Thank you for the…

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the proposed Provincially Significant Employment Zones (“PSEZ”) mapping. We (Di Poce Management Limited) are the property owners for the lands municipally addressed as 6241 Rutherford Road in the City of Vaughan (herein referred to as the ‘Subject Lands’ and or ‘Site’). Schedules 1, 2 and 3 attached, identify the Subject Lands in context of the proposed PSEZ and applicable Secondary Plan land use mapping as well as illustrate the property boundary. A figure illustrating the developable area relative to the site constraints is also attached for reference purposes and in support of the discussion below.

While we recognize the importance and significance of the proposed Provincially Significant Employment Zones (“PSEZ”) mapping and understand that the intent of the Amendment is to reflect existing designations, we are concerned with the appropriateness of the “PSEZ” designation over the Subject Lands given the existing residential uses and unique site characteristics.

Specifically, the property is comprised of 8.18 ha (20.22 acres) and is located west of Highway 27 and east of McGilvary Road, on the south side of Rutherford Road in Block 59, in the City of Vaughan. The Site contains a Cultural Heritage Feature - the Richard Jeffery House (Elderstone), a two storey residential dwelling built in 1860 which is designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act. Further, the Site is largely comprised of Natural Heritage Features which severely limits the developable area of the site, especially when considering typical Employment uses such as manufacturing, warehousing, and office complexes. These features include a man-made pond, treed areas and a tributary (Robinson’s Creek which runs through the property.

The City of Vaughan Official Plan designates the Subject Lands as “Prestige Employment” and “Natural Areas” in the West Vaughan Employment Area Secondary Plan. Amongst policies relative to the utilization of existing and planned infrastructure and transportation systems, the key purpose and intent of the Employment Area designations in the West Vaughan Employment Area Secondary Plan is to accommodate employment growth in industrial manufacturing, warehousing and limited office employment uses through the supply of large vacant developable employment land. Supporting these objectives, it is our understanding that the PSEZ designations are intended to protect major or heavy industrial uses within the GTA.

As noted earlier, and in consideration of the severe development restriction for typical employment uses on the Subject Lands, we believe that the Site does not meet the intent and purpose of the PSEZ. We understand that the conversion of employment lands to non-employment uses will continue to require a comprehensive assessment as part of a Municipal Comprehensive Review (“MCR”). To this effect, Weston Consulting has made a submission on our behalf to York Region as part of their current MCR process. A copy of the letter dated August 10, 2018 is attached for your reference. This letter further identifies the development restrictions imposed on the Site, as well provides supporting arguments for the removal of these lands from an employment designation to a non-employment designation in order to support future contemplated non-employment uses.

Based on the above, we respectfully request that the Subject Lands consisting of Cultural and Natural Heritage Features be removed from the PSEZ in order to utilize the lands for more appropriate non-employment uses.

We appreciate your attention to this request and respectfully ask to be included in any additional consultation where the accuracy of the PSEZ area mapping relative to the Subject Lands is of concern.