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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDev & Tech Svcs - 2006-10-02DEVELOPMENT & TECHNICAL SERVICES COMMITTEE MINUTES OCTOBER 2, 2006 CITY OF KITCHENER The Development and Technical Services Committee met this date, commencing at 7:23 p.m. Present: Councillor C. Weylie -Chair Mayor C. Zehr and Councillors M. Galloway, B. Urbanovic, G. Lorentz and J. Gazzola Staff: C. Ladd, Chief Administrative Officer T. Speck, General Manager of Corporate Services R. Browning, General Manager of Development & Technical Services & Fire Chief A. Pappert, General Manager of Community Services J. Willmer, Director of Planning R. Regier, Executive Director, Economic Development T. Boutilier, Senior Business Development Officer & Brownfield Co-ordinator C. Bluhm, Planner D. Gilchrist, Committee Administrator 1. DTS-06-142 - MUNICIPAL PLAN AMENDMENT MP 061071TC1CB - NEW DOWNTOWN DESIGN POLICIES The Committee considered Development and Technical Services Department report DTS-06- 142, dated September 27, 2006, regarding Municipal Plan Amendment MP 06/07/TC/CB for new downtown design policies. Councillor C. Weylie, Chair, read the following statement: This is a Public Meeting under 'The Planning Act, 1990' to consider Municipal Plan Amendment Application MP 06107/TC1C6. Section 17 (45) of the Planning Act allows the Ontario Municipal Board to dismiss all or part of an appeal without holding a hearing if the appellant did not make oral submissions at a public meeting or did not make written submissions to the council before the plan was adopted and, in the opinion of the Board, the appellant does not provide a reasonable explanation for having failed to make a submission. In order to ensure the record includes all the names of those individuals who are making verbal submissions today for this Municipal Plan Amendment, please ensure that you clearly identify yourself before you begin your submissions and the Clerk will record your name for the record. If your name does not appear on the record, you may jeopardize any further involvement you wish to have in these matters. Any recommendation made by the Development & Technical Services Committee on these matters today will be considered by City Council on October 16, 2006. This Municipal Plan Amendment is recommended by staff to be considered for adoption at the Development and Technical Services Committee meeting of October 23, 2006. If that is the decision of this Committee, the recommendation of this Committee on October 23rd will be considered by City Council on October 30, 2006. If City Council adopts the amendments, they will proceed to the Regional Municipality of Waterloo who has the final approval authority for Municipal Plan Amendments. They are also the body to whom appeals are sent. Further information on these procedures is available from the City's Development and Technical Services Department or the Region's Department of Planning and Culture. Mr. C. Bluhm presented the proposed Downtown Design Policies, noting this is the first comprehensive vision for the Downtown since the one adopted in 1965. He advised that since this concept was last presented to this Committee, staff have tried to address the concerns and questions raised. With respect to implementing these policies, Mr. Bluhm advised that staff have investigated other municipalities: the City of Chicago has taken a strict approach in implementing their Enviro Action Plan; the City of Oshawa has painted an image of what they want their downtown to be; DEVELOPMENT & TECHNICAL SERVICES COMMITTEE MINUTES OCTOBER 2, 2006 - 77- CITY OF KITCHENER 1. DTS-06-142 - MUNICIPAL PLAN AMENDMENT MP 061071TC1CB (CONT'D the City of Waterloo has undertaken a persuasive process but has no written policy; the City of Windsor has developed bronze, silver and gold levels of design categories, with the gold level being the design category which is most desirable. Mr. Bluhm advised that staff are proposing an implementation plan similar to the City of Oshawa. Mr. Bluhm explained it will take a while for the Downtown to evolve, and to give these policies more strength, there needs to be images, so people don't loose sight of the vision; staff will prepare a graphic version of the policies. Other matters addressed through public input with respect to the cultural districts, staff has been asked to rethink these districts, as there are cultural districts in existence and they should be allowed to grow. To address some of the concerns of the Kitchener Downtown Business Association ~KDBA), the parking plan will not be included in the MPA. Further it's important for staff to show the KDBA that there is opportunity through these policies for more than just parking. Respecting heritage policies, they are different and have been strengthened, and it is possible to have contemporary signage and store fronts without detracting from the heritage elements of a building. Mayor Zehr questioned how these design policies will dovetail with the Request for Proposal process (RFP) for Centre Block. Mr. Bluhm responded that these new criteria have been included in the RFP for Centre Block. The results of the survey have been included. We have also included the framework we are trying to create and are asking developers to work within this framework. These policies are fairly generic and fairly flexible. Ms. R. Gill addressed the Committee advising she is supportive of the premise of a liveable downtown; however, in this regard there is something missing from the plan. There are existing neighbourhoods but the plan does not address the connection between these neighbourhoods and these proposed districts. Further, liveable means meeting the daily needs of people with such things as grocery stores. These goods and services are currently missing from the Downtown and they need to be here. With respect to quality of life, there needs to be recreational opportunities. Pools and ice fields need to be included in the Downtown, within walking distance. Finally, cycling and walking can be means of transportation as well as recreation, and the corridors need to be designed with this in mind. Mr. J. MacDonald stated this is a very important document, and the exercise which has been undertaken by staff and the community is very laudable. This is groundbreaking work and a recognition of a public steetscape, who we are, and how we live together. This vision will ultimately be created by both the public and private sectors. He stated he is concerned with the fundamental vision for the Downtown and does not agree that there has been no vision for the Downtown since the 1960's. He stated his concern is with the districts and the fact that the district boundaries run down the middle of streets; as a streetscape has 2 sides. He advised that he finds the characterization of the districts disturbing, and stated that it is not possible to solve the identity of the Downtown by creating 4 districts. There needs to be a framework with a fine balance of activities in the Downtown. Mr. MacDonald gave the example of the Community Improvement Plan boundaries that caused properties on St. George Street to lie fallow. He suggested the design guidelines should be street centric, and not district centric. Streetscapes need to include both sides of the street. Mr. Bluhm responded to Mr. MacDonald's comments, agreeing that both sides of streets need to be designed at the same time. The design guidelines don't currently identify how to meld both sides of a street. This has a lot to do with the infrastructure in place. There needs to be a policy in place as to how to marry the districts together where they meet. DEVELOPMENT & TECHNICAL SERVICES COMMITTEE MINUTES OCTOBER 2, 2006 - 78- CITY OF KITCHENER 1. DTS-06-142 - MUNICIPAL PLAN AMENDMENT MP 061071TC1CB (CONT'D) On motion by Councillor B. Vrbanovic - itwas resolved: "That final consideration of Municipal Plan Amendment Number 64 (MPA061071TC/CB), to introduce new general urban design policies for Downtown Kitchener, attached to Development and Technical Services Department report DTS-06-142, be deferred to the Development and Technical Services Committee meeting of October 23, 2006; and, That staff develop "Design Brief DB-5 -Downtown Design Districts" to provide a graphical version of the Downtown Design District policies contained in section 9.3, for consideration at the Development and Technical Services Committee meeting scheduled for October 23, 2006, for adoption and inclusion in the City's Urban Design Manual; and further, That during the work plan phase of the Civic Centre Neighbourhood Heritage Conservation District ~CCNHCD) study, the consulting team for this study comment on the original proposal that no height limit be applied to new buildings within the Civic District, so they may assess whether any impact may occur on the heritage resources in the Civic Centre neighbourhood." 2. DTS-06-140 - TEMPORARY OCCUPANCY REQUEST - 637 KING STREET WEST - TRACEY WILLMS The Committee considered Development and Technical Services Department report DTS-06- 140, dated September 14, 2006, regarding a temporary occupancy request for 637 King Street West. On motion by Mayor C. Zehr - itwas resolved: "That temporary occupancy be approved and enforcement of the City's Zoning By-law be waived for the property at 637 King Street West, with respect to a personal service use (hair salon) within a building existing on September 18, 2006, subject to the personal service use vacating the location in the event the City initiated Zone Change (ZC061061TC/RM) to permit personal service uses on the subject land, in combination with other permitted uses, is not approved; and further, That in the event of failure to vacate, the City's Municipal By-law Enforcement Officer be directed to commence notice of action to remove the illegal use and that any work done to the premises be at the sole risk and responsibility of the owner in the event losses are incurred as a result of final disposition of this application." 3. DTS-06-146 - DEFERRAL OF PROPOSED MUNICIPAL PLAN AMENDMENT - COMMUNITY PLANS - NEIGHBOURHOOD DESIGN INITIATIVE &DEFERRAL OF ON-STREET PARKING POLICY The Committee considered Development and Technical Services Department report DTS-06- 146, dated September 22, 2006, recommending deferral of a proposed municipal plan amendment, community plans, neighbourhood design initiative and on-street parking policy. On motion by Councillor B. Vrbanovic - itwas resolved: "That consideration of the proposed amendment to the City of Kitchener Municipal Plan - Part 4 -Section 1.5 "Community Plans" and the City's On-street Parking Policy be deferred until such time as the Neighbourhood Design Initiative is considered by the Development and Technical Services Committee in early 2007." DEVELOPMENT & TECHNICAL SERVICES COMMITTEE MINUTES OCTOBER 2, 2006 - 79- CITY OF KITCHENER 4. CAO-06-061 - BROWNFIELD REMEDIATION PROGRAM APPLICATION 05-02 - ARROW LOFTS INC. - 112 BENTON STREET The Committee considered Chief Administrator's Office report CAO-06-061, dated September 26, 2006, regarding Brownfield Remediation Program Application 05-02, Arrow Lofts Inc., 112 Benton Street. Mr. T. Boutilier presented the staff report. On motion by Councillor B. Vrbanovic - itwas resolved: "That Brownfield Remediation Program Application 05-02, submitted by Arrow Lofts Inc., dated June 10, 2005, for the property municipally known as 112 Benton Street, be approved subject to the following: That in exchange for a completed and filed Record of Site Condition for 112 Benton Street, the City of Kitchener provide a grant in the form of an annual rebate on City taxes in an amount equal to 100% of the City Tax Increment; where the City Tax Increment is defined as the difference between the City portion of real property taxes for the 2006 Taxation Year and the new City portion of real property taxes levied as a result of a new assessment by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) following completion of the project or any phases thereof; and, That the property tax grant, estimated annually at $110,101.87, continue for a maximum period of 10 years or until the total Eligible Remediation Cost of $2,226,000 has been reached, whichever comes first; and further, That the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to execute a Remediation and Redevelopment Agreement with Arrow Lofts Inc., satisfactory to the City Solicitor." 5. ADJOURNMENT On motion, the meeting adjourned at 8:12 p.m. D. Gilchrist Committee Administrator