Supporting Employers in the Tapscott Employment Area (Middlefield Road) - by Councillor Jamaal Myers, seconded by Councillor Chris Moise

This employer wishes to create a third shift. If they are unable to due ongoing complaints they may need to move their operations and jobs to Ohio. The nearby Tapscott rail yards (a federally regulated land use, which is not subject noise standards) generate much more noise than the operating industries. According to the NPC-300 Guidelines from the Province, a Class 4 area can only be designated by the land use planning authority and has sound level limits that are 10 decibels less stringent than limits applicable to a Class 1 area. Class 4 areas apply to residential areas abutting Employment Lands. In order to support ongoing employment within the Tapscott Employment Area, this motion recommends that City Council identify the area in Map 1 as a "Class 4" related to Noise levels, pursuant to the Province's noise guidelines (NPC-300), and requests Economic Development staff to conduct outreach with abutting industries about their responsibilities of being "good neighbours" to the nearby residential communities. This motion was prepared with the support of staff; Planning and Economic Development prepared the Motion and Map below for Councillor Myers. Based on a review of recent conducted noise studies in the area, including an active site plan application at 80 Scottfield, they have recommended a Class 4 designation for the lands under NPC 300 Guidelines. Staff are satisfied with the engineering analysis that a Class 4 designation for the nearby lands can be identified for the nearby lands. Please note that this motion is an emergency because without the ability to run a third shift at night (which the Class 4 noise exemption would help to enable) there is a strong possibility that Surati will make future investments and expansion decisions in its Ohio plant rather than in Toronto.

2. City Council request the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, in consultation with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to conduct outreach with the affected businesses abutting the Class 4 area to discuss the impact of the Class 4 designation with respect to land use compatibility between Employment Areas and nearby noise sensitive land uses.