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Home My WebLink AboutDTS-09-077 - Plains Road Closure Environmental Assessment1 K�'CHENER Development & Technical Services 6 REPORT 74 REPORT TO: Development & Technical Services Committee DATE OF MEETING: June 22, 2009 SUBMITTED BY: Grant Murphy,P.Eng., Director of Engineering Services PREPARED BY: Binu Korah, P.Eng., Manager of Development Engineering (741 -2974) WARD(S) INVOLVED: Ward # 4 DATE OF REPORT: June 17, 2009 REPORT NO.: DTS -09 -077 SUBJECT: PLAINS ROAD CLOSURE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT STUDY - PROJECT UPDATE RECOMMENDATION: For Information. BACKGROUND: The City of Kitchener has received a proposed Draft Plan of Subdivision for Becker Estates (30T- 07205, see attached) located on the southeast corner of Fischer Hallman Road and Huron Road. Plains Road currently bisects the proposed plan of subdivision, however the design and layout of the plan anticipates that Plains Rd will be closed. Plains Road is an existing City road that bisects the Becker Estates property diagonally from northeast to southwest. Plains Road has a rural cross - section that is in relatively poor condition and presents significant topographic challenges for vehicular travel. Currently, it is used as a by -pass or shortcut between Fischer - Hallman Road and Huron Road, and intersections of Plains Road with arterial roads are at non - standard angles. Further, it is difficult to bring any services through the existing Plains Road to service the surrounding lands due to the current topography. Based on the above reason, the Council at their August 18, 2008 meeting, directed staff to complete the Plains Road Closure Class Environmental Assessment (EA) project to support the proposed development. REPORT: The City of Kitchener identified the need to close a portion of Plains Road through the design process for the proposed Becker Estates Subdivision (30T- 07205), due to design constraints and the desire to meet density targets. With the proposed plan of subdivision, Plains Road is not necessary for appropriate traffic circulation and is considered a barrier to achieving good 5 -1 urban design and densities. Furthermore, the road is currently in poor condition and has substandard sightlines and cross - sections. A heritage impact assessment prepared in support of the Becker Estates Plan of Subdivision has indicated that the geometric alignment of Plains Road is a significant heritage attribute worthy of conservation. The City has initiated the Schedule B Class EA to consider the following: • Confirm the need for the closure; • Consider various options for the southerly portion of Plains Road, south of the proposed subdivision; and • Determine the need for additional properties to accommodate the vehicle turnaround and emergency access requirements During the Class EA process the following options were evaluated, with technical, natural environmental, social, heritage and economic aspects being considered; Option 1 - Do Nothing The Do Nothing alternative is a standard consideration for all Class EA projects where the existing conditions are left as is, and no further analysis or work is done. Option 2 — Full closure of the Road and the Disposition of the Road Allowance to Adjacent Property Owners This option consists of a recommendation for the closure of the section of roadway within the proposed Becker Estates Subdivision. This option would further close the entire length of the roadway and would dispose of the right of way to the abutting owners. Option 3 — Partial closure, local access provided via existing Fischer Hallman /Plains Road intersection This option consists of a recommendation for the closure of the section of roadway within the proposed Becker Estates Subdivision. This option would entail the closing of the portion of the road within the subdivision, and the southerly portion would be changed to become a cul -de -sac that permanently accesses Fischer Hallman Road to the south. The alignment of the intersection at Fischer Hallman would not change. A vehicle turnaround would be created at the north end of the roadway, within the southern portion of the proposed subdivision, adjacent to a proposed park. Option 4 — Partial closure, local access provided via Plains Road and the proposed Becker Estates subdivision Option 4 consists of a recommendation for the closure of the section of roadway within the proposed Becker Estates Subdivision. This option would entail the closure of the portion of the road within the proposed subdivision, and the southerly portion would be changed to become a cul -de -sac that permanently accesses the subdivision to the north. A vehicle turnaround would be created at the southern limit of the existing Plains Road, adjacent to Fischer Hallman Road. 5 -2 After reviewing the above options, the project team met with local residents on several occasions between May 4 and June 2, 2009. Through these discussions it was determined that a review of a fifth option was warranted. Option 5 — Partial Closure of Plains Road, with the Southerly portion to remain open to both Fischer Hallman Road and the future subdivision. In a meeting with City staff and the developer on June 3, 2009 this option was reviewed and it was anticipated that this option may be viable to resolve the property owner's (i.e those south of the subdivision) concerns. Traffic analysis confirmed that this portion of the road would experience considerably less traffic upon implementation. The analysis of the collision data at this intersection also confirmed that the collision history is currently less than the regional average for an intersection with comparable traffic volume and that leaving this portion of the road open at both ends would result in decreased incidents at Fischer Hallman - Plains Road intersection. The Fischer Hallman — Plains Road intersection is under the jurisdiction of the Region of Waterloo. City staff and the consultant will be discussing this option with the Region to obtain their input before filing the ESR with the Ministry of Environment. During an additional meeting with residents on June 15, 2009, the residents that access Plains Road expressed their agreement with this solution. After reviewing the options above, the project team intends to pursue the approval of Option 5 as the ultimate solution (see attached map). Further it was determined that this option must wait until the subdivision is constructed before it can be fully implemented. During the interim period, a version of Option 3 (attached as "Interim Option ") will be implemented until the adjacent street within Becker Estates is constructed, at which time the developer will complete the necessary street connection along with the removal of the cul -de -sac. Therefore project team suggested the following action to be taken before it recommends to Council to adopt the Plains Road Closure Environmental Assessment Report (ESR) to be filed with Ministry of Environment to address the road needs within this community planning area. • Meet with the Region of Waterloo to discuss and finalize the preferred option • Finalize the Environmental Study Report • Present Study findings to the June 29th Council Meeting for approval to file the Environmental Study report with the Ministry of Environment. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: This project is a direct result of the submission of the Plan of Subdivision 30T -07205 and therefore all costs will be borne by the developer, Becker Estates Inc. There are no financial implications to the City's current operating or capital budgets COMMUNICATIONS: As part of the Class EA process a public information centre was conducted on October 28, 2008 to present the study findings and obtain comments from the public and agencies. Notices of study commencement and Notice of public information centres were published in the The Record on September 12th, 2008 and September 19th, 2008. In addition to these notices a 5 -3 number of meetings were held with the owners of the properties that directly front this portion of Plains Road to discuss various alternatives and to discuss their concerns. CONCLUSION: City staff and the consultant are meeting with the Region of Waterloo on June 18,2009 to discuss and obtain input regarding the preferred option and interim solutions for the Plains Road Closure Class Environmental Assessment study. If the Region of Waterloo agree with the preferred option, City staff will present the final study findings and Environmental Study report to the June 29, 2009 Council Meeting to obtain approval to file the ESR with the Ministry of Environment for 30 day mandatory public review period. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Jeff Willmer, Interim General Manager DTS 5 -4 Appendix ^A"— Proposed Draft Plan ofSubdivision N NO ca LO M C3 s CO3 OZZLU LLI LLS "ZLN L'U Ulm rk'ft NJNA"NI4 F—. U LN aw it !*—, �< LIJ U) IL 4b n ib Vi w -.i M cr Ali JP I U LU All �' ill o'3 z z ci CL lip -of kI CIrL VIM 32 it I nil in 9 J2 cr FE 12 * I 1 9 r 0 U LO W C3 1� IV 1 1-:' 1 1 - j" 1:3 0 gad or IM Ii qM a 2 U In zIr Rd OD 13 92JILL W04S 01 4 L6 LO d6 0 1 1% MI Ljj 1111 A AM�F� _ z ° O rn ' a — {n g `n ® W w )� x (D IQ O (1) r (A CL r W W wZ LO 0! w 1 w 1 Z w wU Pill m f- - Y . -- - '44M to rn o CO Cl Alum- O Ri CD a Q N x�. 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