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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDTS-07-153 - Hidden Valley Information1 Kd LR Development& Technical Services 6 REPORT Report To: Development & Technical Services Committee Date of Meeting: September 24, 2007 Submitted By: Jeff Willmer, Director of Planning (741 -2325) Prepared By: Brandon Sloan, Senior Planner (741 -2648) Ward(s) Involved: Fairview- Gateway Ward, Ward 3 Date of Report: September 19, 2007 Report No.: DTS -07 -153 Subject: HIDDEN VALLEY INFORMATION RECOMMENDATION: That Report DTS -07 -153 providing background information on the Hidden Valley Community and the status of the Region of Waterloo's Class Environmental Assessment for the proposed River Road extension be received for information. BACKGROUND: The Region of Waterloo is conducting an Environmental Assessment (EA) as part of the South Kitchener Transportation Corridor Study that is dealing with the proposed extension of River /gleams Roads. The study area includes the Hidden Valley community. After considering various alternatives (including the `Do Nothing' approach), Phase Two of the EA was completed in 2006 with the Region approving planning alternative 4C. A detailed City staff report (DTS 06- 078) was discussed at the May 15th, 2006 Development & Technical Services Committee meeting. A copy of the City Council resolution is attached to this report as Appendix "A ". REPORT: The Hidden Valley community is located in the centre of the Region of Waterloo and is considered to be lands that are bounded by Highway 8, the Grand River, Wabanaki Drive and the C.P. Railway near Fairway Road. The Hidden Valley community currently consists of existing estate residential along the south and east portions of Hidden Valley Road near the Grand River, significant environmental features within the Hidden Valley ring -road, a Regional water treatment facility and open fields (See attached Figure 1 for a general map of the Hidden Valley community). In 1981, the Region approved a road alignment that would have seen the extension of River Road from the northeast side of Highway 8 through Hidden Valley to connect to Goodrich Drive /gleams Road extension. This old road alignment separates the approved Hidden Valley Industrial Community Plan on the northwest side of the area and the approved Hidden Valley Residential Community Plan to the southeast. The Region chose to revisit the road project and the old alignment has now been discarded. Following the South Kitchener Transportation Corridor Study (Phase 1 &2 EA), the Region has selected a new road alternative (4C) which is shown in the attached Figure 2. Current Status of Region's EA In September 2006, the Region began Phases 3 and 4 of the EA process, which includes identifying detailed design alternatives. A Public Information Centre was held at the end of February 2007. There are numerous efforts still underway by the project team. A final preferred detailed design has not been identified; however a preliminary preferred design alternative is under review (see attached Figure 3). The project timeline has been delayed. Additional field work is required in the Spring of 2008, a public information meeting is expected by June 2008 and the Environmental Study Report (ESR) may be ready in Fall '08 (see Appendix "B" for Region's project update newsletter). The final report would include the preferred detail design alternative, impact assessments and recommended mitigation measures. Natural Environment Features within Hidden Valley Community The natural environment within the Hidden Valley community is a jewel. The core features are located within the existing Hidden Valley ring road. They include lands already designated as a Regional Environmentally Sensitive Policy Area (ESPA), three Provincially Significant Wetlands, stream tributaries, upland forest areas and other treed areas. Some of these natural features that are outside the existing ESPA boundary have been identified as `Candidate ESPA'. The quantity and quality of flora, fauna and characteristics of the natural environment features are extensive and impressive. It is an exceptional environmental area in the centre of our region. Conservation of as much of the identified natural environment features as possible within Hidden Valley is a paramount objective. Proper stewardship of those lands is also a key goal. In order to help ensure conservation and management, staff understands that it is the community's preference that the environmental features be in public ownership. The lands have always been and currently are, owned by a development interest. The question of ownership will continue to be the topic of discussion as the Region's project moves along through the end of next year, as more information is known about the River Road extension and potential resultant land parcels and as the future land uses for the Hidden Valley community are revisited. Staff notes that there are different strategies and options being considered; however negotiations with the land owner will be required. Our understanding is that Pearl Valley, the majority landowner in the area, is waiting for the EA completion to assess the resultant land parcels, confirm a development proposal and consider the options of how to proceed. Once the answer to ownership is known, the intended purpose of the lands should be confirmed. In that regard, should the natural lands be physically secured for conservation purposes or should there be public access and passive recreational features incorporated. 14 Land Use within Hidden Valley Community As identified in DTS Report 07-078, City planning staff has suggested that the planned land use within the Hidden Valley Community should be revisited: "Planning staff foresee that in the near future it may be time to revisit the land use designations and zoning within the undeveloped portion of Hidden Valley, considering: • A planning (and design) alternative may be chosen soon that is different than previously approved and known when the land use for the Hidden Valley area was previously contemplated. This may also yield different servicing options as well. • The Province of Ontario's Places to Grow plan • The Region of Waterloo's Regional Growth Management Strategy • The planning of the Central Transportation Corridor • The Region's Transportation Master Plan updates • Revised Provincially Significant Wetland boundaries • Regional consideration of potential expansion of the Hidden Valley ESPA • Future City Municipal Plan review These matters could form the basis of future Community Plan revisions or other development applications. The intent would be to make any changes to provide the appropriate locations and designations of the environmental areas and employment and /or residential areas." As shown on the attached Figure 4, there are lands within the Hidden Valley Community that are primarily open fields and that currently have some development rights. Lands in the northwest portion of the community are designated and zoned for Business Park and were part of a subdivision application in the 1980s that was never draft approved. A small portion of lands to the south of the existing ESPA are designated and zoned for residential with a draft approved plan of subdivision for estate lots. Lands in the open field area to the east of the ESPA are designated Low Rise Residential, zoned agricultural and were part of a residential subdivision application that was recommended for draft approval by the City but this portion was not approved by the Region. The final preferred design alternative of the proposed River Road extension may not be established until late 2008. As a result, the exact areas of land from the resultant land parcels (e.g., environmental features, designated business park lands) are not known. General land areas could be estimated based on the latest preliminary alternative. The attached Figure 5 provides a more detailed illustration of the northern section of the Hidden Valley natural area near the proposed interchange with Highway 8. The upland forest lands that are zoned B -3 and A -1 is an area for further analysis and discussion. The EA project is investigating extensive alternatives, detailed evaluation criteria and will provide a preferred alternative that best considers all potential impacts. There will be some direct and indirect impacts on the natural environment with any alternative. Any preferred alternative will be significantly better that the original approved alignment. The details of the analysis of all potential impacts of the alternatives will be identified in the Region's final report on the EA later next year. The formal initiation of a Land Use /Master Plan process for the Hidden Valley community is likely dependent upon further completion of the Regional EA project to establish further information about the natural environment, road location and profile, access and intersections, resultant land parcels, stormwater management and mitigation measures. Also, further work on the Rapid Transit EA would also be beneficial. The core natural environment features within 3 Hidden Valley should be conserved and, with foresight and proper design, perhaps there could potentially be a `green building', transit - supportive office park in the northwest open field areas near Wabanaki Drive. Both could meet the natural environment, economic, transit, growth management and city - building objectives of Kitchener and benefit future generations. Also, there are many additional measures to be considered with respect to the road project and the Hidden Valley area, such as tree replanting, minimizing road footprint, water balance, etc. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: There is no Capital Budget request at this time. There could be financial implications pending any future negotiations for any land acquisitions. It is currently unknown if there are any other interest groups in the community that could assist in any potential acquisition. If any land acquisitions occur in the future, there will be maintenance implications and depending upon intended use there may be master plan and /or trail development, etc required. COMMUNICATIONS: No formal public notice was required. The report will be provided to those delegations in attendance at the June 11 1h 2007 Council meeting. Brandon Sloan, MCIP, RPP Senior Planner List of Attachments: Jeff Willmer, MCIP, RPP Director of Planning Appendix "A" - May 15, 2006 Council resolution re: Phase 2 of Region's EA Appendix "B" — Region's Project Update Newsletter (June 2007) Figure 1 — Hidden Valley Community — General Map Figure 2 — River Road Environmental Assessment (Phase 2): Preferred Planning Alternative 4C Figure 3 — River Road Environmental Assessment (Phase 3): Preliminary Preferred Design Alternative Figure 4 — Hidden Valley Community — Information Map Figure 5 — Hidden Valley Community — Information Map: North section detail a L 4) AW El zm U) 0 L L L a. L m .E 0 L a. .*OEM*. M N m a. E N N N N a E r. 0 L W Ma m 0 Ix L r I M 0 LL -q*& CD CN ti �fi. LU 0 LL Z E-u z 0 LU - 13- Cl) U) LU LU 0 a w co 40 U) LU w REGION OF WATERLOO PROJECT STATUS UPDATE RIVER ROAD EXTENSION CLASS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PHASE 3 -4 King Street to Manitou Drive, Kitchener The Region of Waterloo is undertaking a Class Environmental Assessment (EA) Study to consider an extension of River Road from King Street to Manitou Drive, including a new interchange with Highway 8 in Kitchener. In July 2006, upon completion of Phases 1 and 2 of the EA process for the South Kitchener Transportation Corridor Study (SKTCS), the Region of Waterloo endorsed a new road corridor alignment (Alternative 4C) for the planned extension of River Road. Alternative 4C is the Preferred Solution that addresses existing and forecasted roadway network deficiencies to move people and goods in South Kitchener. The Preferred Design Concept of this road extension was presented to the public at a Public Information Centre (PIC) held on February 27, 2007. Based in part on public input to the project following the PIC, an additional field study was conducted in the spring of 2007 to update the natural environmental inventory for this project. This fieldwork discovered the presence of a Threatened Species as defined by the Canada Species at Risk Act and the Ontario Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act within the Hidden Valley Environmentally Sensitive Policy Area (ESPA 27). A technical sub - committee of the Project Team formed to address the issue of the Threatened Species has indicated that additional field work is required in the spring of 2008 to confirm the habitat of the Threatened Species, and whether the preferred River Road alignment would have any negative impact on this habitat. The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) has also asked the Project Team to withhold any additional information regarding the Threatened Species until all required field studies have been completed. The Project Team is complying with this request in the interest of protecting the Threatened Species identified. All relevant information about the Threatened Species will be made available to the public after completion of the 2008 field studies. The Region of Waterloo is continuing the Class EA for the River Road Extension in accordance with Schedule "C" requirements for Phases 3 and 4. This includes the preparation of the Preliminary Design of the road extension, and the Environmental Study Report documenting all findings and recommendations of the project. The additional field work in the spring of 2008 will result in a delay to the project schedule, with the Environmental Study Report now being planned for completion in the fall of 2008. A Public Input Meeting will be held in the summer of 2008 to present the additional field work results, and the Recommended Design Alternative for the road. All interested members of the public on the project mailing list will be notified by mail of the Public Input Meeting, and the Regional Council meeting in the fall of 2008 to consider approval of the Environmental Study Report. Please direct questions and comments about this project to either of the following contacts: Mr. Eyad Soltan, P.Eng., PMP, MSc. Senior Project Manager, Transportation Design and Construction Division 150 Frederick Street Kitchener, ON N2G 4J3 Phone: (519) 575 -4757 ext. 3183 Fax: (519) 575 -4430 E -mail: seyad _region.waterloo.on.ca Mr. Don Drackley, MCIP, MITE Senior Associate IBI Group 230 Richmond Street West, 5t" Floor Toronto, ON M5V 1V6 Phone: (519) 620 -8898 (local toll free) Fax: (416) 596 -0644 E -mail: ddrackley�ibigroup.com