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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPD-83-86 TOWN OF NEWCASTLE 1, REPORT File # to`o. 3c� Res. �¢ -�• By-Law # MEETING: General Purpose and Administration Committee DATE: Monday, April 7, 1986 REPORT #: PD-83-86 FILE #: DEV 86-2/D/P SUBJECT: APPLICATION TO AMEND DURHAM REGIONAL OFFICIAL PLAN KERZNER HOLDINGS LIMITED OUR FILE: 86-2/D/P RECOMMENDATIONS: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: 1. THAT Report PD-83-86 be received; and 2. THAT the Region of Durham be advised that the Town of Newcastle does not support a general amendment to the Durham Regional Official Plan to permit retail and personal service uses in industrial areas; and 3. THAT a copy of this Report and Council 's decision be forwarded to the Region of Durham. BACKGROUND AND COMMENT: On February 10, 1986, the Planning Department was advised by the Region of Durham of an application submitted by Kerzner Holdings Limited, in Pickering, to amend the Durham . . .2 REPORT NO.: PD-83-86 Page 2 Regional Official Plan. The Region advised that, as a result of this application and other similar inquiries, they were considering a general amendment to the Official Plan to permit retail and personal service uses within areas designated for Industrial use. The specific application submitted by Kerzner Holdings seeks permission to construct 930 sq.m. (10,000 sq.ft. ) of retail and personal service floor space in an industrial park in Pickering. Section 8.4.2.1 of the Durham Regional Official Plan permits "certain commercial , community and recreational uses, such as banks, professional offices, restaurants, fraternal organizations and athletic clubs" in Industrial areas, provided that such uses are compatible with the industrial uses in the area, and subject to the incorporation of appropriate provisions in the respective zoning by-law. The intent being that such uses would serve and be complementary to industrial uses. The Town of Newcastle Official Plan, reflects this intent. Specifically those sections relating to the Bowmanville and Newcastle Village Urban Areas (Sections 7.2.7.2 and 8.2.7.2 respectively) state that "uses which are complimentary to, and serve the basic industrial uses may also be permitted" in Industrial areas. By-law 84-63, the Comprehensive Zoning By-law, permits the following ancillary uses in the "M1-Light Industrial" and "M2-General Industrial" zones: bank or financial office, and eating establishment, an adult entertainment parlour within an eating establishment or tavern, a tavern and a private club. Staff are concerned that the location of general commercial uses in industrial areas would adversely impact both designated Central Areas and industrial areas. In general terms, the lease rates for floor space in industrial areas are somewhat less than rates in commercial centres, thereby attracting retail and personal service uses that might otherwise locate in designated Central Areas. This would undermine the role of Central Areas as focal points within the community. The attraction of commercial uses to industrial areas would, in turn, reduce the amount of floor space available i to industrial users. i i . . .3 REPORT NO. : PD-83-86 Page 3 The policies of both the Regional and the Town's Official Plans act to discourage the spatial association of commercial and industrial uses, with the only commercial uses permitted in industrial areas being those which are complimentary to and intended to serve the industrial uses. The intent of these policies is both to protect industrial areas from commercial intrusions and to concentrate retail and personal service uses in designated Central Areas in order to best serve the resident population and to reinforce the role of Central Areas as focal points within the community. Staff acknowledge that commercial uses permitted in industrial areas would serve the needs of industrial employees in the immediate area. However, in Staff' s opinion, the retail and personal service uses as currently permitted by the Official Plan are sufficient to meet the daily requirements of the worker population. Any further shopping and personal service requirements are most appropriately satisfied by using those services located in designated Central Areas. Staff refer to a recent decision of the Ontario Municipal Board with respect to applications for an Official Plan amendment and rezoning submitted by a developer in the City of York to permit a mixed industrial-commercial development on lands designated and zoned for industrial use (Kimberly-Lloyd Developments vs. York-Eglinton Business Improvement Area) . The Board, in its decision in favour of the York-Eglinton Business Improvement Area, noted the following: "Aside from the issue of the economic consequences for the B. I.A. , there still remains the issue of whether the proposed Official Plan Amendment permitting commercial use, unrelated to industrial use, in an industrially designated area, is envisaged under the approved policies of the Official Plan. Clearly the Plan does not encourage mixed commercial /industrial development in an industrial area. . ..Neither does the Plan contemplate that if industrial lands fail to attract industry that it is open to Council , on an adhoc or spot basis, to admit a commercial use as a permitted use. The thrust of Official Plan policies just does not appear to support this kind of approach to planning in the City." I Staff further note that the traffic circulation systems in industrial areas are not designed to accommodate the higher traffic volumes that could be generated by the presence of commercial and personal service uses, thereby i . . .4 � REPORT NO.: PD-83-86 Page 4 creating traffic problems and increasing the possibility of conflict between private automobiles and industrial truck traffic. Staff generally support amendments to the Durham Regional Official Plan which provide the area municipalities with greater flexibility in planning matters. However, for the reasons outlined above, Staff do not support any application to locate commercial and personal service floor space in industrial areas. It is therefore recommended that the Region of Durham be advised that the Town of Newcastle does not support a general amendment to the Durham Regional Official Plan to permit retail and personal service uses in industrial areas. espe u mitted, A' T.T. Edwards, M.C. I .P. Director of Planning JAS*TTE*j ip March 20, 1986 i