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Public Meeting Report
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Report To: Planning and Development Committee
Date of Meeting: June 5, 2017
Report Number: PSD-039-17 Resolution Number: PD-111-17
By-law Number:
File Numbers: COPA 2017-0007, S-C-2017-0006, ZBA 2017-0009 and PLN 31.5.7
Report Subject: Applications by Tornat Newcastle Limited for a mixed-use
development at King Avenue West and Rudell Road, Newcastle
Recommendations:
1.That Report PSD-039-17 be received;
2.That the applications submitted by Tornat Newcastle Limited for a Clarington Official Plan
Amendment (COPA 2017-0007), a Draft Plan of Subdivision (S-C-2017-0006), Rezoning
(ZBA 2017-0009) and an amendment to the Foster Northeast Neighbourhood Design
Plan (PLN 31.5.7) continue to be processed including the preparation of a subsequent
report; and,
3.That all interested parties listed in Report PSD-039-17 and any delegations be advised of
Council’s decision.
Municipality of Clarington
Report PSD-039-17 Page 2
Report Overview
This is a public meeting report to provide an overview of the applications by Tornat Newcastle
Limited. The applications for a mixed use development proposes a total of 206 residential units
and 1,570 square metres of commercial floor space, on the north side of King Avenue West
east of Rudell Road, in Newcastle.
1. Application Details
1.1. Owner/Applicant: Tornat Newcastle Limited
1.2. Agent: D.G. Biddle & Associates Limited
1.3. Proposal: Official Plan / Neighbourhood Design Plan
The applicant proposes an amendment to the Foster Northeast
Neighbourhood Design Plan and an amendment to the
Clarington Official Plan to place lands in a Local Corridor,
consistent with Council Adopted Official Plan Amendment 107.
Proposed Draft Plan of Subdivision to permit:
Creation of two development blocks and one park block
(0.143 ha).
Realignment of Given Road to connect with McDonald
Crescent (pending the closure and conveyance of portions of
Given Road).
Proposed Rezoning to permit:
An Apartment building containing 180 apartment units
varying between four to six stories;
10 Townhouse Units;
Two Mixed-Use Buildings containing a total of 16 apartment
units and 1,570 square metres of commercial floor space;
1.4. Area: 2.229 hectares
1.5. Location: Part Lot 30, Concession 2, Former Township of Clarke
North side of King Avenue West, east of Rudell Road,
Newcastle (Figure 1)
1.6. Roll Numbers: 1817 030 130 15420, 1817 030 130 15400,
1817 030 130 15350, and 1817 030 130 15355
1.7. Within Built Boundary: No
Municipality of Clarington
Report PSD-039-17 Page 3
Figure 1: Key Map
2. Background
2.1 The subject applications were deemed complete on May 1, 2017 and circulated for
comments.
2.2 The subject lands are on a triangular parcel of land generally between Rudell Road and
Pedwell Street and north of King Avenue West. Through the review of the subject
applications, the owner will also be required to ap ply for the closure and conveyance of
parts of Given Road to support the proposed realignment and closure east of the east leg
of McDonald Crescent. Such an application would be processed and reported on by the
Engineering Services Department.
Municipality of Clarington
Report PSD-039-17 Page 4
2.3 The preliminary plan for the realignment of Given Road would result in Given Road
connecting to the west leg of McDonald Crescent. Additional lands would be required
from the Tornat parcel (Block 3) in order to create an 18 metre road allowance.
The alignment of McDonald Crescent would be adjusted slightly in the southwest where
the connection to a portion of Given Road, west of Pedwell Street, is proposed. Other
parts of land within Given Road road allowance would be melded with partial blocks in the
Lindvest plan of subdivision, resulting in three new lots for single detached dwellings.
(Refer to Future Single Detached Dwelling Lots outlined in Figure 1)
2.4 The proposed Draft Plan of Subdivision (Figure 2) would have the effect of creating two
blocks to accommodate the proposed phased development. Block 1 is the location of the
two mixed use buildings, Block 2 would contain the apartment building and townhouse
blocks. Block 3 is to accommodate the proposed realignment of Given Road. The plan
also includes a park block east of Pedwell Street and a road widening along King Avenue
2.5 The proposal includes a mix of uses on the site, including an apartment building (Figure
3), two blocks of townhouses, and two mixed-use buildings with commercial at grade and
residential units integrated into to the building (Figure 4).
2.6 The applicant submitted the following studies in support of the applications:
Planning Justification Report
Site Screening Questionnaire
Noise Study
Energy Conservation and
Sustainability Plan
Shadow Study
Traffic Impact Study
Functional Servicing Report
Archaeological Assessment
Urban Design Plan
3. Land Characteristics and Surrounding Uses
3.1 The subject lands are currently vacant. The existing Given Road right-of-way forms the
north limit of the subject lands. The lands slope towards the south to King Avenue West,
and towards the west to Ruddell Road.
3.2 The surrounding uses are as follows:
North Existing vacant, draft approved, medium density block at Given Road and
Rudell Road (zoned to permit townhouse units); existing single detached
residential dwellings in Registered Plan of Subdivision 40M-2501
South Existing single detached dwellings in Registered Plan of Subdivision 10M-819
East Existing single detached residential dwellings; long term care facility
West Existing dwellings along King Avenue West; a tributary of Wilmot Creek; and
lands within approved Foster Northwest Neighbourhood Design Plan
(Subdivision Application submitted but not deemed complete)
Municipality of Clarington
Report PSD-039-17 Page 5
Figure 2: Proposed Draft Plan of Subdivision
Municipality of Clarington
Report PSD-039-17 Page 6
Figure 3: Perspective drawing looking toward northeast from King Ave W and Rudell Rd
Figure 4: Perspective drawing looking toward northwest from King Ave W and Pedwell St
4. Provincial Policy
4.1 Provincial Policy Statement
The Provincial Policy Statement identifies settlement areas as the focus of growth. Land
use patterns shall be based on densities and a mix of land uses that efficiently use land,
resources and infrastructure.
Opportunities for redevelopment and intensification must be promoted. Municipalities
must provide a variety of housing types and densities, and a range of housing options
that are affordable to the area residents.
Healthy and active communities should be promoted by planning public streets to be
safe, meet the needs of pedestrians, foster social interaction and facilitate active
transportation and community connectivity. Compact and diverse developments promote
active modes of transportation such as walking and cycling.
Municipality of Clarington
Report PSD-039-17 Page 7
4.2 Provincial Growth Plan
The subject lands are within a Settlement Area. The lands are located in a Greenfield
Area outside of the Built Boundary. The Growth Plan establishes the target of 50 jobs and
residents combined per net hectare in the Greenfield Area. This target i s measured
across the Region of Durham. The Growth Plan encourages the creation of complete
communities that are compact and transit-supportive, offering a diverse mix of land uses,
a range and mix of employment and housing types, high quality public open space and
easy access to local stores and services. New transit-supportive and pedestrian-friendly
developments will be concentrated along existing and future transit routes.
4.3 Provincial Growth Plan 2017
A new Provincial Growth Plan was released May 18, 2017. As of July 1, 2017, all
decisions made by Council are to conform to the new plan. The new Growth Plan
continues to reinforce and provide stronger policies to guide growth in consideration of:
Making use of existing infrastructure;
Addressing traffic congestion in the GTA;
Avoiding the environmental impacts of continued urban sprawl, and impact to
natural resources;
Avoiding low density and automobile dependent development;
Accommodating an aging population and providing more varied housing unit types
and affordability;
Supporting the Province’s commitment to its Climate Change Action Plan.
With the next comprehensive review, the new target for existing Greenfield Areas will be
60 residents and jobs combined per net hectare in the Greenfield Area . New
development in Greenfield Areas shall support the achievement of complete
communities; support active transportation and encourage the integration and sustained
availability of transit services.
5. Official Plans
5.1 Durham Regional Official Plan
The Durham Region Official Plan designates the subject lands Living Area. King Avenue
West is an arterial road and is also designated as a Transit Spine. The Region has
implemented existing Growth Plan targets and generally requires a Secondary Plan for
development in Greenfield Areas, unless the development is less than 20 hectares in
size.
Development applications in Living Areas must consider having a compact built form,
including providing intensive residential and mixed uses along arterial road and transit
routes. Consideration must also be given to urban design, pedestrian connections, grid
pattern of roads, and the availability of services and infrastructure.
Municipality of Clarington
Report PSD-039-17 Page 8
The Region’s Official Plan establishes a framework for Regional and Local Corridors. The
Region’s Official Plan identifies and maps Regional Corridors, and provides a policy
direction to local municipalities for designating Local Corridors in local Official Plans.
Local Corridors are mixed use areas, planned to support frequent transit service. Lo cal
Corridors make connections to Regional Centres (ie. Downtown Newcastle, Downtown
Bowmanville, Bowmanville West Town Centre). Local Corridors support a long term
density target of a minimum 30 units per gross hectare, and a Floor Space Index of 2.0.
Corridors have the following characteristics:
Promote transit having a mix of uses with higher densities;
Have a sensitive urban design that orients development to the corridor and access
points are consolidated;
Maintain and enhance historical main streets, and integrate new development with
existing;
Preserve and enhance cultural heritage resources.
5.2 Clarington Official Plan
The Clarington Official Plan designates the subject lands Urban Residential with a
Medium Density Symbol. The use of land in the Urban Residential designation is
predominantly for single and semi-detached housing with a net density no greater than 30
units per net hectare. Medium Density development is generally between 31 and 60 units
per net hectare in the form of townhouses and/or low-rise apartments (up to four storeys).
No significant natural heritage features are identified on the subject lands.
The lands are within the Foster Neighbourhood which has a targeted housing target of
2,000 units and a population of 5,700.
Consistent with the Region’s Official Plan, King Avenue West is an arterial road and is
also designated as a Regional Transit Spine.
5.3 Clarington Official Plan as Amended by Amendment 107
On November 1, 2016, Council adopted Official Plan Amendment 107 to bring the
Clarington Official Plan into conformity with the Regional Official Plan and provincial
policies.
Two of the objectives of the Official Plan are:
to create walkable neighbourhoods and to provide a variety of uses within each
neighbourhood.
to provide for a variety of housing densities, tenure and types in neighbourhoods
for all incomes, ages and lifestyles.
Municipality of Clarington
Report PSD-039-17 Page 9
The amended Clarington Official Plan establishes urban structure typologies and built
form directives for Centres, Corridors, Transportation Hubs, Waterfront Places, Edge of
Neighbourhoods, Along Arterial Roads and Internal to Neighbourhoods. The subject
lands are within a “Local Corridor”. Mixed-use buildings, apartments and townhouse units
are permitted (between two and six storeys) with a minimum net density of 40 units per
net hectare. The mix between low-rise (two-four storeys) and mid-rise (five-six storeys)
shall generally be split 80% and 20%, respectively.
Local Corridors are considered one of the Priority Intensification Areas and one of the
areas for higher densities in Greenfield Areas.
Corridors shall be comprehensively developed to provide mixed uses and densities that
support transit-oriented development, uses that are complementary to the function of the
corridor and site design that is sensitive to the existing neighbourhoods. Corridors are
approximately 100 metres deep on both sides of the road.
Through a Regional modification to the non-residential floor area policies, cumulative
floor space is intended to be limited to a maximum of 1,500 square metres per site in a
Local Corridor, with individual commercial units having a maximum floor area of 300
square metres.
Consistent with the Region’s Official Plan, King Avenue West is an arterial road and is
designated as a Regional Transit Spine. Higher densities and economic activity are to be
directed along the Transit Spine, around Transportation Hubs and along Regional and
Local Corridors.
Both the current and new Clarington Official Plan include detailed site and urban design
policies to be considered during the review of development applications. The intersection
of King Avenue and Rudell Road is defined as a prominent intersection and special urban
design policies apply.
Urban design polices dealing with the relationship to the street, height and massing, open
spaces and connections are applicable at the rezoning/subdivision stage, while other
policies on detailed building design, architectural elements, landscaping and lighting are
applicable at the site plan review stage.
5.4 Foster Northeast Neighbourhood Design Plan
The proposed plan of subdivision is within the Foster Northeast Neighbourhood Design
Plan. The Neighbourhood Design Plan was approved by the Directors of Planning
Services and Engineering Services and provides a visual interpretation of the
neighbourhood. The existing Neighbourhood Design Plan illustrates a medium density
block at the intersection of King Avenue W est and Rudell Road, together with the
Lindvest block to the north of existing Given Road. Street ‘E’ (McDonald Crescent) is
proposed to loop south to King Avenue, as a window street. The plan shows Given Road
being completely closed and a parkette block on the east side of Pedwell Street.
Neighbourhood Design Plans are being replaced by Secondary Plans in new
communities.
Municipality of Clarington
Report PSD-039-17 Page 10
6. Zoning By-law
Zoning By-law 84-63 zones the subject lands Holding – Urban Residential Type One
((H)R1) Zone. A rezoning is required to permit the requested uses.
7. Public Notice and Submissions
7.1 A combined notice of the Public Information Centre and Public Meeting was mailed on
May 1, 2017. Public meeting signs are posted along the four frontages of the property
(See Figure 5), and details of the application were included on the municipal website and
social media.
7.2 The Public Information Centre was held May 9, 2017 at the Newcastle Public Library.
Upwards of 100 people were in attendance.
7.3 In addition to the comments received at the Public Information Centre, staff have received
several written comments. Principle concerns raised to date relate to:
Density and height
Built form and urban design
Green/amenity space
Tree planting and maintenance
Storm water management and
environmental impacts
Impact to other commercial areas
Impact to the character of the village
Tenure (ie rental vs. ownership)
Traffic congestion, lack of transit and
availability of parking
School overcrowding
Impact on local services and
infrastructure
Impact to property values and taxes
Crime
Privacy (overlook, headlights)
Noise impacts
Recommend a new long term care
facility
Water pressure and quality
Construction Impacts (dust,
vibration)
Plans for adjacent parcels, partial
development blocks
Format of Public Information Centre
Attachment 1 to
Municipality of Clarington Report PSD-039-17
Figure 5: Photo of sign advising of Notice of Development proposal
8. Agency Comments
8.1 At the time of writing this report, comments from the Region of Durham have not been
received.
8.2 Durham Region Transit
Durham Region Transit has no objections to the application and has provided site plan
related comments and suggests a public walkway, mid-block between Rudell Road and
Pedwell Street should be provided. DRT also notes existing stops east of Rudell Road
and Pedwell Street to be maintained during the development of the subject lands.
8.3 Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority
The GRCA has provided technical comments to the applicant regarding the submitted
stormwater management study. The GRCA will require further justification to ensure
the stormwater management pond is sized appropriately.
8.4 Canada Post and Enbridge Gas have no objections.
Municipality of Clarington
Report PSD-039-17 Page 12
9. Departmental Comments
9.1 Engineering Services
Engineering Services Department has no objection, in principle, to the proposed
development.
Prior to final approval of the subject subdivision application and any future site plan
approval the applicant will be required to satisfy the Engineering Services Department
regarding the following concerns and conditions:
Legal Closure and Conveyance of Given Road
Traffic
Road and Infrastructure Improvements
Functional Servicing
Grading and Drainage
Noise Attenuation
Parkland Dedication
9.2 Emergency and Fire Services
Emergency and Fire Services has no objections and has provided technical comments
to be addressed at the site plan stage.
9.3 Building Division
The Building Division has no concerns with the proposed applications.
9.4 Operations
The Operations Department has no objections to the proposal in principle. However
they have requested details on new public infrastructure proposed by this development.
Additional comments relating to a future site plan application would be required to
address snow storage, maintenance of clean roads during construction, and snow
clearing of the public sidewalk.
10. Discussion
10.1 The subject site is located within a Local Corridor in the Council adopted Official Plan.
The Local Corridor policies support mixed-use developments up to six storeys in height,
provided the policies of the Official Plan can be satisfied.
10.2 The purpose of establishing Local Corridors in Clarington Official Plan Amendment 107 is
to support the Growth Plan and Regional Official Plan population and housing targets.
Encouraging higher densities in key areas further support transit initiatives and build a
critical mass to support the expansion of transit services. Higher densities also alleviate
consumption of agricultural land, support climate change initiatives, and provide a range
of housing choices.
Municipality of Clarington
Report PSD-039-17 Page 13
10.3 The subject applications are in the early stages of review. Staff will review the proposal
and all supporting documents to determine conformity and compatibility in accordance
with the applicable land use policies. A complex development application such as this
may have multiple iterations and the development will likely undergo some revisions.
10.4 The applicant has clarified that the proposed apartment building would be condominium
tenure. This does not preclude some units from being purchased as an investment and
rented.
10.5 Many residents have raised the question of whether the units would be assisted housing
or “geared to income” units in a rental building. The Planning Justification Report
referenced that the proposed development improves housing accessibility by increasing
the provision of “affordable” housing. The term “affordable” is used in a relative sense to
compare a unit within the proposed condominium building versus a single detached
dwelling in the general vicinity. These units are expected to be considered mid-range
condominium units and affordable for moderate income families, including seniors.
10.6 School capacity is raised as a concern, as it often is during the development review
process. It should be noted that apartment units yield considerably fewer students per
dwelling than single detached homes. Municipalities have no jurisdiction over school
capacity concerns or new school construction. New school sites are planned, together
with the school boards, as part of Secondary Plan or Neighbourhood Design Plan
exercise, based on projections for school aged children related to proposed growth in the
area. However, provincial funding together with a declining school enrolment has seen
designated and approved school sites in all three urban areas being relinquished.
The school boards were all circulated on the proposed applications. Comments remain
outstanding at this time.
10.7 While the proposal outlines additional single detached lots at the south en d of McDonald
Crescent and on Pedwell Street, the lands north of Given Road at Rudell Road are zoned
R3 for future townhouses. No plans have been submitted for this site to date.
10.8 The major issues to be considered through the review of the subject app lications are as
follows:
Conformity to the existing and new Growth Plan, the Regional Official Plan, and
the new Clarington Official Plan
Built form, density and site layout
Traffic, access, signalization and parking
Transitions between development and the adjacent residential neighbourhood
Urban Design elements, including private amenity spaces
Realignment of Given Road, and its closure and conveyance
10.9 In light of existing and emerging policies supporting higher densities along transit spines,
corridors and in centres, Planning Staff will continue to review the numerous public
concerns raised in an effort to mitigate potential impacts to the extent possible.
Municipality of Clarington
Report PSD-039-17 Page 14
11. Concurrence
Not applicable.
12. Conclusion
The purpose of this report is to provide background information on the mixed-use
development proposed by Tornat Newcastle Limited. Staff will continue processing the
application including the preparation of a subsequent report upon resolution of the
identified issues.
13. Strategic Plan Application
Not applicable.
Submitted by: Reviewed by:
David J. Crome, MCIP, RPP Curry Clifford, MPA, CMO,
Director of Planning Services Interim CAO
Staff Contact: Anne Taylor Scott, Senior Planner, 905-623-3379 ext. 2414 or
ataylorscott@clarington.net
Attachments: n/a
List of interested parties to be notified of Council's decision is on file in the Planning Services
Department.
ATS/CP/tg
I:\^Department\LDO NEW FILING SYSTEM\Application Files\SC-Subdivision\S-C-2017\S-C-2017-0006 Tornat\Staff Report\PSD-039-17 Tornat Public Meeting Report.docx