Municipal and Government Affairs Committee (MAGA)

 

The Municipal and Government Affairs Committee: 

*      Represents the Association in a liaison capacity with all local government bodies

*      Monitors pertinent municipal proceedings e.g. changes to zoning by-laws, planning policies, traffic by laws

*      Presents the Association’s viewpoint to relevant government bodies

*      Advises the Executive and members of the Association of new municipal and government developments.

 

Bayview Village Association (BVA), through MAGA,  has represented residents concerns over development for many years. Their work has brought about numerous changes to developers plans – resulting in better designs, safer streets, and advantages to our community. While developers have large resources behind them MAGA consists of hard working dedicated volunteers.

 

BVA is actively vigilant about new developments. Having understood the City’s determination to recover the investment in the Sheppard Subway, and the Province’s Policy on Intensification, it is a very hard and lengthy process to reduce or modify proposed developments to not only adhere to the Shepppard Corridor Secondary Plan, but also to minimize negative impacts on Bayview Village.  Deviations from the Plan in one development, tends to erode this standard in future developments. We have persevered to work towards solutions that are at the very least palatable, if not elegant.

 

Recent Activities.  

 

Update- December 2006

 

CANADIAN TIRE LANDS (South of Sheppard Ave., west of Leslie Street)

 

It has come to our attention that Canadian Tire Corporation Ltd. has sold about 40 acres of their land to a Vancouver-based developer- Concord Adex Investments Ltd. for $149.7 million.  Canadian Tire will retain about three acres of land for future use and will also retain the existing Canadian Tire store site, which also includes a Mark's Work Warehouse store.  Concord plans to construct 4,000 units in 20 towers with up to 4 million square feet of space in condo and townhouse units, ranging in height from 6 to 28 storeys, along with a park, community centre and day care.

The CTL site had been approved for redevelopment in the mid '90s.  There was a two-year period of public consultation that involved the city’s Planning Dept., our Councilor, and all local associations and ratepayer groups.  The Bayview Village Association was forefront in these consultation processes and worked diligently at reducing every negative impact that a development of this size could bring. Most of our concerns and our suggestions have been incorporated into the Context Plan for these lands, which the developer is expected to follow.

BVA had addressed issues of density, the layout and heights of towers, traffic congestion, and traffic infiltration through the village, and also the need for more community recreation spaces, and for parks and schools on these lands.    Space has thus been provided for a community center, a park and an elementary school.  Also as per our input, taller towers will be located near Hwy. 401and shorter buildings will be closer to Sheppard Avenue.  A new road will be built from these lands leading directly to Leslie Street, bypassing Sheppard Avenue.  Leslie Street will also be widened from Sheppard Street to Hwy. 401. In readiness for this development, we already have in effect a ‘no through-traffic’ from south side of Sheppard Ave. going north into Bayview Village.

BVA will be monitoring this development as it proceeds.

 

Updates- November 2006

 

Dangreen Development – (N.E. corner Sheppard & Bayview).

 

Dangreens development was first brought to the attention of BVA in 1998. We participated in numerous community consultations until the proposal came down to maximum 15 storeys, which would be located directly above the subway station, with the storeys stepping down 12, 8 and 4, to the north, and the FSI would be 3.5.  Total number of units would be 280.  Since we would have preferred to have no development there in the first place, this was the best and acceptable compromise that we could reach. Due to delays by the City, Dangreens had the proposal along with zoning changes granted at the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) in May 2001.  Dangreens did not build at that time and the matter lay dormant for 4 years.

 

In the summer of 2005, Dangreens had re-visited their plans for the site, and came up with a new proposal.  The BVA and other community representatives of the area attended a consultation session for this.  Dangreens were now proposing smaller units and increasing the number to 450 units. They also had changed their design to have one even building of 15 stories. The footprint would stay the same and so would the FSI of 3.5.  The built form of the building would be different now. It would be treated with a lot more glass and be curved to mimic a ship. This in their opinion would minimize its visual impact.  Apparently as requested by City Transportation Dept., it would now have a bus loop located under the building to enable buses to go back south on Bayview Ave.

 

We expressed the following objections to the new proposal:

  • That the increase in units was not acceptable and would also generate 255 additional cars, which would add to already bad traffic problems on Bayview and Sheppard.
  • That the proposal would create traffic infiltration on our residential roads. This is because there will be only a northbound exit onto Bayview from the development. All vehicles heading south onto Bayview, and to the 401 would not only have to transverse Bayview Mews Lane and Hawksbury, it would also add to the congestion on the left lanes for south bound traffic on the crossing of Sheppard and Bayview.
  • That the bus loop would add another annoying light between Sheppard and Bayview Mews Lane.
  • That Bayview Mews Lane would not be able to take this traffic, being only a single lane in either direction.
  • That traffic on the Lane could also be dangerous because many children going to Elkhorn Elementary School crossed here.

 

Working with our Councillor, Dangreens reduced the parking requirements in the building thereby effectively reducing the number of cars by 180.  They also agreed to have flexibility in the size of units so that possibly there would be fewer units in the end.  No matter how hard we worked, no other changes could be made. This proposal came before the Committee of Adjustment in October 2006.  BVA attended and objected on the above-mentioned grounds and further objected to the Committee that this change was too major to be heard as ‘Minor Variances’.  The Committee deferred the matter to Council.  However Dangreens applied to the OMB.  The OMB granted this proposal, along with the reduced cars, in April 2006. We feel this was a small victory at least.

 

Since then, Dangreens made some changes to the site plan.  The main one being that they wish to have the bus loop at a different part of the site.  This would change the configuration and have the buses exit and turn south at the Bayview Mews traffic lights. The change require community consultation again; as well that this should be heard at Council.  However we have learnt that Daniels have applied for these changes to the OMB again.  The hearing is set for early December. 

Daniels Development - S.E. corner of Sheppard Avenue and Rean Drive

 

In February 2006, BVA attended a few community consultations regarding this development.  Many concerns were expressed and suggestions for changes were made.  The final proposal, which Daniels submitted to City Council, has a total of 418 dwelling units in 4 buildings.  On the Sheppard front is a 7 storey residential rent-to-own condo with some commercial space at street level.  Behind which and along Rean Dr. will be 10 storeys, Amica style residential retirement home. To the south of this will be 3 storeys (townhouses) residential condos. On the southeast edge, facing Devrock will be a 9 storey residential condo geared towards seniors.

 

In July this proposal was heard at Community Council. BVA made submissions regarding some desirable changes that should be made.  North Community Council (NCC) gave Daniels until a September NCC meeting to make these changes. They did not.  They appealed to the OMB instead. The hearing at the OMB started on October 17, 2006 and after a break will be continued in early December.  We have been attending the OMB hearings as well, and made strong submissions regarding our concerns against this proposal.

 

Our concerns are:

  • The proposal does not fit with the Context Plan, neither for the particular site, nor within the broader Sheppard Subway Corridor Secondary Plan.  BVA has contributed a lot of time and energy to the Plan to ensure that developments do not have an adverse effect on Bayview Village.  The height along Sheppard Avenue should preferably be 2-4 storeys, and definitely not exceed 6 storeys.
  • The 9-storey condo building on the southeast edge is very close to the single-family homes to the east, and should only be maximum 4 storeys. BVA gave its supports to these single family homeowners regarding this particular point
  • That this will add far too much traffic on Sheppard; as well add to the already impossible situation of gridlock at the Bayview and Sheppard crossing.
  • That once again, a proposal is going to cause traffic infiltration through the Village. We thus asked for ‘No through traffic’ is allowed north on to Hawksbury.