Notice of Adoption - OPA 50

NOTICE OF THE ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT NO. 50 TO THE RICHMOND HILL OFFICIAL PLAN 
PURSUANT TO THE PLANNING ACT

TAKE NOTICE THAT the Council of The Corporation of the City of Richmond Hill adopted Amendment No. 50 to the Richmond Hill Official Plan on the 8th day of May, 2024 through the enactment of By-law 60-24 and in accordance with Sections 17 and 21 of the Planning Act, as amended. 

AND TAKE NOTICE that an appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal in respect of this Amendment may be made by filing a written notice of appeal with the City Clerk of The Corporation of the City of Richmond Hill, no later than 4:30 p.m. on June 6, 2024. A Notice of Appeal will set out the reasons for the appeal and the specific part of the proposed official plan or plan amendment to which the appeal applies. A Notice of Appeal will be accompanied by a certified cheque or money order in the amount of $1,100.00, payable to the Minister of Finance and be accompanied by the processing fee prescribed under the Tariff of Fees By-law in the amount of $341.00 payable to the City of Richmond Hill. Certified cheques are not required when the cheque is from a law firm.

Council in making its decision on these matters took into consideration all written and oral comments received on the applications.

An explanation of the purpose and effect of the Amendment describing the lands to which the Amendment to the Richmond Hill Official Plan applies is attached.  A complete copy of Amendment No. 50 to the Richmond Hill Official Plan, including all background materials, is available by contacting Jeff Healey, Senior Planner - Development, phone number 905-747-6452 or by e-mail at jeff.healey@richmondhill.ca.

The proposed Official Plan Amendment No. 50 is exempt from approval by The Regional Municipality of York. The decision of the Council of The Corporation of the City of Richmond Hill is final if a Notice of Appeal is not received on or before the last day for filing a Notice of Appeal.

Dated at the City of Richmond Hill this 17th day of May, 2024

Stephen M.A. Huycke, City Clerk
The Corporation of the City of Richmond Hill
225 East Beaver Creek Road
Richmond Hill ON  L4B 3P4
Phone: 905-771-8800
Fax:   905-771-2502
E-mail:  clerks@richmondhill.ca

Who Can File an Appeal: Only individuals, corporations and public bodies may appeal a decision of the municipality to the Ontario Land Tribunal. A notice of appeal may not be filed by an unincorporated association or group.  However, a notice of appeal may be filed in the name of an individual who is a member of the association or the group on its behalf.

No person or public body shall be added as a party to the hearing of the appeal unless, before the plan was passed, the person or public body made oral submissions at a public meeting or written submissions to the council or, in the opinion of the Ontario Land Tribunal, there are reasonable grounds to add the person or public body as a party.

Part One – The Preamble

1.1       Purpose

            The purpose of this Amendment to the Official Plan is to amend the provisions of the City of Richmond Hill Official Plan 2010, as amended, to facilitate the development of a 28-storey mixed-use residential building with at grade-related commercial space fronting onto Yonge Street and a 19-storey residential building fronting onto the proposed Addison Street extension within the existing Regional Mixed-Use Corridor land use designation, as described below.

1.2       Location

The Lands subject to this Amendment (herein referred to as the 'Subject Lands'). The Subject Lands are located at the southwest corner of Yonge Street and May Avenue and are municipally known as 9700 Yonge Street, City of Richmond Hill, Region of York. The Subject Lands are legally identified as: Part of Lots 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15, Registered Plan 1923.

1.3       Basis

The proposed Amendment is considered by Council to be appropriate for the following reasons:           

The decision to amend the Official Plan in accordance with the provisions below and contained in Section 2.1.2 is based on the following considerations:

1. The proposal contemplated a pedestrian-oriented, transit-supportive 28-storey development within a Regional Mixed-Use Corridor designation which is well served by existing frequent and higher order transit along Yonge Street;
2. The amendment is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (2020), which requires that municipalities plan for and accommodate intensification and redevelopment within existing settlement areas to create more sustainable communities and to use land and infrastructure more efficiently;
3. The amendment conforms to A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2019), which supports the achievement of complete communities that feature a diverse integration of existing and proposed land uses and convenient access to local stores, services and public service facilities;
4. The amendment conforms to the York Region Official Plan (2022), as amended, which designates the Subject Lands "Community Area" and encourages intensification and redevelopment within the Urban Area boundary;
5. The proposal substantially conforms with and implements many of the strategic policy directions articulated in the Richmond Hill Official Plan, 2010, as amended;
6. The use of the Subject Lands for primarily residential purposes, at the heights and densities proposed, will contribute to the housing choice in the area of the City and contribute towards Provincial, Regional and City population growth and intensification targets;
7. The Subject Lands are in a location that can support an increased level of intensification that is appropriate;
8. The proposal will contribute to the ongoing reinvestment along the Yonge Street corridor and will make efficient use of existing and municipal and regional infrastructure;
9. The proposed development provides infill development on an underutilized parcel, where municipal services exist minimizing land consumption and servicing costs;
10. The existing and available servicing capacities within the vicinity of the Subject Lands can adequately service the proposal;
11. The subject lands are well served by existing and frequent transit;
12. The proposal is pedestrian-oriented and will contribute to additional transit ridership, supporting the higher order transit service along the Yonge Street Corridor;
13. The adjacent roadway system can accommodate the proposed development with no adverse impact on the traffic patterns and flow; and,
14. The proposed development has been designed to achieve many of the City's urban design principles including locating the mid rise building away from the low-­rise residential community and meeting the separation guidelines.