Item - 2019.PH4.1

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:  

1.  City Council amend the Don Mills Crossing Secondary Plan Attachment 2 - Schedule "I" attached to the report (March 14, 2019) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning by:

a.  deleting Policy 3.11 and replacing it with the following:

"3.11  Lands designated Mixed Use Areas "A" that front Don Mills Road and/or Eglinton Avenue East:

a)  will contain a minimum of 1.0 FSI of non-residential uses within the base of mixed use developments;

b)  will provide non-residential uses that may include but are not limited to, office, retail, restaurants, medical offices, cultural uses and/or community services and facilities;

c)  will include design features to animate the public realm through multiple entrances and built form articulation; and

d)  may achieve the requirement for 1.0 FSI of non-residential uses across Mixed Use Areas "A" and Mixed Use Areas "B" if the development parcel straddles the boundary across both designations."

b.  deleting Policy 3.13 and replacing it with the following:

"3.13.  Development in Mixed Use Areas 'B':

a)  will provide a transition in scale to Neighbourhoods adjacent to the Secondary Plan Area;

b)  will include design features to animate the public realm through multiple entrances and built form articulation; and

c)  is encouraged to provide loading and parking facilities that can be shared with development in General Employment Areas 'B' to consolidate access points and minimize impact on publicly accessible open spaces and pedestrian routes in the public realm."

c.  deleting Map 40-5 and replacing it with the revised Map 40-5 attached to motion 4 by Councillor Ana Bailão.

2.  City Council adopt the Official Plan Amendment, Don Mills Crossing Secondary Plan, included as Attachment 2 to the report (March 14, 2019) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, as amended by Recommendation 1 above.

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

4.  City Council direct staff to use the Don Mills Crossing Secondary Plan, Attachment 2, as amended, to the report (March 14, 2019) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning in the evaluation of all current and new development proposals within its boundaries.

5.  City Council endorse the Don Mills Crossing Mobility Planning Study, included as Attachment 3, to the report (March 14, 2019) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and direct staff to use the Don Mills Crossing Mobility Planning Study to advance mobility initiatives in the Eglinton Avenue East and Don Mills Road area.

6.  City Council endorse the Draft Delineations for Major Transit Station Areas, included as Attachment 6, to the report (March 14, 2019) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and request City Planning staff to consider these Draft Delineations in the context of the review of major transit stations through any future Growth Plan conformity exercise.

7.  City Council direct staff to prioritize and accelerate the extension of the Don Mills Trail to Leslie Street in accordance with the recommendations set out in the report (March 14, 2019) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and request the General Manager, Transportation Services to report to Infrastructure and Environment Committee with further specifics on the implementation and timelines of this extension. 

8.  City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to review the opportunity to incorporate Community Share Food Bank including a community kitchen in the multi-purpose non profit community space.

9.  City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to incorporate the Prince Andrew Place extension to the Celestica Project, multi-purpose trail and rail crossover, into the Don Mills Crossing Plan.

The Planning and Housing Committee:

1.  Referred Recommendation 5 to the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and requested a report back to the Planning and Housing Committee as appropriate by the third quarter of 2019:

"5. City Council endorse the Don Mills Crossing Cultural Heritage Resource Assessment, included as Attachment 5, and direct the City Planning staff to use the Cultural Heritage Resource Assessment as a basis for further study of properties identified as potential heritage resources and when warranted bring forward recommendations on those properties that meet the criteria for inclusion on the City's Heritage Register."

The Planning and Housing Committee held a statutory public meeting on April 4, 2019, and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This report recommends that City Council adopt the Don Mills Crossing Secondary Plan. The recommended Secondary Plan is a comprehensive planning framework for the area around the intersection of Don Mills Road and Eglinton Avenue East that capitalizes on the significant public investment in new transit infrastructure (Crosstown LRT) by directing development to appropriate locations and securing the public realm amenities and facilities necessary to meet the existing and future needs of residents and workers.  It advances a vision of a distinct and complete community that celebrates the natural heritage of the Don River Valley system and builds on the area's tradition of cultural and technological innovation.  A full range of mobility options are provided for with an emphasis on transit, travel demand management and the integration of pedestrian and cycling infrastructure into the public realm.  New connections will provide opportunities to make it more convenient to access jobs, services and daily activities in the community and beyond.  The recommended Secondary Plan includes policies to achieve the provision of a range of residential unit sizes, types and affordability. 

The Secondary Plan is the outcome of the Don Mills Crossing planning study, a three-phased process launched in 2016 to address two Council directions that directed a comprehensive planning framework be prepared for lands in the vicinity of Don Mills Road and Eglinton Avenue East. 

The Don Mills Crossing planning study benefitted from a thorough public consultation process, the concurrent review of major development applications and the input of staff from various City Divisions and commenting agencies.  Three separate reports to City Council presented various milestones of the Don Mills Crossing planning study.  The most recent Proposals Report, adopted by City Council in June 2018, tabled the proposed Secondary Plan. This report presents the results of the public consultation process on the proposed Secondary Plan and responds to Council directions.

The Don Mills Crossing Secondary Plan presents an opportunity to align the central elements of community building in an area of the city experiencing significant growth.  The recommended Secondary Plan advances a number of policies that improve physical and social connectivity across employment areas and existing communities.    It seeks to connect the important natural, cultural, institutional and employment resources and designations found in the broader area to the new community at Don Mills and Eglinton so both new and existing residents and workers can experience the benefit generated by public investment in new transit infrastructure.