Item - 2014.PG34.24

Tracking Status

PG34.24 - Greenbelt Urban River Valley Designation in Toronto

Decision Type:
ACTION
Status:
Adopted
Wards:
All

City Council Decision

City Council on July 8, 9, 10 and 11, 2014, adopted the following:

 

1.         City Council reconfirm its in-principle support for designating portions of the Don and Humber Rivers and the Etobicoke Creek as Urban River Valley under the Greenbelt Act.

Background Information (Committee)

(May 2, 2014) Report and Attachments 1 - 4 from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning on the Greenbelt Urban River Valley Designation in Toronto
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pg/bgrd/backgroundfile-70689.pdf

Communications (Committee)

(May 23, 2014) Letter from Brian Bailey, President, Citizens Concerned about the Future of the Etobicoke Waterfront (PG.Supp.PG34.24.1)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pg/comm/communicationfile-48084.pdf
(May 27, 2014) Letter from John P. Wilson (PG.Supp.PG34.24.2)
(May 28, 2014) Letter from Brian Bailey, President, Citizens Concerned about the Future of the Etobicoke Waterfront (PG.Supp.PG34.24.3)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pg/comm/communicationfile-48082.pdf
(June 17, 2014) Letter from Andrew McCammon, On behalf of the Board, The Taylor Massey Project (PG.Supp.PG34.24.4)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pg/comm/communicationfile-48219.pdf
(June 16, 2014) Letter from David Crombie, Toronto Lands Corporation (PG.New.PG34.24.5)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pg/comm/communicationfile-48270.pdf
(June 19, 2014) Letter from Erin Shapero, Program Manager - Land and Water, Environmental Defence (PG.New.PG34.24.6)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pg/comm/communicationfile-48276.pdf

Motions (City Council)

1 - Motion to Amend Item (Additional) moved by Mayor Rob Ford (Lost)

That City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services to secure the full estimated cost of $538,000 for the land surveys, required as part of the application process to designate public lands in the Don and Humber River and Etobicoke Creek Valleys as Greenbelt Urban River Valley, through external funding sources so that there is no cost to the City, and to report back to Planning and Growth Management Committee in February 2015 on the funding source.

Vote (Amend Item (Additional)) Jul-11-2014 4:53 PM

Result: Lost Majority Required - PG34.24 - Mayor Ford - motion 1
Total members that voted Yes: 7 Members that voted Yes are Vincent Crisanti, Doug Ford, Rob Ford, Frances Nunziata (Chair), Cesar Palacio, Michael Thompson, Kristyn Wong-Tam
Total members that voted No: 24 Members that voted No are Paul Ainslie, Maria Augimeri, Ana Bailão, Shelley Carroll, Raymond Cho, Glenn De Baeremaeker, Sarah Doucette, John Filion, Paula Fletcher, Mary Fragedakis, Mark Grimes, Norman Kelly, Mike Layton, Chin Lee, Peter Leon, Gloria Lindsay Luby, Josh Matlow, Mary-Margaret McMahon, Joe Mihevc, John Parker, Gord Perks, Ceta Ramkhalawansingh, Jaye Robinson, David Shiner
Total members that were Absent: 14 Members that were absent are Michelle Berardinetti, Josh Colle, Gary Crawford, Janet Davis, Mike Del Grande, Frank Di Giorgio, James Maloney, Giorgio Mammoliti, Pam McConnell, Denzil Minnan-Wong, Ron Moeser, James Pasternak, Anthony Perruzza, Karen Stintz

Motion to Adopt Item as Amended (Carried)

Vote (Adopt Item as Amended) Jul-11-2014 4:54 PM

Result: Carried Majority Required - PG34.24 - Adopt the item
Total members that voted Yes: 29 Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Maria Augimeri, Ana Bailão, Shelley Carroll, Raymond Cho, Vincent Crisanti, Janet Davis, Glenn De Baeremaeker, Sarah Doucette, John Filion, Paula Fletcher, Mary Fragedakis, Mark Grimes, Norman Kelly, Mike Layton, Chin Lee, Peter Leon, Gloria Lindsay Luby, Josh Matlow, Mary-Margaret McMahon, Joe Mihevc, Frances Nunziata (Chair), Cesar Palacio, John Parker, Gord Perks, Ceta Ramkhalawansingh, Jaye Robinson, David Shiner, Kristyn Wong-Tam
Total members that voted No: 3 Members that voted No are Doug Ford, Rob Ford, Michael Thompson
Total members that were Absent: 13 Members that were absent are Michelle Berardinetti, Josh Colle, Gary Crawford, Mike Del Grande, Frank Di Giorgio, James Maloney, Giorgio Mammoliti, Pam McConnell, Denzil Minnan-Wong, Ron Moeser, James Pasternak, Anthony Perruzza, Karen Stintz

PG34.24 - Greenbelt Urban River Valley Designation in Toronto

Decision Type:
ACTION
Status:
Amended
Wards:
All

Committee Recommendations

Planning and Growth Management Committee recommends that:

 

1.         City Council reconfirm its in-principle support for designating portions of the Don and Humber Rivers and the Etobicoke Creek as Urban River Valley under the Greenbelt Act.

Decision Advice and Other Information

The Planning and Growth Management Committee:

 

1.         Directed the Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services, to develop a map of lands suitable for Urban River Valley designations using existing mapping resources.

 

2.         Directed the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to discuss methods for reducing and/or defraying cost with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation.

 

3.         Directed the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services to submit a report on the results of Recommendations 1 and 2 above to the February 2015 meeting of the Planning and Growth Management Committee.

Origin

(May 2, 2014) Report from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning

Summary

This report responds to a request from City Council to begin the process of making an application to the Province to designate public lands in the Don and Humber River and Etobicoke Creek valleys as part of the Greenbelt Area under the new Urban River Valley designation.

 

The report reviews the application process and implications of adding public lands to the Greenbelt through the Urban River Valley designation and provides cost information to designate public lands located within the Don and Humber River and Etobicoke Creek corridors that meet the environmentally significant areas (ESA) criteria. Designating public land in Toronto as Urban River Valley would not provide any additional policy protection to these lands and would result in a discontinuous patchwork of land being recognized as part of the Greenbelt. The report recommends an alternative approach that will achieve the goal of recognizing the importance of the Don and Humber Rivers and Etobicoke Creek as river valley connections between the Greenbelt Area and Lake Ontario. This approach will recognize river valley connection in the Official Plan, provide a strong foundation for raising public awareness about the importance of river valley connections and can be done at no additional cost to the City.

Background Information

(May 2, 2014) Report and Attachments 1 - 4 from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning on the Greenbelt Urban River Valley Designation in Toronto
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pg/bgrd/backgroundfile-70689.pdf

Communications

(May 23, 2014) Letter from Brian Bailey, President, Citizens Concerned about the Future of the Etobicoke Waterfront (PG.Supp.PG34.24.1)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pg/comm/communicationfile-48084.pdf
(May 27, 2014) Letter from John P. Wilson (PG.Supp.PG34.24.2)
(May 28, 2014) Letter from Brian Bailey, President, Citizens Concerned about the Future of the Etobicoke Waterfront (PG.Supp.PG34.24.3)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pg/comm/communicationfile-48082.pdf
(June 17, 2014) Letter from Andrew McCammon, On behalf of the Board, The Taylor Massey Project (PG.Supp.PG34.24.4)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pg/comm/communicationfile-48219.pdf
(June 16, 2014) Letter from David Crombie, Toronto Lands Corporation (PG.New.PG34.24.5)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pg/comm/communicationfile-48270.pdf
(June 19, 2014) Letter from Erin Shapero, Program Manager - Land and Water, Environmental Defence (PG.New.PG34.24.6)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pg/comm/communicationfile-48276.pdf

Speakers

Franz Hartmann, Toronto Environmental Alliance
Councillor Gord Perks

Motions

Motion to Amend Item (Additional) moved by Councillor Josh Colle (Carried)

Delete the staff recommendation and replace with the following:

 

1.        City Council reconfirm its in-principle support for designating portions of the Don and Humber Rivers and the Etobicoke Creek as Urban River Valley under the Greenbelt Act.

 

2.         Direct the Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services to develop a map of lands suitable for Urban River Valley designations using existing mapping resources.

 

3.         Direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to discuss methods for reducing and/or defraying cost with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation.

 

4.         Direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services to submit a report on the results of motions 2 and 3 to the February 2015 meeting of the Planning and Growth Management Committee.


Motion to Adopt Item as Amended moved by Councillor Josh Colle (Carried)
Source: Toronto City Clerk at www.toronto.ca/council