HomeMy WebLinkAboutDTS-10-150 - Old Huron Road Environmental Assessment
REPORT
Report To:Developme
nt & Technical Services Committee
Date of Meeting:
August 23, 2010
Submitted By:
K. Grant Murphy, P.Eng., Director of Engineering
Prepared By: Nick Gollan, C.E.T., Development Engineering
519 741 2422
Binu Korah, P.Eng, Manager, Development Engineering.
519 741 2974
Ward(s) Involved: Ward 3 & 4
Date of Report:
August 17, 2010
Report No.:
DTS-10-150
Subject:
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT STUDY REPORT FOR
CLOSURE OF A PORTION OF OLD HURON ROAD AND
RELOCATION OF OLD HURON ROAD CUL-DE-SAC AND
LAND EXCHANGE WITH HALLMAN CONSTRUCTION LTD.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Old Huron Road Cul-de-Sac Reconfiguration/Relocation Closure of Old Huron
Road Environmental Study Report (ESR) prepared by MTE Consultants Inc., dated
August 9, 2010 be received;
-and-
That the Old Huron Road Cul-de-Sac Reconfiguration/Relocation Closure of Old Huron
Road ESR be filed with the Ministry of Environment for the mandatory thirty (30) day
review period as required by the Environmental Assessment (EA) Act;
-and-
That the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to execute a Land Exchange Agreement with
Hallman Construction Ltd. to convey the parcel of land south westerly of the existing Old
Huron Road cul-de-sac described as Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 11, 12, 13, 14, & 15 in exchange for
the parcel of land abutting the southern edge of Huron Road described as Parts 16, 17,
18 & 19 on the attached Land Exchange Plan (Appendix A); said Agreement to be to the
satisfaction of the City Solicitor;
-and-
That the parcel of land described as Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 11, 12, 13, 14, & 15on the attached
Land Exchange Plan (Appendix A) be declared surplus to the City’s needs;
-and-
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That the City reserve an easement over a portion of the lands to be conveyed to Hallman
Construction for the purposes of retaining the existing pressurized gas main and other
services.
-and-
That the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to execute any documentation in this regard
required by and to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Kitchener has received a proposed Site Plan for 1845 Strasburg Road, Hallman
Construction Limited (SP 08/113/S/BB), located on the southeast corner of Strasburg Road and
Huron Road. Old Huron Road currently terminates with a cul-de-sac at the northeast corner of
the site. The design and layout of the plan, along with the related Huron/Strasburg Mixed Use
Node Design Guidelines anticipates that a portion of Old Huron Road will be closed and that the
existing cul-de-sac will be relocated to adjacent lands also owned by Hallman Construction
Limited.
Hallman Construction Limited has also worked with City’s Planning Department to prepare
design guidelines for the site. The design brief was approved by City Council on February 23,
2009. The approved design brief recommend that toinitiate the closure and relocation of the Old
Huron Road cul-de-sac and convey the excess right of way to adjacent landowners in
accordance with the Brigadoon Community Plan. The closure and relocation of the Old Huron
Road cul-de-sac is to be at the expense of the developer.
In August 2009, the City retained MTE Consultants Inc. (see Report DTS 09-121) to complete a
Schedule “B” Class Environmental Assessment for Old Huron Road Cul-de-Sac
Reconfiguration/Relocation (see attached Land Exchange Plan, Appendix A).
REPORT:
The City has completed the Environmental Study Report for the Old Huron Road Cul-de-Sac
Reconfiguration/Relocation in accordance with Municipal Engineers Association document,
October 2000, as amended in 2007. As part of the Schedule “B” Class EA, City has to complete
2 phases of the EA process. Although not mandatory, the City held one public information
centre on September 24, 2009 to receive input from the public, agencies, interested and
affected parties.
The primary objective of this EA study is to explore the appropriateness of the closure of a
portion of Old Huron Road and the reconfiguration/relocation of the existing cul-de-sac to
accommodate the development of land. This Class EA Study will also identify opportunities and
constraints as they relate to the natural and physical environment, and prepare a functional
design of the selected preferred alternative for completion of the project.
To address the problem of how to close a portion of Old Huron Road and determine a
reconfiguration/relocation of the existing cul-de-sac, alternatives were developed and presented
at the public meeting in September, 2009:
Alternative 1 – Do Nothing
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Alternative 2 – Closure of Old Huron Road and Reconfiguration/Relocation of Cul-de-Sac
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An inventory of the existing natural, social, heritage and economic conditions was carried out
and evaluated against a number of evaluation criteria including capital costs, property
requirements, natural heritage, neighbourhood acceptance and social impact.
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Due to the fact that the portion of road no longer provides a service to any residents, the current
purpose of the road is obsolete. Upon review of the impacts and opportunities of the alternatives
the project team confirmed that all identified issues can be dealt with satisfactorily. Therefore
Alternative 2 is the recommended alternative.
In accordance with approved Huron Road ESR, the City requires additional lands at the
intersection of Huron Road and Strasburg Road from Hallman construction Limited to complete
the proposed road widening, Refer attached Land Exchange Plan, Appendix A, Part 17, Part 18
and Part 19.
An agreement has been reached between staff and Hallman Construction Ltd. (Hallman)
whereby the City will exchange lands with Hallman for lands required at the southeast and
southwest corners of the intersection of Huron Road and Strasburg Road as well as along the
southern edge of Huron Road in both directions beyond the limits of the intersection (refer to
Appendix A – Land Exchange Plan) at no cost to the City.
As staff recommends Alternative 2, it is necessary for the City to declare certain lands surplus to
the City’s needs so that the lands may be exchanged for Hallman’s land.
The parcel of land to be declared surplus to the City will require easements be retained in favour
of the City and Bell Canada for a high pressure gas main and communications pad respectively.
The Parties have secured fair market value appraisals for the parcels to be exchanged and
have agreed to consider the exchange of lands as full consideration between the Parties in the
interest of expediting development and the Huron Road construction, despite the fact that the
City is actually receiving more land than it is conveying. Hallman has agreed there will be no
cost borne by the City and that Hallman will be responsible for the relocation/reconfiguration of
the Old Huron Road cul-de-sac as well as for the cost for preparing the necessary Reference
Plan. Both the City and Hallman will each pay their respective conveyance costs.
COMMUNICATIONS:
A notice of Study Commencement was published in the The Record newspaper on August 28,
2009 and September 4, 2009. A copy of the notice was also delivered to the residents directly
affected by the project. The public was also notified about the Public Information Centre (PIC)
through an advertisement in The Record on September 11, 2009 and September 18, 2009. The
PIC was held on September 24, 2009 at the Doon Pioneer Park Community Centre.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Hallman has proposed to do a straight land swap at no cost to the City in the interest of
expediting development of their land at 1845 Strasburg Road and expediting the Huron Road
Improvements construction schedule.
The fair market value of the Kitchener lands being conveyed will be transferred from the Huron
Road Improvement Capital Account to the Asset Management Account.
Further, there is no financial implication for the City to relocate the Old Huron Road Cul-de-sac.
Hallman will be responsible for the relocation/reconfiguration of the Old Huron Road cul-de-sac
as well as for the cost for preparing the necessary Reference Plan.
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CONCLUSION:
In order to facilitate the recommendation from the approved Brigadoon Community Plan and the
Design Brief for the subject lands, as well as to attain the required lands for the Huron Road
Improvements, staff recommend that the Environmental Study Report (ESR) for Old Huron
Road Cul-de-Sac Reconfiguration/Relocation be filed with the Ontario Ministry of the
Environment for the mandatory thirty (30) day review period as required by the Environmental
Assessment Act.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY:
Jeff Willmer, Interim General Manager DTS
Attachments
Appendix A – Land Exchange Plan
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