MINUTES - Special Council - 20091215
TOWN OF AURORA
SPECIAL COUNCIL – PUBLIC PLANNING MEETING
MINUTES
NO. 09-34
Council Chambers
Aurora Town Hall
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
ATTENDANCE
COUNCIL MEMBERS Mayor Morris in the Chair; Councillors Buck,
Gaertner, Gallo, Granger, MacEachern, McRoberts
and Wilson
MEMBERS ABSENT Councillor Collins-Mrakas
OTHER ATTENDEES Marco Ramunno, Director of Planning and
Development, Cristina Celebre, Planner, Cindy
Janzen, Manager of Legislative Services/Deputy
Clerk and Elma Stevenson, Council/Committee
Secretary
The Mayor called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m.
I DECLARATIONS OF PECUNIARY INTEREST
There were no declarations of pecuniary interest under the Municipal Conflict of
Interest Act.
II APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Moved by Councillor Buck Seconded by Councillor McRoberts
THAT the agenda as circulated by the Customer and Legislative Services
Department be approved as presented.
CARRIED
Special Council – Public Planning Minutes
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Page 2 of 5
III PLANNING APPLICATIONS
Mayor Morris outlined the procedures that would be followed in the conduct of
the public meeting. The Deputy Clerk confirmed that appropriate notice had
been given and that signs had been posted on the subject properties in
accordance with the relevant provisions of the Planning Act.
1. PL09-052 – Official Plan Amendment and
Zoning By-law Amendment Applications
The Town of Aurora and Chak Wai Cheng and
Kathy Cheng (In Trust)
15286 and 15306 Leslie Street
Pt. Lot 21, Con. 2, Pt. 1 and 2 65R-2640 and
Pt. Lot 21, Con. 2
West of Leslie Street, North of Wellington Street East
Files D09-02-09 and D14-13-07
Planning Staff
The Planner provided a description of the application and reviewed the contents
of the report, outlining the location of the property and current uses of the subject
and surrounding lands. The Planner stated that in May, 2009, Council approved
an Offer to Purchase Agreement to sell 15286 Leslie Street to the adjoining
owner, Chak Wai Cheng (In Trust), at 15306 Leslie Street (located north of
Wellington Street/west of Leslie Street) in order to develop the two merged
properties as a Commercial and Professional Office Centre (Commercial Centre).
The Town, in accordance with the terms of the Offer, has initiated and prepared
an Official Plan Amendment application in collaboration with Cheng and granted
consent to Cheng to amend their Zoning By-law Amendment Application to
include 15286 Leslie Street in the existing application. The conceptual plan
proposes four buildings with a total floor area of approximately 10,000 m²
(100,000 sq. ft.) with a 15 metre (49 ft.) buffer on the west property line. The
concept plan is proposing Buildings B, C and D as one storey buildings and
Building A as a three storey building with two levels of below grade parking.
Vehicular access is proposed from Leslie Street and the development proposes
approximately 450 below and at grade parking spaces. An Environmental Impact
Study (EIS) was completed in October 2009 by North South Environmental
because the proposed development will require the removal of part of the
plantation / woodland on the lands designated “Linear and Other Open Space” in
order to determine the impacts of the proposed development on vegetation,
wildlife and other natural features of the area.
Special Council – Public Planning Minutes
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Page 3 of 5
Applicant/Agent
Ms Helen Lepek, Lepek Consulting Inc., addressed Council and stated that the
applicant is requesting approval in principle for the Official Plan Amendment and
Zoning By-law Amendment applications. Ms Lepek stated that The Salvation
Army, owner of the lands to the north of the subject property, is interested in what
development will take place on the subject property and that commercial uses
will be compatible with development on their property.
Public Comments
Mr. John Bolen, IBI Group, was in attendance representing the Gama property
located at 1452 Wellington Street East, directly south of the applicant lands. Mr.
Bolen stated he has questions regarding the future development of these lands,
i.e., the setback along the south property line, concerns regarding site plan
details of the proposal relating to access onto Leslie Street, the effects of the
proposal for the remaining properties fronting onto Wellington Street, stormwater
management and sanitary sewer servicing issues.
Mr. Bolen was advised by Staff that such issues and concerns as
interconnections, stormwater management, drainage, sanitary sewers and traffic
issues will be addressed as part of the site plan application process.
Mr. Eric Liversidge, 1426 Wellington Street East stated he is the owner of the
property immediately adjacent to the Stronach Recreation Complex at 1414
Wellington Street East. Mr. Liversidge requested that these properties not be
developed in isolation, that the whole area be taken into consideration during the
planning process, and that detailed planning take place relating to servicing.
Mr. Jeff Barnett, Property Secretary, The Salvation Army, Ontario Central East
Division and also a member of The Salvation Army Church, advised that The
Salvation Army is the owner of 15338 Leslie Street and is submitting a site plan
application sometime in 2010 which has taken into account the 2C Area Lands
Study. Mr. Barnett stated there is a substantial slope on the property and they
are trying to preserve the pond located on the lands. The proposed development
will be actively used by the public and as a day care facility and they have
concerns about what the public will see. The Salvation Army feels this proposal
is in direct opposition of what they are trying to achieve and is concerned with the
setback as well as the level of noise and traffic.
Major Brian Bishop of The Salvation Army also addressed Council and stated
that there will be a day care and a gymnasium on the property and they plan to
create meditation trails and utilize the existing pond on the land. Major Bishop
requested that consideration be given as to how these two development
proposals will complement each other.
Special Council – Public Planning Minutes
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Page 4 of 5
The public portion of the meeting closed at 7:57 p.m. and Council’s deliberations
began.
Moved by Councillor Buck Seconded by Councillor McRoberts
THAT approval in principle be given to this proposal; and
THAT staff be directed to proceed to the next available General
Committee Meeting to adopt the proposed Official Plan Amendment; and
THAT, once a formal site plan application has been submitted and
reviewed by Town staff and the Region, the implementing zoning by-law
amendment with the site plan application be presented to Council for
consideration.
On a recorded vote the resolution was CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
YEAS: 8 NAYS: 0
VOTING YEAS: Councillors Buck, Gaertner, Gallo, Granger, MacEachern,
McRoberts, Wilson and Mayor Morris
VOTING NAYS: None
Councillor Collins-Mrakas was absent.
IV READING OF BY-LAWS
Moved by Councillor Buck Seconded by Councillor McRoberts
THAT the following listed by-law be given 1st, 2nd and 3rd readings, and
enacted:
5197-09 BEING A BY-LAW to Confirm Actions by Council
Resulting from Special Council – Public Planning
Meeting 09-34 on December 15, 2009
CARRIED
Special Council – Public Planning Minutes
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Page 5 of 5
V ADJOURNMENT
Moved by Councillor Buck
THAT the meeting be adjourned at 8:35 p.m.
CARRIED
THE MINUTES OF THE PUBLIC PLANNING MEETING 09-34 WERE ADOPTED AT
COUNCIL ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2010.
_______________________________ ________________________________
PHYLLIS M. MORRIS, MAYOR CINDY JANZEN, DEPUTY CLERK