Massive development could be coming to Hwy. 48 and Hoover Park in Stouffville

Yokregion.com
March 27, 2019
Simon Martin

The northeast corner lot of Hwy. 48 and Hoover Park in Stouffville has sat vacant for the better part of 20 years but that could be changing.

Whitchurch-Stouffville council was excited about a plan that would see the 66.7 acres that is currently zoned employment lands to mixed use. The Zhawd corporation has submitted an employment land conversion to the Region of York for the parcel of land.

The company is proposing a mixed-use development with employment, commercial, institutional, and residential uses.

Mayor Iain Lovatt said he is “very excited” about the proposal. Ward 4 Councillor Rick Upton said the proposal would help breathe life into the area that has had relatively little activity the last 20 years.

“I am quite excited about this and so happy this is coming to life,” he said.

The lone member of council to express some concern with the proposal was Ward 6 Coun. Sue Sherban. She expressed her doubts that the land conversion would bring anything more than residential units to the town for land that is currently supposed to be for commercial development.

“I’m not living in a fantasy world. We are not Markham. We are not Newmarket,” she said, adding the proposal was something that would lean toward a bigger city centre. “We have been doing a number of these one-offs and we have lost good commercial space.”

In the concept plan presented to council, the developer has estimated the developable area to be approximately 45 acres. According to the staff report, the area has been designated “Employment Area” in the town's Official Plan for more than 20 years, and failed to attract the intended developments.

The developer is proposing a mixed-use development with employment, commercial, institutional, and residential uses. Specific uses being contemplated include a marketplace, library (not municipally owned), office, hotel and conference centre, school/residence, agricultural centre, live/work townhouse units and apartment units. The developer has indicated that the proposal will generate approximately 1,940 jobs and accommodate 2,929 residents.

Based on the developer’s analysis, if the lands were to develop under the current planning permissions, approximately 625 jobs could be created.

While the proposal sounds good on paper, Sherban noted that there were no current agreements in place to bring tenants to the property. The developer's proposal allows for 1,050 to 1,680 apartment units and 116 to 191 townhouse units.

Lovatt voiced his excitement for the potential of post-secondary institution coming to the property. He was also pleased that proposal would help address the lack of office space in Whitchurch-Stouffville.

The developer told council the town currently has an office vacancy rate of less than 1 per cent. Lovatt said more office space could help improve the work/life balance of many people in town. He noted that 80 per cent of the town’s residents currently work outside the town.

York Region will hear the conversion request later this year. If approved, further planning applications and approvals including an official plan amendment and zoning bylaw amendment would be required at the local level.