That, on the recommendation of the Director, Planning and Development, the following actions be taken with respect to the application by 785 Wonderland Road Inc., relating to the property located at 755, 785 and 815 Wonderland Road South:
a) Municipal Council supports refusal of the request to amend the Official Plan for the City of London, 2016, to ADD a Specific Area Policy in the Shopping Area Place Type applicable to the subject lands to permit a maximum building height of 16 storeys, and to permit an increased amount of office gross floor area of 30,000 square metres, for the following reasons:
i) the total amount of office space is not consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement, 2020 (PPS) as the level of intensification proposed on the subject site would compete with the downtown and does maintain or enhance its vitality;
ii) the increased height and office space does not conform to the policies of The London Plan, including but not limited to:
A) the Key Directions that ensure new development is a good fit within existing neighbourhoods;
B) the proposed intensity does not conform to the City Structure Plan and the intensity of office uses;
C) the design criteria contained in the City Design chapter for site layout and high-rise buildings;
D) the Evaluation Criteria for Planning and Development Applications in the Our Tools chapter of The London Plan;
E) the Shopping Area Place Type policies to complete a master plan on large commercial infill development sites;
iii) the increased amount of office space is significantly over the 2,000 square metres contemplated for a suburban shopping area and undermines the role and future health of the Downtown as the primary office destination in the City; and,
iv) the requested amendment does not provide a suitable transition to the existing low density residential neighbourhood and represents an over-intensification of the site;
b) Municipal Council supports refusal of the request to amend Zoning By-law No. Z.-1 to change the zoning of the subject property FROM a Regional Shopping Area Special Provision (RSA2(3)) Zone TO a Residential R5 (R5-7) Zone; Restricted Service Commercial Special Provision/Residential R9 Special Provision (RSC2(_)/R9-7(_)*H25*D120) zone; Restricted Service Commercial Special Provision/Residential R9 Special Provision (RSC2(_)/R9-7(_)*H40*D200) zone; Restricted Service Commercial Special Provision/Residential R9 Special Provision (RSC2(_)/R9-7(_)*H48*D200) zone; Restricted Service Commercial Special Provision/Residential R9 Special Provision (RSC2(_)/R9-7(_)*H55*D200) zone, for the following reasons:
i) the total amount of office space is not consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement, 2020 (PPS) as the level of intensification proposed on the subject site would compete with the downtown and does maintain or enhance its vitality;
ii) the increased height and office space does not conform to the policies of The London Plan, including but not limited to:
A) the Key Directions that ensure new development is a good fit within existing neighbourhoods.
B) the proposed intensity does not conform to the City Structure Plan and the intensity of office uses.
C) the design criteria contained in the City Design chapter for site layout and high-rise buildings.
D) the Evaluation Criteria for Planning and Development Applications in the Our Tools chapter of The London Plan.
E) the Shopping Area Place Type policies to complete a master plan on large commercial infill development sites.
F) the increased amount of office space is significantly over the 2,000 square metres contemplated for a suburban shopping area and undermines the role and future health of the Downtown as the primary office destination in the City; and,
G) the requested amendment does not provide a suitable transition to the existing low density residential neighbourhood and represents an over-intensification of the site;
c) Municipal Council supports the proposed by-law appended to the staff report dated June 19, 2023 as Appendix “A” at the Municipal Council meeting to be held on June 27, 2023 to amend The Official Plan, The London Plan to ADD a Specific Area Policy in the Shopping Area Place Type applicable to the subject lands to permit a maximum building height of 12 storeys along Wonderland Road South and Viscount Road;
d) Municipal Council supports the proposed by-law appended to the staff report dated June 19, 2023 as Appendix "B" at the Municipal Council meeting to be held on June 27, 2023 to amend Zoning By-law No. Z.-1, (in conformity with The Official Plan for the City of London, 2016), to change the zoning of the subject property FROM a Regional Shopping Area Special Provision (RSA2(3)) Zone TO a holding Residential R5 Special Provision/Regional Shopping Area Special Provision (h-5*h-54*h-63*h-123*h-149*h-213*h-(_)*R5-7(_)/RSA2(_)) Zone; a holding Residential R8 Special Provision/Regional Shopping Area Special Provision (h-5*h-54*h-63*h-123*h-149*h-213*h-(_)*R8-4(_)/RSA2(_) Zone; and a holding R9 Special Provision/Regional Shopping Area Special Provision (h-5*h-54*h-63*h-123*h-149*h-213*h-(_)*R9-7(_)*H36/RSA2(_)) Zone;
it being noted that the Planning and Environment Committee received the following communication with respect to these matters:
• the staff presentation;
it being pointed out that the following individuals made verbal presentations at the public participation meeting held in conjunction with this matter:
• C. Kulchycki, Zelinka Priamo Ltd.;
• G. Halle;
• T. Frederick;
• E. Slivinski and,
• W. Murray;
it being further noted that the Municipal Council refuses this application for the following reasons:
• the total amount of office space is not consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement, 2020 (PPS) as the level of intensification proposed on the subject site would compete with the downtown and does maintain or enhance its vitality;
• the increased height and office space does not conform to the policies of The London Plan, including but not limited to:
• the Key Directions that ensure new development is a good fit within existing neighbourhoods.
• the proposed intensity does not conform to the City Structure Plan and the intensity of office uses;
• the design criteria contained in the City Design chapter for site layout and high-rise buildings;
• the Evaluation Criteria for Planning and Development Applications in the Our Tools chapter of The London Plan;
• the Shopping Area Place Type policies to complete a master plan on large commercial infill development sites;
• the increased amount of office space is significantly over the 2,000 square metres contemplated for a suburban shopping area and undermines the role and future health of the Downtown as the primary office destination in the City;
• the requested amendment does not provide a suitable transition to the existing low density residential neighbourhood and represents an over-intensification of the site;
it being also noted that the Municipal Council approves this application for the following reasons:
• the recommended amendments are consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement;
• the recommended amendments conform to the in-force policies of The London Plan, including, but not limited to, the City Structure policies, City Building and Design, Our Tools, and all other applicable The London Plan policies; and,
• the zoning will permit development that is considered appropriate and compatible with the existing and future land uses surrounding the subject lands and broaden the use of the site.