Item - 2008.EX22.1

City Council on July 15, 16 and 17, 2008, adopted the following motions:

1.         City Council authorize the City to act as co-proponent with Waterfront Toronto to undertake an individual environmental assessment (EA) of Waterfront Toronto’s (WT) proposal that the elevated Gardiner Expressway from approximately Jarvis Street to east of the Don Valley Parkway including the remaining Lake Shore Boulevard East ramp be removed and an at-grade waterfront boulevard be created.

2.         City Council authorize creation of a Steering Committee of WT and City officials, co-chaired by the Deputy City Manager whose responsibilities include Waterfront Revitalization, and the President and Chief Executive Officer of Waterfront Toronto, to oversee and direct all aspects of the EA process.

3.         City Council defer the total rehabilitation of the Gardiner Expressway east from Jarvis Street, except for essential works required to provide safe operating conditions, and direct the General Manager, Transportation Services, to adjust the 2009 Capital Program submission and 2010 to 2013 Capital Works Plan accordingly; this adjusted plan to include sufficient funding to eliminate the need to restrict access to any areas under the Gardiner Expressway due to potential falling debris.

4.         City Council direct the Executive Director, Technical Services, to conduct annual, detailed condition surveys of the Gardiner Expressway east from Jarvis Street to identify the minimum maintenance required to maintain safe operating conditions, and to make appropriate adjustments to the annual maintenance spending, until such time as City Council makes its decision on the future of this section of the Expressway.

5.         City Council request that the Waterfront Project Director, when reporting to City Council in the Fall of 2008 on the updated Long Term Funding Plan for Waterfront Revitalization, ensure that:

a.         the $11 million currently earmarked for a Gardiner EA be advanced from 2013 to 2009; and

b.         recommendations be made as to how funds currently earmarked for the Front Street Extension be reallocated to other approved public realm initiatives within the Waterfront in consultation with other governments and Waterfront Toronto.

6.         City Council request the Waterfront Project Director, in partnership with Waterfront Toronto and, in consultation with the government partners, to report on options for funding implementation of the preferred EA alternative at the same time as the preferred alternative is presented to City Council for consideration.

7.         City Council request that the EA address climate change, place an emphasis on place making, high quality urban design and further analysis of traffic impacts and pedestrian travel times north and south from the east Bayfront and lower West Don Lands precinct to the neighbourhoods north of the train tracks.

8.         City Council request that the EA address previous City Council directions for east of the Don River regarding greening the median of Lake Shore Boulevard East and creating a “Grand Boulevard” and, rezoning the Parks and Open Space Area on the north side of Lake Shore Boulevard East from the Don Valley Parkway to Coxwell to “G”.

9.         The EA comply with policies of the Official Plan, Central Waterfront Secondary Plan and South of Eastern Secondary Plan to support the retention of adjacent employment lands and restrict large format, stand alone retail stores and/or power centres.

10.       The Environmental Assessment for the take down of the Gardiner Expressway have due regard for:

i.          the pedestrian realm access and safety, as well as the unlocking of developable land parcels on both sides of any new roadway;

ii.          plans and funding for a significant public art component; and

iii.        plans to naturalize the mouth of the Don.

11.       City Council require that the EA also examine options with respect to public access to the waterfront that assumes the retention of the existing Gardiner Expressway structure.

12        City Council direct that the Board of Health be included as a stakeholder in this Environmental Assessment, so that the Board can express any concerns and recommendations in terms of environmental impacts during the construction period and on completion of this project.

13.       Waterfront Toronto, in consultation with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and the Director, Waterfront Secretariat, be requested to enter into additional discussions with the adjacent landowners to become funding partners, on a proportional basis, in any removal of the Gardiner Expressway, based on the expected increased value of their respective landholdings, and report to the Executive Committee.

14.       In conjunction with the Environmental Assessment, the Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer and the Waterfront Project Director report on:

a.         finance options not including property tax revenues for the creation of a waterfront boulevard and removal of the Gardiner Expressway East from Jarvis Street; and

b.         public/private partnership financing options for the removal of the Gardiner Expressway East from Jarvis Street and Waterfront Boulevard.

15.       The Chief Planner be requested to submit a report to the October meeting of the Planning and Growth Committee, identifying City Building goals for the Lake Shore Boulevard vicinity associated with the takedown of the Gardiner east of Jarvis and outline a framework for comprehensive and managed land use planning for the area to meet these goals which addresses:

             i.         current zoning for the aforementioned areas;

ii.          approximate number of hectares with a precinct plan, and other processes such as EA's and those without;

iii.         jurisdictional and other potential issues including land ownership which may impede City goals;

iv.         any issues which should be included in the review of the Official Plan which is required every 5 years and is anticipated for 2011; and

v.         any other issues that the Chief Planner identifies while developing the report.

16.       The following motion be referred to City staff for a report to the September 8, 2008 meeting of the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee, on how the local road in the Liberty Village area can be best achieved:

Moved by Mayor Miller on behalf of City Councillor Vaughan

"That staff bring forward the appropriate Official Plan Amendment to designate the proposed Front Street Extension as a local road and report to the Toronto and East York Community City Council on possible routes, plans, designs and costs.".

17.       City Council authorize and direct the appropriate City officials to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.