That, on the recommendation of the Director, Planning and Development, the following actions be taken with respect to Byron Gravel Pits Secondary Plan Final Report:
a) the proposed attached, revised by-law as Appendix “A”, BE INTRODUCED at the Municipal Council meeting to be held on April 23, 2024, TO AMEND the Official Plan for the City of London, 2016, as follows:
i) ADOPT the Byron Gravel Pits Secondary Plan, appended to the staff report dated April 9, 2024 as Schedule “1”;
ii) DELETE Policy 1168, Specific Policies for the Byron Gravel Pits within the Future Community Growth Place Types;
iii) AMEND Policies 1537 and 1538, Byron Gravel Pits and Adjacent Lands Specific Policies for Aggregate Resources;
iv) AMEND Policy 1565 TO ADD the Byron Gravel Pits Secondary Plan to the list of adopted Secondary Plans;
v) AMEND Map 1 – Place Types to change the land use designation FROM Future Community Growth, Environmental Review, Green Space and Neighbourhoods Place Types TO Neighbourhoods, Green Space and Environmental Review Place Types as indicated on Schedule “2”;
vi) AMEND Map 3 – Street Classifications TO MODIFY Commissioners Road West, a Civic Boulevard, as indicated on Schedule “3”;
vii) AMEND Map 4 – Active Mobility Network TO MODIFY the Cycling and Walking Routes within the Byron Gravel Pits Secondary Plan Area as indicated on Schedule “4”;
viii) AMEND Map 7 - Specific Policy Areas TO ADD Byron Gravel Pits Secondary Plan Area, and MERGE Specific Policy Area 66 into Specific Policy Area 67 as indicated on Schedule “5”;
ix) AMEND Schedule 1 from 18 storeys with an upper maximum of 22 storeys; and,
x) AMEND Schedule 1 from 25% affordable housing to 10% to 15% affordable housing;
b) the Civic Administration BE REQUESTED to undertake the following:
i) consult the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks to clarify Endangered Species Act regulatory requirements that apply to preserving or relocating species at risk habitat for the Bank Swallow within the Central Pond and Open Space Policy Area; and,
ii) contact the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry to clarify Aggregate Resources Act regulatory requirements that apply to rehabilitating and potentially preserving existing site conditions and topography within the Central Pond and Open Space Policy Area;
it being noted that the Planning and Environment Committee received the following communications with respect to these matters:
• the Byron Gravel Pits Secondary Plan, March 2024;
• a communication dated February 8, 2024, from D. Hayman, Senior Biologist and A. Leadbetter, Biologist, MTE Consultants;
• a communication dated February 9, 2024, from C. Linton, Highland Ridge Land Corp; and,
• a communication dated April 3, 2024, from S. Stapleton, Vice President, Auburn Developments;
it being pointed out that the following individuals made verbal presentations at the public participation meeting held in conjunction with these matters:
• M. Vise;
• M. Shepherd;
• C. Linton on behalf of Highland Ridge Land Corp.;
• M. Wallace, London Development Institute;
• S. Stapleton, Auburn Developments;
• D. Ennis; and,
• N. Pellizzari;
it being further noted that the Municipal Council approves this application for the following reasons:
• the recommended amendment is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement, 2020, which:
i) promotes opportunities for transit-supportive development, accommodating a significant supply and range of housing options through intensification and redevelopment, taking into account existing building stock or areas;
ii) promotes a land use pattern, density and mix of uses that minimize the length and number of vehicle trips to support current and future use of transit and active transportation;
iii) promotes healthy, active communities by planning public streets, spaces and facilities to be safe, meet the needs of the public, foster social interaction and facilitate active transportation and community connectivity;
iv) protects existing mineral aggregate operations, and promotes the progressive and final rehabilitation of mineral aggregate operations by accommodating subsequent land uses, promoting land use compatibility, recognizing the interim nature of extraction, and mitigating negative impacts to the extent possible;
v) requires that development on lands within, abutting or adjacent to mineral aggregate operations may be permitted only if rehabilitation or other measures to address and mitigate known or suspected hazards are under way or have been completed; and,
vi) requires the protection of natural features and areas for the long term by maintaining, restoring, or where possible, improving the diversity and connectivity of natural features in an area, and the long-term ecological function and biodiversity of natural heritage systems; and,
• the recommended amendment is consistent with the policies of The London Plan that provide direction to prepare a Secondary Plan for lands designated as where a more detailed and coordinated planning policy framework is required for redevelopment and intensification;
it being acknowledged that any and all oral and written submissions from the public, related to this application have been, on balance, taken into consideration by Council as part of its deliberations and final decision regarding these matters. (2024-D08)