Item - 2014.NY34.96

North York Community Council recommends that:

1.         City Council direct City Staff and the consultant to finalize the Transportation and Infrastructure Master Plans and that staff provide notification for public review and comment upon completion of the Master Plans in accordance with the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Process.

2.         City Council direct City Staff to use the recommendations contained in the report (July 21, 2014) from the Director, Community Planning, North York District, and the Dufferin Street Avenue Study (DSAS) Final Report as a guide for drafting the Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law to create site and area specific policies and new zoning provisions suited to this Avenue segment, and any other appropriate planning tools, that address the matters identified in this report, including, but not limited to: the appropriate mix of residential and non-residential uses; new streets and blocks, standards regulating built form, height, building setbacks and stepbacks, appropriate separation distances, appropriate transition in scale to Neighbourhoods and Employment Areas, angular planes, parking and bicycle and other performance measures for the segment; the community improvements that are needed to support growth and community benefits to be sought under Section 37 of the Planning Act; and the phasing of growth with transportation and servicing improvements.

3.         City Council direct City Staff to conduct community consultation on a draft Official Plan Amendment, amendments to the Zoning By-laws, and other planning tools and necessary Implementation Strategies prior to bringing forward these planning tools and strategies to North York Community Council's consideration.

This report provides a summary of the Dufferin Street Avenue Study (DSAS) for the portion of Dufferin Street from Highway 401 to just south of Lawrence Avenue West. City staff, the Ward Councillor, the City's consultants, and members of the local community have worked together to develop a vision and framework for new development and the improvement of the public realm on this portion of Dufferin Street. Following from the Study's findings, the report outlines key issues and recommendations, as well as next steps in preparing draft amendments to the Official Plan and Zoning By-law.

The implementation of this study will include a site and area specific Official Plan policy, a new zoning regime suited to this Avenue segment, Urban Design Guidelines to guide development on this portion of Dufferin Street, a Parks and Open Space Strategy, a Community Services and Facilities Strategy, and a Transportation and Infrastructure Master Plan.

This report recommends that Council authorize staff to use the recommendations contained in this report and the consultant's Final Report as a guide to draft Official Plan policies and other appropriate planning tools, forming part of staff's final report to Council, and further community consultation in the second quarter of 2015.