Special order allows 40-storey towers on former Richmond Hill employment lands

Ontario government grants minister's zoning order for lands at Major MacKenzie Drive and Hwy. 404

Yorkregion.com
Dec. 10, 2020
Sheila Wang

Richmond Hill got the green light to fast-track residential developments up to 40 storeys on former employment lands at Major MacKenzie and Highway 404.

On Dec. 2, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing granted a minister’s zoning order (MZO) for the lands at the request of Richmond Hill for a proposal put forward by Treasure Hill Homes on behalf of the landowner Rice Commercial Group.

The proposal would turn a 29-hectare lot at the southwest corner of Major MacKenzie Drive and Highway 404 from lands designated employment uses into a mostly residential neighbourhood except a parcel reserved for a long-term-care facility.

The zoning order marks out almost half of the lands toward the intersection of Major MacKenzie and Highway 404 to allow a variety of high-density built forms such as apartment buildings, stacked townhouses and retirement residences -- with a maximum height of 40 storeys.

The remaining two parts of the lands are designated for lower density residential developments up to four storeys and for environmental protection respectively, according to the order.

“It’s bad planning,” Coun. David West said. “I can’t foresee 40-storey towers up and down MacKenzie all the way to Yonge Street. Why would you build a major residential subdivision in the middle of what is but also should be more commercial and industrial?”

West and Karen Cilevitz were the only two council members who voted against the motion put forward by regional Coun. Carmine Perrelli, which requested the special order to quicken the conversion of the lands on Oct. 28.

An MZO is a tool that can be used -- sparingly in the past -- to overrule local planning such as public consultations and dictates how lands can be used.

Once issued, it cannot be appealed.

Billed as an “economic development opportunity,” Perrelli’s request for the MZO underlined the need for long-term-care facilities and job creation in Richmond Hill.

The developer proposed to dedicate a 1.6-hectare parcel -- about six per cent of the lands -- to Mon Sheong Foundation to operate a high-density long-term-care complex, which is expected to create about 400 jobs.

Townhouse developments are planned on the east side of Vogell Road and single-family developments on the west side, according to the preliminary concept plan presented to council.

Information, such as density and height, is not provided in the plan at the moment.

Coun. Karen Cilevitz and West both supported the long-term-care facility component, but questioned the idea of seeking the special zoning order instead of going through the regular planning process.

Calling it “undemocratic,” Cilevitz reiterated her opposition to the special order in a public statement on Dec. 3, saying “at the very least they obfuscate full, accountable, responsible public consultation to which as a public entity we are beholden.”

At the Oct. 28 meeting, West suggested that the proposal should go through the normal process to allow a full analysis.

Perrelli responded a special order was the “only way” to get the project on the Rice Group lands done fast.

The regional councillor received thousands of dollars from individuals from Treasure Hill Homes and Rice Group in his 2018 municipal election campaign, records show. His fellow council members Joe DiPaola, Tom Muench and Mayor Dave Barrow also disclosed contributions from one of or both developers.

Rice Group has appealed for years for permission to use the lands for major retail and commercial use, which was eventually granted by Ontario Municipal Board (OMB, now LPAT) in 2017. But there has been no development activity since.

Last year, the developer asked to convert the lands to mixed-use with a site plan which would use one third of the property for residential development.

The proposal then morphed into the new concept plan a year later -- which saw commercial use significantly reduced -- and won the support from council to expedite the conversion process through the special order.

This is not the first MZO that this council has requested.

Earlier this May, Perrelli moved to request a special order to rezone protected land near Gormley GO station to allow for industrial uses, which was declined as the province said they “will not consider” any requests for development within the Greenbelt.

The Liberal reached out for comment to Mayor Dave Barrow, who was unable to respond within the deadline.