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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPD-175-92 °~F1 CF~PO~1"i O~ T°Fi~ T®t~ OF 1VGS1'L DN: REGENERA.GPA Meeting: General Purpose and Administration Committee File ~ Monday, July 20, 1992 des. _--~.~° Qate: PD-175-92 PLN 15.4 ~~®Le`~ F~eport Fife _ Subject: REGENERATION TORONTO'S WATERFRONT AND THE SUSTAINABLE CITY: FINAL REPORT FILE PLN 15.4 ~~tnrnen~tion: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: 1. THAT Report PD-175-92 be received for information. 1. BACKGROUND 1.1 On June 1, 1992 Staff presented PD-139-92 informing Council of the release of Reaeneration: Toronto's Waterfront and the Sustainable Citv, the final report of the Royal Commission on the Future of the Toronto Waterfront. Staff have reviewed the document and have prepared this report for Council's information. 2. REGENERATION The Final Report was released by the Crombie Commission on May 14, 1992 The objective of this final report is to provide a basis for governments to act on the fundamental decisions that have to be taken to ensure that waterfront regeneration is an opportunity that brings with it the long- term promise of a healthy environment, economic recovery and sustainablity and maintaining a livable community. The report is 530 pages in length and contains 83 major ....2 L~ ~ I F ~ r o/ iH IS IS PIfiMED uu nEDYCLED PAFlER REPORT NO. PD-175-92 PAGE 2 recommendations. It is not possible to review each one and thus the purpose of this report is to only highlight the most relevant issues for the Town. A copy of the full report is available for inspection in the offices of the Planning and Development Department. 2.1 THE ECOSYSTEM ArrxOACH The Second Interim report, Watershed identified the Greater Toronto Area as a Greater Toronto Bioregion, to emphasize that environmental issues are not defined by political boundaries. Watershed concludes that the bioregion is under a considerable amount of stress, due to urbanization, development pressures and pollution. The carrying capacity of the ecosystem, that is the ability of the natural environment to absorb the impact of human use, is very much strained and cannot be sustained over the long term. The Crombie Commission stresses the urgent need for a regeneration of the entire bioregion to remediate environmental problems caused by the activates of the past and to ensure all future activates result in an improvement of the environmental health. 2.2 In Watershed, the Commission recommends nine principles to guide the regeneration process by accepting an ecosystem approach to managing the waterfront. The nine principles are clean, green, usable, diverse, open, accessible, connected, affordable, and attractive. Regeneration identifies five fundamental themes for the ecosystem approach: • the ecosystem is "home"; • everything is connected to everything else; • sustainability; • understanding places; and • integrating processes. ....3 _f r.,f ..J ~~1 REPORT NO. PD-175-92 PAGE 3 The themes are all related and are intended to regain awareness that humans are part of the ecosystem, and an awareness that the present process and basis of decision making must change in order to retain and even perhaps improve our quality of life. 3. REGENERATION OF THE WATERFRONT 3.1 The fundamental issues raised in Regeneration hinge on the notion that there are many complex problems facing the waterfront and it is attributed to the lack of ecosystem approach to planning and decision making. 3.2 The Royal Commission has eighty three recommendations which promote the ecosystem approach to planning and management of the Greater Toronto Bioregion and also attempt to more clearly define the roles of various agencies. Some of general recommendations that are proposed involve input and changes from many levels of government and many agencies. The Recommendations are summarized below. a) Provincial Policies In order to prepare comprehensive, integrated set of ecosystem based policies the Commission recommends several provincial policies which includes: • a number of policy statement under Section 3 of the Planning Act, to include waterfront planning and development based on the nine principles, they include: greenway concepts, watershed management; natural heritage; protection rural lands and agriculture; compact forms transportation resource conservation protection and rehabilitation of air soil and land use compatibility ....4 y1~ << <.l ~ f REPORT NO. PD-175-92 PAGE 4 • the Province should provide guidance and set out expectations for ecosystem based planning and development approval practices. • while the policy statements are being prepared, all planning jurisdictions should ensure that all planning documents on the waterfront incorporate the ecosystem approach to planning b) The Oak Ridges Moraine • the Provincial Interest on the Oak Ridges Moraine should include the entire moraine not just those areas within the GTA • a long-term conservation strategy for the Oak Ridges Moraine should be similar that approach of the Niagara Escarpment Commission c) Shoreline Regeneration Plan • the shoreline regeneration plan shall protect and regenerate the GTA shoreline employing the ecosystem approach, emphasizing protection of natural areas rehabilitation of degraded areas consideration of cumulative impacts improvement of access and recreational opportunities • moratorium on approval of all new lakefill and shoreline erosion control pending formulation of a shoreline regeneration plan d) Waterfront Greenway and Trail • waterfront greenway and trail should be integrated into the shoreline regeneration plan • basic design policy for a waterfront greenway trail ....5 wi r REPORT NO. PD-175-92 PAGE 5 • technical resource centre on greenways and land trusts should be established to assist agencies in implementing the trail • the Oak Ridges Moraine Technical Working Committee should incorporate the greenways concept into the current planning exercise to address east-west linkages along the moraine. • greenway strategy should have sufficient scope to incorporate interim and optimum waterfront trail route alignments • provincial and federal government roles should encourage the creation of greenways strategies, including legislation and policies for acquisitions and establishment of easements over private property • greenways should be included into all local Official Plans • local municipalities should prepare and promote design guidelines on wind impact, sun access and building location/massing encouraging landowners and developers to enhance pedestrian micro-climate conditions promoting year round use of waterfront • creation of Community Gr.eenway Alliance to implement greenway trials, the alliance would involve local and regional municipal governments,conservation authorities and community groups, most notable greenway areas in Newcastle are the Bowmanville Creek, Wilmot Creek, and Ganaraska River (headwaters area) 3.3 REGION OF DURHAM Durham encompasses about 40 percent of the GTA's Lake Ontario shoreline, but is the most undeveloped region across ....6 a ; ~r REPORT NO. PD-175-92 PAGE 6 the area, housing approximately only twenty percent of total lakefront population. However, the predicted rate of growth in Durham is the highest of all four Greater Toronto waterfront regions. The Commission expresses great concern noting that the preservation of natural waterfront areas may be~in jeopardy with the increasing pressures from rapid growth and urbanization. Regeneration recognizes that 1991 Regional Official Plan endorses the nine waterfront principles discussed in Watershed. However, the Commission stresses that the Region needs to assume a leadership role in coordinating local waterfront plans within a regional context. The Commission notes that although the Region has had discussions with the lakeshore municipalities to provide input into a waterfront plan, no significant steps have been taken towards a regional waterfront plan. The Commission feels strongly that the region should offer environmentally sound planning policies that takes into account the cumulative effects of economic activates and community development on natural and built environments. In addition, local municipalities must have the tools to implement this type of planning approach which will strengthen the creation of partnerships and cooperative action from all levels of government and citizen groups. 3.4 THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE Reaeneration recognizes that much the waterfront in the Town is undeveloped and suggests that this municipality has a great opportunity to maintain much of its current natural state. The Commission recognized that the Town of Newcastle does not have a comprehensive plan covering the waterfront and rural areas. However, it applauds town's initiative to ....7 v r f` REPORT NO. PD-175-92 PAGE 7 review the official plan and the preparation of two waterfront plans. The Commission believes that in the future the Newcastle waterfront could offer an existing mix of built and natural environments and a diversity of land uses that are sensitive to their natural surroundings. 3.5 GREENWAYS The Commission suggests that there is another bioregion in the Region of Durham, and these are the watersheds north and east of the moraine. The Commission believes that there is an opportunity for the regional nodes to be separated by natural areas of vegetation, to provide natural wildlife habitat as well as connectors to regional greenway system, linking the major natural elements of the bioregions. The Commission identifies key areas for greenways system in the region, however suggests the Town of Newcastle has the most potential in this respect, because there are development proposals on our waterfront lands and there is opportunity for acquiring public rights of way. There are several rec~..~......endations concerning the Region of Durham: • the Region, area municipalities and the conservation authorities should review all relevant policy documents to ensure the ecosystem approach and the nine principles are incorporated. • prepare a shoreline regeneration plan and all other plans are to be prepared and reviewed within that context • the province should establish a waterfront partnership agreement that would implement region waterfront plan and would identify roles and responsibilities of various agencies with the region taking a coordinating role ....8 REPORT NO. PD-175-92 PAGE 8 • review design of regional water supply and sewage facilities so they do not detract from other waterfront objectives • strategies to protect and maintain significant natural habitats, including the Wilmot Creek, Bondhead Bluffs and McLaughlin Bay • implement regional greenways and trail system to extend from the Oak Ridges Moraine south to Lake Ontario, north to Lake Scugog and Lake Simcoe • natural areas should also be preserved between the three regional nodes Pickering/Ajax, Whitby/Oshawa/Courtice, and Bowmanville/Newcastle Village. 4. IMPLEMENTATION OF COMMISSIONS RECOMMENDATIONS Regeneration set forth proposed solutions for implementing the recommendations of the Commission. Proposed solutions include: • The adoption of values and philosophy in the ecosystem approach, is fundamental to planning for sustainability. It involves a change in process and decision making. Establishing this approach in planning documents will be the cornerstone for sustainability. • The administration of the waterfront should be a shared responsibility for each level of government preforming its role in partnerships with others. It should be noted that partnerships also include private sector as well. Round table discussions are fundamental to bringing together all parties at the appropriate time publicly and openly so that public value can be debated and various agencies are made accountable. Once partnerships are established, then capital ....9 r REPORT NO. PD-175-92 PAGE 9 projects can easily be consolidated to allow for capital projects to proceed. 5. CONCLUSIONS 5.1 A number of the issues and concerns that have been discussed in Regeneration have been raised in Watershed. However the recommendations revolve around the values of understanding and adopting the ecosystem approach into planning. In consideration of the Commission's recommendations made over the past documents, Staff has attempted to integrated the ecosystem approach into the proposed Port Darlington Secondary Plan, Newcastle Waterfront Plan and has adopted the notion as an underlying philosophy to the Official Plan Review. However, in light of the recommendations made in Regeneration, with respect to suspensions on the approval of lake-filling, staff will have to re-visit the policies and proposed land uses in the Port Darlington Secondary Plan. 5.2 Regeneration, is the Final Report of the Royal Commission of the Future of the Toronto Waterfront, providing over 83 recommendations for planning for sustainability, to that end The Commission has now completed fulfilling its mandate.. On June 29, 1992 David Crombie was officially appointed to begin the Waterfront Regeneration Trust Agency. This Agency's mandate is to implement some of the recommendation that were sited by the Royal Commission. There are six priority projects that the Regeneration Trust will focus on. Three out of six projects will effect the Town of Newcastle. The Lake Ontario Greenway Strategy, the Partnership Agreement and Consolidated Capital Plan. A copy of the six priority projects are attached to this report. ....10 i' REPORT NO. PD-1'75-92 PAGE 10 Staff will endeavour to keep Council informed of the actions and progress of the Regeneration Trust Agency. Respectfully submitted, Recommended for presentation to the Committee , ~ Franklin Wu, M.C.I.P. Lawrence E. Kot~eff Director of Planning Chief Administr~~yve and Development Officer CRS*FW*cc *Attach 13 July 1992 i; ; ,r-~~ +416314949'7 ~JFT RESEN TRUST F-~01 T-001 P-©08/09 JUG 13 '92 13:41 Wat~rfrant ~egr~r~~ration Trust -~ fix Prit~rity ~rc~jr~~ts . ~ . lake C,~nt~rio ~reer~WV~y strategy: The Greenway Stxategy far the Lake Qntario waterfront from Burlington Bay t~ the Trent River will build on work previt~usly undertaken. by the ~toyal ~pmrx~ission. Based on the ecosystem approach and the Mine. waterfront principles, it will incl~xde work ~n the waterfront trail, shoreline management (eg. lakefili & ert~sion), sail remediation, nat- ural Habitat pratectic~n and xestoration, as well as the integration of cultural heritage` and associated ecanonlic benefits. ~prrl5~r~ ~[a3"'~'yrr10Y1: T1Ye project will refine and implement the work of the ~nrrisatt ~ommdn ,pretimit~~ry Master' Plan whieh provides an economic development strategy fc~r Ontario Place, Fort Yorl~, exhibition Place, H1V1CS Xark, Fleet St, and surrounding areas. Work. will integrate the natural environment, land uses, and transportation facilities, enhance'trade and tourism, improve and develop residential con7.muztities as well as re-indttstriali2e the area. 3. ~ ivwer Cyan t~r~ds Strc~~egy: . 'The Lower L7on Lands,inrludes the west and east sides of the Lower 1=?or! Raver, East $ayfront, the forrrter Ataratiri Iands, the ~aQder'ham and Worts $ite, Poxt Industrial Area, Uuter Harbour', Leslie street spit, and the parklands Qf AsHbridge's Ray. Using an eec~system approach and the nine waterfrt~nt principles as a basis, the Strategy will incorporate enviranmer?tal protectitrn/remediation, land uses, and transpt~r'tatipn. I$sues to be addressed include flooding, st~il contamination, rehabilitation of the Ton River, access, preservation and enhancement trf bath natural and built heritage, and eccr nomic renewal. . 4. rtransiaarttxtic~n ~arrid+~r: The project will entail phase IY rsf the T~r~trto Central Waterfroy2t ~`ranspartation Cor7i~or Study which focused on strengthening'the link between the Central Waterfront and the 'city, improving the area's quality as a plate and. its function as a corridor'. A. principal component of the project will include relocating and redesigning the Gardiner expressway/Lake Shore Bivd. 'Work 'will integrate environmental, land use, traxtsporta- tian and economic considerations. +4163149497 ~1FT REGEN TRUST F-G01 T-BG1 P-009/©89 JUL 13 '92 13:41 par~n~r$t~ip ~gf~erner~ts: The Trust r~vill work as a ca-oxdinatirtg ,body iri develt~ping partnership agreements ' arxrong local, regional, pravi~tcial, or fedEral governments as rewired; as well as special purpose agencies, private sectoP al~d ~m.~:,c~.~nity groups across the waterfront, where - appropriate. Partnership agxeernents will cantaixE cievelo~rxsnent plans and implernentati+~n mechanisms, and will support public and private initiatives. • fi. Consaiidat~d Cr~pitt~l Plpn: The Plan is a resgax~se to the budgetary restraints facing all levels of gpver;nment and the urgent need fair economic retavery and enviXC~nmental regeneration. It will ,aim at •co-prdinating' wwaterfront plans, projects, priaritie$ and capital budgets, of governments and the private Sectt:?iC. ~ , ~ ~- , ~ _ . , - I .:4 o... ~ ~ _ Y • ~ ~ 4- ? ` ~ ~ ( ~ I 2