HomeMy WebLinkAboutPD-47-97THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON
DN: PD -47.97
REPORT
Meeting: General Purpose and Administration Committee
Date: Monday, April 7, 1997
Report #: PD-47-97
Subject: PROPOSED PARKLAND AND OPEN SPACE DEDICATION
BY-LAW AMENDMENT
FILE: PLN 16.1.2
Recommendations:
File # Nr-) _:
Res. #L la a2 13 -- 9 7
By -law # 1"- 6 9
It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration
Committee recommend to Council the following:
1. THAT Report PD -47 -97 be received; and
2. THAT Council approve the proposed amendment to By -law 95 -105 as contained
in this report.
1. BACKGROUND
1.1 Jourdan at Clarington Inc. has proposed a 52 unit apartment building within the
Bowmanville East Main Central Area. On February 10, 1997, Council directed
Staff to obtain a parkland dedication equal to 5% of the site totalling $22,500.
The Council resolution also contained the following direction:
"THAT Staff be directed to prepare a comprehensive report pertaining to Option
3 FORTHWITH, which reads as follows:
"alternative Parkland Dedication at 0.33 hectares per 300 dwelling units "."
1.2 The Parkland Dedication By -law 95 -105 currently permits the Municipality to
accept cash -in -lieu of parkland for medium and high density residential
development at a rate of 1.0 hectare /300 dwelling units. This report examines the
issues pertaining to the application of this alternative parkland dedication
requirement.
674
REPORT
2.1 The Planning Act permits a municipality to acquire a parkland for all forms of
residential development on the basis of 5% of the area subject to the application.
This dedication can either be accepted as parkland or cash -in -lieu of parkland.
This standard is typically applied to low density residential development. Where
residential development occurs at a higher density, the need for parkland is
greater than for lower density forms of development. Therefore, the alternative
parkland dedication standard in the Act enables municipalities to obtain
parkland at a rate of up to 1.0 hectare /300 dwelling units. The municipal official
plan must contain appropriate policies to permit this alternative standard to be
used.
3. OFFICIAL PLAN POLICIES
3.1 The parkland dedication policies in the Clarington Official Plan permit the
municipality to acquire parkland or cash -in -lieu of parkland as part of a residential
application. For residential development, redevelopment or plans of subdivision
providing for low, medium, and /or high density uses, dedication shall be on the
basis of 5% of the land proposed for development /redevelopment or 1.0
hectare /300 dwelling units, whichever is greater. These policies are similar to the
Municipality's Parkland and Open Space Dedication By -law 95 -104.
3.2 A chart (Attachment #1) indicates the parkland dedication approaches that other
municipalities in Durham Region, York Region, and Metro Toronto have taken.
4. PARKLAND DEDICATION BY -LAW 95 -104
The Parkland Dedication By -law 95 -104 permits the Municipality to acquire
parkland and /or cash -in -lieu of parkland in accordance to the provisions of the
Planning Act. The Municipality may acquire parkland at a rate of 5% of the area
subject to the application. Alternatively, parkland may be acquired at the rate of
1.0 hectare /300 dwelling units (alternative parkland dedication standard), where
this rate would yield a dedication greater than 5 %. The Municipality may accept
REPORT ,
cash -in -lieu of parkland where a dedication would render a site undevelopable or
where a land dedication does not meet the Municipality's park development goals
or standards. Since this by -law was passed by Council, Staff have consistently
applied the alternative parkland dedication provision where applicable.
The alternative parkland dedication standard is applied to medium and high
density residential development. It recognizes that demand for park and
recreational services increases where higher densities exist. Therefore, assessing
parkland requirement at a rate higher than 5% for medium and high density
development is a prudent approach. The real question lies with the amount being
assessed.
5. COMMENTS
5.1 Inequity Between Properties
Based on the experience with the Jourdan application, there is an apparent
inequity with applying the alternative parkland dedication standard to all areas
within the Municipality as the amount of cash -in -lieu of parkland dedication is
determined by land cost. Land prices, which vary throughout an urban area, are
generally higher in "downtown" or Main Central Area than they would be in a
Residential Area. The following chart provides an example of the price differential:
Location
Land Use Designation
Residential Density
Parkland Dedication
5% of Site Area:
1.0 ha /300 d.u:
Jourdan
Bowmanvil le
Main Central Area
104 units /hectare
$ 22,500
$156,000
Nantucket
Courtice
Residential
31 units /hectare
$ 28,455
$ 52,371
Staff contacted Property Evaluators, a local appraiser, to shed some light on the
price differential between Central Area (Downtown) property and residential
we
designated property. We were advised that the value of downtown Bowmanville
property currently ranges between $625,000 and $750,000 per hectare. Compare
this to the appraised value of the Nantucket property, we conclude that the land
costs for downtown properties are approximately four times higher than residential
lands elsewhere.
5.2 Proposed Amendment to the Parkland Dedication By -law
This comparison highlights the inequity in land cost between the areas where
downtown land prices could be four times as high compared to other residential
areas. This appears to be a significant shortcoming in the current by -law that
does not account for correction of this inequity. To rectify this situation, Staff
propose an amendment that would reduce the required alternative parkland
requirement from 1.0 hectare /300 dwelling units to 0.25 hectares /300 dwelling
units for development or redevelopment within Main Central Areas. This approach
is reasonable and is in keeping with Council's decision to provide incentive for
downtown development.
5.3 Staff would not recommend any further reduction from the recommended rate of
0.25 hectares /300 dwelling units as it would jeopardize the Municipality's ability
to finance future park and recreational development. This position will be further
weakened if the proposed development charges legislation removes the
Municipality's ability to include parkland acquisition as a chargeable item under
development charges.
5.4 Staff circulated the proposed alternative parkland dedication by -law amendment
to the Public Works - Parks Division for comment. The Department has indicated
no objections to the proposed amendment.
5.5 In summary, Staff recommend reducing the alternative parkland dedication
requirement from 1.0 hectare /300 dwelling units to 0.25 hectares /300 dwelling
roym
PAGE 5
units for development or redevelopment within Main Central Areas for the
following reasons:
Reducing the parkland dedication requirement should alleviate some of the
inequity of land costs between Main Central Areas and residential areas.
Downtown development sites are therefore less penalized by high
development costs.
This provides some incentive for development and redevelopment of sites
in Main Central Areas for high density residential projects. These
developments help to reinforce the downtown areas.
• The proposed standard is not based on a standard employed by another
municipality. Staff feel that it is not appropriate to adopt the standards of
other municipalities because land costs and development issues vary
between municipalities.
Respectfully submitted,
Franklin Wu, M.C.I.P., R.P.P.
Director of Planning
and Development
RH *FW *jip
Recommended for presentation
to the Committee
41WIle
W.H. Stockwell,
Chief Administrative
Officer
Attachment #1 - Comparison of Municipal Parkland Dedication Standards for Medium
and High Density Residential Development
Attachment #2 - Amending By -Law
678
ATTACHMENT #1
• 9 A V %NS 1 RS03:1
MUNICIPALITY
PARKLAND DEDICATION STANDARD
Pickering
- parkland accepted at 5% for all residential
development
- Pickering will accept parkland at 1.0 hectare per
300 dwelling units once the Official Plan is
approved
Ajax
- parkland accepted at 5% for all residential
development
Whitby
- parkland accepted at 1.0 hectare /312 dwelling units
Oshawa
- parkland accepted at 0.1 hectares /300 dwelling
units for Downtown Oshawa based on density
- parkland accepted at 0.15 hectares /300 dwelling
units for Main Central Areas, Sub - Central Areas,
and Community Central Areas based on density
- parkland accepted at 0.3 hectares /300 dwelling
units for medium and high density development in
other areas
- standard cash -in -lieu requirements for development
subject to site plan approval, residential infill, and
severances
Richmond Hill
- parkland accepted at 1.0 hectare /300 dwelling units
Markham
- parkland accepted at 1.0 hectare /300 dwelling units
North York
- parkland accepted at 5% for all residential
development
City of Toronto
- stacked townhouses are assessed at 5%
- parkland dedication requirements for high density
residential development are negotiated on a site
specific basis
679
THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON
BY -LAW NUMBER 97-
being a By -Law to amend By -Law 95 -104, the Parkland and Open Space Dedication By-
Law for the Corporation of the Municipality of Clarington.
WHEREAS the Council of the Corporation of the Municipality of Clarington deems it
advisable to amend By -Law 95 -104 of the Corporation of the Municipality of Clarington
in accordance with a request to amend the alternative parkland dedication standard;
AND WHEREAS the Council of the Corporation of the Municipality of Clarington deems
it appropriate to amend By -law 95 -104,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Council of the Corporation of the
Municipality of Clarington enacts as follows:
1. By -Law 95 -104 is hereby amended by inserting the following new section:
"5. Notwithstanding Section 4, the Municipality may require the conveyance of land
for park purposes at a rate of up to 0.25 hectares per 300 dwelling units for
residential development within designated Main Central Areas where these rates
would yield a conveyance greater than five percent provided that such lands have
been excluded from lands subject to the five percent parkland dedication
requirements under Section 3 and;
(a) in all cases, the amount of the conveyance shall be a minimum of two percent
of the land; and,
(b) where development proposals contain residential and commercial
components, the parkland dedication shall only be applied to the residential
component."
The subsequent sections will be renumbered accordingly.
2. By -Law 95 -104 is amended on the date of passing hereof.
By -Law read a first time this day of 1997.
By -Law read a second time this day of 1997•
By -Law read a third time and finally passed this day of 1997.
MAYOR
CLERK
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