarkets located elsewhere in Clarington. The study relies on intercept surveys, licence plate surveys and a telephone survey that were completed as part of the Commercial Policy Review, 2003. Based on the market and impact analysis the study concludes that the proposed Retail Development Traffic Study, HDR iTrans, May 2010 R.G.Richards and Associates i - 12- f_ development anchored by a supermarket can be supported and would act to serve the day-to-day retail and service needs of the Bowmanville community. "in summary, although there will be sale transfers from existing stores in the short term, our analysis suggests that another supermarket in Bowmanville, in conjunction with the Walmart in the BWTC, could be supported by 2012 and would not jeopardize or comprise the planned function of any existing commercial nodes, including Villages and Town Centres in Bowmanville or elsewhere in Clarington. Additional supermarket space can also be supported in the longer term".Z P Supermarket Impact Analysis, Urban Metrics inc., June 17, 2010 R.G.Richards and Associates �AA ure 7—Conceptual Site Plan(SKAO) Fig yj o -Z It o y t? :te ir fasi ci s..•x.' s+i c tx. b� 3RF13hV MlaO M`'SN�, 11 f I+ ! f F as an sociates R.G.Fachar d As - 14 - � 5.0 APPLICATIONS REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT THE PROPOSAL 5.1 Official Plan Amendment An Official Plan Amendment application is required to redesignate the site from Urban Residential— Medium Density to Local Centre designation, or similar, to permit the proposed development as described above. See attached Amendment No. xxx document for details. The housing unit targets listed in Table 9.2 have been amended based on the removal of 57 housing units that were previously proposed for this site. Map H2, Bowmanville Urban Area neighbourhood population figures have also been adjusted based on 2.6 persons per housing unit. The reduction of 57 medium density housing units from the Knox neighbourhood is less than 3% of the total housing units in the neighbourhood and could easily be accommodated on another site in this neighbourhood or elsewhere as north Bowmanville continues to grow in the future. 5.2 Zoning By-Law Amendment A Zoning By-law Amendment application is necessary to rezone the subject site from Urban Residential ((H)R3-25)to.General Commercial C1 Zone, or similar, to permit the retail commercial development as proposed. 6.0 POLICY CONTEXT 6.1 Provincial Policy Statement The Provincial Policy Statement(PPS) came into effect on March 1 2005. Its mandate is to provide policy direction on land use planning matters of provincial interest and to guide planning authorities on protecting those interests. The long term vision of the PPS involves promoting the efficient use of land, promoting economic development, protecting natural resources and planning healthy, livable and safe communities. The proposed development conforms to the relevant policies and overall goals of the PPS as outlined below. Section 1.1 Managing and Directing Land Use to Achieve Efficient Development Land Use Patterns and in particular Section 1.1.1 b) provides policy direction by identifying the importance of "accommodating an appropriate range and mix of residential, employment(including industrial, commercial and institutional uses), recreational and open space uses to meet long-term needs." Similarly, Section 1.1.3 a) 2 provides policy that indicates that land use patterns in settlement areas shall be based upon densities and a mix of land uses that "are appropriate for and efficiently use, the infrastructure and public service facilities which are planed or available and avoid the need for their unjustified and/or economic expansion". Section 1.3.1 b) encourages planning authorities to promote economic development and competitiveness by"providing opportunities for a diversified economic base including maintaining a wide range and choice of suitable sites for employment uses which support a wide range of economic activities and ancillary uses and take into account the needs of existing and future businesses". R.G.Richards and Associates - 15 - The proposed development utilizes existing infrastructure including existing roads, municipal services and public transit;the retail services available from the proposed development contributes to an expanded and diversified economic base, will provide employment opportunities and will serve the "long-term needs" of current and future communities in this area of Bowmanville. In conclusion, the relevant policies of the PPS have been and satisfied as described above and as such the proposed amendments are therefore consistent with the PPS. 6.2 Places to Grow The Places to Grow, Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe came into effect on June 16, 2006. The proposed development is designated as a Greenfield Area and thus subject to the policies of Section 2.2.7. Introducing commercial/retail uses in this predominantly residential neighborhood will help create a mixture of uses and help establish this neighborhood as a"complete community", as defined by the Growth Plan. The proposed buildings are sited along the street edges, especially the food store building which will help define the intersection of Scugog St. and Longworth Ave and provide for a more attractive pedestrian environment. We are advised that the Subject Lands are located outside of the Built Boundary as established by the Province of Ontario and as currently proposed by the Region of Durham, and as such would be considered as "Greenfield"within the meaning of the above Growth Plan. However, the Subject Lands while considered Greenfield, abut the above Built Boundary and function within the overall planned Knox Neighborhood planning unit and community. The proposed development conforms to Sections 2.2.2 c)and d) of the Growth Plan regarding compact transit supported communities in Greenfield areas and reducing dependence on the automobile respectively by increasing the mixture of transit supportive uses in this area. Introducing a food store and retail uses to this predominantly residential neighbourhood will provide local residents with the opportunity to walk or take transit to this new neighbourhood shopping centre. It will also reduce the number of vehicle trips for retail services outside this area by providing a more convenient shopping alternative. The proposed development density is maximized with a coverage ratio of 0.25 which is close to the maximum permitted coverage ratio of 0.30 for the types of uses that are proposed. The buildings are sited along the street edges which will create a pedestrian friendly environment. The proximity of the shopping centre to an existing transit stop will promote future transit use. Other policies of the Growth Plan are very similar and build upon the vision and goals found in the PPS. It reinforces the need for protecting the environment, managing growth in an efficient and cost effective manner while at the same time building complete communities. There is also a strong focus on the importance of establishing and intensifying growth along transportationlintensification corridors. Although Scugog St is not explicitly identified as a transportation or intensification corridor by either the Regional or Municipal Official Plan, this arterial road does portray some attributes of a transportation corridor. It is one of the few north-south roadways that link communities in north Bowmanville to downtown Bowmanville. As a result, some of the policies under Section 2.2.5 Major Transit Station Areas and Intensification Corridors should be considered. For example, such corridors should "be R.G.Richards and Associates - 16 - _`_� planned to accommodate local services and "a mix of residential, office, institutional, and commercial development wherever appropriate." The proposed development is therefore consistent with the relevant policies outlined by the Growth Plan. 6.3 Durham Regional Official Plan The subject property is designated "Living Area" by the current Durham Regional Official Plan (2008). The predominant objective of Living Areas is to provide provisions for a variety of housing types. Within these areas, subject to provisions in the municipal Official Plan, the Regional Plan also permits "...office, retail and service and mixed uses along arterial roads and in conjunction with present and potential transit facilities". The proposed development is located in close proximity to existing public transit routes that operate on a daily basis along Scugog Street. As mentioned earlier, the positioning of the building will create a more attractive pedestrian environment. In addition, the proposed buildings will act as a buffer between the residences to the north and the intersection of Longworth and Scugog. Accordingly, the proposed development is a permitted use within the Living Area land use designation and conforms to the policies of the Regional Official Plan (including the draft ROPA 128). 6.4 Current Municipality of Clarington Official Plan Designation The subject property is designated Medium Density Residential under the Municipality of Clarington Official Plan, 2008 (Figure 8). The objective of this designation is to provide a variety of housing types and densities. Section 9.2.2 states that residential neighbourhoods shall "provide for a variety of uses for each neighbourhood to service residents and to decrease the dependency on motor vehicles". Both Longworth Avenue and Scugog Street are designated as Type C Arterial Roads. The proposed development would provide a much needed food store to serve local residents in this growing part of Bowmanville. Its location within this neighbourhood and mixture of retail uses and services would contribute to reducing the length of automobile trips to retail services outside of this area and reduce the dependency on the motor vehicle by providing an opportunity for many area residents to take the existing transit and alternative modes of transportation to obtain many of their daily goods and services. 6.4.1 Conformity with Section 10.6 (Neighbourhood Centres) The proposed development conforms to the policies described under Section 10.6 as follows. The proposed development will serve as a focal point for the neighborhood and will provide day to day retail and service needs for the residents of the area; • A range of retail and commercial land uses of a type and scale appropriate for the planned function and neighborhood use are proposed for this development; • With respect to scale and density: • The proposal has less than 5,000 mZ of gross leasable area; • The proposed uses are appropriate and are limited in scale with an FSI of.25. o With the exception of the food store, individual retail stores will have less than 500 m 2 of gross leasable area. R.G.Richards and Associates 17- • Both of the proposed buildings are sited along the street frontages with parking areas along the rear of the property and shared parking between the two buildings. o The parking area visible from Scugog Street is screened with ample high quality landscaping which continues within the parking areas wherever possible to mitigate the heat island effect. • The loading areas are sited away from the streets at the side of each building and screened with noise attenuation measures. • A noise study was conducted to ensure any noise generated by the proposal will be mitigated to acceptable levels. • A public square has been added near the Scugog Street and Longworth Avenue intersection to provide amenity and public gathering place. The square is composed of unit pavers which abut the concrete sidewalk and incorporates a trellis and related landscaping to provide some shade for pedestrians. For more details see the preliminary landscape plan L-1 attached. Figure 8—Municipality of Clarington Official Plan, Land Use Map A3 ° . Subjectr� O f d o ® Propertyj' o 0 Yd r Y N o ° i • , O" � rouwseHOOE EEENfME1 ftWWMTSCXf4. C� t._q UiBMI EONAMY .IIX9Ildx,HFA 8_COADiA'f 5C.4C0. ® Q $ 17lFF&OBf1Ii1 ® PL^US1Wx TPbA O 5£CpY0MY8CHYA • Q O . iae,w pESOermx .a.' i urtm i w uc- FtB.IIXfMT 9LH0]L ®rkorvMOa+Erc omaorsxxrx smwu'rt aESimvru l� PYOhrna.unE, d F1RffNlAR1'scHm - o • • � � �CAEEM9PACE d ���� (� a � -W � CEllr �"� ®CGNAINT'PAPo( ... ....3°EWLPWCY YIEA I. S •. MGXAYCOIOERCV ® GS PC PMK w.•.9FECW3T AY MFA R.G.Richards and Associates 6.4.2 Recent OMB Decision pertaining to the Site By way of background, the previous owner of the subject site, Halloway Holdings Limited, applied for Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw amendments on April 10"' 2003 to amend the Clarington Official Plan from the previous Local Central Area designation to Medium Density Residential, its current designation. On February 19, 2004 the applicant appealed the applications to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) since the Municipality failed to make a decision on the applications within 90 days. At that time the Municipality did not want to make a decision on the matter until the applications were considered within the Commercial Policy Review that was underway at the time. jThe original Local Central Area designation would have permitted the development as proposed today. The reason for the Official Plan amendment is not clear although it appears that the market conditions and development opportunities presented to the owner at the time did not render the Local Central Area land use permissions economically viable. The staff report dated September 7, 2004 noted that the owner received very little interest from potential purchasers/developers to develop the lands for commercial purposes. The Owner's application to redesignate its lands for residential purposes was supported by the Town and resulted in Official Plan Amendment No. 40. There are a number of reasons in support of a re-designation of these lands to Neighbourhood Centre land uses. The land use planning rational for returning this site to its originally designated Local Central Area within the overall planned Knox Neighborhood planning unit and community still remains today. The economic viability for a neighbourhood shopping centre is stronger now than before as a result of the new residential development and population growth which has occurred in the northern limits of Bowmanville over the past decade. In addition, current Provincial planning policies emphasize greater use of transit and reduced use of the automobile through greater availability of day to day retail services at appropriate scale in closer proximity to residential neighbourhoods. While the suitability of the Site for residential land uses remains, the recent population and traffic growth in this area and at this intersection have enhanced the suitability and appropriateness of this site for commercial development beyond that of its current Land use designation and zoning for residential land use. In addition, the commercial development as proposed provides an appropriate intervening transitional use from the busy Scugog and Longworth intersection to the quit residential neighbourhood to the north and east. The site is also highly accessible being located at the intersection of Longworth Avenue and Scugog Street and will benefit from the traffic travelling these roads as implied by the traffic counts in the Traffic Study. As a result of these and other factors, the food store tenant has identified a market opportunity in this location. This market demand has been reinforced by the conclusions of the Market Study(20 10) conducted by urban Metrics inc. R.G.Richards and Associates 6.5 Current Municipality of Clarington Zoning (By-law 84-63) The subject property is currently regulated by the Municipality of Clarington Zoning By-law Number 84- 63 and is zoned as Urban Residential Type 3 (R3-25,H) (Figure 9). This zone permits a variety of housing types with respect to the regulations described by exception 25. This zone also has an 'H' attached. Figure 9—Municipality of Clarington Zoning Map (H) R1 1 R1 ft2-9 ML (H) " RZ.2 n R1 ubje Property (H)R3 7.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS The proposed development will provide retail services that include regularly consumed food and pharmaceuticals to an existing neighborhood that currently travels to other locations for such services and will contribute to the creation of a complete community for this neighborhood. The demand for these services has been analyzed through a market analysis undertaken by qualified consultants whose conclusions confirm the viability and desirability of this location for the proposed retail uses. 7n the short term, Clarington's population is expected to increase by some 5,800 persons by 2014, with Bowmanville expected to increase by some 4,200 persons. The majority of population growth in Bowmanville is occurring in north Bowmanville (i.e.north of King Street) in close proximity to the subject site. Future growth in Bowmanville is also expected to occur primarily in north Bowmanville." In addition, the food store space to population ratio for Bowmanville is 72.4 square feet(Typical planning ratios are in the 3 to 4 square feet(0.27 to 0.37 m2)per capita range and therefore Clarington can be considered extremely underserved...ie Demand for a food store in this area has also been demonstrated by securing a tenant (Sobeys) for this use. Typically, the other smaller retailers will be secured once the zoning has been finalized. ' Supermarket Impact Analysis, Urban Metrics inc., June 17, 2010 R.G.Richards and Associates i i 20 �� The proposed development will utilize existing infrastructure including municipal services and roads and will benefit from existing transit which will have the effect of reducing the length of automobile trips to retail services outside of this area and reduce the dependency on the motor vehicle by providing an opportunity for many area residents to take the existing transit. The proposed land use complies with the applicable policies in the Provincial Policy Statement and the Growth Plan, is a permitted use in the Region of Durham Official Plan and complies with relevant land use policies in this Plan. The redesignation of these lands from residential back to retail land uses would implement the original planned function for retail uses in this location and for this neighborhood. The proposed development will provide a transition between the vehicular traffic at the intersection of Longworth Avenue and Scugog Street and the residential community to the north and east of the subject site. Evidently, the proposed development is supportable from a policy perspective, is a desirable and appropriate land use and constitutes good planning. Accordingly, and it is recommended that the requested Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments be approved. R.G.Richards and Assodate