HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-12-019 - Parkland Acquisition - Countrystone Park1
Staff Report
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REPORT T0: Finance & Corporate Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING: January 30, 2012
SUBMITTED BY: Jim Witmer, Director of Operations, INS
PREPARED BY: Tim O'Brien, Landscape Architect ext 4399
WARD(S) INVOLVED: Ward 7
DATE OF REPORT: January 17, 2012
REPORT NO.: INS-12-019
SUBJECT: PARKLAND ACQUISITION - COUNTRYSTONE PARK
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to execute an Agreement of Purchase and Sale,
satisfactory to the City Solicitor, with Sunvest Development Corp, for the purpose of
acquiring the vacant municipal parcel on Countrystone Drive known as Part Lot 34,
German Company Tract, Township of Waterloo, Part 2, Plan 58R-6887, for the purpose of
creating suitable frontage for Countrystone Park and improved park access for the
community, to an upset purchase price of $175,000 plus HST, associated real estate fees,
land transfer tax, and transaction costs, and further,
That the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to execute the necessary documentation to
complete the conveyance.
BACKGROUND:
Countrystone Park was assembled over an extended number of years by park land
contributions from several plans of subdivision. The final pieces of the park were assumed by
the City of Kitchener in 2010-11, with park grading and development occurring in 2011. Park
amenities were constructed in 2011 with the park to be ready for community use in spring 2012.
Design for the park amenities which include extensive park and woodland trails, basketball
court, junior and senior playgrounds and a mix of mowed open play area as well as naturalized
area, were guided by a public consultation process with the local community through the spring
and summer of 2011.
The current park configuration does not provide for any park frontage or access to the park for
the majority of community residents from Countrystone Drive and Resurrection Drive, although
there is frontage along the University Avenue border with City of Waterloo and a limited
walkway connection to Iron Gate Street. This is a direct result of the piecemeal way in which
subdivision development historically occurred.
In its current configuration the lack of frontage on Countrystone Drive in the vicinity of
Resurrection Drive, creates for many in the community a long and indirect walk to access any
part of the park, and the necessity to access a park playground only by way of walking through
the existing woodland. Through park consultation the community indicated that it strongly
wished to have access to the park from the Countrystone Drive and Resurrection Drive area.
Acquisition of the vacant single family residential lot in question is the only available means to
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create park frontage on Countrystone Drive in the vicinity of Resurrection Drive and enable
public access from Countrystone Drive in this area.
REPORT:
The transaction to purchase the vacant 0.07 hectare parcel was negotiated through the City's
Real Estate Service provider, Coldwell Banker Commercial Realty. The price has been
reviewed and is considered fair market value for the property.
The parcel is located on Countrystone Drive opposite Resurrection Drive, and will achieve an
excellent park entrance for the majority of the community. The parcel backs directly onto
Countrystone Park and will provide not only excellent access but also enable excellent street
visibility to the park playground, enhanced patrolability and community safety.
The parcel is currently zoned R4 and would be subject to a zone change in order to achieve the
P1 Zoning of Countrystone Park.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
Creating excellent access to Countrystone Park by way of acquiring a new park frontage on
Countrystone Drive improves the overall visibility, safety and level of comfort for park users and
supports community quality of life.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Funding for the land purchase is from the Parkland Acquisition reserve account. The funds are
entirely sourced by way of park dedications contributed by new subdivision development, where
these are taken as cash in lieu of land in the cases where land dedications are not possible.
The purpose of cash in lieu dedications is to enable purchase of land by the City of Kitchener for
new park land development. Cash in lieu dedications have been collected from site plan and
subdivision developments immediately in the vicinity of Countrystone Park.
Revenue:
Balance on 1/18/2012 Reserve Parkland General Provision 6527006 $1,747,745
Expenses:
Purchase of Land $175,000
HST 13% $22,750
Real Estate Commission 4% $7,000
Land Transfer Tax, Title Fees $2,000
Total Expenses: $206,750
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
Park planning community consultation in spring -summer 2011 identified strong community
demand for improved access to Countrystone Park from Countrystone Drive, and for
alternatives to walking through the existing woodland to access the park playground.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Pauline Houston, Deputy CAO Infrastructure Services Department
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