PLANNING JUSTIFICATION REPORT 450 – 460 WEBER STREET NORTH, CITY OF WATERLOO PREPARED FOR: 2439672 ONTARIO INC. PREPARED BY: LABRECHE PATTERSON & ASSOCIATES INC. SCOTT PATTERSON, BA, CPT, MCIP, RPP PRINCIPAL, SENIOR PLANNER ALICIA MONTEITH, BES PLANNER 330 – F TRILLIUM DRIVE KITCHENER, ONTARIO N2E 3J2 PHONE: 519-896-5955 FAX: 519-896-5355 DATE: APRIL 7, 2017 PROJECT NO.: P-732-14 450 – 460 WEBER STREET NORTH, WATERLOO ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT APPLICATION TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION 1 2. AREA DESCRIPTION 1 3. PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT 7 4. PROVINCIAL POLICY STATEMENT (2014) 9 5. PLACES TO GROW–GROWTH PLAN FOR THE GREATER GOLDEN HORSESHOE (2006) 11 6. CITY OF WATERLOO OFFICIAL PLAN (2012) 12 7. CITY OF WATERLOO ZONING BY-LAW 1418 17 8. CITY OF WATERLOO COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE ZONING BY-LAW 19 9. PROPOSED AMENDMENT 21 10. SUPPORTING MATERIALS 23 11. CONCLUSION 25 PLANNING JUSTIFICATION REPORT Labreche Patterson & Associates Inc. OUR FILE: P- 732-14 450 – 460 WEBER STREET NORTH, WATERLOO ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT APPLICATION 1. INTRODUCTION Labreche Patterson & Associates Inc. has been retained by 2439672 Ontario Inc. to provide this Justification Report in support of the proposed development of the lands municipally known as 450 Weber Street North and 460 Weber Street North, in the City of Waterloo. As part of a comprehensive Master Plan development of the subject properties and an abutting property at 435 King Street North, the landowners are proposing to construct a mixed-use development consisting of multiple buildings and residential, commercial and employment uses. At this time, the landowners wish to seek additional permitted uses above and beyond those currently permitted in the “I-6” zone as found in Zoning By-law No. 1418 for the 450 & 460 Weber Street North parcel. The uses align with the direction the City is considering through the Comprehensive Review of the Zoning By-law project currently underway by the City and are supported by the City’s Official Plan. The proposed development of these properties has undergone numerous discussions with City and Regional staff and as such, it was deemed by the City of Waterloo that a Pre-Submission Consultation Meeting for the proposed Zoning By-law Amendment would not be required. A Site Plan Pre-Submission Consultation meeting was held on June 15, 2016 for the development of a mixed-use building on the 460 Weber Street North lands and the Site Plan was granted conditional approval on September 26, 2016. The lands at 450 Weber Street North have not proceeded to a Site Plan Approval application as of yet; however, a concept plan has been created and viewed by staff. The City of Waterloo issued a formal letter outlining the necessary submission requirements in support of the Zoning By-law Amendment application on August 8, 2016. This report and the accompanying materials are respectfully submitted in accordance with the content of the August 8, 2016 letter from the City. 2. AREA DESCRIPTION Subject Lands The subject lands are located on the east side of Weber Street North, north of the intersection between Weber Street North and King Street North (Figure 1). The lands have a combined frontage along Weber Street North of 293.5 metres and the total site area after road widening is 46,081.7 square metres. The site is currently vacant and the lands are being used for agricultural purposes. The lands are generally flat with vegetation growth on the periphery of PLANNING JUSTIFICATION REPORT Labreche Patterson & Associates Inc. OUR FILE: P-732-14 PAGE 1 450 – 460 WEBER STREET NORTH, WATERLOO ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT APPLICATION the property and along the former lot line between 450 Weber Street North and 460 Weber Street North. As noted above, the subject properties are part of a larger Master Plan project for the development of 460 Weber Street North, 450 Weber Street North and 435 King Street North (Figure 2). The lands are proposed to be comprehensively developed and the intent of this Zoning By-law Amendment application is to expand the permitted uses on the subject property to benefit the proposed mixed-use building on 460 Weber Street North and any future mixed- use building(s) on 450 Weber Street North. See Figures 1 to 4. Subject Lands Figure 1: 2016 aerial photo of the subject properties (Region of Waterloo GIS) 450 & 460 Weber Street North 435 King Street North Figure 2: 2016 aerial photo of the subject properties and abutting property forming the total lands subject to a comprehensive development Master Plan (Region of Waterloo GIS) PLANNING JUSTIFICATION REPORT Labreche Patterson & Associates Inc. OUR FILE: P-732-14 PAGE 2 450 – 460 WEBER STREET NORTH, WATERLOO ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT APPLICATION Figure 3: Eastern view of 460 Weber Street North from the street near the north property line (Google, June 2016) Figure 4: Eastern view of 450 Weber Street North from the street near the south property line (Google, June 2016) Surrounding Area Properties surrounding the subject lands consist of a variety of uses. To the north, uses consist of an office building and hotel. To the east, uses consist of a car dealership, a daycare, and an office building. To the south, uses consist of a hall/banquet facility, commercial/employment plaza and restaurant. To the west, uses consist primarily of low and medium density residential in the form of single detached dwellings, townhouses and low-rise apartment buildings. As per the City of Waterloo Official Plan, surrounding land use designations include “Employment”, “Commercial”, “Low Density Residential”, “Mixed-Use Medium Density Residential”, and “Mixed-Use Medium High Density Residential”. Under the City of Waterloo Zoning By-law, surrounding zoning includes “Industrial Zone”, “Commercial Three”, “Single Residential One”, and “Multiple Residential”. PLANNING JUSTIFICATION REPORT Labreche Patterson & Associates Inc. OUR FILE: P-732-14 PAGE 3 450 – 460 WEBER STREET NORTH, WATERLOO ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT APPLICATION The subject property is located within close proximity to the Conestoga Parkway, which can be accessed from Weber Street North via King Street North. The property is located approximately 1 kilometre south of Conestoga Mall and a future iON Light Rail Transit Station. The property is located approximately 2.5 kilometres north of Uptown Waterloo. See Figure 5 to 9. Subject Lands Figure 5: 2016 aerial photo of the subject property and surrounding uses (Region of Waterloo GIS) PLANNING JUSTIFICATION REPORT Labreche Patterson & Associates Inc. OUR FILE: P-732-14 PAGE 4 450 – 460 WEBER STREET NORTH, WATERLOO ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT APPLICATION Figure 6: Townhouses located across the street from the proposed development at 60 Milford Avenue (Google, June 2016) Figure 7: Low-rise apartments located across the street from the proposed development at 422-429 Weber Street North (Google, June 2016) Figure 8: Office building located to the north of the proposed development at 473 Weber Street North (Google, June 2016) PLANNING JUSTIFICATION REPORT Labreche Patterson & Associates Inc. OUR FILE: P-732-14 PAGE 5 450 – 460 WEBER STREET NORTH, WATERLOO ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT APPLICATION Figure 9: Hall/banquet facility located to the south of the proposed development at 440 Weber Street North (Google, June 2016) Transit and Accessibility The subject lands are in proximity to one of the City’s major corridors, King Street North, as well as Conestoga Mall, the Conestoga Expressway and Uptown Waterloo. In addition, the site is in close proximity to three bus routes and nine transit stops (Figure 10): Route 7: services the King Street corridor through Waterloo and Kitchener, and runs at a frequency of every 10-30 minutes depending on the time of day and the day of the week. Route 9: services Conestoga Mall and both the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University, traveling through the residential neighbourhoods to the west of King Street. Route 201: travels from Conestoga Mall to the west side of south Kitchener at a frequency of every 30 minutes. The site is also in proximity to the future iON LRT station at Conestoga Mall, however the subject lands are just outside of the station area boundary. PLANNING JUSTIFICATION REPORT Labreche Patterson & Associates Inc. OUR FILE: P-732-14 PAGE 6 450 – 460 WEBER STREET NORTH, WATERLOO ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT APPLICATION Subject Lands Figure 10: Transit routes and stops (blue dots) within close proximity to the subject property (Aerial Photo: City of Waterloo GIS) 3. PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT The landowner, in collaboration with the project’s consultants, is proposing a development that is accessible, sustainable, and promotes a high standard of urban design in keeping with the City of Waterloo Urban Design Guidelines, Official Plan policies and Zoning By-law regulations. The landowners are proposing the following on the subject properties: The construction of three mixed-use buildings ranging from one (1) storey to twelve (12) storeys and consisting of office and commercial type uses. The construction of below ground, at grade, and above ground structured parking areas. The construction of pedestrian walkways and addition of dynamic landscaping features. Please refer to the plans and drawings accompanying this submission package for additional details. A Site Plan approval process is underway for 460 Weber Street North for a 6 storey office building. As part of this process, the consultant team has reviewed the entire property. PLANNING JUSTIFICATION REPORT Labreche Patterson & Associates Inc. OUR FILE: P-732-14 PAGE 7 450 – 460 WEBER STREET NORTH, WATERLOO ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT APPLICATION Figure 11: Conceptual Master Plan for the development of the subject properties and abutting property (WalterFedy) Figure 12: Conceptual rendering of the proposed building at 460 Weber Street North (WalterFedy) (Building elevations approved by City Staff) PLANNING JUSTIFICATION REPORT Labreche Patterson & Associates Inc.