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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDTS-07-176 - Zone Change Application - ZC07/14/M/JV, 148 Manitou DriveReport To: Development and Technical Services Committee Date of Meeting: December 3, 2007 Submitted By: Jeff Willmer, Director of Planning (519-741-2325) Prepared By: Peter Roberts, Student Planner/ Juliane von Westerholt, Senior Planner (519-741-2776) wards} Involved: Fairway-Gateway -Councillor John Gazzola Date of Report: November 5, 2007 Report No.: DTS-07-176 Subject: ZONE CHANGE APPLICATION - ZC07/14/M/JV 148 MANITOU DRIVE. CAA SOUTH CENTRAL ONTARIO (RON O'NEILL) N c ARE~/4 RECOMMENDATION: That Zone Change Application ZC07/14/MIJV for the purpose of changing the zoning from Heavy Industrial Zone (M-4) with Special Use Provision 34U to Heavy Industrial Zone (M-4) with Special Use Provision 34 and Special Use Provision 373U on lands legally described as, Part Lot 34, Plan RCP1525, Parts 1 and 2 , Reference Plan 58R-6301, municipally known as 148 Manitou Drive in the City of Kitchener be approved in the form shown in the attached "Proposed By-law", dated November 5, 2007. BACKGROUND: The subject property is located on the east side of Manitou Drive, south of Bleams Road and north of Wabanaki Drive. The applicant is proposing to rezone the subject property from Heavy Industrial Zone (M-4) with Special Use Provision 34U to Heavy Industrial Zone (M-4) with an additional Special Use Provision 373. The additional Special Use Provision would allow the use of the existing 2,973 sq m (32,000 sq ft) building on the subject lands to be used for 100% office use, whereas the M-4 zone permits a maximum of 25% gross floor area dedicated to office use. REPORT: 1. Planning Comments The Heavy Industrial Zone (M-4) currently permits office use within a building used for other permitted uses in the M-4 zone, provided that the floor area of the office use does not exceed 25% of the building's gross floor area. The proposed zone change will allow the applicant to use 100% of the gross floor area of the existing building for office use. It is our understanding that the building is currently used for automobile servicing, a warehouse, accessory retail use and office use. The properties to the west consist of mainly general and heavy industrial uses. The properties to the north consist of a private club and some agricultural and residential use. The property surrounding the subject lands to the south and east is a natural open space. The use of the subject lands for 100% office space would be compatible with both the surrounding industrial properties and the parkland area to the east. Provided that the office use is limited to the existing multi-storey building and the floor space ratio does not exceed 0.5, staff would have no concerns with the proposed zone change as the impact on the surrounding neighbourhood would be minimal. Consideration was also given to the use of this site as employment lands as defined in the Provincial Policy Statement and Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (PTG). Offices are a recognized form of employment lands and conversion of the existing building to allow 100 per cent office would not compromise the intent of the PTG legislation as employment lands would not be lost. In addition, in terms of compatibility with adjacent more service oriented industrial uses, the proposed office use would be more consistent with existing development in the area. Similarly, the proposed office use would be more desirable than heavy industrial uses given the proximity of the adjacent environmental feature to the east of the property known as Environmentally Sensitive Policy Area 31. 2. Property Owner Comments Several property owners submitted commenting forms to the City. No concerns with the proposed zone change were identified. 3. DepartmentlAgency Comments The application was circulated to all applicable agencies and internal departments. Transportation Planning Staff has indicated that adequate parking should be provided to accommodate the new use, and bicycle racks should be provided on site. With respect to parking, the change of use resulted in Planning Staff re-calculating parking requirements for this building. The parking regulations of Section 6.1.2 require 1 parking space for every 28 square metres of gross floor area for an office use. Given that the floor area of the existing building is 2,973 square metres, 107 parking spaces are required on the site. Upon reviewing the aerial photography of the subject lands, Staff has determined that 117 spaces are provided. The Long Range and Policy Planning Section has no objection to the application as the proposed employment use is desirable and appropriate for the site, provided that the use is limited to the existing building and a maximum floor space ratio of 0.5 is provided. Although the property is in the Heavy Industrial designation and in a significant employment area, under the new Provincial Policy Statement and Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe offices are considered as employment lands. Section 1.1.4 of Part 4 of the Municipal Plan allows for the recognition of uses which existed at the time of the approval of the Municipal Plan which do not have a negative effect on the environment and does not require amendments to the Plan to recognize these uses. These may be recognized through appropriate zoning. The proposed zone change is intended to permit the expanded office use and given the aforementioned policy, would comply with the Municipal Plan. The Grand River Conservation Authority and the City's Environmental Planning Staff have no objection to this application. They do note that a portion of the subject property is within a floodplain and in an area associated with steep slopes, both of which are regulated by the GRCA. As such, any future development or site alteration within the floodplain and/or steep slope area will require prior written approval from both the GRCA and the City's Environmental Planning Staff. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: No new or additional capital budget requests are associated with this recommendation. COMMUNICATIONS: Circulation of the application was undertaken on July 25, 2007 to all departmentslagencies and all property owners within 120 metres of the site. The comments received are discussed in the report above and are attached as Appendices A and B. The Ad for the notice of the public meeting appeared in the KW Record on November 9t", 2007. CONCLUSION: In summary, the Department of Development and Technical Services recommends that Zone Change Application ZC07/14/M/JV to add Special Use Provision 373 to the existing M-4 Zone and SPU 34 affecting the subject lands, in order to allow the existing 2,973 sq m (32,000 sq ft) building to be used for 100 per cent office use, be approved. Peter Roberts Student Planner Juliane von Westerholt, BES, MCIP, RPP Senior Planner AttanhmPnt~~ Proposed Zoning By-law Map No.1 Newspaper Advertisement Appendix A -Department/Agency Comments Appendix B -Property Owner Comments Della Ross, MA, MCIP, RPP Manager of Development Review Jeff Willmer, MCIP, RPP Director of Planning