Item - 2021.SC27.2

Scarborough Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council amend the Official Plan, for the lands at 1625 Military Trail and 6000 Kingston Road substantially in accordance with the draft Official Plan Amendment in Attachment 5 to the report (September 22, 2021) from the Director, Community Planning, Scarborough District.

2. City Council amend City of Toronto Zoning By-law 569-2013, as amended, for the lands at 1625 Military Trail and 6000 Kingston Road substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment in Attachment 6 to the report (September 22, 2021) from the Director, Community Planning, Scarborough District.

3. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the draft Official Plan Amendment and draft Zoning By-law Amendment as may be required.

4. In accordance with Section 42 of the Planning Act, prior to the first above grade building permit, the Owner shall convey to the City, an off-site parkland dedication, having a minimum size of 1,086.89 square metres located adjacent to Morrish Park, to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation and the City Solicitor.

5. City Council approve a development charge credit against the Parks and Recreation component of the Development Charges for the design and construction by the applicant of the Above Base Park Improvements to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation. The development charge credit shall be in an amount that is the lesser of the cost to the applicant of designing and constructing the Above Base Park Improvements, as approved by the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, and the Parks and Recreation component of development charges payable for the development in accordance with the City's Development Charges By-law, as may be amended from time to time.

6. Before introducing the necessary Bills to City Council for enactment, City Council require the Owner to enter into an Agreement pursuant to Section 37 of the Planning Act as follows:

a. the community benefits recommended to be secured in the Section 37 Agreement are as follows:

1. prior to the issuance of an above grade building permit, a cash contribution of $1,350,000.00 (1.35 million) to be secured to enhance streetscape and public realm in the Highland Creek Village as outlined in the Council-adopted Urban Design Guidelines such that the design of the streetscape improvements comply with the Streetscape Manual and/or are to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning;

2. the financial contribution referenced above shall to be indexed upwardly in accordance with the Statistics Canada Non-Residential Building Construction Price Index for Toronto for the period from the date of the registration of the Section 37 Agreement to the date of payment; and

3. in the event the cash contribution referred to in subsection 1 has not been used for the intended purpose within three (3) years of this By-law coming into full force and effect, the cash contribution may be redirected for another purpose, at the discretion of the Chief Planner and Executive Director of City Planning, in consultation with the local Ward Councillor, provided that the purpose(s) is/are identified in the Toronto Official Plan and will benefit the community in the vicinity of the lands.

b. The following matters are also recommended to be secured in the Section 37 Agreement as a legal convenience to support development:

1. the Owner shall construct and maintain the development in accordance with Tier 1 performance measures of the Toronto Green Standard, as adopted by City Council at its meeting held on October 26 and 27, 2009 through the adoption of Item PG32.3 of the Planning and Growth Management Committee, as further amended by City Council from time to time;

2. prior to the issuance of the above grade building permit, the Owner shall satisfy the parkland dedication requirement for the development as set out in Recommendation 4 above;

3. the design and construction the above base park improvements to the new park by the owner in exchange for a development change credit against Parks and Recreation component of the Development Charges, should the owner elect to provide above base park improvements, all to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation;

4. the owner shall prepare and submit a signal warrant analysis for the traffic control signal at Military Trail and Kingston Road to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Transportation Services; and

5. the Owner shall prepare and submit a functional engineering plan identifying the lane configurations of the new traffic signal located at the intersection of Military Trail and Kingston Road/Highway 2A to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Transportation Services.

7. Before introducing the necessary Bills to City Council for enactment, the Owner shall submit the appropriate updated material to address comments from the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority's letter of August 18, 2021, under the heading of “Feature Based Water Balance Assessment”.

8. City Council amend the draft Zoning By-law Amendment to By-law 569-2013 for the lands municipally known as 1625 Military Trail and 6000 Kingston Road, attached as Attachment 6 to the Final Report (September 22, 2021) from the Director, Community Planning, Scarborough District by:

i. deleting clause (K) and replacing it with the following new Clause (K):

(K) The total number of dwelling units on the lot must not exceed 539 subject to the following:

1. A maximum of 62 bachelor dwelling units are permitted;

2. A minimum of 30 percent of the total number of dwelling units shall be contain two bedrooms; and 

3. A minimum of 10 percent of the total number of dwelling units shall contain three bedrooms.

9. City Council determine that the changes within recommendation 8 above are minor and reflective of the proposal and plans contained in the Final Report (September 22, 2021) from the Director, Community Planning, Scarborough District, and, pursuant to subsection 34(17) of the Planning Act, no further notice is required in respect of the proposed amendments to the draft Zoning By-law Amendment.

Scarborough Community Council directed the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to report directly to the November 9 and 10, 2021 meeting of City Council on how hydrologic/hydrogeologic characterization, stormwater management, and erosion management has been reviewed as part of the development proposal on the lands municipally known as 1625 Military Trail and 6000 Kingston Road, and what geotechnical issues are being reviewed in the context of the site plan application.

Scarborough Community Council held a statutory public meeting on October 14, 2021 and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This application proposes to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law to permit the construction of two eight storey apartment buildings above a shared underground parking structure at 1625 Military Trail and 6000 Kingston Road.

The application proposes 549 dwelling units and a total gross floor area of 35,167 square metres which is equivalent to a gross density of 2.93 times the area of the lot. Lands are to be conveyed along the rear of the property to extend the public ownership of the adjacent valley lands and a separate conveyance along the Military Trail frontage will be required to facilitate its widening to a 27 metre right-of-way. An off-site public dedication of lands for parks purposes is proposed to enlarge the existing Morrish Park and provide access to it from Military Trail. A recommended agreement pursuant to Section 37 of the Planning Act would secure a $1 million financial contribution to local streetscape and public realm improvements to enhance the implementation of the Highland Creek Village Secondary Plan and Transportation Master Plan.

The proposed development is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (2020) and conforms with A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2020). It adds to the range and mix of residential units available in a compact form and intensifies an underutilized site in a designated growth area. The proposed two storey increase in height and density, above as-of-right conditions, has been found to be of limited impact. The proposed built form articulation of the upper floors control the incremental increase in shadow, meeting Official Plan direction. The incremental addition of trips can be accommodated by the local mobility network, particularly as it is improved through the implementation of the Highland Creek Transportation Master Plan. Local servicing infrastructure can also accommodate the incremental increase in development beyond what is currently permitted on site.

If approved, the redevelopment will be a catalyst for the public realm improvements key to the revitalization of the Highland Creek Village as provided for by the Council-adopted Secondary Plan, Urban Design Guidelines and Transportation Master Plan. Morrish Park will be expanded through off-site land dedication and above base improvements to the park are recommended to be constructed by the developer in exchange for development charge credits. The Section 37 contribution will provide enhancements to the local streetscape conditions and as a legal convenience secure both the park contribution and the design of a new traffic signal at Military Trail and Kingston Road that will provide additional opportunities for pedestrian and cycling connectivity to the Village.

This report reviews and recommends approval of the application to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law, subject to the Bills being held from enactment to allow for the owner to enter into a Section 37 Agreement and to finalize the requirements of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.