•On behalf of our client,…

•On behalf of our client, Losani Homes, we have been involved with discussions with City staff and made several submissions as part of the City’s Official Plan Review Process (OPA 167), including the Municipal Comprehensive Review and GRIDS 2 process for the ‘Flying J’ lands located at 1400 South Service Road, Stoney Creek, hereinafter referred to as the subject lands.

•The purpose of the request and submissions has been to request the conversion of 7.33 ha of land from employment land for a proposed mixed use development, including both employment (office and commercial) and residential uses.

•A formal Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment application was submitted for the lands in August, 2021 for a mixed use redevelopment and is currently under review by staff and agencies. The proposed application provides for a density of 276 people and jobs per and will contribute to the 80% intensification target within the Built-Up Area.

•In the Fall of 2021, Council made the decision to implement a no boundary expansion option. At the November 9, 2021 GIC meeting, the Final Land Needs Assessment was presented and City Council made the decision in November 9, 2021 to. This Report noted that a final decision on the lands deferred for employment land conversion consideration was outstanding.

•Given the no urban boundary expansion option, which was adopted by Council, it is our understanding that additional opportunities for intensification and residential development within the City’s existing urban boundary are required. The conversion of the subject lands for development of a mixed use community will support the ‘no urban boundary expansion’ option as it will provide new housing to accommodate forecasted population within the existing Urban Area. As we have previously submitted on the MCR process, and further detailed in the planning application submission the rationale for conversion considers the following:

1) The subject lands are not identified as a Provincially Significant employment Zone (PSEZ).
2) The Land Needs Assessment identified a surplus of employment lands, therefore conversion of the subject lands does not impact the long term supply of employment land.
3) Provides opportunity for housing choice in the form of apartment units in the Fruitland-Winona Secondary Plan Area that is not currently planned within the area and introduces potential for attainable and rental housing.
4) The subject lands are within 1.5 km of a planned GO Station.
5) Mixed use proposal maintains a significant number of jobs (over 400 jobs) at a higher rate than forecasted in the Land Needs Assessment and proposes higher and better uses that the existing approval for a truck stop.
6) A portion of the lands will be developed for commercial / employment uses along the QEW frontage and contribute to the City’s overall employment objectives.
7)Existing land use permissions already include a range of commercial and population related uses and prohibit intensive industrial uses.
8) Provides a transit supportive density for any future transit investments in the area.
9)The features of the surrounding lands create natural buffers and separations from other land uses, including adjacent employment lands to the east.

•The City expressed concerns about the employment land conversion related to surrounding land uses in the area at Fifty Road and the QEW, and requested that a larger land use assessment be undertaken and presented to Council.
•The adjacent lands to the west are owned by the Province of Ontario (MTO). We would be pleased to discuss development coordination with the Ministry.
• We would be happy to discuss further and share details of the proposed application. Please contact William Liske (wliske@losanihomes.com) and Dave Aston (daston@mhbcplan.com) for additional information.