Cachet Woods Ratepayers Association Inc. Appeal of Town of Markham Official Plan Amendment No.43
Issues:
- Redesignation of industrial land to permit residential development;
- Adequacy of the employment land supply; and
- Appropriate time horizon for the assessment of employment land supply and demand.
Synopsis:
In 1996, Markham Council adopted OPA 43 which provides for mixed use development in the Woodbine
North District. While lands adjacent to Highway 404 were retained for employment use, 173 acres of
employment land on the east side of the District were redesignated to permit residential uses. The Cachet
Woods Ratepayers Association appealed OPA 43 to the Ontario Municipal Board.
Clayton Research's Role:
Jeannette Gillezeau, Vice President responsible for our impact studies practice, was first
retained by the Woodbine North landowners to assess the potential economic implications of the
proposed plan for the District. When OPA 43 was appealed, the landowners' lawyer, Roslyn Houser
of Goodman Phillips & Vineberg, called on Ms. Gillezeau to update the earlier study to address
the issue raised by the ratepayers association - the sufficiency of Markham's industrial land supply.
The evidence Ms. Gillezeau gave concluded that:
- Since Markham's Official Plan requires all new development to incorporate a mix of
residential and employment uses at higher densities, the assessment of the Town's employment land
inventory should not be limited to traditional business parks and industrial districts;
- Markham's Official Plan is intended to designate sufficient land to accommodate employment
growth to 2011 and employment projections are included in the Official Plans of the Town and York
Region; and
- Employment capacity estimates for the Town's vacant employment lands demonstrate that
sufficient land is available to accommodate projected employment growth in Markham to 2011.
Results:
Mr. R. Owen and Mr. D. Granger of the Ontario Municipal Board panel which heard this case found
that more than sufficient employment land was available within Markham's existing urban boundary
to accommodate projected employment growth to 2011, including a reasonable reserve. The appeal
was dismissed and OPA 43 was approved.
OMB File No. 0970144
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