Residents who are concerned by the developer Minto’s request that the City relocate the future Community Park (approved for north of Britannia, between Wilson Rd. N. and Harmony Rd. N. and south of an unnamed future arterial road) PLEASE EMAIL [email protected] as soon as possible to have your voice heard.
This issue is back on Council's Agenda Monday Feb 22, 2021, with Report DS-21-17.
Although City staff recommend that Minto's request be approved, Council members should vote NO. The proposed relocation is wrong on many levels and therefore difficult to accept as "good planning".
Councillor John Neal and I represent Ward 1. We have objected to this proposal since it first came to Development Services Committee September 30, 2019. At that time staff were seeking approval to 'investigate' the proposal. From then to now I have been questioning the planning rationale for the change.
A Ward 1 resident who strongly believes it inappropriate for the City to accept Minto's proposal, wrote that "Council needs to protect the needs of future residents, especially the next generation, who are not there to fight for their needs now.”
The developer Minto, staff and a couple other Ward Councillors claim that the relocation will result in a bigger, better located park with better configuration, save the taxpayer money, and ‘be delivered within City established timelines’ (whatever that means). However, this is somewhat inexact.
Another Ward Councilor chose to describe my position as simply supporting the status quo. But the status quo in this instance involved an integrated planning and Municipal Class Environmental Assessment process that incorporated extensive public consultation for the current size and location of the Kedron Part II parks (see slides from 2010 below) and
i) included repeated confirmation that the approved plan represents 'good planning'
ii) included reviews by City Staff, Fire Services, the OPUC, CLOCA, Region Roads & Works staff, School Boards, City Advisory Committees, and
iii) included approvals at various stages over the years that were made by three different City of Oshawa Councils, first the Council whose term ended in 2010, then the next two Councils 2010-2014 and 2014-2018.
Consider how 1) Council's final approval for the extraordinary Kedron Part II Plan came over a number of years, and 2) that there can be no dispute of the fact the Community Park was planned as a central and key element to the plans of subdivision that make up Kedron Part II.
Disrupting the Part II Plan at this time, at this late stage, when more than half of the plans of subdivision for Kedron Part II have been approved, seems like a bait and switch.
THE PROPOSED CHANGE:
The developer Minto is asking to take away 24 acres of previously approved parkland and then add additional residential uses to the land left over when the currently planned 11.47 hectares (28.34 ac.) MULTI SPORTS FIELD Community Park is reduced in size to a smaller 1.8 hectare (4.5 ac.) Neighbourhood Park (which would only accommodate one sports field).
Following that, a convoluted process is proposed for a POTENTIAL Community Park north of the City's urban boundary which would require:
1) amending the Oshawa Official Plan, an amendment which would contravene the City's policy 2.6.2.5 that requires community parks be located as central as possible to their respective service areas and...be located in areas which do not require pedestrians to cross arterial roads in order to reach such parks.
2) an appeal to the Region to overturn the Regional Official Plan Policy prohibiting parks in agricultural designated land; and then
3) applying to the Province for a breach of the City of Oshawa's current Major Urban Boundary to develop the park.
These appeals and amendments have no set timelines, no cost estimates and cannot be guaranteed.
DESCRIPTION OF KEDRON PART II PLAN & MINTO'S PROPOSAL
The current approved large centralized Community Park is an integral feature among the 10 plans of subdivision, where approximately 10,000 new dwelling places will be constructed over the next few years, for a population of between 22,000 to 26,000 people with 8 elementary schools and 3 high schools.
The Part II park plan was designed for a compact, walkable community with 10 small parkettes, 2 neighbourhood parks, and the centrally located large Community Park.
The unique parkland plan was key to having Oshawa Council approve the massive housing development encompassing the 10 subdivisions plans contained in Kedron Part II.
COST IMPACT & TIMING SHOULD BE MADE CLEAR
The Kedron Part II plan and the City’s Official Plan Policy 8.7.14 require the developers to provide fiscal impact studies and phasing development plans to determine the implications of the proposed development upon the financial position of the City. But the cost impact and time lines have not been made clear to Council.
Under the Ontario Planning Act, Oshawa Official Plan and Oshawa's Parkland Dedication By-law the City requires developers:
a) to convey to the municipality 2% of land for commercial or industrial purposes, or 5% of land for residential purposes, for park or other public recreational purposes; or in the alternative
b) to convey land to the City for Park Purposes at a rate of one hectare for each 300 dwelling units proposed, or alternatively
c) to deliver a cash payment in lieu of parkland dedication calculated at a rate of one hectare for each 500 dwelling units.
Attachments below tell the story:
1. 2007 with Request for Concept Plan, plus current aerial photo of Kedron Part II 1,100+ acres outlined in orange: north of Conlin, east of Ritson to Towline, north to new un-named arterial road, + 2 photos from 2020 showing topsoil scraped & roads/services work.
2. 2010 concept plan presented to public and City Council (with target growth 50 people & jobs per hectare = 22,000 -26,000 new residents)
a) Key Elements Parks 'unique approach'
b) Preferred Plan Parks 10 parkettes, 2 neighbourhood parks, 1 LARGE COMMUNITY PARK
c) Preferred Plan Schools 11 elementary, 3 high schools
3. 2015 Official Plan map for approved Kedron Part II, current approved location of Community Park outlined in red
4. 2018 Last meeting of last Council 5 plans of subdivision were approved
5. Notice of the virtual Public Planning Meeting June 25, 2020 to permit alternative residential land uses in the Community Park Designation in the event the Community Park is relocated or otherwise not needed in whole or in part.
6. Minto land holdings in Kedron Part II, both west and east side of Harmony and both north and south of Oshawa's Urban Boundary
7. Proposed location for Kedron Part II Community Park north of un-named arterial road.
This issue is back on Council's Agenda Monday Feb 22, 2021, with Report DS-21-17.
Although City staff recommend that Minto's request be approved, Council members should vote NO. The proposed relocation is wrong on many levels and therefore difficult to accept as "good planning".
Councillor John Neal and I represent Ward 1. We have objected to this proposal since it first came to Development Services Committee September 30, 2019. At that time staff were seeking approval to 'investigate' the proposal. From then to now I have been questioning the planning rationale for the change.
A Ward 1 resident who strongly believes it inappropriate for the City to accept Minto's proposal, wrote that "Council needs to protect the needs of future residents, especially the next generation, who are not there to fight for their needs now.”
The developer Minto, staff and a couple other Ward Councillors claim that the relocation will result in a bigger, better located park with better configuration, save the taxpayer money, and ‘be delivered within City established timelines’ (whatever that means). However, this is somewhat inexact.
Another Ward Councilor chose to describe my position as simply supporting the status quo. But the status quo in this instance involved an integrated planning and Municipal Class Environmental Assessment process that incorporated extensive public consultation for the current size and location of the Kedron Part II parks (see slides from 2010 below) and
i) included repeated confirmation that the approved plan represents 'good planning'
ii) included reviews by City Staff, Fire Services, the OPUC, CLOCA, Region Roads & Works staff, School Boards, City Advisory Committees, and
iii) included approvals at various stages over the years that were made by three different City of Oshawa Councils, first the Council whose term ended in 2010, then the next two Councils 2010-2014 and 2014-2018.
Consider how 1) Council's final approval for the extraordinary Kedron Part II Plan came over a number of years, and 2) that there can be no dispute of the fact the Community Park was planned as a central and key element to the plans of subdivision that make up Kedron Part II.
Disrupting the Part II Plan at this time, at this late stage, when more than half of the plans of subdivision for Kedron Part II have been approved, seems like a bait and switch.
THE PROPOSED CHANGE:
The developer Minto is asking to take away 24 acres of previously approved parkland and then add additional residential uses to the land left over when the currently planned 11.47 hectares (28.34 ac.) MULTI SPORTS FIELD Community Park is reduced in size to a smaller 1.8 hectare (4.5 ac.) Neighbourhood Park (which would only accommodate one sports field).
Following that, a convoluted process is proposed for a POTENTIAL Community Park north of the City's urban boundary which would require:
1) amending the Oshawa Official Plan, an amendment which would contravene the City's policy 2.6.2.5 that requires community parks be located as central as possible to their respective service areas and...be located in areas which do not require pedestrians to cross arterial roads in order to reach such parks.
2) an appeal to the Region to overturn the Regional Official Plan Policy prohibiting parks in agricultural designated land; and then
3) applying to the Province for a breach of the City of Oshawa's current Major Urban Boundary to develop the park.
These appeals and amendments have no set timelines, no cost estimates and cannot be guaranteed.
DESCRIPTION OF KEDRON PART II PLAN & MINTO'S PROPOSAL
The current approved large centralized Community Park is an integral feature among the 10 plans of subdivision, where approximately 10,000 new dwelling places will be constructed over the next few years, for a population of between 22,000 to 26,000 people with 8 elementary schools and 3 high schools.
The Part II park plan was designed for a compact, walkable community with 10 small parkettes, 2 neighbourhood parks, and the centrally located large Community Park.
The unique parkland plan was key to having Oshawa Council approve the massive housing development encompassing the 10 subdivisions plans contained in Kedron Part II.
COST IMPACT & TIMING SHOULD BE MADE CLEAR
The Kedron Part II plan and the City’s Official Plan Policy 8.7.14 require the developers to provide fiscal impact studies and phasing development plans to determine the implications of the proposed development upon the financial position of the City. But the cost impact and time lines have not been made clear to Council.
Under the Ontario Planning Act, Oshawa Official Plan and Oshawa's Parkland Dedication By-law the City requires developers:
a) to convey to the municipality 2% of land for commercial or industrial purposes, or 5% of land for residential purposes, for park or other public recreational purposes; or in the alternative
b) to convey land to the City for Park Purposes at a rate of one hectare for each 300 dwelling units proposed, or alternatively
c) to deliver a cash payment in lieu of parkland dedication calculated at a rate of one hectare for each 500 dwelling units.
Attachments below tell the story:
1. 2007 with Request for Concept Plan, plus current aerial photo of Kedron Part II 1,100+ acres outlined in orange: north of Conlin, east of Ritson to Towline, north to new un-named arterial road, + 2 photos from 2020 showing topsoil scraped & roads/services work.
2. 2010 concept plan presented to public and City Council (with target growth 50 people & jobs per hectare = 22,000 -26,000 new residents)
a) Key Elements Parks 'unique approach'
b) Preferred Plan Parks 10 parkettes, 2 neighbourhood parks, 1 LARGE COMMUNITY PARK
c) Preferred Plan Schools 11 elementary, 3 high schools
3. 2015 Official Plan map for approved Kedron Part II, current approved location of Community Park outlined in red
4. 2018 Last meeting of last Council 5 plans of subdivision were approved
5. Notice of the virtual Public Planning Meeting June 25, 2020 to permit alternative residential land uses in the Community Park Designation in the event the Community Park is relocated or otherwise not needed in whole or in part.
6. Minto land holdings in Kedron Part II, both west and east side of Harmony and both north and south of Oshawa's Urban Boundary
7. Proposed location for Kedron Part II Community Park north of un-named arterial road.
Attachment 1
Attachment 2 a) 2010 Parks Key Elements concept plan presented to public and City Council
Attachment 2 b)
Attachment 2 c)
Attachment 3
Attachment 4
Attachment 5
Attachment 6
Attachment 7