MINUTES - Public Planning - 20210914 1
Town of Aurora
Council Public Planning
Meeting Minutes
Date:
Time:
Location:
Tuesday, September 14, 2021
7:00 p.m.
Council Chambers, Aurora Town Hall
Council Members: Mayor Tom Mrakas (Chair)
Councillor Wendy Gaertner
Councillor Sandra Humfryes
Councillor Michael Thompson
Councillor Rachel Gilliland
Councillor John Gallo
Members Absent: Councillor Harold Kim
Other Attendees: David Waters, Director of Planning and Development Services
Rosanna Punit, Planner
Michael de Rond, Town Clerk
Samantha Yew, Deputy Town Clerk
Ishita Soneji, Council/Committee Coordinator
_____________________________________________________________________
1. Procedural Notes
The Mayor called the meeting to order at 7 p.m.
Council consented to recess the meeting at 9:18 p.m. and reconvened the
meeting at 9:28 p.m.
Council consented to extend the hour past 10:30 to 11 p.m.
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2. Approval of the Agenda
Moved by Councillor Gilliland
Seconded by Councillor Gallo
That the agenda as circulated by Legislative Services, be approved.
Yeas (5): Mayor Mrakas, Councillor Humfryes, Councillor Thompson, Councillor
Gilliland, and Councillor Gallo
Absent (2): Councillor Kim, and Councillor Gaertner
Carried (5 to 0)
3. Declarations of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof
There were no declarations of pecuniary interest under the Municipal Conflict of
Interest Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.50.
4. Planning Applications
The Mayor outlined the procedures that would be followed in the conduct of the
public meeting. The Town Clerk confirmed that the appropriate notice was given
in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Planning Act.
4.1 PDS21-099 - Official Plan Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment and Draft
Plan of Subdivision, Shining Hill Collections Inc., 162, 306, 370, 434 & 488
St. Johns Sideroad West, File Number: OPA-2021-02, ZBA-2021-02 & SUB
2021-01
Consultants
Don Given, President of Malone Given Parsons Ltd., presented an overview
of the application including the revised submission plans, details of the
conceptual master plan, site attributes including revised proposed housing
types, and the landscape and tree plan. Brian Henshaw, CEO & Senior
Ecologist, Beacon Environmental, presented a detailed overview of the
wildlife preservation plan and environmental buffers to the natural
heritage system.
Planning Staff
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Rosanna Punit, Planner, presented an overview of the revised application
and staff report respecting the proposal to accommodate a future
residential block consisting of 87 single detached dwelling lots, five
townhouse blocks with a total of 21 units, a neighbourhood park block, a
school block, natural heritage system block, and a private park block. She
noted that the proposal requires an Official Plan amendment to amend the
existing designations of OPA 37 consisting of Suburban Residential (SR-
1), “Existing Major Institutional”, “Supporting Area Open Space” and “Core
Area Open Space” to “Suburban Residential (SR-1)”, “Stable Residential”,
“Environmental Protection”, “Public Parkland”, “Core Area Open Space”
and “Supporting Area Open Space”; and a Zoning By-law amendment to re-
zone the subject lands from “Oak Ridges Moraine - Rural (RU-ORM)”,
“Rural (RU)” and “Institutional (I)” to: “Detached Third Density Exception X”
(R3-X), “Detached Fourth Density Exception X” (R4-X), “Townhouse
Dwelling Residential Exception Zone" (R8-X), “Institutional Exception X” (I-
X), “Oak Ridges Moraine Environmental Protection Zone” (EP-ORM)
“Environmental Protection” (EP), “Public Open Space” (O1), and "Private
Open Space" (O2). She further provided an overview of the next steps and
summary of the public comments received thus far.
Public Comments
Aurora residents, Wendy Kenyon, Maricella Sauceda, George Skoulikas,
Dzintra Schlotter, and Gordon Logan expressed the following comments:
Opposition to the proposed development proposal
Concerns regarding:
o Proposed development plan contrary to existing zoning purpose
o Lack of safe pedestrian pathways to access south side of St.
John's Sideroad
o Proposed extension of Willow Farm Lane (Street A) providing
access to the Newmarket subdivision into Aurora; potential
alternate north-south route increasing traffic congestion
o Increase in overall traffic congestion on St. John's Sideroad as a
result of the proposed development
o Lack of traffic mitigation measures at access points of the
development, challenge of turning left onto St. John's Sideroad
from Cliff Trail and Willow Farm Lane
o Removal of mature trees and increase in carbon levels; arborist
report not adequate
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o Impact to the existing wildlife and endangered species and natural
habitats; removal of barn swallow nests and horse shelter,
encroachment into the natural heritage system
o Inadequate environmental protection buffers around sensitive
areas
Questions regarding:
o Details of the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority Water
Source Protection Area Plan
o Proposed town houses instead of single detached dwellings and
intended use
o Possibility of eliminating north-south extension of Willow Farm
Lane connecting the Newmarket and Aurora subdivisions
o Measures to manage traffic flow on St. John's Sideroad
o Measures to protect wildlife species and the existing natural
heritage system, proposed tree compensation plan, and snag
survey analysis
Planning Staff and Applicant
Mr. Given addressed concerns and questions regarding location of the
proposed extension of Willow Farm Lane (Street A), removal of mature
trees, proposed town and potential uses, pedestrian access across St.
John's Sideroad, and overall traffic mitigation. Mr. Henshaw further
addressed questions and concerns regarding the overall impact to
existing wildlife and endangered species, tree preservation plan,
environmental buffers, and snag survey analysis.
Staff further addressed questions regarding traffic mitigation on St.
John's Sideroad and provided further clarification regarding the north to
south extension of Willow Farm Lane and associated provisions.
Main motion
Moved by Councillor Thompson
Seconded by Councillor Gilliland
1. That Report No. PDS21-099 be received; and
2. That the comments provided at the Public Planning Meeting be
addressed by Planning and Development Services in a report to a
future General Committee meeting.
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Amendment
Moved by Councillor Gallo
Seconded by Councillor Gilliland
That the second clause of the main motion be amended as follows:
“That the comments provided at the Public Planning Meetings and
the comments from various departments and agencies be addressed
by Planning and Development Services in a report to a future General
Committee meeting.”
Yeas (6): Mayor Mrakas, Councillor Gaertner, Councillor Humfryes,
Councillor Thompson, Councillor Gilliland, and Councillor Gallo
Absent (1): Councillor Kim
Carried (6 to 0)
Main motion as Amended
Moved by Councillor Thompson
Seconded by Councillor Gilliland
1. That Report No. PDS21-099 be received; and
2. That the comments provided at the Public Planning Meetings and the
comments from various departments and agencies be addressed by
Planning and Development Services in a report to a future General
Committee meeting.
Yeas (5): Mayor Mrakas, Councillor Humfryes, Councillor Thompson,
Councillor Gilliland, and Councillor Gallo
Nays (1): Councillor Gaertner
Absent (1): Councillor Kim
Carried (5 to 1)
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5. Confirming By-law
5.1 By-law No. 6370-21 Being a By-law to Confirm Actions by Council Resulting
from a Council Public Planning Meeting on September 14, 2021
Moved by Councillor Humfryes
Seconded by Councillor Gallo
That the confirming by-law be enacted.
Yeas (5): Mayor Mrakas, Councillor Humfryes, Councillor Thompson,
Councillor Gilliland, and Councillor Gallo
Absent (2): Councillor Kim, and Councillor Gaertner
Carried (5 to 0)
6. Adjournment
Moved by Councillor Gallo
Seconded by Councillor Gilliland
That the meeting be adjourned at 11:01 p.m.
Carried
Tom Mrakas, Mayor Michael de Rond, Town Clerk