Item - 2015.NY5.29

North York Community Council directed that:

1.         City Planning staff schedule a community consultation meeting for the lands within the Allen District together with the Ward Councillors.

2.         City Planning staff give notice for the community consultation meeting to landowners and residents within 120 metres of the site, and that the notice area of the community consultation meeting be extended to include, in addition to the 120 metre notice area, all landowners and residents residing in the following two areas:

a.         the area bounded by Waterloo Avenue to the north; Bathurst Street to the east; William R. Allen Road on the west and Palm Street to the south; and

b.         the area bounded by Chesswood Drive to the west; Sheppard Avenue West to the south, and Steeprock Drive to the north; and

that the applicant pay the City for the costs associated with extending the notice area.

 3.        City Clerk's staff give notice for the public meeting under the Planning Act according to the regulations of the Planning Act.

4.         The Director of Community Planning, North York District, include in the Final Report, a phasing strategy for the implementation of the Allen District, to provide that upon completion of the 2015 Allen District Precinct Plan, only the east side of William R. Allen Road can proceed to be developed and that the west side of William R. Allen Road will require further Precinct Plan approvals.

Build Toronto has submitted a District Plan for the Allen District, which is located within the Downsview Area Secondary Plan area.  The Allen District is generally located south of Sheppard Avenue West, on either side of Allen Road.  The Downsview Area Secondary Plan requires the completion of a District Plan to the satisfaction of the City prior to any development proceeding in a District. The purpose of the District Plan is to set out a finer grain level of detail for the development of the area.  The District Plan is where streets and blocks are laid out with detailed information on land use, built form, massing and treatment of the public realm.  It is also where a Public Art Strategy, Community Services and Facilities Strategy and Affordable Housing Strategy are refined to reflect a cohesive framework from which to draw from as development occurs.  The District Plan is also important in setting out a Phasing Plan for the growth of the District.    

This report provides preliminary information on the Allen District Plan and seeks Community Council's directions on further processing of the District Plan and on the community consultation process.

The purpose of this report is to provide additional information relating to the Preliminary Report for the Allen District Plan (dated December 14, 2014). While the Downsview Area Secondary Plan states it is necessary to comprehensively review the Allen District as a whole, Planning staff are prepared to consider a phased implementation, enabling the two individual landowners on either side of William R. Allen Road to develop their lands at different times.