53 Strachan Avenue (805A Wellington Street West and 805 Wellington Street West) - City Initiated Official and Zoning By-law Amendments - by Councillor Joe Cressy, seconded by Councillor Mike Layton

The larger, western portion of the site, known as 805A Wellington Street West, is currently occupied by Strachan House, an 83-bed shelter providing short and long-term housing and its associated surface parking area. The smaller, eastern portion of the site, known as 805 Wellington Street West, currently contains a one-storey structure known as the Maple Green Inc building, constructed in 1901 and a number of community-run allotment gardens. The proposal would maintain the existing Strachan House building and redevelop the Maple Green Inc, building with a supportive housing building. In 2014, City Council adopted the recommendation to re-designate the eastern portion of the site (805 Wellington Street West) from 'Regeneration Areas' to 'Parks and Open Space Areas' and to amend the Zoning By-law to "G" Park, as a result of the South Niagara Planning Study. This re-designation was based on the expectation that Parks, Forestry and Recreation would explore the adaptive re-use of the existing one-storey Maple Green Inc. building and that the lands would possibly be required to accommodate the landing of the Fort York Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge. The 805A Wellington Street West portion of the site was re-designated as 'Mixed Use Areas' to accommodate the existing shelter use. The current proposal to re-develop the site for supportive housing presents a unique situation in which the re-use of the building at 805 Wellington Street West would complement the shelter use currently provided at 805A Wellington Street West through Homes First. This area is in a state of transition from historically being used for industrial purposes to introducing residential, commercial, office and parkland uses. Parks in the area have expanded beyond what was anticipated through the 2014 South Niagara Study to now include parks adjacent to the site as well as in the area including: the Stanley Park South extension at 801 Wellington Street West (9,430 m2); the City Works Yard at 701 Wellington Street West (7,900 m2); the open space adjacent to the Wellington Destructor (1,700 m2); and a future new park at 28 Bathurst Street (9,550 m2). Additionally, the redevelopment proposal at the former Quality Meats site at 2 Tecumseth Street will result in an on-site parkland dedication of 1,800 m2. Parks, Forestry and Recreation staff have confirmed that they do not intend to pursue the re-use of the Maple Green Inc. building or require the land for construction of the pedestrian bridge, as the bridge has been accommodated for at the eastern edge of the Stanley Park South extension, which has already been developed to base-park condition (future park improvements are planned for 2021 and beyond). As such, City Planning staff, in consultation with staff from Parks Forestry and Recreation, support further amendments to the Official Plan and the Zoning By-law as may be necessary to portions of the site 805 Wellington Street West, in order to permit the proposed supportive housing use. The exact portion of the site to be utilized by the supportive housing development will be determined through the development approval process. Any redevelopment of the subject site would be required to be undertaken in accordance with provincial policies and meet the objectives of the City's planning framework, which includes the appropriate interface of the development proposal with the adjacent park to the east. These lands to the east, at 801 Wellington Street West, serve as a southern extension to Stanley Park and the north landing to Garrison Crossing Bridge and will continue to be designated Parks and Open Space. The re-designation of the Maple Green Building and limited land to its east will not affect the utility of the adjacent parkland. There are also a number of community run allotment gardens on the site which have been in place for a number of years. The proponent would be required to work with the community organization on how to best facilitate this use as part of the development. Additionally, in 2014, City Planning was directed by City Council to report on the potential Heritage Designation of certain properties within the South Niagara Planning Study area, which includes the subject site. While the site is currently not listed on the City's Heritage Register or Designated under the Heritage Act, Heritage Planning staff will participate in the review and comment on any preliminary plans for the subject site. To develop a proposal for this site, the proponent, Homes First, requires funding through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Given the urgent need for affordable housing in the City, the proponent intends to begin this work as soon as possible, thereby the City initiated application must be submitted as soon as possible. In the opinion of staff, this proposal presents an opportunity to advance the City's objectives to provide a range of affordable housing options, better utilize existing City buildings and lands for the delivery of City Services, improve the public realm and support new development that fits within the context of the area. Any portion of the site not utilized for the development proposal will remain as Parks and Open Space.

as they apply to City-owned lands at 805 Wellington Street West or in part, dependant on the review of the proposal, to permit the development of a new supportive housing facility; the lands not required for the proposal as reviewed by City Planning and Parks, Forestry and Recreation will remain in their current Official Plan designation; for a report with recommendations by the third quarter of 2021. 2. City Council request, as part of the City-initiated Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendment process in Recommendation 1 above, that the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, in conjunction with General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and any other necessary City Officials, develop and implement a consultation plan for the proposed supportive housing use. 3. City Council request that through the City-initiated Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendment process, the proponent work with the community to accommodate the community run allotment gardens within the development.