Stelco development - Notes from the Feb. 7th public meeting

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Swansea Community Meeting
Re: Stelco Swansea Works Residential Development
February 7, 2001   7:30 pm
Swansea Town Hall

Chair:  Councillor David Miller

Agenda - Follow-up Meeting on Outstanding Issues

1) Report back by REON re: community requests made at November 30th, 2000 community meeting
2) City Process
3) Community issues
     - Public art
     - Daycare
     - Community Based Services
     - Archives
4) Next Steps

Minutes 

David Miller chaired and opened the meeting, and clarified that this was not yet an official City of Toronto meeting. He pointed out that this would be the last informal full community meeting hosted by REON.  REON will, however, be working with David Miller's office to coordinate smaller meetings focused on specific issues such as traffic and public art selection.  He welcomed Swansea residents, and City of Toronto staff, who were present to address specific issues. 

Report by John Davies, COO of REON Development Corporation

John summarized the current status of the residential development proposed for the Stelco Swansea Works. Throughout the presentation City of Toronto staff were called on as required to provide information. 

Public Art
Peter Swinton, City of Toronto Designer, explained that in any development, of 20,000 square meters or more, one percent of the estimated land value is required to go into the public art process. This would require the hiring of a Public Art consultant, who would assist in the development of a plan. This would be presented to the Public Art Commission, which would make recommendation to the Community Council, followed by a juried process.

John Davies confirmed that REON intended to work with the City and Community to select a consultant immediately.

Concerns Over Views
John explained that in response to a recommendation at the previous community meeting, REON agreed to visit people with an interest in view impact in their homes. To date, REON has visited 28 residents, to take photos. These were integrated with proposed building locations to assess impact. REON so far has made return visits with 19 residents to discuss the photos, and will follow up with the others.

Traffic
REON has submitted a formal traffic study to the City. In summary, the Traffic Consultant indicated that residential development has a much lower traffic impact than other types of development, such as commercial or industrial.

Nigel Tahair, City of Toronto Traffic, reported that some specific items have come out of the report that will be reviewed by the City.  Also, the City will review the feasibility of there being a left turn lane from the property onto Windermere. The City is independently looking at potential improvements to Transit - frequency and routing of bus and streetcar and subway connections.

John Davies indicated that the TTC, in its desire to see public transit use increase, has recommended that REON reduce the parking ratio - which REON cannot do. The parking ratio is a City by-law requirement. The most important recommendation, he stated, was to improve circulation by public transportation into the site, and enhanced pedestrian access. This may involve pull-in lanes for public transportation.

Schooling
John communicated the response from REON received from the School Board. They said that, given the overcrowding of the Swansea School, children of school age, living in the new development, would be bussed to schools operating under capacity.  

The City School Board representative, Mario Silva, reported that because of chronic funding shortfall, the Board has limited resources to spend on new school construction. The requirement for bussing students is to ensure that area schools will be fully utilized when local schools are over-crowed.

John indicated that the need to bus students does not please REON, since they would prefer use of local school. He explained, however, that REON would agree to make this very clear to potential buyers by way of inclusion in the advertising and promotion of units for sale and, by way of registration, a "caution" on title for up to ten years. The validity and enforceability of this was challenged, but Mario Silva pointed out that the Board was required to provide schooling, but not at any particular school. REON's President Mike Peterson, who is a lawyer, stated that he felt this condition was enforceable and, if challenged in court, would likely be upheld.

Day Care
David Miller pointed out that the day care is of great interest to him, since it is an area of great need. Donna Cormak, of Children and Social Serves, reported that there are very few infant and toddler facilities in the Swansea neighbourhood, though 61% of families in this neighbourhood have children in need.

John pointed out that REON will look at what is required to provide the best facility in the development.

Fred Victor Centre
John explained that issues related to the Fred Victor Centre were raised early in the process, and discussed a number of times since REON was asked to work with Barry Brooks (City Planning) and Peter Zimmerman of Let's Build to see how the proposed plan could be improved. The Joy gas station, located beside the proposed site for the Fred Victor Centre, is a Heritage building, and there has been discussion of moving it to another location. However, a Heritage consultant has stated that they would prefer the building remain on-site. The City is looking into upgrading the building. Barry Brooks, Peter Swinton, and John Davies will work on this with Peter Zimmerman. Let's Build has not yet submitted a site plan application for the Fred Victor Centre.

REON is committed to making a financial contribution towards the cost of restoration of this quaint piece of Toronto History.

Railway
John said that REON was asked to try to meet with CNR to discuss improvements to the underpasses, including cosmetic enhancements, lighting, and pedestrian access. They met with the CNR a week, ago, and their engineers will meet with us further to discuss these improvements. Their attitude generally is fine - provided you bear all the costs, do nothing without formal approval, and provide us with indemnity.

Meow Club
David Miller reported that the City has a court order that says the Meow Club is illegal. However, as a result of an earlier court order there is a further hearing required before an order is issued to close it down. The City is trying to expedite its legal rights, but the Alcohol and Gaming Commission is slow to take action.

John Davies commented that the Meow Club will try to keep the club open as long as they can, for obvious reasons, i.e. profit. Although there is not much REON can do as a company to intervene, since the matter is in the courts, REON is behind the community on this and will do whatever it can.

Views
John provided some background on how the site plan has changed over time, with input from community residents. He explained how community input led to the plan to build one tower on the east side, and just two on the west. Earlier on there were three buildings on west property with low-rise buildings on the east. With only two towers on the west, and one on east, the view lines open up considerably. The low-rise apartments are eliminated and replaced by townhouses. The considerable distance of the towers from existing buildings is also of relevance to the view impact.

Barry Brooks, City Planning, explained that the development plans were submitted to the City on December 15, 2000. Based on their review of those plans, the City has prepared a Preliminary Report, dated January 25, to South-West Community Council. This will be presented at an upcoming Community Council meeting on February 13. The next public meeting, which will be called by the City, and is the formally required meeting, will be held mid-March to mid-April. After this the City will decide what further meetings, if any, will be required. There have already been working groups to investigate certain issues, but the City may advise that further working committees be set up. David Miller suggested that useful work could be accomplished in smaller meetings over the next few weeks.

Copies of the Preliminary Report were circulated. Additional copies of the Report can be obtained from the City of York Office (telephone 416-394-2522).

Barry summarized some aspects of the application process.  REON's site plan provides for two-times coverage, which is within the allowable density in the Official Plan, and also ties in with the directions document currently under review for a new Plan for the Amalgamated City. However, the proposed towers are higher than the allowable height under the current zoning, which is 18 meters. The City will look at issues including views, height, parking, and traffic, landscaping, parkettes, access to waterfront, the connection between the development and the rest of Swansea, streetscapes, environmental aspects, and cleanup. Also there will be consultations with the Toronto Conservation Authority concerning flood plan measures to protect the west end of the property. Other issues related to the development are affordable housing and day care. Working committees will be established as necessary, so that the City can put together a plan acceptable to community in harmony with the City's planning objectives, and ultimately acceptable to REON.

Question & Answer Session - click here