Item - 2010.NY35.67

City Council on July 6, 7 and 8, 2010, adopted the following:

1.         City Council endorse in principle the Lawrence Allen Revitalization Plan (LARP) as attached to the report (June 3, 2010) from the Director, Community Planning, North York District.

2.         City Council direct the Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer and Revitalization Secretariat, to develop a financial strategy for LARP in coordination with the General Manager, Transportation Services Division, the General Manager, Toronto Water Division, the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and  Recreation Division, the General Manager, Children’s Services Division, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division, the Executive Director, Technical Services Division, the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration Division, the Director, Financial Planning Division, the City Manager's Office, the Affordable Housing Office, the Toronto Transit Commission, the Toronto Public Library Board, the General Manager, Emergency Medical Services, and the Medical Officer of Health, in coordination with Toronto Community Housing Corporation; and that the financial strategy will address a $2,000 per unit community facilities levy and/or the provision of community facilities that meets this levy requirement.

3.         City Council direct the Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer and Revitalization Secretariat to report back on a LARP financial strategy to support the area’s revitalization at the same time as the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division, brings forward a new Secondary Plan for the Lawrence Allen area based on the Lawrence Allen Revitalization Plan (LARP).

4.         City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services Division, to initiate the Allen Road Individual Environmental Assessment Study Terms of Reference before the end of 2010.

5.         City Council direct that the report (June 3, 2010) from the Director, Community Planning, North York District, be forwarded to the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) for its consideration and to request that the TDSB coordinate its land holdings and redevelopment initiatives to support the direction and phasing of the LARP.

6.         City Council direct that the report (June 3, 2010) from the Director, Community Planning, North York District, be forwarded to the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) for its consideration and to request that the TCDSB coordinate its new school initiatives to support the direction and phasing of the LARP.

7.         City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division, in coordination with City Planning Division and Transportation Services Division, to undertake a Parks and Public Realm Master Plan for the Lawrence-Allen area in 2011 and include the study in their 2011 Capital budget submission within their specified debt target.

8.         City Council direct the Director of Real Estate Services and the City Solicitor, in consultation with other appropriate City divisions, to develop a real estate strategy to address the City’s interests and work with the Toronto District School Board, Toronto Community Housing Corporation and other landowners as appropriate, to support the implementation of the LARP.

9.         City Council request the Toronto Transit Commission to expedite the completion of the station studies for both the Yorkdale and Lawrence West stations and develop a short and longer term transit strategy that addresses both surface and subway station improvements required to support the LARP and report back to City Council in the second quarter of 2011.

10.       City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services Division, to include the short-term Lawrence-Allen capital improvements to the Lawrence-Allen intersection, pedestrian crossing at Yorkdale and the Allen Road and the underpass at Ranee Road in the Transportation Services 2011 Capital Budget and 2012 to 2020 Capital Plan submission, within the specified debt affordability targets, in an amount not to exceed $2.35 million.

11.       City Council direct the City Manager to work with the TDSB, TLC, TCDSB and Ministry of Education staff to develop a specific strategy to identify school sites and resources to build new schools that would support the needs of both school boards and work within the time frame and direction of the Lawrence-Allen Revitalization Plan and bring this forward for discussion to the Public Asset Working Group.  The City Manager also be directed to initiate discussions with the Board of Jewish Education (Toronto) with a view to developing a strategy that takes into account the education needs of a significant population within the Lawrence Heights Revitalization Area that to date have not been addressed by the revitalization plan.  The strategy explore the possibility of relocating the Associated Hebrew School located at Bathurst and Neptune either into an existing school facility or establishing a site within a proposed or existing development in the Lawrence-Allen Area to accommodate a new Campus for this school.

12.       City Council direct the appropriate City Officials, in coordination with TCHC, to investigate establishing a single administration to manage and maintain the public realm and ensure that maintenance programs for the public realm in Lawrence Heights create employment opportunities for Lawrence Heights residents.

13.       City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division, to design the aquatic centre to be sensitive to community needs in a way that recognizes and addresses the cultural and religious diversity of the area.

14.       City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division, to design parks and other public open spaces to be sensitive to community needs, including facilities such as outdoor market areas, allotment and community gardens, and community bake ovens to support a food security program, and areas which can accommodate temporary structures for community festivals and celebrations such as Sukkot and Eid.

15.       City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services Division, to begin discussions immediately with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation with regard to the reconfiguration of the eastbound Allen Road - Highway No. 401 ramp.

16.       City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services Division, to enter into discussions with the Ministry of Transportation with respect to creating an eastbound Highway No. 401 on-off ramp at Caledonia Road to relieve the pressure of traffic, especially truck traffic, on Dufferin Street.

17.       City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to include the following as part of the Secondary Plan:

a.         all market units shall be subject to a levy for public art in the amount of 1% of gross construction costs and that the Parks and Public Realm Master Plan will include a public art plan to guide the expenditure of the funds in a way that distributes the benefits equitably across the community;

b.         the southernmost portion of Baycrest Park adjacent to Ranee Avenue will be designated a school site as part of a mixed use site with the potential to include residential and commercial uses to complement the primary school use.  Development of this site will be conditional upon the full replacement of parkland;

c.         provide for the reconfiguration of Yorkdale Park to extend the greenway on the west side of Allen Road as a pedestrian mall extending north, directly into Yorkdale Shopping Centre and include the possibility of retail space backing onto Allen Road.  Any development in the park will be conditional upon the full replacement of parkland; and

d.         include appropriate conditions under which social housing replacement units and/or new affordable rental units may be integrated within new residential condominium buildings in Lawrence Heights.

18.       City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to consider the following while developing the Secondary Plan:

a.         the maximum number of new market residential units not exceed 5,500 as recommended by the Transportation Study dated June 17, 2010;

b.         the funding and plan to upgrade the existing downstream sewer infrastructure be completed as part of the Financial Strategy and Infrastructure Master Plan and that the actual downstream sewer upgrades be completed in conjunction with the Phase 1 redevelopment which TCHC has proposed, 233 Social Housing replacement units and 1046 Market Units; and

c.         a Steering Committee be set up by the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with the Councillors for Wards 15 and 16, the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation and residents (tenants and homeowners), to oversee the uses of the large central community park.

19.       City Council request the Toronto Community Housing Corporation to:

a.         provide for at least 5% of dwelling units of each multi-residential building developed by TCHC to be comprised of social housing replacement units, which for this purpose may include a maximum of 2.5% affordable ownership units (such affordability to be maintained as ownership changes), together not to be less than 5% of residential gross floor area;

b.         complete a study of the potential to integrate a higher percentage of social housing units within market condominium buildings;

c.         identify and allocate amenity spaces within residential buildings that are capable of being used for worship and study;

d.         make best efforts to offer in market buildings accommodation for large families that will be able to meet the religious requirements of observant families and provide appropriate amenities; and

e.         incorporate public art provisions as part of all development proposals for their Lawrence Heights lands.

f.          include one or more non-profit co-operative options in the Lawrence Heights redevelopment, as allowed for within the shareholders direction.

20.       City Council request the Toronto Community Housing Corporation to provide a comprehensive plan to City Council to ensure the proposed density will not need to be increased to realize its business model.

21.       The City complete the Lawrence-Allen transportation studies including the Transportation Master Plan in advance of the Secondary Plan and incorporate the appropriate policies to ensure that transportation issues are assessed as part of each phase of revitalization.  The Secondary Plan should ensure that all future applicants complete detailed transportation studies to update and support the City’s transportation studies to the satisfaction of City Planning and Transportation Services staff.

22.       City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to continue the community consultation and engagement work for the Lawrence-Allen Revitalization Plan and continue to work with and inform all study area residents (tenants and homeowners) of future community meetings to support the preparation of the Secondary Plan in consultation with the local Councillors from Wards 15 and 16.

23.       City Council affirm its commitment to ensure the pedestrian/cyclists paths remain closed to vehicular traffic.

24.       City Council request the Toronto Police Services Board to develop a policing plan for the Lawrence Heights Revitalization Area.

25.       In recognizing that the Lawrence-Allen Revitalization Plan is a plan for transit-supportive development:

a.         City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to report, in consultation with the Toronto Transit Commission, on transit-friendly measures that may be applied to the area, including policies to be included in the Secondary Plan and measures to be implemented with Toronto Community Housing Corporation’s first phase of development in Lawrence Heights.

b.         City Council designate the LARP as a special policy area and extend the City's transit pass policy to all residential units constructed within the Lawrence-Allen area, irrespective of tenure, with the exception of detached and semi-detached houses.

c.         City Council request the Toronto Transit Commission to ensure that plans for improvements to the Yorkdale Station are complete and implementation scheduled to coincide with the beginning of above grade construction for phase one of the Lawrence Heights revitalization.

d.         City Council request the Toronto Transit Commission, in its Station Modernization studies of Lawrence West and Yorkdale subway stations, to develop a revised plan for the existing Lawrence Manor Community Bus.

e.         City Council request the Toronto Transit Commission to have the already approved station democratization pilot project for the Yorkdale subway station operational within one year.

f.          City Council direct that net revenue from any retail development resulting from Part 17c. above, be applied to the TTC’s Station Democratization Project for Yorkdale subway station.

g.         City Council request the Toronto Transit Commission to give priority to the Lawrence-Allen Area for installation of next bus technology.

26.       City Council direct the Revitalization Secretariat to consult with LHION (Lawrence Heights Inter Organizational Network) on the prospect of creating a “community services hub” within the revitalization area and report thereon to the Community Development and Recreation Committee no later than Spring 2011.

27.       City Council confirm that while the Toronto Community Housing Corporation buildings at 135, 145, 155 Neptune Drive are not specifically included in the TCHC’s housing plan for Lawrence Heights, they are located within the revitalization area and as such their need for community and social infrastructure will be considered an important part of the revitalization of Lawrence Heights.

28.       City Council direct that the Community Services and Facilities Strategy and the Social Development Plan include a plan to expand Baycrest Arena and/or any new school facility into a multipurpose community facility that can serve the needs of the northeast quadrant of the Lawrence-Allen Area and that the plans for Baycrest Arena be coordinated with the plans for the future of Sir Sandford Fleming Secondary School and Baycrest Elementary School.

29.       City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to enter into discussions with Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care with regard to the development of a campus plan that complements the Lawrence Allan Revitalization Plan and that these discussions be initiated at the earliest possible opportunity.

30.       City Council request that any application for expansion of Yorkdale Mall shall be coordinated with the Lawrence Heights Revitalization Plan and shall be phased in a manner that recognizes this coordination as a priority.

31.       City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to report on expanding the existing SCOOT system on Lawrence Avenue into an area wide TRANSCORE type traffic signal control system that will minimize delays for all road users (pedestrians, cyclists, transit, cars) as part of the transportation infrastructure plan for the Lawrence-Allen Revitalization Project and identify opportunities for securing a proportionate contribution towards the purchase and installation of such a system from applicants within the Lawrence-Allen area who are seeking a land use change.

32.       City Council request the City Manager to enlist the aid of the Member of Parliament, The Honorable Joe Volpe in securing additional federal funding for the Revitalization of Lawrence Heights and he be advised that any funding that he personally is able to secure outside of existing Federal Government Programs for the revitalization will be applied to reducing the densities required to finance the revitalization of Lawrence Heights.  All persons who addressed the Community Council at the Public Hearing on June 22, 2010 will be advised of this.