Item EY21.49 regarding Mimico 20/20 was adopted by Etobicoke York Community Council on Jan. 22, 2013

Item EY21.49 regarding Mimico 20/20 can be found here. [To read the item in its original format, click on link in previous sentence.]

The text [I’ve broken some longer text blocks into shorter paragraphs] reads as follows:

Tracking Status

This item was considered by the Etobicoke York Community Council on January 22, 2013 and adopted without amendment. It will be considered by City Council on February 20, 2013.

Etobicoke York Community Council consideration on January 22, 2013
ACTION: Adopted
Ward:6

Request for Review of Mimico 20/20 Reports

Community Council Recommendations

Etobicoke York Community Council recommends that:

1.         City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in conjunction with the Deputy City Manager, the Director, Community Planning, Etobicoke York District, and the local Councillor, to incorporate in the staff report on theMimico 20/20 initiative, commentary on the following issues to incent revitalization in the Mimico area, including their inclusion in the draft Secondary Plan:

1.         Development of mechanisms required to implement the plan including the designation of a Mimico revitalization zone, a Mimico Community Improvement Plan and the application of policies specific and unique to the area including those related to the provision of rental housing.

2.         Development of realistic site specific policies for the development of key sites that must deal with a variety of encumbrances on properties while meeting the public objectives of the process within a realistic budget.

3.         Additional topics also include, for example:

a.         tax incentives

b.         waiving development fees

c.         provision of grants

d.         acquisition of lands

e.         Section 37 dedications.

These items will comprise part of the report requested, allowing the plan to achieve timely revitalization.

2.         City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to report to the Etobicoke York Community Council on the next phase of community consultation.
(January 22, 2013) Letter from Councillor Mark Grimes, Ward 6, Etobicoke-Lakeshore

Summary

The Mimico 20/20 process has been ongoing for six years in Etobicoke Lakeshore. The original intent and agreement with local stakeholders was to create a perfect vision for revitalization of the rundown apartment and commercial strip along Lake Shore Blvd West in Mimico by the Lake area.

The apartments, primarily built in the 1950’s are a poor use of the land. They are built in long narrow unattractive corridors, blocking any access to the lake. Current restrictions and bylaws have created a situation where investors are unwillingly to invest in the community and rebuild or improve the housing.

The intent of the Mimico 20/20 was to create a vision of a revitalized community that would meet the needs of the existing residents while encouraging investment in the area, and improve the community overall.

During the community outreach process Residents in the community and neighbouring areas have expressed  a preference for continuing the linear waterfront park, on land currently encumbered by buildings on some sites, protecting the heritage buildings in the area, and that rental units be replaced in the area or adjacent communities on a one to one basis.

Each site along the waterfront has some or all of these encumbrances that must be taken into account before redevelopment can take place to revitalize the individual lots.

The decision now invoked by City Staff to create a secondary plan for the area and establish consistent patterns of buildings, heights and densities does not provide sufficient flexibility to encourage investments in properties that need to deal with all of the restrictions, heritage, waterfront and rental, in one application.

The proposed secondary plan therefore does not achieve the goal of community improvement and/or the public objectives as it does not encourage investment in the community or revitalization of the neighbourhood.

Background Information [Letter from Ward 6 Councillor Mark Grimes]

(January 22, 2013) Letter from Councillor Mark Grimes regarding the Mimico 20/20 process:

(http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2013/ey/bgrd/backgroundfile-55428.pdf)