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HomeMy WebLinkAbout74-93REPORT NO. 93 ORONO SENIOR CITIZENS LODGE 1. Introduction: This is a proposal for 40 units of non - profit senior citizens housing to be located on the north side of the former CNDRail- way right -of -way immediately west of the Orono Creek valley. The site is presently zoned Agricultural and the applicant has requested a change in zoning to a special residential zoning to permit the proposed lodge. The development as currently proposed consists of 20 Bachelor units, 16 one bedroom units, and 4 two bedroom units in 10 buildings of 4 units each. The plan also calls for a commun- ity centre, storage, and service building. The project would accomodate a minimum of 44 people rising to 52 people if some or all of the one bedroom units were occupied by married couples. It should be noted that three additional buildings may be added as phase 2 of the development. Attached to this report is a copy of a report by Mr. Barber of Municipal Planning Consultants on the same project. Basically, I am in agreement with Mr. Barber's comments and recommendations, however, I feel that there are several points which need further elaboration. 2. Distance from Village Centre: The distance from the centre of the Village of Orono is approximately 4/10 mile which is considered by Regional Plan- ning staff to be a somewhat excessive distance for old people to have to walk to shopping and community facilities. It - 2 - 2, (continued....) should be noted that most of the occupants of the project will probably be without access to private transportation and if they cannot walk safely and easily to the centre of the village the project will tend to become something of an isolated old people's ghetto not integrated with the remainder of the community. Some consideration has been given, for reasons outlined below, to using the former dump road as an access to the site. However, this would add a considerable further increase to the walking distance to the village. 3. Water Supply and Sewage Disposal: It should be noted that this site was formerly occupied in part by a slaughterhouse and in part by a township dump. The presence of this subsurface waste matter might affect both private water supply and sewage disposal facilities. Before any approvals are given,a complete report from the health unit should be obtained. Incidentally, the presence of this former dump could also affect building conditions requiring special foundations to be installed. The applicants have suggested that an extension to the village water system could be installed as an alternative to private on site supply, but at the present time, until the second well is completed, the Ministry of the Environment are not approving any new devel- opments in Orono. In any case the cost and feasibility of the extension of services from the village across the Orono 3 3. (continued.......) Creek ravine has not yet been investigated, and it could be prohibitively expensive. i+. Road. Access: There are two alternative possible accesses to this site from the village. The present major access is Station Street which crosses the ravine from Orono on the former railway embankment. However, Station Street is not actually a public road. Up to the east boundary of the proposed site the street still apparently belongs to the CNR as successor to the former CNO Railway. Immediately adjacent to the site and to the west of it the street belongs to the Ministry of Natural Resources and is closed one day a year to prevent establishment of legal public right -of -way. In addition to not being a legally established public street, Station Street is only 15 feet wide at the narrowest point on the top of the 40 foot former railway embankment, and to bring it up to MTC standards for a township road would probably be prohibitively expensive. In addition a sidewalk and street lighting would certainly also be needed. The other possible access, the former Dump Road, is little more than a track, and would be equally if not more expensive to improve. In addition it runs down through the ravine close to the stream and it would probably not be environmentally desirable to reconstruct it. 5. Pedestrian Access: Pedestrian access to the site would presumably take place via Station Street or the Dump Road if it is reconstructed. To make access to the site safe and convenient for the old people walking to and from the village, a sidewalk and street lighting must be provided. It would be unconscionable to expect old people to contend with traffic along the present narrow embankment of Station Street, particularly during hours of darkness. The walk to the village under present road conditions would probably be too hazardous for them after nightfall and they would be effectively cut off from village activities in the evening hours. 6. Conclusion: In conclusion, I believe that the proposed site has severe handicaps for the use intended which cannot be economically overcome without undue hazard and hardship to the proposed residents. I would recommend that the applicants should seriously seek a more suitable site for their proposal. How- ever, if the applicants can overcome all of the problems mentioned in this and Mr. Barber's report other than the distance from the village centre, then this development could still be recommended for approval. If the applicant wish to continue their application, I would recommend that they be asked to obtain the following approvals and report back to this committee: (a) Approval from the Health Unit for their proposed sewage disposal system. 5 6. (continued........) (b) Approval from the Health Unit for a private water supply or (c) Approval from the Regional. Works Department for an extension to the Orono water system (including an engineer's cost estimate so that the appli- cants will be fully aware of what cost they are getting into.) (d) Approval in principle from the CNR and the Min- istry of Natural Resources to the transfer of Station Street to municipal jurisdiction. In addition, I would recommend that before any approval to the project is given, a study by the Town's consultant engineers should be undertaken to evaluate the two possible accesses, recommend acceptable design standards for roadways, pedestrian walkways and street lighting, and suggest the approximate cost of recommended improvements. The applicant's should be required to agree to pay the cost of such study and the applicant's should also be made to understand that any improvements required will be constructed at their exp- ense. The engineer's report should be submitted for approval to the Works Committee prior to being returned to this Committee and the applicant's should be advised that the Town is not obligated to assume for maintenance any new roads or other works regardless of any consultants report. Respectfully submitted, George F. Howden, Planning Director. MUNICIPAL PLANNING CONSULTANTS CO. IND., 400 Mount Pleasant Road, Toronto, Ontario. TOWN OF NEWCASTLE Consultants' Report No. 7 SENIOR CITIZENS' LODGE ORONO TOWN OF NEWCASTLE 1. TERMS OF REFERENCE September 3, 1974. PN: 4440/15 On August 29, 1974, we were requested by Mr. Entwisle to comment on the Senior Citizens' Lodge proposal to be built in part of Lot 29, Concession 5 in the former Township of Clarke. 2. OFFICIAL PLAN AND ZONING DESIGNATIONS The subject site is partially designated Environmental Protection and primarily designated Residential in the Clarke Township Offi- cial Plan. However, the policies for residential development do not permit development to the density proposed in this application. By -law Number 1653 of the former Township of Clarke shows the sub- ject lands in an Agricultural Zone (A). Therefore, prior to per- mitting the proposed development, either the Township of Clarke Official Plan will have to be amended or the Interim District Plan will have to be adopted in a form which designates this area as Urban Residential. An amendment to By -law Number 1653 of the former Township of Clarke will also be required to permit this de- velopment. 3. DISCUSSION Having reviewed a preliminary site plan covering the subject pro- posal, we would like to bring the following matters to your atten- tion for consideration: (1) TOPOGRAPHY: Since the preliminary site plan which was made available to us does not show topographic contours, we are concerned about a large area in the centre of the subject site which is desig- nated as requiring fill. It should be ascertained what depth of fill will be required since this could have an effect on the proper siting and development of buildings in this area. (1) (2) ACCESS AND TRAFFIC MOVEMENT: We question the suitability of the extension of Station Street as an access road capable of handling the traffic which may be generated by this development. Is it the developers intention to dedicate Part 2 of the site plan to the Municipality for roads purposes? The status of the existing road on Part 2 is not clear. The entrance to the actual development is a very poor intersection which has the potential of producing extremely complicated traffic movement. The internal roads, which have a 12 foot width, may prove to be too narrow for emergency vehicles such as fire trucks, even with one -way traffic circulation. There is only one access road to the development. We are also concerned as to how access will be provided to Stage 3 of the development. (3) PARKING: There is very limited parking provided for the development, i.e., 16 spaces for approximately 56 units. All the parking is pro- vided in one location which:is a considerable distance from some of the more northerly units in the development. (4) GENERAL COMMENTS: The internal layout seems to be adequate, although information as to where habitable room windows will be placed may show that some of the buildings are located too close to each other. Building setbacks would appear adequate in most cases. The information provided for Stage 2 is very limited and there is no indication as to how Stage 3 will be developed. Therefore, our comments relate specifically to the Stage 1 proposal. Also, there is a substantial area located south of the proposed parking area which does not have any indication as to how it may be de- veloped. We would like to be advised as to the proposed use of this section of the subject lands. 4. RECOMMENDATIONS (1) The Town should have the applicant complete an application for an amendment to the District Plan and Zoning By -law. A draft of such a form has been forwarded to Mr. Howden for his comments. (2) A revised site plan should be prepared which shows an improved entrance pattern to the development, provides a second access to the development, provides for wider internal roads and provides additional parking spaces in a second location. The revised site plan should also show topographic contours and either pro- vide more detailed information on Stages 2 and 3 or else elimi- nate Stages 2 and 3 from the site plan. (2) (3) Information should be provided by the applicant as to the ulti- mate disposition of Part 2, i.e., whether or not this parcel will be dedicated to the Municipality for roads purposes. (4) The Town should examine the extension of Station Street to see whether it is adequately constructed to permit its use by the traffic which will be generated by this development. (5) If approved, this development should be included in the Interim District Plan and an amendment to By -law Number 1653 of the former Township of Clarke should be enacted. We are including herewith, as Appendix 1, a draft amending By -law for this pur- pose. This amending By -law should not be enacted however until such time as either the Township of Clarke Official Plan is amended or until the Interim District Plan is adopted by Council with the proper designation of the subject lands included. DB /bc Respectfully submitted, MUNICIPAL PLANNING CONSULTANTS CO. LTD. David Barber, Director of Planning. (3) Draft: September 3, 1974, APPENDIX 1 THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE BY -LAW NUMBER A By -law to amend Zoning By -law Number 1653 of the former Township of Clarke WHEREAS the Council of the Corporation of the Town of Newcastle deems it advisable to amend By -law Number 1653 of the former Township of Clarke. NOW THEREFORE the Council of the Corporation of the Town of Newcastle ENACTS as follows: 1. Section 4 of By -law Number 1653 is hereby amended by the addition of the following at the end thereof: 114.2 SPECIAL Rl ZONES (a) SENIOR CITIZENS' LODGE, ORONO 01 -1): Notwithstanding any provisions of Sections 4.1 and 4.2 hereof to the contrary, the lands which are desig- nated R1 -1 on Schedule "A" hereto and shown on Sche- dule "B -1" hereto, shall be used for no purposes other than senior citizens' apartments, in accordance with the uses shown on Schedule "B -1" hereto." 2. Map 3 of Schedule "A" to By -law Number 1653 is hereby amended by changing to R1 -1 the zone symbol of the lands designated "ZONE CHANGE TO Rl -l" on Schedule "A" hereto. 3. By -law Number 1653 is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof Schedule "B -1 ", which is attached hereto. 4. This By -law shall become effective on the date hereof subject to receiving the approval of the Ontario Municipal Board. (1) THIS BY -LAW READ A FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD TIME AND FINALLY PASSED ON THE DAY OF , A.D., 197 . (SEAL) Mayor Clerk (NOTE: Schedule "B -l" and any required special provisions for the development of these lands will have to be added to this amending by -law when an acceptable revised site plan is pre- pared.) (2) ti h (0 M J SCHEDULE 11A11 TO BY -LAW N0. PART OF LOT 29, CON 5 FORMER TOWNSHIP OF CLARKE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE 80 50' N 15044E \ v w ZONE CHANGE TO R I - I THIS IS SCHEDULE "A" TO BY- LAW NO PASSED THE DAY OF 1197 SCALE IN FEET MAYOR 200 0 200 400 DWG NO 4440 -5 CLERK MUNICIPAL PLANNING CONSULTANTS CO LTD