2-6573 L. Pompilii

That, on the recommendation of the Acting General Manager of Planning and Development, based on the application of Romlex International Ltd., and 2031491 Ontario Inc., relating to properties located at 63 and 65 Palmer Street,

the request to amend Zoning By-law No. 2-1. from a Residential R2 (R2-2) Zone to Restricted Office (ROI) Zone to allow for additional surface parking in association with the adjacent medical office building located at 240 Wharncliffe Road North, BE APPROVED.

That three readings of the approved Zoning By-law amendment as contained in (a) above BE WITHHELD pending confirmation that 63 and 65 Palmer Street have merged in title with the abutting property to the east at 240 Wharncliffe Road North

It being noted that the Director of Building Controls will bring forward a report on the proposed demolition of 63 and 65 Palmer Street at a future meeting of the Planning Committee.

It being further noted that this application will be subject to site plan control, which will address issues relating to landscaping, fencing, access and buffering from abutting residential uses

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2.

3.

4.

The expansion of the parking area is consistent with the intent of the policies of the Official Plan.

Application of the Restricted Office (R01) Zone and the consolidation of the subject site with the abutting lands to the east at 240 Wharncliffe Road North, will ensure development occurs in conformity with the policies of the Official Plan.

The replacement of residential uses with office uses, including surface parking, would reduce flood risk in keeping with the intent of the interim policy of the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority.

The additional 29 parking spaces should improve the traffic congestion, flow and movement in this area. This intersection is occupied by land uses that have a high demand for surface parking. A solution to address this issue is to allow for minor expansion into the surrounding area in a manner that is sensitive to the amenities of abutting residential uses in the area.

D metres 50 100 I 150

LOCATION MAP Subject Site: 63 Planner: LP

Applicant: ROMLEX INTERNATIONAL LTD Created By: LP

Roll Number: 010190062000000 Date: 10/28/2003

File Number: 2-6573 Scale: I : 1700

CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF LONDON Prepared By: Planning & Development Department

350 I 300 1

LEGEND Subject Site

Buildings

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2-6573 L. Pompilii

REQUESTED ACTION:

To change the Zoning By-law at 63 & 65 Palmer Street to allow additional surface parking in association with the adjacent medical office building at 240 Wharncliffe Road North. The applicant’s proposal includes the demolition of the existing structures at 63 & 65 Palmer

This would involve changing the Zoning By-law from a Residential R2 (R2-2) Zone to a Restricted Office (ROI) Zone. This would allow the two properties to be combined with the abutting property at 240 Wharncliffe Road North.

Current Land Use - Residential

Frontage - 63 Palmer Street - 12 metres 65 Palmer Street - 13.3 metres

Depth - 63 Palmer Street - 40 metres 65 Palmer Street - 40 metres

Area - 63 Palmer Street -480 square metres 65 Palmer Street - 532 square metres

II Shape - rectangular

South - Residential

West - Residential

North - Parking Lot, Residential Uses, Professional Offices

East - Parking Lot, Medical Offices

II Low Density Residential II

II 0 Residential R2 (R2-2) II

Agenda Item # Page #

2-6573 L. Pornpilii

Salient portions of these letters have been included below for your review:

“Palmer Street is a pleasant, quiet residential street on which we have made our single-family home. We have done considerable landscaping and view the proposed demolition and creation of a commercial parking lot as further loss of irreplaceable residential cityscape. This also is a direct loss of otherwise affordable housing from this area. It will directly increase congestion and traffic on the existing dead-end, no parking street in direct proportion to the number of parking spaces to be created, particularly exiting onto Wharncliffe. The loss of these homes and extension of the parking lot will significantly decrease surrounding property values. ’’

“The demolition of the these structures will increase traffic flow; if there will be more parking spaces available. This quiet dead end street will turn in a busy street corner .... There will also be a severe change of look in the landscape as there will be no family houses or trees, but just a large open space with on the end the huge blind wall of the medical building at 240 Wharncliffe Road North”.

“It makes good sense to permit this change in zoning to permit extended parking for 240 Wharncliffe Rd”.

“If this project goes ahead and no doubt it wi/l, we can only hope the finished project will enhance the view from the other side of the street. A nice fence and some shrubs to hide the asphalt and cars.”

“Concern that there will be a change io ihe entrance of the parking lot and the sidewalk on fhe north side of Palmer.”

Existing Situation

The subject lands are located on the north side of Palmer Street just west of Wharncliffe Road North and are currently occupied by residential dwellings. The residential dwellings are owned by the applicants, and currently function as rental units.

The surrounding lands include a parking lot associated with an adjacent medical building, residential dwellings fronting on the south side of Oxford Street West and a restaurant use (McDonalds) and auto sales use to the north. To the east of the site is a parking lot associated with the adjacent medical building and a convenience commercial use. South of the subject lands is an established residential neighbourhood. The lands to the west include two residential dwellings fronting on the north side of Palmer Street.

Palmer Street is not a through street and dead-ends just to the west of the subject site. Both Wharncliffe Road North and Oxford Street West are classified as arterial roads. In 2000, Wharncliffe Road North carried an average annual daily traffic (AADT) volume of 26,000 vehicles while Oxford Street West carried an AADT volume of 34,000 vehicles.

The subject property is located entirely within the Regulatory Flood Plain, as determined by the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority. They are part of a potential Special Policy Area known as the “West London SPA.

The applicant’s intent is to demolish the existing structures located at 63 and 65 Palmer Street and combine these lands with the abutting properties to the east for the purpose of enlarging the parking area for the medical building use at 240 Wharncliffe Road North. There are currently 79 surface parking spaces available on-site for the medical building. Parking availability has been a

LEGEND

DOWNTOWN AREA

1271 REGIONAL SHOPPING AREA

0 DEFERRED AREAS

AREAS L I II UNDER APPEAL m[ OFFICE AREA

OFFICE/RESIDENTIAL

COMMUNITY SHOPPING AREA E l OFFICE BUSINESS PARK

NEIGHBOURHOOD SHOPPING AREA GENERAL INDUSTRIAL

ASSOCIATED SHOPPING AREA COMMERCIAL LIaHT INDUSTRIAL

BUSINESS DISTRICT F l REGIONAL FACILITY

ARTERIAL MIXED USE DISTRICT m] COMMUNITY FACILITY

HIGHWAY SERVICE COMMERCIAL OPEN SPACE

RESTRlCTED/HIGHWAY SERVICE COMMERCIAL URBAN RESERVE - COMMUNITY GROWTH

E] RESTRICTED SERVICE COMMERCIAL URBAN RESERVE - INDUSTRIAL GROWTH

COMMERCIAL POLICY AREA RURAL SETTLEMENT

MULTI- FAMILY, HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW

r-1 MULTi - FAMILY, MEDIUM DENSITY REsiDENTiAL 1-1 AGRICULTURE

E] LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL @ URBAN GROWTH BOUNDARY

THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM THE PLANNING DIVISION'S WORKlNa CONSOLIDATION OF SCHEDULE A TO THE CITY OF LONDON OFFICIAL PLAN, WITH ADDED NOTATIONS

CITY OF LONDON FILE NO, 1 2-6573 LP

MAP PREPARED: DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

OFFICIAL PLAN SCHEDULE A - LAND USE

January 19,2004

&*& I L I

COUNCIL APPROVED ZONING FOR THE SUBJECT SITE:

LEGEND FOR ZONING BY-LAW 2-7 R1 - SINGLE DETACHED DWELLINGS R2 R3 R4 - STREET TOWNHQUSE R5 - CLUSTER TOWNHOUSE R6 R7 - SENIORS HOUSING R8 R9 R10 - HIGH DENSITY APARTMENTS R11 - LODGING HOUSE

- SINGLE AND TWO UNIT DWELLINGS - SINGLE TO FOUR UNIT DWELLINGS

- CLUSTER HOUSING ALL FORMS

- MEDIUM DENSlTYlLOW RISE APTS. - MEDIUM TO HIGH DENSITY APTS.

DA - DOWNTOWN AREA RSA - REGIONAL SHOPPING AREA CSA - COMMUNITY SHOPPING AREA NSA - NEIGHBOURHOOD SHOPPING AREA BDC - BUSINESS DISTRICT COMMERCIAL AC - ARTERIAL COMMERCIAL HS - HIGHWAY SERVICE COMMERCIAL RSC - RESTRICTED SERVICE COMMERCIAL CC - CONVENIENCE COMMERCIAL SS - AUTOMOBILE SERVICE STATION ASA - ASSOCIATED SHOPPING AREA COMMERCIAL

OR - OFFICE/RESIDENTIAL OC - OFFICE CONVERSION RO - RESTRICTED OFFICE OF -OFFICE

RF - REGIONAL FACILITY CF - COMMUNITY FACILITY NF - NEIGHBOURHOOD FACILITY HER - HERITAGE DC -DAYCARE

OS - OPEN SPACE CR - COMMERCIAL RECREATION

OB - OFFICE BUSINESS PARK LI - LIGHT INDUSTRIAL GI - GENERAL INDUSTRIAL HI - HEAVY INDUSTRIAL EX - RESOURCE EXTRACTIVE UR - URBAN RESERVE

"h" - HOLDING SYMBOL "D" - DENSITY SYMBOL "H" - HEIGHT SYMBOL "6" - BONUS SYMBOL "T" - TEMPORARY USE SYMBOL

2) .f: .% 1 FOR TOWNSHIP ZONES PLEASE SEE THE RELEVANT ZONING BY-LAW FOR A DESCRIPTION OF REGULATIONS h A

CITY OF LONDON FILE NO: I 2-6573 LP

MAP PREPARED: DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

2004101 /I 9 FG

1 5000

5 100 0 100 Meters

@ ZONING

SCHEDULE A

BY-LAW NO. Z.-I

THIS MAP IS AN UNOFFICIAL EXTRACT FROM THE ZONING BY-LAW WITH ADDED NOTATIONS

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2-6573 L. Pompilii

Environmental Services Departm en f

The City of London’s Environmental and Engineering Services Department offers the following comments with respect to the aforementioned 2-1 Zoning By-Law amendment application.

A road widening dedication to allow for 10.0 meters from the centerline of Palmer Street to the subject sites property line (3.904m from the existing limit) may be required.

There is no storm sewer adjacent to the subject site. The developer may be required to have their consulting engineer design a method of disposing of stormwater runoff, to the satisfaction of the City’s Environmental and engineering Services Department.

0 This site is located in the Central Thames subwatershed. Upon development of the subject lands stormwater management may be required.

These comments among other engineering and transportation issues will be addressed in .greater detail when \ if these lands come in for site plan approval.

NOTE: Site Plan Approval is required and a storm water management plan will have to be submitted.

Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA)

The demolition of residential uses for replacement with office use including surface parking, would result in a long term reduction in risk to life from flooding and would be in keeping with the intent of the interim policy of the UTRCA

The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority has no objection to the proposed zoning by-law amendment to RO1 ,to permit medicaVdental offices and offices.

Nature of Liaison: I

To change the Zoning By-law at 63 & 65 Palmer Street to allow additional surface parking in association with the adjacent medical office building at 240 Wharncliffe Road North. The applicant’s proposal includes the demolition of the existing structures at 63 & 65 Palmer Street.

This would involve changing the Zoning By-law from a Residential R2 (R2-2) Zone to a Restricted Office (R01) Zone. This would allow the two properties to be combined with the abutting property at 240 Wharncliffe Road North, >

Responses:

2 letters opposed to change 2 letters in support of change I email messaae notina concerns

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2-6573 L. Pompilii

chronic problem for this site and abutting uses, made more intensive with the introduction of a new realtor's office at 250 Wharncliffe Road North. The applicant has proposed a solution that would create additional parking in the area and maintain existing access onto the site. The applicant has submitted a parking plan that would result in a total of 108 surface parking spaces for the medical building located at 240 Wharncliffe Road East. The additional 29 parking spaces should improve the congestion and traffic flow and movement in this area.

What zoning has been requested and recommended for the subject lands?

The applicant has requested the Restricted Office (ROI) Zone from by-law Z.4, similar to the zoning of the adjacent property to the east at 240 Wharncliffe Road to which these lands are to be joined. This zone would allow these lands to be used for additional surface parking in association with the adjacent medical office building located at 240 Wharncliffe Road North.

Direct access to this site is available from two arterial roads and from Palmer Street via an existing driveway to the east. No new access is being recommended at this time.

The site is of sufficient size to accommodate the requested use together with sufficient space for parking, landscaping and internal driveways.

The subject property is located entirely within the Thames River Regulatory Flood Plain. The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority has no objection to the proposed zoning by-law amendment to ROI to additional parking for the abutting medical building.

Planning staff are recommending that 3rd and final reading of an approved ROI Zone should be withheld pending confirmation that subject lands have been joined in title with the abutting lands to the east and north at 240 Wharncliife Road North. This would ensure that stand alone medicaVdental offices and offices uses would not be permitted on the subject lands and that the use of the subject lands would be limited to accommodating additional surface parking for the existing medical office building at 240 Wharncliffe Road North.

Is the requested amendment in conformity with the Official Plan?

The subject lands are designated Low Density Residential in the Official Plan. The primary permitted uses within this designation include single detached, semi-detached and duplex dwellings.

Uses which do not conform to the Official Plan but which are recognized as a permitted use in the Zoning By-law fall within the policies of Section 19.5.2. This Section allows uses to expand or enlarge without the need for an Official Plan Amendment provided the proposal complies with specific criteria: nuisances, compatibility, maintaining existing role in the community and the Planning Impact Policies of 3.7. The subject lands are intended to be combined with the abutting lands to the east and north known municipally as 240 Wharncliffe Road North for the purpose of enlarging the surface parking area of this use.

Nuisances The expansion will not add to any air, noise or water pollution problems and does not involve hazardous activities. Allowing the expansion of the adjacent parking area in association with the medical building to the east is not expected to introduce more air or noise pollution into the area than would otherwise occur under the current zoning. The expansion of the parking area will go a long way to improving overall congestion in the area.

Compatibility The expanded use will achieve an acceptable measure of compafibilify with adjacent uses, is not associated with any building deterioration or lack of properfy maintenance.. ., . The

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2-6573 L. Pompilii

recommended changes will allow uses that can achieve an acceptable measure of compatibility with adjacent uses. The enlarged surface parking area is subject to Site Plan Approval which will ensure that adequate buffering, screening and separation will be provided with the abutting residential uses in this area. The applicant has submitted a Landscaping Plan that introduces enhanced aesthetics and surface treatment within this area.

Role in the Communitv The expansion will not detract from the general intent of the Official Plan for the development of the area. The Official Plan identifies the area as being appropriate for low-profile, low density residential development. The proposed expansion of the parking area shall be sensitive to existing residential dwellings in the area and introduce measures to mitigate any possible adverse impacts.

Plannina Impact Analvsis Planning Impact Analysis can assist in determining the appropriateness of a proposed change in land use, and to identify ways of reducing any adverse impacts on surrounding uses. Some .of the criteria of the Planning Impact Analysis are not relevant to the requested change and others are addressed elsewhere in the report. The relevant Planning Impact Analysis criteria are addressed below:

Vacant Land Supply of vacant land in the area which is already designated and/or zoned for the proposed use. There does not appear to be a sufficient supply of designated and zoned vacant lands in the area for surface parking. This intersection is occupied by land uses that have a high demand for surface parking. The only solution to address this issue is to allow for a minor planned expansion into the surrounding area that is sensitive to the amenities of abutting residential uses in the area.

Affordable Ho usinq The need for affordable housing in the area, and the city as a whole. The requested zone change includes the demolition of two residential dwellings from the existing housing supply within this area. The applicant has indicated that the existing structures are in a state of disrepair and would require considerable capital to maintain occupancy. Although it is an objective of the City to encourage the maintenance and rehabilitation of the existing housing stock, it is appropriate to consider the demolition of these two dwellings given the existing parking problems experienced in this area and the lack of an alternative to address parking demand in this area. The demolition of these structures from the housing stock should have little impact to the need for affordable housing in this area.

Accessflraffic Location of vehicular access points ... and likely impact of traffic generated by the proposal on City streets, on pedestrians and vehicular safety, and on surrounding properfies. No changes to the existing access points on Palmer Street are proposed with the exception that the existing access points to 63 and 65 Palmer Street will be removed.

Mitigating Measures Measures planned to mitigate any adverse impacts on surrounding land uses and streets.. . The applicant has planned various measures to mitigate any adverse impacts on the surrounding residential properties in this area. These measures include the completion and implementation of a Landscape Plan that includes landscaping, fencing, vegetation and elevation improvements along the entire frontage of Palmer Street that will improve the streetscape of the area and reduce any visual or noise impacts from Oxford Street. The applicant has also

Agenda Item #

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id 2-6573

L. Pompilii

planned increased buffering in terms of fencings and landscaping along the westerly boundary of the site between 65 and 67 Palmer Street. These measure can all be implemented through the Site Plan Approval process which will be required as part of this parking area expansion.

The expansion of the proposed parking area has been evaluated against the policies of the Official Plan and is considered to be in keeping with the intent of those policies.

Neighbourhood Responses

Residents responding to the notice of application were both opposed to the proposed change and in support of the proposed change, recognizing a need for more parking within this area.

Residents are concerned that the proposed demolition and creation of a commercial parking lot will have a negative impact on the residential streetscape of Palmer Street. There is also concern raised about a direct loss of otherwise affordable housing from this area. There is concern that this change will directly increase congestion and traffic on the existing dead-end, in direct proportion to the number of parking spaces to be created, particularly exiting onto Wharncliffe. There is also concern that the loss of these homes and extension of the parking lot will significantly decrease surrounding property values.

Area residents have raised concerns over the traffic / congestion problems in the area, especially along Palmer Street. Area residents expressed concern that the existing MedicaVDental Building at 240 Wharncliffe Road North generates significant amounts of the parking / traffic / congestion problems in the area.

Many of these issues are related to site plan matters and can be addressed at that time. No new access points to/from Palmer Street are proposed as a result of this application

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2-6573 L. Pompilii

The proposed expansion of the parking area has been evaluated against the policies of the Official Plan and is considered to be consistent with the intent of those policies. Application of the Restricted Office (R01) Zone and the consolidation of the subject sitb with the abutting lands to the east at 240 Wharncliffe Road North, will ensure development occurs in conformity with the policies of the Official Plan. The replacement of residential uses with office uses including surface parking would result in a long term reduction in risk to life from flooding afid would be in keeping with the intent of the interim policy of the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority. The additional 29 parking spaces should improve the traffic congestion, flow and movement in this area. This intersection is occupied by land uses that have a high demand for surface parking. A solution to address this issue is to allow for minor planned expansion into the surrounding area that is sensitive to the amenities of abutting residential uses in the area.

January 29,2004

"Attach" LP/Ip

Z-6573.PCrepo1-t

4

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2-6573 L. Pompilii

Responses to Public Liaison Letter and Publication in “Living in the City”

Telephone Written

Ken Wise - 60 Palmer

E-mail sent C/O Sandy Levin

John Murkin & Sandy Adams - 69 Palmer

Dr. William R. Pellow - 232 Wharncliffe N.

Willem Goudsbloem - 7 Blackthorne Cres

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CITY OF LONDON ZONING BY-LAW BY-LAW NO. Z.-I- '* AMENDMENT

Schedule "A" to By-law No. 2.4 is amended by changing the zoning applicable to lands located at 63 and 65 Palmer Street, as shown on the map below comprising part of Key Map No. 60, from a Residential R2 (R2-2) Zone to a Restricted Office (ROI) Zone.

AMENDMENT TO SCHEDULE 1 ~ 1

File Number: 2-6573

Planner: LP

Date Prepared: 2004/01/19

Technician: FG 100 ' ' 0 100 Meters

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