WHEREAS staff at the pre-application consultation for Official Plan Amendment and rezoning applications submitted by the owner (1009 Trim Road Inc) to provide for the construction of a multi tower high density high profile residential project with ground floor commercial uses at 1015 Tweddle Road (previously known as 1009 Trim Road) suggested that key urban design objectives for development within areas in proximity to Transit could be advanced by having the Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard North Right of Way (“ROW”) narrowed to normalize the ROW and allow for the proposed development to have a stronger street presence along Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard North (“Jeanne d’Arc”); and
WHEREAS the Owner had developed a conceptual development plan as part of the rezoning application process that included the redundant ROW as part of the development lands and that in part served as the basis for defining the Official Plan (“OP”) policies approved by Council; and
WHEREAS the Official Plan and zoning changes requested by the Owner and approved by City Council are now in full force and effect to allow for the proposed development that City staff have confirmed is consistent with the OP directions for the site; and
WHEREAS the approved Official Plan, which includes a secondary plan for the Orléans Corridor (that also applies to the subject site), includes policy directions for development of the site with four high rise primarily residential buildings that will provide affordable housing; that will define and provide a dynamic public realm including a public plaza area (Privately Owned Public Space, “POPS”) on site that is seamlessly integrated with the overall public realm plan for the area as set out in the secondary plan and provide for orienting development to provide a strong animated street edge along Jeanne d’Arc; and that provides for enhancing the Greenspace Destination at Petrie Island that includes pursuing opportunities with adjacent landowners for enhancing public access opportunities of natural areas for public enjoyment, and for enhancing Tweddle to improve the connection to Petrie Island for pedestrians and cyclists from Jeanne d’Arc; and
WHEREAS that approved zoning includes a holding provision providing for a site plan to be developed and approved that is consistent with the directions of the Official Plan including the secondary plan for development of the site as reflected by the concept plan developed for the rezoning; and
WHEREAS the Holding Provision also contemplates the Owner securing that portion of the Jeanne d’Arc ROW adjacent to the site that is not required for the functioning of Jeanne d’Arc as a public road to assist in achieving the OP objectives to provide a strong animated street edge along Jeanne d’Arc; and
WHEREAS the City’s Real Estate Group within the Department of Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Development has confirmed that the redundant Jeanne d’Arc ROW adjacent to 1015 Tweddle can be deemed surplus to city needs and be developed with the site once an encumbrance on the ROW to support the Stage 2 LRT project is lifted; and
WHEREAS the proposed development of 1015 Tweddle as identified on the conceptual site plan that the owner now wishes to finalize as a formal site plan for the site advances all the key objectives of the City as expressed in the OP including having the project provide units to be developed as affordable units as defined by CMHC to meet CMHC Financing that would serve to advance the OP objectives for having affordable housing provided as part of major developments around LRT stations; and
WHEREAS the owner has also improved the natural area of the site north of the development lands and plans further works to naturalize these lands for possible public access to contribute to enhancing the Greenspace Destination designation in the new Official Plan for the area around and including Petrie Island; and
WHEREAS the owner of 1015 Tweddle wishes to convey to the City the area of the site that has been enhanced as a natural area that is located between the development lands and the Petrie Island PSW; and
WHEREAS the Owner also wishes to convey the area of 1015 Tweddle that is adjacent to Tweddle to allow for the City to enhance the pedestrian and cycling connection along Tweddle to Petrie Island; and
WHEREAS the Owner has proposed that the conveyance of the naturalized lands and lands along Tweddle be through a land exchange where the City would convey to the Owner the redundant Jeanne d’Arc ROW to allow the development of 1015 Tweddle to incorporate this redundant ROW into the development site; and
WHEREAS this land exchange will benefit both the City and public by providing for enhancements and improved connections to the Petrie Island Greenspace destination consistent with directions of the OP and by providing for lands that will allow the owner the develop the 1015 Tweddle site consistent with the directions of the OP for development to embrace and provide for a strong pedestrian focused public realm for the project both along Jeanne d’Arc and with the POPS to advance the urban design objectives for development within the Trim LRT Station PMTSA identified in the new Official (as was suggested by staff at the OPA/Rezoning pre-application consultation); and
WHEREAS staff have acknowledged that there may be potential value for the City to acquire some lands from the Owner as the owner has proposed, staff have not confirmed that this could be achieved through a land transfer but rather have confirmed only that staff under delegated approval given them to dispose of surplus lands could support conveying the redundant ROW to the owner of 1015 Tweddle (1009 Trim Road Inc.) once to the current encumbrance on the ROW to the Stage 2 LRT project has been lifted through a purchase agreement where the owner would acquire the redundant Jeanne d’Arc ROW at market value which has been determined by the City based on a preliminary appraisal in 2020 to be $480,000; and
WHEREAS this redundant ROW has not been used for any works associated with the Stage 2 LRT which is approaching completion and as staff have previously confirmed, is not deemed to be required for the functioning of Jeanne d’Arc; and
WHEREAS the land on its own has no development potential that would warrant an appraised value as has been determined by staff; and
WHEREAS the owner can develop the site at the density proposed with four residential towers without the redundant Jeanne d’Arc ROW; and
WHEREAS such a development would represent a missed opportunity to advance key policy objectives of the new OP including how the project will contribute to defining the public realm especially along Jeanne d’Arc, compromise the ability to have the POPS to be provided on site being a seamless element of the overall public realm in the Trim PMTSA, and would also compromise the ability of the owner to include the proposed affordable housing in the project due to increased soft costs to significantly modify plans and construction costs to provide an additional level of below grade parking; and
WHEREAS to move forward with a land exchange as proposed by the owner of 1015 Tweddle where the owner has and will be undertaking additional improvements to the land that the owner is prepared to provide to the City through a land exchange requires that Council give approval to the proposed land exchange; and
WHEREAS the proposed land exchange will advance the following key city building objectives through the proposed development of 1015 Tweddle Road and that, as noted are consistent with overarching directions in the new Official Plan (including the Orléans Corridor Secondary Plan):
Providing for an improved street relationship for the development at 1015 Tweddle with Jeanne d’Arc consistent with good design principles for achieving compact street-oriented development to enhance the public realm and pedestrian focus of streets within transit station areas and for having the on-site POPS developed as a seamless element of the area’s public realm; and
Providing for an enhanced natural area adjacent to a significant provincial wetland (PSW) located on the site and that would provide for public access and enhanced enjoyment by the public of the natural environment for the Greenspace designation applying to the Petrie Island area;
Provide for improving Tweddle for pedestrians and cyclists between Jeanne d’Arc and Petrie Island
Allowing for the provision of affordable units
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Finance and Corporate Services Committee recommend that Council direct the General Manager of Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Development, contingent upon the conclusion of the process to have that area of the Jeanne d’Arc ROW adjacent to 1015 Tweddle that has been identified as being redundant (as shown on the attached sketch, and held on file with the City Clerk) declared surplus and being closed, entering into an agreement with the owner of 1009 Trim to convey the redundant Jeanne d’Arc ROW adjacent to 1015 Tweddle Road to become part of 1015 Tweddle to allow for it to be developed as part of the project once the LRT encumbrance is lifted in exchange for the Owner conveying to the City the following:
The area of the site not required for development and that will be naturalized and improved (also shown on the attached sketch plan) to provide for public access in accordance with a plan that will be prepared by the owner as part of the site plan for the proposed development for approval by the City and that will implemented by the owner at the owners cost as part of the 1015 Tweddle development, and
The area of the site along the east side of Tweddle Road to provide for the City to improve Tweddle Road for pedestrians and cyclists between Jeanne d’Arc and Petrie Island.