MINUTES - Public Planning - 20230124 1
Town of Aurora
Council Public Planning
Meeting Minutes
Date:
Time:
Location:
Tuesday, January 24, 2023
7 p.m.
Council Chambers, Aurora Town Hall
Council Members: Mayor Tom Mrakas (Chair)
Councillor Ron Weese
Councillor Rachel Gilliland
Councillor Wendy Gaertner
Councillor Michael Thompson
Councillor John Gallo
Councillor Harold Kim
Other Attendees: Marco Ramunno, Director, Planning and Development Services
Sean Lapenna, Planner
Jaclyn Grossi, Deputy Town Clerk
Linda Bottos, Council/Committee Coordinator
Palak Mehta, Council/Committee Coordinator
_____________________________________________________________________
1. Call to Order
The Mayor called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Council consented to recess the meeting at 9:00 p.m. and reconvened the
meeting at 9:12 p.m.
Council consented to extend the hour past 10:30 p.m.
Council consented to extend the hour past 11:00 p.m. for 30 minutes.
Council consented to extend the hour past 11:30 p.m. for 15 minutes.
Council consented to extend the hour past 11:45 p.m. for 15 minutes.
Council consented to extend the hour past 12:00 p.m. for 10 minutes.
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Due to time constraints, item 5.2 was not considered and instead included on a
Special Public Planning meeting agenda for Monday, January 30, 2023.
2. Land Acknowledgement
The Mayor acknowledged that the meeting took place on Anishinaabe lands, the
traditional and treaty territory of the Chippewas of Georgina Island, recognizing
the many other Nations whose presence here continues to this day, the special
relationship the Chippewas have with the lands and waters of this territory, and
that Aurora has shared responsibility for the stewardship of these lands and
waters. It was noted that Aurora is part of the treaty lands of the Mississaugas
and Chippewas, recognized through Treaty #13 and the Williams Treaties of
1923.
3. Approval of the Agenda
Moved by Councillor Gilliland
Seconded by Councillor Kim
That the revised agenda as circulated by Legislative Services be approved.
Yeas (6): Mayor Mrakas, Councillor Weese, Councillor Gilliland, Councillor
Thompson, Councillor Gallo, and Councillor Kim
Absent (1): Councillor Gaertner
Carried (6 to 0)
4. 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.
5. Planning Applications
The Mayor outlined the procedures that would be followed in the conduct of the
public meeting. The Deputy Town Clerk confirmed that the appropriate notice
was given in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Planning Act.
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5.1 PDS23-003 - Application for Zoning By-law Amendment, Regional
Municipality of York, 14452 Yonge Street, File Number: ZBA-2022-04
Planning Staff
Sean Lapenna, Planner, presented an overview of the staff report
regarding the Zoning By-law Amendment application, noting the applicant
proposes to develop the subject lands to accommodate a Men's
Emergency and Transitional Housing facility to contain 37 emergency
housing units and 18 transitional housing units for a total of 55 units (68
beds). The applicant proposes to rezone the subject lands from 'Oak
Ridges Moraine Rural General (RU-ORM) to 'Institutional exception zone (I-
X)' and 'Oak Ridges Moraine Environmental Protection Zone (EP-ORM)'.
Applicant
Monica Sangoi, Manager, Homelessness Community Programs, Social
Services, York Region noted that they were accompanied by Melissa,
McEnroe, Manager Affordable Housing Development, Housing Services,
York Region, and Amy Shepherd, Associate, Manager of Planning, Arcadis
IBI Group. The applicant presented an overview of the proposed
emergency and transitional housing, including an introduction to Housing
York Inc., project background, community engagement, planning process,
proposed design, project need and merit.
Debbie Thompson, Director, Homelessness Community Programs, Social
Services, York Region, Colin Simic, Program Manager, Affordable Housing
Development, Housing Services, York Region, and Sergeant Matthew Reid,
York Regional Police were also present to answer questions.
Public Comments
Aurora residents, including Michael Barton, Natalie Bassari, Michael
Braithwaite, Lyndsay Breedon, Roy Cohen, Nicola Dalton, Stephanie Gallo,
Rod Hiscock, Jaffer Hussein, Kevin Kennedy, James Ko, David Krowitz,
Paul Langston, Melissa Losco, Rosal Lovy (ph), Jasbir Mandla, Mike
Manning, Penny Marrett, Shaheen Moledina, Rene Nascimento, Steven
Levitt, Steven, Stephane Perron, Sean Rourhani, David Russo, Taribo S-
Douglas, Nisha Shivji, Jennifer Sodiya, Quasi Sodiya, Nadia Somani,
Harbinder Thandi, Jeffrey Turner, Tom Vagenas, Joseph Vesia, Marco
Visconti, Klaus Wehrenberg, Jessica Zaks-Whitehead, Mike Zelyony,
expressed the following comments:
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Concerns regarding:
• Alignment with the Official Plan and Oak Ridge's Moraine Conservation
Plan, and overall neighbourhood compatibility
• Impact on property values in surrounding area
• Lack of access for pedestrians to surrounding areas on foot, via public
transportation, and through the existing trail system
• Impact on traffic density in the existing community
• Environmental impact on the surrounding significant woodland
including the removal of trees, and the need for protection of
endangered and at-risk species
• Community safety and security, social integration of the individuals,
lack of access to the surrounding business community and social
services
• Proximity of the proposed site to existing school bus stops, sewage
pumping station, railway, and childcare facilities
• Lack of communication, consultation, transparency, and engagement
with the neighbourhood from the applicant
Questions regarding:
• Access to York Regional Police activity reports for the proposed site
• Community safety and security, intake criteria, maximum site capacity,
gender separation in emergency shelters and transitional housing
• Employability of individuals, access to social services, affordable
housing, and social integration
• Noise impact and vibration assessment, compatibility study, statistics
surrounding successful social integration, and a community risk
assessment
• Possibility of renovating Porter Place in East Gwillimbury rather than
building a new facility and alternate locations researched
• Proposed site planning process, appeal process, and Official Plan
Amendment criteria
• Environmental land rezoning and environmental impact
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Suggestions regarding:
• Provision of independent expert opinions on information provided in
the investigation report and to confirm information provided by York
Region
• Provision of statistics surrounding social integration and individuals
returning to the establishment
• Provision of background reports and studies including noise impact
and vibration assessment, compatibility study, and risk assessment
• Feasibility of renovating Porter Place versus building a new facility,
and information on alternate sites considered
• Additional affordable housing in York Region and consideration of a
community housing project
Planning Staff
Staff addressed the concerns, questions, and suggestions regarding the
application/appeal process, required background studies, reports and
technical issues, expert opinions and review, environmental impact, and
compliance with Ministry standards, plans, and policies.
Applicant/Agent
The Applicant/Agents addressed the concerns, questions, and
suggestions regarding intake criteria, community safety/impact, risk
assessment, social integration, social services, site compatibility,
background studies, and proposed site location criteria and
characteristics.
Moved by Councillor Weese
Seconded by Councillor Gilliland
1. That Report No. PDS23-003 be received; and
2. That the comments presented at the Public Planning meeting be
addressed by Planning and Development Services in a report to a
future Public Planning meeting.
Yeas (7): Mayor Mrakas, Councillor Weese, Councillor Gilliland, Councillor
Gaertner, Councillor Thompson, Councillor Gallo, and Councillor Kim
Carried (7 to 0)
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5.2 PDS23-004 - Applications for Draft Plan of Subdivision and Zoning By-law
Amendment, Highfair Investments Inc., 5 to 70 Archerhill Court, Lots 1 to 14,
Plan 65M-2494, File Numbers: SUB-2021-02 and ZBA-2021-06
This item was considered at a Special Public Planning meeting on Monday,
January 30, 2023.
6. Confirming By-law
7. Adjournment
Moved by Councillor Gilliland
Seconded by Councilior Gaertner
That the meeting be adjourned at 12:13 a.m.
Carried
s, Mayor Ja n Grossi Deputy Town Clerk