MINUTES - Public Planning - 20201013 1
Town of Aurora
Council Public Planning
Meeting Minutes
Date:
Time:
Location:
Tuesday, October 13, 2020
7:00 p.m.
Council Chambers, Aurora Town Hall
Council Members: Mayor Mrakas
Councillor Kim
Councillor Gaertner
Councillor Humfryes
Councillor Thompson
Councillor Gilliland
Members Absent: Councillor Gallo
Other Attendees: David Waters, Director of Planning and Development
Services
Matthew Peverini, Planner
Carlson Tsang, Planner
Michael de Rond, Town Clerk
Samantha Yew, Deputy Town Clerk
Ishita Soneji, Council/Committee Coordinator
_____________________________________________________________________
1. Procedural Notes
The Chair called the meeting to order at 7:06 p.m.
Council consented to recess the meeting at 8:55 p.m. and reconvened the
meeting at 9:06 p.m.
2. Approval of the Agenda
Moved by Councillor Gilliland
Seconded by Councillor Kim
2
That the agenda as circulated by Legislative Services be approved.
Yeas (4): Mayor Mrakas, Councillor Kim, Councillor Humfryes, and Councillor
Gilliland
Absent (3): Councillor Gaertner, Councillor Thompson, and Councillor Gallo
Carried (4 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 PDS20-057 - Applications for Official Plan Amendment, Zoning By-
law Amendment, and Draft Plan of Subdivision, TFP Aurora
Developments Ltd., 20 and 25 Mavrinac Boulevard
Blocks 1 and 2, Plan 65M-3852, File Numbers: OPA-2017-01, ZBA-2017-
03 and SUB-2017-02
Applicant
Mr. Don Given, Founding Partner, Malone Given Parsons Ltd, presented
an overview of the proposed development including site context, history of
proposed plans on the subject lands and the current revised plans, local
context and comparison of densities to surrounding neighbourhood, and
details of the design and layout of the proposed detached homes,
townhouse units and the senior's apartment building.
Planning Staff
Mr. Matthew Peverini, Planner, provided an overview of the staff report
and the proposed Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments and Draft
Plan of Subdivision noting that the applicant is proposing to re-designate
the subject lands from “Business Park” to “Low-Medium Density
Residential” and “Medium-High Density Residential” in its entirety, and
3
amend the Zoning By-law to the following site specific zones: two "R4(XX-
YY) - Detached Fourth Density Residential", four "R8(AA-DD) -
Townhouse Dwelling Residential", "RA2(XX) - Second Density Apartment
Residential", and two "O2(XX-YY) - Private Open Space", in order to
facilitate the development of a six storey seniors apartment building, 40
single detached dwellings and 209 townhouse units. He further presented
a summary of any public comments received regarding the application and
the next steps.
Public Comments
Aurora residents Kathryn Billett, Dennis Qiao, Jonathan Garcia, Elias
Paisley, Jocelyn Chi, expressed the following concerns and questions:
• Concerns regarding:
• Opposition to the proposed Zoning By-law amendment
• Higher density structures on subject lands leading to higher
congestion
• Increase in traffic congestion in the existing neighbourhood
• Proposed additional road connecting to Kane Crescent from east
side of the development
• Location of proposed detached homes and townhouse units and
the visual impact on existing neighbourhood; difficult transition
from existing neighbourhood to proposed development
• Focus on long-term perspective of living in suburban
neighbourhood and retaining the business park designation
instead of proposed designation
• Location of sidewalks and possible reduction of walkability in the
area
• Size of proposed parkettes and lack of access to the existing
residents of the area
• Questions regarding:
• Wider lot size for the single detached residential units
• Possibility of alternate route to reroute traffic from the east side of
the proposed development
• Possibility of designating proposed road along east side of the
development as an "emergency access road" only
• Creation of a functional recreation space as an alternate to the
proposed parkettes
4
Applicant
Mr. Givens addressed the concerns and questions regarding wider lot
sizes, basis of the proposed zoning by-law amendments, proposed
location of townhouse units and detached homes, traffic congestion,
walkability, parkette size and possible alternatives, and the proposed
additional road and possible alternative to rerouting traffic from the east
side of the development.
Moved by Councillor Gilliland
Seconded by Councillor Kim
1. That Report No. PDS20-057 be received; and,
2. That the comments presented at the Public Meeting be addressed by
Planning and Development Services in a report to a future General
Committee meeting.
Amendment:
Moved by Councillor Thompson
Seconded by Councillor Gilliland
The main motion be amended by adding the following to the beginning
of the second clause:
“That should the Region of York approve the conversion of lands
from employment to residential"
Yeas (6): Mayor Mrakas, Councillor Kim, Councillor Gaertner, Councillor
Humfryes, Councillor Thompson, and Councillor Gilliland
Absent (1): Councillor Gallo
Carried (6 to 0)
Motion as Amended:
Moved by Councillor Gilliland
Seconded by Councillor Kim
1. That Report No. PDS20-057 be received; and,
2. That should the Region of York approve the conversion of subject
lands from employment to residential, that the comments presented
at the Public Meeting be addressed by Planning and Development
Services in a report to a future General Committee meeting.
5
Yeas (5): Mayor Mrakas, Councillor Kim, Councillor Humfryes, Councillor
Thompson, and Councillor Gilliland
Nays (1): Councillor Gaertner
Absent (1): Councillor Gallo
Carried (5 to 1)
4.2 PDS20-058 - Applications for Official Plan and Zoning By-law
Amendment, Weslie Creek Developments Inc., 1675 St. John’s
Sideroad
Whitchurch Con 3 PT LOT 25 RP 65R36+629 PARTS 1 TO 3, File
Numbers: OPA-2020-05 & ZBA-2020-05, Related File Numbers: SP-2020-
04
Applicant
Mr. Hesham Mohammed, Humphries Planning Group Inc., representing
the Applicant, presented an overview of the proposed development
including site and area context, details of developing a comprehensive
business park on the subject lands and basis of the Official Plan and
Zoning By-law amendments, overview of the environmental analysis and
consultation with Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority regarding
site specific grading buffers, proposed vehicular access, and policy
framework. He noted that this submission and any future submissions
intends to maintain conveyance of the Environmental Protection Area as
required by the Town.
Planning Staff
Mr. Carlson Tsang, Planner, provided an overview of the staff report and
the proposed Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments noting that the
applicant is proposing to amend the Official Plan designation of “Business
Park 1” and “Environmental Protection Area" to include new site-specific
policy at the north west corner of the property to allow a gas station, and
amend the Zoning By-law from "RU - Rural Zone" to "E-BP Business Park
Zone" and "EP-Environmental Protection Zone" with site specific
exceptions to facilitate the development of an industrial warehouse
building, retail building, and office building in addition to the gas station.
He further presented the details of the proposed building elevations,
summary of any public comments, and the next steps.
6
Public Comments
No members of public were registered to provide comments.
Moved by Councillor Kim
Seconded by Councillor Thompson
1. That Report No. PDS20-058 be received; and,
2. That comments presented at the Public Meeting be addressed by
Planning and Development Services in a report to a future General
Committee meeting.
Yeas (4): Mayor Mrakas, Councillor Kim, Councillor Humfryes, and
Councillor Thompson
Nays (2): Councillor Gaertner, and Councillor Gilliland
Absent (1): Councillor Gallo
Carried (4 to 2)
5. Confirming By-law
5.1 6286-20 Being a By-law to Confirm Actions by Council Resulting
from a Council Public Planning Meeting on October 13, 2020
Moved by Councillor Kim
Seconded by Councillor Thompson
That the confirming by-law be enacted.
Yeas (6): Mayor Mrakas, Councillor Kim, Councillor Gaertner, Councillor
Humfryes, Councillor Thompson, and Councillor Gilliland
Absent (1): Councillor Gallo
Carried (6 to 0)
6. Adjournment
Moved by Councillor Thompson
Seconded by Councillor Kim
That the meeting be adjourned at 9:54 p.m.
Carried
7
Tom Mrakas, Mayor Michael de Rond, Town Clerk