Item - 2011.NY8.46
Tracking Status
- City Council adopted this item on July 12, 2011 without amendments.
- This item was considered by the North York Community Council on June 22, 2011 and adopted without amendment. It will be considered by City Council on July 12, 2011.
NY8.46 - New Vision for the Redevelopment of Lawrence Heights
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Adopted
- Ward:
- 15 - Eglinton-Lawrence
City Council Decision
City Council on July 12, 13 and 14, 2011, adopted the following:
1. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division to address the following changes to the Lawrence-Allen Revitalization Plan when bringing forward the new Secondary Plan:
a. reduce the proposed 4800 market/condominium units and 1208 replacement social housing units on Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) lands in the Focus Area to 4100 new market/condominium units and 1208 replacement social housing units;
b. reduce the proposed 400 residential units on Toronto District School Board's (TDSB) Bathurst Heights site to 300 units;
c. consider any abutting privately owned properties not owned by Toronto Community Housing Corporation(TCHC) or the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) as stand-alone sites for future planning or development purposes. Further, that these development site(s) meet public objectives;
d. review in detail the development blocks that are closest to the stable residential communities designated Neighbourhoods in the Official Plan to the east and west of Lawrence Heights to ensure that future development provides an appropriate transition in scale and built form. Low rise development in the form of townhouses should be considered for some or appropriate portions of these blocks;
e. direct retail and other non-residential uses to Primary and Major Streets in order to protect properties on Local streets from impacts of commercial development;
f. eliminate the provision for residential and commercial development and school use on Baycrest Park and Yorkdale Park;
g. maintain pedestrian and cycling connections to Lawrence Heights at the western ends of Ridgevale Drive, Rondale Boulevard, and Kirkland Boulevard, including measures to protect against future street connections for motor vehicles such as a one foot reserve designated as parkland. And further, an easement agreement be secured to not put a street in through existing pedestrian access connections unless the City of Toronto/ Council agrees;
h. ensure that there are no new street connections for motor vehicles to Yorkdale Shopping Centre;
i. create a greenway on the west side of the Allen Road similar to the one proposed on the east side of the Allen Road by securing it through the development approval process as publicly-accessible open space;
j. require traffic certification for each phase of development to ensure that infrastructure improvements are in place prior to development and that there is sufficient transportation capacity available;
k. require ongoing traffic monitoring studies as part of the development review process in Lawrence-Allen;
l. ensure that Ranee Avenue, Ameer Avenue, and Neptune Drive do not undergo future road widening as a result of the Revitalization Plan;
m. improve traffic conditions and pedestrian safety and crossing and access points on Lawrence Avenue at Allen Road;
n. consider alternate alignments for any possible extension of Marlee Avenue in any future commercial and/or residential development(s) proposed on privately owned lands; and
o. consider an implementation strategy in the Secondary Plan that encourages incremental development at a manageable pace and ensures that financing for the infrastructure required to support development is in place.
2. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division, when bringing forward the Urban Design Guidelines together with the Secondary Plan, to ensure that the Guidelines address the following:
a. personal safety in the design of streets, parks, and open spaces;
b. shadow impacts;
c. design of courtyards in residential buildings;
d. design of indoor and outdoor amenity space; and
e. accessibility
3. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division, to work with the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) to limit the scope of the first phase of Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC)'s development by focusing initial reinvestment in the Secondary Plan Area to the two development blocks fronting the south side of Ranee Avenue.
4. City Council request the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and the General Manager, Transportation Services to develop and report back at the same time as the Secondary Plan on a comprehensive program of short-term improvements to pedestrian conditions at the Ranee entrance to the Yorkdale Subway Station, including consideration of a reduced bus lay-by and widened sidewalk.
5. City Council request the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to:
a. incorporate capital improvements to Baycrest Park in the Parks, Forestry & Recreation (PF&R) 2012 capital budget and report back at the same time as the draft Secondary Plan on the scope of the work and a proposed community engagement process for the improvements. Include improvements to Baycrest Park in the new preliminary reinvestment area that includes the two development blocks fronting the south side of Ranee Avenue; and
b. enter into discussions with the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) and/or Toronto District School Board (TDSB) to establish community recreation programming in Sir Sanford Fleming Secondary School and work with the Lawrence Heights Inter Organizational Network (LHION) to look at options for developing a community hub at this location.
6. City Council request the Chief of Police to report to the Toronto Police Service Board prior to the end of 2011 on options for establishing a police satellite station in the Lawrence Heights community.
7. City Council request the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) to:
a. incorporate community space in their developments that could be used for cross-cultural faith-based services and work with Muslim, Jewish, and other faith groups to develop such space;
b. develop a strategy for creating fully mixed streets and neighbourhoods; including integrating Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) units into market buildings;
c. review possibilities for the creation of local employment opportunities in collaboration with their private sector third party development partner(s);
d. consider opportunities for partnership with affordable home ownership developers as they develop plans for Lawrence Heights;
e. confirm their previous commitment to a zero percent displacement of residents currently residing in Lawrence Heights to not be re-located off-site during the re-development process;
f. incorporate provisions in their Request for Proposal (RFP) for their third party development partner that will provide weighting for bidders that set a minimum percentage of “family sized” (3+ bedrooms) units; and
g. develop an energy sustainability development plan that will review energy efficiency and renewable energy opportunities, set high standards for “green” buildings and communities, and ensure any Request for Proposal (RFP) for third party private development partners include criteria and weighting for green building standards.
8. City Council request that the City of Toronto Fairness Commissioner/Integrity Commissioner monitor Toronto Community Housing Corporation's (TCHC) Request for Proposal (RFP) process to ensure a heightened level of transparency and accountability.
9. City Council request the Ministry of Education to prioritize short and longer term funding required for:
a. reconstruction of Dante Alighieri Secondary School for the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) to accommodate their current and future secondary school enrolment requirements;
b. reconstruction of Bathurst Heights site for the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) to accommodate their current and future secondary school enrolment requirements;
c. reconstruction of Flemington Public School for the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) to accommodate their current and future elementary school enrolment requirements; and
d. elementary school facilities (existing and new) for the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) to accommodate their current and future elementary school enrolment requirements.
10. City Council request that the Toronto District School Board (TSDB) provide a long term lease or consider selling their Sir Sanford Fleming school property to the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) to allow the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) to address enrolment challenges for both primary and secondary school students in the community.
11. City Council request that the Ontario Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities review the Lawrence–Allen study area for the potential establishment of education and/or training institution(s) or hub(s) in the development area. And further, that the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division to follow up on previous discussions with Humber College and the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) regarding partnership opportunities through the development plan.
Background Information (Community Council)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2011/ny/bgrd/backgroundfile-39180.pdf
Communications (City Council)
(July 12, 2011) E-mail from Save Our Streets (CC.New.NY8.46.2)
(July 13, 2011) E-mail from Rabbi Abraham and Celia Bartfield (CC.New.NY8.46.3)
(July 13, 2011) E-mail from Eric Spiegel, Treasurer, Save Our Streets (CC.New.NY8.46.4)
(July 13, 2011) E-mail from Matthew McGuire, President, Toronto Taxpayers Coalition (CC.New.NY8.46.5)
(July 13, 2011) E-mail from Dr. R. Lexier (CC.New.NY8.46.6)
Motions (City Council)
Vote (Adopt Item) Jul-13-2011 2:23 PM
Result: Carried | Majority Required - NY8.46 - Adopt the item |
---|---|
Total members that voted Yes: 38 | Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Maria Augimeri, Ana Bailão, Shelley Carroll, Josh Colle, Gary Crawford, Vincent Crisanti, Glenn De Baeremaeker, Mike Del Grande, Frank Di Giorgio, Sarah Doucette, John Filion, Doug Ford, Mary Fragedakis, Mark Grimes, Doug Holyday, Norman Kelly, Mike Layton, Chin Lee, Gloria Lindsay Luby, Giorgio Mammoliti, Josh Matlow, Pam McConnell, Mary-Margaret McMahon, Joe Mihevc, Peter Milczyn, Denzil Minnan-Wong, Ron Moeser, Frances Nunziata (Chair), Cesar Palacio, John Parker, James Pasternak, Gord Perks, Anthony Perruzza, Jaye Robinson, Michael Thompson, Adam Vaughan, Kristyn Wong-Tam |
Total members that voted No: 1 | Members that voted No are Rob Ford |
Total members that were Absent: 6 | Members that were absent are Michelle Berardinetti, Raymond Cho, Janet Davis, Paula Fletcher, David Shiner, Karen Stintz |
Declared Interests (City Council)
Councillor David Shiner - as his father owns a house in the immediate area.
NY8.46 - New Vision for the Redevelopment of Lawrence Heights
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Adopted
- Ward:
- 15 - Eglinton-Lawrence
Community Council Recommendations
North York Community Council recommends that:
1. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division to address the following changes to the Lawrence-Allen Revitalization Plan when bringing forward the new Secondary Plan:
a. reduce the proposed 4800 market/condominium units and 1208 replacement social housing units on Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) lands in the Focus Area to 4100 new market/condominium units and 1208 replacement social housing units;
b. reduce the proposed 400 residential units on Toronto District School Board's (TDSB) Bathurst Heights site to 300 units;
c. consider any abutting privately owned properties not owned by Toronto Community Housing Corporation(TCHC) or the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) as stand-alone sites for future planning or development purposes. Further, that these development site(s) meet public objectives;
d. review in detail the development blocks that are closest to the stable residential communities designated Neighbourhoods in the Official Plan to the east and west of Lawrence Heights to ensure that future development provides an appropriate transition in scale and built form. Low rise development in the form of townhouses should be considered for some or appropriate portions of these blocks;
e. direct retail and other non-residential uses to Primary and Major Streets in order to protect properties on Local streets from impacts of commercial development;
f. eliminate the provision for residential and commercial development and school use on Baycrest Park and Yorkdale Park;
g. maintain pedestrian and cycling connections to Lawrence Heights at the western ends of Ridgevale Drive, Rondale Boulevard, and Kirkland Boulevard, including measures to protect against future street connections for motor vehicles such as a one foot reserve designated as parkland. And further, an easement agreement be secured to not put a street in through existing pedestrian access connections unless the City of Toronto/ Council agrees;
h. ensure that there are no new street connections for motor vehicles to Yorkdale Shopping Centre;
i. create a greenway on the west side of the Allen Road similar to the one proposed on the east side of the Allen Road by securing it through the development approval process as publicly-accessible open space;
j. require traffic certification for each phase of development to ensure that infrastructure improvements are in place prior to development and that there is sufficient transportation capacity available;
k. require ongoing traffic monitoring studies as part of the development review process in Lawrence-Allen;
l. ensure that Ranee Avenue, Ameer Avenue, and Neptune Drive do not undergo future road widening as a result of the Revitalization Plan;
m. improve traffic conditions and pedestrian safety and crossing and access points on Lawrence Avenue at Allen Road;
n. consider alternate alignments for any possible extension of Marlee Avenue in any future commercial and/or residential development(s) proposed on privately owned lands; and
o. consider an implementation strategy in the Secondary Plan that encourages incremental development at a manageable pace and ensures that financing for the infrastructure required to support development is in place.
2. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division, when bringing forward the Urban Design Guidelines together with the Secondary Plan, to ensure that the Guidelines address the following:
a. personal safety in the design of streets, parks, and open spaces;
b. shadow impacts;
c. design of courtyards in residential buildings;
d. design of indoor and outdoor amenity space; and
e. accessibility
3. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division, to work with the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) to limit the scope of the first phase of Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC)'s development by focusing initial reinvestment in the Secondary Plan Area to the two development blocks fronting the south side of Ranee Avenue.
4. City Council request the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and the General Manager, Transportation Services to develop and report back at the same time as the Secondary Plan on a comprehensive program of short-term improvements to pedestrian conditions at the Ranee entrance to the Yorkdale Subway Station, including consideration of a reduced bus lay-by and widened sidewalk.
5. City Council request the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to:
a. incorporate capital improvements to Baycrest Park in the Parks, Forestry & Recreation (PF&R) 2012 capital budget and report back at the same time as the draft Secondary Plan on the scope of the work and a proposed community engagement process for the improvements. Include improvements to Baycrest Park in the new preliminary reinvestment area that includes the two development blocks fronting the south side of Ranee Avenue; and
b. enter into discussions with the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) and/or Toronto District School Board (TDSB) to establish community recreation programming in Sir Sanford Fleming Secondary School and work with the Lawrence Heights Inter Organizational Network (LHION) to look at options for developing a community hub at this location.
6. City Council request the Chief of Police to report to the Toronto Police Service Board prior to the end of 2011 on options for establishing a police satellite station in the Lawrence Heights community.
7. City Council request the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) to:
a. incorporate community space in their developments that could be used for cross-cultural faith-based services and work with Muslim, Jewish, and other faith groups to develop such space;
b. develop a strategy for creating fully mixed streets and neighbourhoods; including integrating Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) units into market buildings;
c. review possibilities for the creation of local employment opportunities in collaboration with their private sector third party development partner(s);
d. consider opportunities for partnership with affordable home ownership developers as they develop plans for Lawrence Heights;
e. confirm their previous commitment to a zero percent displacement of residents currently residing in Lawrence Heights to not be re-located off-site during the re-development process;
f. incorporate provisions in their Request for Proposal (RFP) for their third party development partner that will provide weighting for bidders that set a minimum percentage of “family sized” (3+ bedrooms) units; and
g. develop an energy sustainability development plan that will review energy efficiency and renewable energy opportunities, set high standards for “green” buildings and communities, and ensure any Request for Proposal (RFP) for third party private development partners include criteria and weighting for green building standards.
8. City Council request that the City of Toronto Fairness Commissioner/Integrity Commissioner monitor Toronto Community Housing Corporation's (TCHC) Request for Proposal (RFP) process to ensure a heightened level of transparency and accountability.
9. City Council request the Ministry of Education to prioritize short and longer term funding required for:
a. reconstruction of Dante Alighieri Secondary School for the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) to accommodate their current and future secondary school enrolment requirements;
b. reconstruction of Bathurst Heights site for the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) to accommodate their current and future secondary school enrolment requirements;
c. reconstruction of Flemington Public School for the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) to accommodate their current and future elementary school enrolment requirements; and
d. elementary school facilities (existing and new) for the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) to accommodate their current and future elementary school enrolment requirements.
10. City Council request that the Toronto District School Board (TSDB) provide a long term lease or consider selling their Sir Sanford Fleming school property to the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) to allow the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) to address enrolment challenges for both primary and secondary school students in the community.
11. City Council request that the Ontario Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities review the Lawrence–Allen study area for the potential establishment of education and/or training institution(s) or hub(s) in the development area. And further, that the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division to follow up on previous discussions with Humber College and the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) regarding partnership opportunities through the development plan.
Origin
Summary
Following many additional rounds of community consultation and discussions the following changes are recommended to create a renewed plan for the redevelopment of Lawrence Heights that reflects the concerns and interests of local residents across the community.
Fundamental to this renewed vision for Lawrence Heights is a reduction in the previously proposed residential density, the establishment of truly mixed neighbourhoods in Lawrence Heights, added measures to address any impacts of added density and traffic, and increased protection to preserve existing closures on local roads.
Most importantly, this new vision recognizes the financial challenges that the City of Toronto is facing. Firstly, this renewed vision calls for a more modest preliminary development that is reduced in scope, area, density, and infrastructure costs compared to the previously proposed “Phase 1” of LARP (Lawrence-Allen Revitalization Plan). Secondly, it recommends that any development subsequent to this new preliminary investment, only proceed with a financial strategy that identifies and budgets for any infrastructure costs in the City’s capital budget plans.
Background Information
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2011/ny/bgrd/backgroundfile-39180.pdf
Motions
That North York Community Council recommend to City Council that City Council:
1. Request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division to address the following changes to the Lawrence-Allen Revitalization Plan when bringing forward the new Secondary Plan:
a. reduce the proposed 4800 market/condominium units and 1208 replacement social housing units on TCHC lands in the Focus Area to 4100 new market/condominium units and 1208 replacement social housing units;
b. reduce the proposed 400 residential units on TDSB's Bathurst Heights site to 300 units;
c. consider any abutting privately owned properties not owned by TCHC or the TDSB as stand-alone sites for future planning or development purposes. Further, that these development site[s] meet public objectives;
d. review in detail the development blocks that are closest to the stable residential communities designated Neighbourhoods in the Official Plan to the east and west of Lawrence Heights to ensure that future development provides an appropriate transition in scale and built form. Low rise development in the form of townhouses should be considered for some or appropriate portions of these blocks;
e. direct retail and other non-residential uses to Primary and Major Streets in order to protect properties on Local streets from impacts of commercial development;
f. eliminate the provision for residential and commercial development and school use on Baycrest Park and Yorkdale Park;
g. maintain pedestrian and cycling connections to Lawrence Heights at the western ends of Ridgevale Drive, Rondale Boulevard, and Kirkland Boulevard, including measures to protect against future street connections for motor vehicles such as a one foot reserve designated as parkland. And further, an easement agreement be secured to not put a street in through existing pedestrian access connections unless the City of Toronto/ Council agrees;
h. ensure that there are no new street connections for motor vehicles to Yorkdale Shopping Centre;
i. create a greenway on the west side of the Allen Road similar to the one proposed on the east side of the Allen Road by securing it through the development approval process as publicly-accessible open space;
j. require traffic certification for each phase of development to ensure that infrastructure improvements are in place prior to development and that there is sufficient transportation capacity available;
k. require ongoing traffic monitoring studies as part of the development review process in Lawrence-Allen;
l. ensure that Ranee Avenue, Ameer Avenue, and Neptune Drive do not undergo future road widening as a result of the Revitalization Plan;
m. improve traffic conditions and pedestrian safety and crossing and access points on Lawrence Avenue at Allen Road;
n. consider alternate alignments for any possible extension of Marlee Avenue in any future commercial and/or residential development[s] proposed on privately owned lands; and
o. consider an implementation strategy in the Secondary Plan that encourages incremental development at a manageable pace and ensures that financing for the infrastructure required to support development is in place.
2. Request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division, when bringing forward the Urban Design Guidelines together with the Secondary Plan, to ensure that the Guidelines address the following:
a. personal safety in the design of streets, parks, and open spaces;
b. shadow impacts;
c. design of courtyards in residential buildings;
d. design of indoor and outdoor amenity space; and
e. accessibility
3. Request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division, to work with TCHC to limit the scope of the first phase of TCHC's development by focusing initial reinvestment in the Secondary Plan Area to the two development blocks fronting the south side of Ranee Avenue.
4. Request TTC and the General Manager, Transportation Services to develop and report back at the same time as the Secondary Plan on a comprehensive program of short-term improvements to pedestrian conditions at the Ranee entrance to the Yorkdale Subway Station, including consideration of a reduced bus lay-by and widened sidewalk.
5. Request the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to:
a. incorporate capital improvements to Baycrest Park in the PF&R 2012 capital budget and report back at the same time as the draft Secondary Plan on the scope of the work and a proposed community engagement process for the improvements. Include improvements to Baycrest Park in the new preliminary reinvestment area that includes the two development blocks fronting the south side of Ranee Avenue; and
b. enter into discussions with the TCDSB and/or TDSB to establish community recreation programming in Sir Sanford Fleming Secondary School and work with the LHION to look at options for developing a community hub at this location.
6. Request the Chief of Police to report to the Police Services Board prior to the end of 2011 on options for establishing a police satellite station in the Lawrence Heights community.
7. Request TCHC to:
a. incorporate community space in their developments that could be used for cross-cultural faith-based services and work with Muslim, Jewish, and other faith groups to develop such space;
b. develop a strategy for creating fully mixed streets and neighbourhoods; including integrating RGI units into market buildings;
c. review possibilities for the creation of local employment opportunities in collaboration with their private sector third party development partner[s];
d. consider opportunities for partnership with affordable home ownership developers as they develop plans for Lawrence Heights;
e. confirm their previous commitment to a zero percent displacement of residents currently residing in Lawrence Heights to not be re-located off-site during the re-development process;
f. incorporate provisions in their RFP for their third party development partner that will provide weighting for bidders that set a minimum percentage of “family sized” (3+ bedrooms) units; and
g. develop an energy sustainability development plan that will review energy efficiency and renewable energy opportunities, set high standards for “green” buildings and communities, and ensure any RFP for third party private development partners include criteria and weighting for green building standards.
8. Request that the City of Toronto Fairness Commissioner/Integrity Commissioner monitor TCHC’s RFP process to ensure a heightened level of transparency and accountability.
9. Request that the Ministry of Education to prioritize short and longer term funding required for:
a. reconstruction of Dante Alighieri Secondary School for the TCDSB to accommodate their current and future secondary school enrolment requirements;
b. reconstruction of Bathurst Heights site for the TDSB to accommodate their current and future secondary school enrolment requirements;
c. reconstruction of Flemington Public School for the TDSB to accommodate their current and future elementary school enrolment requirements; and
d. elementary school facilities (existing and new) for the TCDSB to accommodate their current and future elementary school enrolment requirements.
10. Request that the Toronto District School Board provide a long term lease or consider selling their Sir Sanford Fleming school property to the TCDSB to allow TCDSB to address enrolment challenges for both primary and secondary school students in the community.
11. Request that the Ontario Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities review the Lawrence–Allen study area for the potential establishment of education and/or training institution(s) or hub(s) in the development area. And further, that the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division to follow up on previous discussions with Humber College and the TDSB regarding partnership opportunities through the development plan.
Declared Interests
Councillor David Shiner - as his father lives in close proximity to the Lawrence Heights area.