That, on the recommendation of the Director, Planning and Development, the following actions be taken with respect to the application by 1103125 Ontario Inc., relating to the lands located at 146 Exeter Road (Richardson North Subdivision):
a) the proposed by-law appended to the staff report dated July 17, 2023 as Appendix "A" BE INTRODUCED at the Municipal Council meeting to be held on July 25, 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 an Urban Reserve (UR6) Zone and Holding Light Industrial (h-17*LI3) Zone TO a Holding Residential R1 Special Provision R1 (h*h-100*R1-13(7)), Holding Residential Special Provision R4 (h*h-100*h-198*R4-4(2)), Holding Residential Special Provision R5/R6 (h*h-100*h-198*R5-4( )/R6-5( )), Holding Restricted Service Commercial Special Provision/ Arterial Commercial Special Provision h/RSC1/RSC2( )/RSC3(16)/RSC4(14)/RSC5(16)/(AC4( )), Open Space (OS1), Open Space (OS5), Open Space Special Provision (OS5( )) and Urban Reserve (UR4) Zone on the proposed Draft Plan of Subdivision;
b) the Approval Authority BE ADVISED that the following issues were raised through the application review process for the property located at 146 Exeter Road:
i) concerns with the single-family home sprawl as that area as has 20% fewer units than the medium density area but takes up nearly twice as much space;
ii) believing this is an inefficient use of space;
iii) indicating that sprawl incentivizes driving and disincentivizes active and public transit;
iv) believing that sprawl costs the City more money to maintain and service;
v) indicating that sprawl is financially unsustainable;
vi) indicating that the staff report indicates that green space is provided as the focal point and central gathering area; noting there are two greenspaces at opposite ends;
vii) advising that the greenspace at the top is Open Space 5 where a park cannot be established and the Open Space 1 greenspace is down near the single family homes where there are backyards;
viii) stating that there is a park in the neigbouring community which is good for anyone who does not have to cross Bradley Avenue; noting that the residents in the medium density area who want to go to a park with a playground will have to cross four lanes of traffic;
ix) pointing out that the nearest higher priced grocery store is a twenty-two-to-twenty-seven-minute walk and the nearest budget grocery store is a thirty-one to thirty-seven minute walk along Wonderland Road;
x) wondering what indoor bicycle parking will be provided for the medium density units who do not own garages; noting that they have lived in a building without proper bicycle storage and it is a very big disincentive to try to bicycle anywhere;
xi) providing bike paths is great but consideration needs to be given to where people can store their bikes when at home;
xii) believing that if the single-family units were to be replaced with more dense options such as townhouses, three storey walk ups, mixed use buildings, it would increase the number of homes in this area;
xiii) requesting a review of the major road alignment; and,
xiv) indicating that there is not a central gathering point in the development and if the development was denser, there could be a gathering space in the middle of the development;
c) the Approval Authority BE ADVISED that the Municipal Council supports issuing draft approval of the proposed plan of residential subdivision, submitted by 1103125 Ontario Inc., (File No. 39T-22502), prepared by Monteith Brown Planning Consultants, Project No. 20-20801, dated May 18, 2022, which shows 307 single detached lots; sixteen (16) low density townhouse blocks, four (4) medium density residential blocks; one (1) commercial block; (2) open space/drainage blocks; twelve (12) road widening and reserve blocks, serviced by six (6) new local streets (Street Q, R, S, T, U and V), SUBJECT TO the conditions appended to the staff report dated July 17, 2023 as Appendix “B”;
it being pointed out that the following individuals made verbal presentations at the public participation meeting held in conjunction with this matter:
• J. McGuffin, Monteith Brown Planning Consultants; and,
• J. Lalonde;
it being noted that the Municipal Council approves this application for the following reasons:
• the proposed amendments and plan are consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement, 2020 which promotes a compact form of development in strategic locations to minimize land consumption and servicing costs, provide for and accommodate an appropriate affordable and market-based range and mix of housing type and densities to meet the projected requirements of current and future residents;
• the proposed zoning amendments conform to The London Plan and the Southwest Area Plan;
• the related plan of subdivision, under review by the Approval Authority, supports a broad range of low and medium density residential development opportunities within the site including more intensive, mid-rise apartments and townhouses along the Bradley Avenue West corridor and commercial/industrial uses along Wharncliffe Road South. The red-lined Draft Plan has been designed to support these uses and to achieve a visually pleasing development that is pedestrian friendly, transit supportive and accessible to the surrounding community; and,
it being further noted 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. (2023-D14)