Comment
MacNaughton Hermsen Britton Clarkson Planning Limited (“MHBC”) is retained by ClubLink Corporation ULC (the “Owner”) on land use planning matters regarding their land holdings generally located at 2110 Concession 7, Pickering (the “Subject Lands”).
Summary of Request
We are submitting this letter to request that a portion of the lands located at 2110 Concession 7 be included within the Urban Area Boundary of the Region of Durham through the Ministers decision and modifications to the 2023 Official Plan.
The Subject Lands (identified in Figures 1 and 2) are located outside of the Greenbelt Plan and Oak Ridges Moraine Plan areas, largely outside of the natural heritage system, and located within proximity of the Pickering Airport Lands and Seaton Community Lands. The Subject Lands are uniquely positioned to provide for employment lands within proximity to existing and planned transportation and community infrastructure. Inclusion of the Subject Lands within the Regional Urban Area Boundary will enable a logical extension of employment uses, contributing to the Region’s identified employment land need.
We have made submissions to both the Region of Durham and City of Pickering throughout the Regional
Official Plan Review process requesting that a portion of the lands located at 2110 Concession 7 (the “Subject Lands”) be included within the Urban Area Boundary through Phase 2 of the Envision Durham Growth Management Study. These submissions were provided as a supplemental information package to request BER- 12 made by Pickering Council in September 2021. The BER-12 expansion request included the Subject Lands, and was identified by the City of Pickering in their submission to the Region of Durham in May 2021 requesting that the BER-12 lands be included within the urban boundary. Our previous submission, dated January 10, 2023, is attached for reference.
Background
Our clients’ lands consist of a total of 5 parcels, all addressed as 2110 Concession 7, Pickering, with a combined total area of approximately 219 hectares. These lands are generally located on the north side of Concession 7, immediately east of the federally owned Pickering Airport Lands, and north of the Seaton Community lands currently under development. The Subject Lands are approximately 39 hectares in area, and have approximately 800 metres of frontage on Concession 7. Approximately 17 ha of the subject lands form part of Cherry Downs Golf Club.
We have been actively monitoring the Region’s MCR process. In March 2022, the Land Needs Assessment and alternative land needs scenarios were released for consultation and review. Within these materials, the Subject Lands were identified as “Whitebelt” lands being outside the Greenbelt and subject to potential future urban boundary expansion.
On May 25, 2022, a final recommendation package was presented to Regional Council with the preferred land need scenario and recommendations for the overall Growth Management Study. Regional Council subsequently adopted Land Needs Scenario 2a, as follows:
• Intensification rate of 50%;
• Community Area Land Need of 2,600 hectares;
• Employment intensification rate of 20%; and,
• Employment Area Land Need of 1,171 hectares.
Regional staff provided a submission window for boundary expansion requests as part of Phase 2 of the Growth Management Study, which concluded May 31, 2021. Through this submission window, City of Pickering Council requested that Durham consider all lands meeting a certain set of criteria for inclusion within the Urban Area Boundary, identified as expansion request BER-12. For the purposes of this request, a portion of our clients lands are located within the City of Pickering’s BER-12 expansion request previously submitted to Durham Region through the MCR process. ClubLink Corporation ULC also submitted a letter in May 2021 requesting that a portion of the lands located at 2210 Concession 7 in Pickering be included within the Urban Area Boundary, consistent with direction of Pickering Council. The Subject Lands are located within the BER-12 expansion request area. Accordingly, a review of the Subject Lands in relation to the City’s evaluation criteria was provided by ClubLink Corporation ULC to the Region and City.
We are of the opinion that these lands are desirable for inclusion within the Urban Area Boundary for
employment uses. Inclusion of the Subject Lands will facilitate the detailed study of these lands, allowing for the protection of existing natural features while providing an important contribution to the Region’s identified employment lands need of 1,171 hectares.
Conclusion
In our opinion, based on our review of the property, surrounding context, and Region and City criteria
(assessed in Appendix 1 and 2), the Subject Lands are suitable and desirable for inclusion within the Urban Area Boundary for employment uses. This conclusion is supported by the Land Needs Analysis undertaken by the Region, will facilitate the detailed study of these lands, and provide an important contribution of employment lands to the Region’s identified need of 1,171 additional hectares to 2051.
Supporting documents
Submitted August 1, 2023 3:31 PM
Comment on
Regional Municipality of Durham - Approval of a municipality’s official plan
ERO number
019-7195
Comment ID
92265
Commenting on behalf of
Comment status