Please see attached PDF for…

Please see attached PDF for formal comment letter and attachment.

We are the planning consultants for Steele Valley Development Limited (hereinafter the `Client`) to review the proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan for the property located on the northeast corner of Keele Street and Highway 7 in the City of Vaughan municipally addressed as 7777 Keele Street/2220 Highway 7 and 2160-2180 Highway 7. The subject lands and surrounding lands are located on the north side of Highway 7, east of Keele Street and west of the Canadian National Railway (CNR). This stretch of Highway 7 is occupied by a variety of low-rise retail and service commercial uses with frontage along Highway 7. To the south of Highway 7 are low rise residential uses.

To become better informed and exchange comments on the Proposed Amendment 1 (hereinafter “Amendment”) to the Growth Plan, MHBC has attended a number of Regional Workshops hosted by the Province.

Based on our review of the Amendment, it is understood that conversion of employment lands will continue to require a comprehensive assessment and implications for economic development by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH). The most significant proposed change is the introduction of Provincially Significant Employment Zones (“PSEZ”) mapping across the GTA. We are concerned with the extent of this mapping and its accuracy vis-à-vis existing land uses and municipal Official Plan mapping.

Our clients lands and the surrounding lands bounded by Keele Street to the west and the Metrolinx Rail Corridor have been included in proposed Provincially Significant Employment Zone 10 (400/407 Vaughan North). The subject lands are designated as Employment Commercial Mixed Use, in the City of Vaughan Official Plan which permits retail, service commercial and office uses. In addition to this the subject lands are located generally within an 800 m radius of the proposed Concord GO Centre Station (which would meet the criteria of an MTSA) (Figure 1). Additionally, the subject lands front onto Highway 7 which consists of a newly constructed VIVA rapid transit bus lane.

The subject lands and the Highway 7 frontage includes a variety of retail and service commercial uses. The designation of a PSEZ which is intended to protect major or heavy industry which does not match the existing and planned mixed use land use character along Highway 7. Given the above, the proposed PSEZ on the subject lands would limit the potential for development on with site within an MTSA and will not accurately articulate the planned context of these lands.

We therefore request the subject lands and surrounding lands fronting onto Highway 7 be removed from the PSEZ to implement increased density and investment with a mixture of uses as intended by the Official Plan. In addition, we request that should the mapping be modified that additional consultation is undertaken to ensure the mapping is accurate and request the Province undertake further consultation with affected landowners on PSEZ mapping where municipalities have requested increased PSEZ limits which was not subject this consultation.