Corporate Report. Recommendation That Council receive the recommendations of the 101 South Drive Property Task Force. FORTHWITH

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1 Corporate Report Report from Legal and Clerks Services, Office of the City Clerk Date of Report: September 15, 2016 Date of Meeting: September 26, 2016 Report Number: LCS File: Subject: 101 South Drive Property Task Force Report and Recommendations Recommendation That Council receive the recommendations of the 101 South Drive Property Task Force. FORTHWITH Background On April 18, 2016, Council approved the final terms of reference for the 101 South Drive Property Task Force committee. The terms of reference that were adopted by Council are as follows: This task force will work with all community stakeholders, including the City of St. Catharines, residents, the District School Board of Niagara and the Old Glenridge Community Association to explore all options for the site and then to make recommendations to City Council for the future use of 101 South Drive (the old Glen Ridge School Property). The task force will be disbanded once a report is prepared and presented to Council on the possible uses/considerations for the property 101 South Drive (the old Glen Ridge School). Report Attached as Appendix 1 to this report is the Task Force s Report and Recommendations entitled 101 South Drive (site of Glen Ridge PS) Property Task Force Progress Report and Recommendations to Council. At this time, the original terms of reference of the Task Force are complete. It is noted that the Task Force report recommends that the Task Force should continue to meet with a new mandate to make recommendations on the development of the severed parcel. This mandate assumes a series of actions and decisions that have not yet occurred and for which the timeline and outcome is currently unknown. Report Page 1 of 2

2 Should Council wish to authorize this Task Force to continue with new terms of reference, Council should instruct staff as to what that mandate should include. A staff report with new terms of reference for approval would be prepared for the next meeting of Council. In the alternative, Council can wait until the District School Board of Niagara declares the property surplus and Council decides if it will make a proposal to acquire the property before determining how to consult further with the community regarding a City led redevelopment of the property. Financial Implications Not applicable. Relationship to Strategic Plan The contents of the work of this Task Force correlate to the following goal as set out in the City s Strategic Plan within the Social Sustainability Pillar s goals. GOAL: 5. Connect people, places and neighbourhoods. Actions: 5.1 To be a city that embraces connectivity between people, places and neighbourhoods. 5.2 Establish a complete neighbourhoods matrix to ensure that redevelopment of properties enhance the livability of neighbourhoods. Notification It is in order to notify the members of the 101 South Drive Property Task Force. Prepared by: Bonnie Nistico-Dunk City Clerk Submitted and Approved by: Nicole Auty Director of Legal and Clerks Services/City Solicitor Report Page 2 of 2

3 Report from 101 South Drive Property Task Force Date of Report: September 13, 2016 Date of Meeting: September 13, Subject: 101 South Drive (site of Glen Ridge PS) Property Task Force Progress Report and Recommendations to Council Recommendation That Council endorse the Task Force recommendations and direct the appropriate staff to implement the recommendation regarding the purchase, retention of the neighbourhood park and playground and subsequent disposition and development of the non park portion of the Glen Ridge Public School site at 101 South Drive, City of St. Catharines, as follows: 1. That Council recognize the historical role that the Glen Ridge School playground has played in providing neighbourhood park space to the community and that without the playground the community is deficient in terms of practical access to a neighbourhood park within a walkable proximity; 2. That the establishment of a neighbourhood park for the Glenridge neighbourhood be a parkland acquisition priority; 3. That Council approve the staff recommendation with respect to 101 South Drive to designate under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act; 4. That staff be directed to prepare a request for proposals to solicit interest in the purchase of the balance of the Glen Ridge School lands that will not be required by the City for use as a neighbourhood park, including the former school building. 5. That staff be directed to pursue the purchase of the Glen Ridge School property from the District School Board of Niagara (DSBN) at such time as the School Board declares the property as surplus. 6. That staff be directed to prepare urban design standards for the lands, which will seek to ensure that new development is compatible and reflective of the design and character of the neighbourhood. These design standards are to be included in the request for proposals. 7. That staff be directed to work with the Task Force to consult with and make recommendations on the development of the severed parcel. FORTHWITH 1

4 Summary The 101 South Drive Property Task Force has developed recommendations for Council s consideration regarding the future use of the former school property. The Task Force is recommending that the City purchase the property from the District School Board on Niagara and establish a neighbourhood park on a portion of the site and resell the balance of the lands for development purposes in an effort to reduce the cost as much as possible of the neighbourhood parkland to the City. Background At the Council meeting of February 22, 2016, Council passed the following motion: That Council authorize two members of senior staff to take part in a task force on the future use of Glen Ridge School, and that this task force be comprised of the ward councilors, two senior staff, two members of the Old Glenridge Community Association, and two members of the District School Board of Niagara; and That the Terms of Reference be to explore all options and report back to Council on all possible uses of the site. FORTHWITH In their meeting of February 23 rd, of 2016, Trustees of the District School Board of Niagara voted to close Glen Ridge Public School, located at 101 South Drive. The School Board has not yet declared the property surplus. The neighbourhood has reluctantly accepted the decision of DSBN to close Glen Ridge School. However, the neighbourhood residents have recognized that the schoolyard, which has existed since the school s construction in 1928/29, has met the needs of the neighbourhood as the local neighbourhood park. For the last 97 years the various school boards and most recently DSBN has been fulfilling the City s responsibility to provide a neighbourhood park for the Glenridge neighbourhood. At the General Committee meeting of March 21, 2016, Council approved the Terms of Reference for the 101 South Drive Property Task Force, which included the following Statement of Purpose: This task force will work with all community stakeholders, including the City of St. Catharines, residents, the District School Board of Niagara and the Old Glenridge Community Association to explore all options for the site and then to make recommendations to City Council for the future use of Glen Ridge School. The Task Force has met six times. Representatives from the District School Board of Niagara attended some meetings as a resource but declined full voting 2

5 membership on the Task Force. Two additional members of the Old Glenridge Community Association a neighbourhood committee, consisting of residents from the Glenridge neighbourhood and surrounding community were added as voting members of the Task Force. The final Task Force composition includes the two ward councilors and four members of the OGCA, with staff support. The Old Glenridge Community Association (OGCA), a committee of neighbourhood residents, have proposed to Council a model that could potentially be used in other neighbourhoods should a similar need arise. Residents have been working with Council and City staff to find a realistic solution that meets a demonstrated need. We have first confirmed in reviewing City policy documents, (the Garden City Plan, the Parks Policy Plan and the Recreation Facility & Programming Master Plan), and during a site visit with City staff examined the situation on the ground, confirming there is no neighbourhood park within practical walking distance of the neighbourhood. We have recognized that a small playing field and playground area rather than the total schoolyard, could potentially meet the neighbourhood park needs. We also recognize the development potential for the balance of the site that if developed appropriately could provide homes that could be a wonderful addition to our neighbourhood and the land sale offset, or at least significantly reduce the cost to the City of purchasing the park. It was an OGCA request to work with Council and City staff to develop a practical solution and process to the removal of a neighbourhood park through DSBN s closing of the school. Report In the Terms of Reference for the 101 South Drive Property Task Force the Statement of Purpose reads that the task force will work with all community stakeholders, including the City of St. Catharines, residents, the District School Board of Niagara and the Old Glenridge Community Association to explore all options for the site and then to make recommendations to City Council for the future use of Glen Ridge School. The Task Force has met six times between April 21 st and August 29 th of Staff resources from various City departments have assisted the Task Force by providing information on matters such as land use planning policies, parks planning policies, heritage designations, development alternatives and land procurement procedures. City staff were not voting members of the Task Force. The Task Force has come to an agreement on a recommended course of action for Council to consider. At their meeting of August 8, 2016, the Task Force passed the following motion: That staff be requested to prepare a draft Council report for the appropriate recommendation to Council regarding the purchase and development of the property that meets the objectives of the Task Force. 3

6 These objectives include the creation of a neighbourhood park and playground, comprising of a minimum of one third of the site, and appropriate private sector development for the balance of the lands in keeping with the design, density and character of the neighbourhood. The report is to be circulated in advance of the next meeting on August 29 th. As requested a draft Task Force Report was received on August 29. th The Task force was pleased with the initial draft prepared by staff. The draft report has been reviewed and revised by Task Force members and approved at the Task Force Meeting of September 13, 2016 for submission to Council. This report, its recommendations and Appendix 1 are submitted for Council s consideration. It is understood that the District School Board of Niagara has not yet declared the former Glen Ridge School property as surplus. If the property is declared surplus, the City will have an opportunity to submit an offer on the site as a priority public agency before the lands can be offered for sale publicly. Conclusion The recommendations of Task Force request Council to replace the existing school playground which has served the community as a neighbourhood park for 97 years by using a portion of the school site to establish a new neighbourhood park for the Glenridge Community. To acquire these parklands the City would purchase the entire property from the DSBN. The Task Force recommends that the City could then resell the balance of the lands, not used for parkland, for appropriate private sector redevelopment in order to offset the net cost of establishing the park. The Task Force recommends that the City issue a request for proposals at an appropriate time to identify a purchaser for the remnant lands. 4

7 APPENDIX 1 Findings and Recommendations of 101 South Drive Property Task Force 1.0 Key Findings of the Task Force 1. Parkland Need: The Glen Ridge School grounds serve as the practical neighbourhood park for the Glenridge community. If the school is property is redeveloped, the neighbourhood with be left without useful and accessible public open space. While Burgoyne Woods Park is located adjacent to Glenridge, this park serves as a City and regional park, accessible mainly by car, and is not within walkable proximity to most homes within the neighbourhood. Burgoyne Woods Park does not effectively serve as a neighbourhood park for Glenridge. The Official Plan, the Parks Policy Plan and the most recently completed Recreation Facility & Programming Master Plan, these documents recognize the City wide and Regional role of Burgoyne Woods. However, these policy documents were prepared at such a high level that they did not consider the difficulty of residents to walk to Burgoyne Woods. As a result, from a practical perspective, the Burgoyne Woods cannot serve as a neighbourhood park to Old Glenridge because of its difficulty in accessing by foot. Nor does Burgoyne Woods meet the policy requirements of the Official Plan and Parks Policy Plan as a neighbourhood park serving the Glenridge neighbourhood...the detailed assessment undertaken as a result of the closing of Glenridge School has clearly illustrated the error of the assumptions made in these policy documents. If parks standards were applied as per the Parks Policy Plan a neighbourhood park of a maximum of 3 hectares or 7 acres would be requested. If Glen Ridge School Playground is not available to the neighbourhood as a playground the Old Glenridge Neighbourhood, like the balance of the south end that depends on school playground to meet neighbourhood park needs, will be devoid of neighbourhood parkland. 2. School Building: The existing Glen Ridge School building is an important and attractive neighbourhood asset. The building should be retained and repurposed as part of any redevelopment scenario for the lands, particularly the original sections of the building. The Task Force are aware of the heritage attributes and that a heritage designation for the property with the original school building and the 1949 addition is being identified by the St. Catharines Heritage Committee as is being worthy of designation under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act. 3. Land Sale: The Glen Ridge School property has not yet been declared surplus by the District School Board of Niagara. Once the property is declared surplus, the School Board must follow a disposal process (Ministry of Education 5

8 Regulation 444/98) which provides first opportunity to a specific list of preferred public agencies. The City of is included on this list and ranks ninth in priority. The School Board s objective will be to obtain fair market value for the property in as is condition. If the property is not sold to one of the preferred public agencies, the property would then be sold on the open market. 4. Development Potential: The City s Zoning By-law (By-law ) zones the property as Local Neighbourhood Institutional, Special Provision 122 (I1-122). This zoning classification permits a range of educational, cultural and recreational uses, as well as low density residential development. Apartment dwelling units are presently not permitted. If the property were sold to a residential developer and the existing building removed, the Zoning By-law would allow for the construction of between 20 to 32 dwelling units. If the school building is retained and reused, approximately one third of the site would not be developable for new construction. Conversion of the school building to apartments would require planning policy amendments to permit the use. This is a public process. 5. Potential Role of City: If Council were to acknowledge the need for a neighbourhood park on a portion of the property, the City can use its preferred agency status to acquire the site from the School Board before the property reaches the open market. The City is not a developer and would not have an interest in retaining ownership of the school building or the balance of the lands that will not form part of a park. The City would need to have a committed purchaser for these lands. Depending on the terms of this remnant land sale, the net cost of the parkland acquisition may be reduced by the City. 2.0 Future Use Objectives The Task Force identified a set of key objectives for the preferred future use of the Glen Ridge School property, as follows: 1. That a neighbourhood park, including playground, be established on the property and that this park be sized to occupy at least one third of the site (3,000 sq.m, 0.75 acres). 2. That the existing school building, particularly the original structure, be retained on site for use by a community institution or repurposed for an alternative use which may include residential adaptive reuse. 3. That private sector residential development on the balance of the lands be in keeping with the design, density and character of the established surrounding neighbourhood. 3.0 Recommendations 6

9 The Task Force recommends that Council take to following actions in order to realize the future use objectives for the Glen Ridge School property: 1. Council recognize the historical role that the Glen Ridge School playground has played in providing neighbourhood park space to the community and that without the playground the community is deficient in terms of practical access to a neighbourhood park within a walkable proximity; 2. That the establishment of a neighbourhood park for the Glenridge neighbourhood be a parkland acquisition priority; 3. That Council approve the staff recommendation with respect to 101 South Drive to designate under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act; 4. That staff be directed to prepare a request for proposals to solicit interest in the purchase of the balance of the Glen Ridge School lands that will not be required by the City for use as a neighbourhood park, including the former school building; 5. That Council direct staff to pursue the purchase of the Glen Ridge School property from the District School Board of Niagara at such time as the School Board declares the property as surplus; 6. That staff be directed to prepare urban design standards for the lands, which will seek to ensure that new development is compatible and reflective of the design and character of the neighbourhood. These design standards are to be included in the request for proposals. 7. That staff be directed to work with the Task Force to consult with and make recommendations on the development of the severed parcel. FORTHWITH 7

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