Township of King (Our King) Official Plan, 201

The Transit Station Area designation applies to certain lands in the vicinity of the King City GO Station as shown on Schedule D of this Plan. The Transit Station Area provides an opportunity to accommodate significant intensification which capitalizes on proximity to the King City GO Station, provided that development is compatible with adjacent low-rise residential areas.

This Plan recognizes that the delineation and establishment of policies regarding a Major Transit Station area, in conformity with the 2019 Growth Plan, are required to be implemented in the York Region Official Plan through its municipal comprehensive review, before the policies can be integrated into this Plan. In accordance with the 2019 Growth Plan, York Region is required to establish a Major Transit Station Area, which is defined by the 2019 Growth Plan to include lands including and around existing and planned higher order transit stations and stops and generally comprising lands within a 500 – 800 meter radius of the transit station. In the interim, this section identifies a policy framework to guide redevelopment and infill in the Transit Station Area designation, but these policies will need to be amended in the future to integrate direction from York Region. This may involve refinements to the extent of the Transit Station Area designation, the built form, density, height or land use permissions outlined in this section.

It is the objective of the Transit Station Area designation to:

1. Facilitate intensification including higher density residential uses including mixeduse buildings that appropriately capitalizes on the GO Station.

2.1. Prioritize residential development and provide for a limited amount of commercial and other uses.

3.2. Ensure that intensification is compatible with adjacent low-rise residential areas and is compatible with the rail line.

4.3. Facilitate pedestrian connectivity with the King City Village Core.

5.4. Ensure that development and redevelopment optimally utilizes land through lot consolidation.

It is the policy of Council that the following uses are permitted on lands designated Transit Station Area:

1. Mixed-use buildings;

2. Medium and higher density residential uses, including townhouses and apartment dwellings;

3. Live-work dwellings;

4. Commercial uses, including retail, restaurants, and services, but excluding drivethroughs and excluding new automotive service uses;

5. Offices;

6. Institutional uses such as clinics and health care facilities;

7. Parking structures;

8. Public uses, including parks, urban squares and community gardens;

9. Public parks and community gardens;

10.9. Rail infrastructure, transit facilities and associated parking facilities; and 11.10.Uses, buildings and structures that are accessory to the permitted uses above.

It is the policy of Council:

1. That the Transit Station Area is subject to the determination of density requirements, a review of delineation and other supportive policies through the York Region Official Plan Review, to implement the policies of Section 2.2.4 of the 2019 Growth Plan. Upon completion of York Region’s policy guidance for the Transit Station Area, the Township will amend this Plan to implement the required Major Transit Station Area and to update applicable density and other York Region requirements.

2. That residential uses and mixed-use buildings will be the primary land use. Commercial development shall only be permitted in the form of mixed-use developments, and stand-alone commercial uses shall not be permitted unless it is part of a mixed-use development.

3. That a Comprehensive Development Plan shall generally be required prior to consideration of an application for development within the Transit Station Area designation in accordance with Section 9.1.11 of this Plan and the policies of this section. The purpose of a Comprehensive Development Plan is to establish an overall tertiary plan for the Transit Station Area, which will serve to guide the Township’s review of individual development applications. The Township shall have discretion to not require the Comprehensive Development Plan where the Township does not consider it to be beneficial.

4. That the Comprehensive Development Plan and any development application will address the following specific criteria: l.a. Suitable setbacks and other measures to ensure compatibility with the rail line with respect to noise and vibration, and to ensure safety, including the requirement to prepare noise and vibration studies in accordance with Section 3.6. m.b. Development will thoughtfully integrate adjacent land uses and lots and will not result in the creation of remnant lots that are unable to redevelop suitably and feasibly for a mix of uses. To implement this criterion, the Township may implement a suitable minimum lot frontage requirement in the zoning by-law to require lot consolidation, or other measures as identified in the Comprehensive Development Plan. n.c. Development will integrate active transportation facilities including bicycle parking in accordance with the zoning by-law. o.d. Public squares/spaces will be considered within the overall concept plan. p.e. Development access from Keele Street will be shared and consolidated where possible and subject to Regional requirements. q.f. Consideration will be made to establish reduced minimum parking requirements in the zoning by-law to promote transit-oriented development. r.g. Coordination and consultation with the Province will occur to ensure the plans are aligned with and considerate of Provincial plans for any proposed improvements to transit service or infrastructure. s.h. Development will optimize pedestrian and cycling access and connectivity, in coordination with transit facilities, where possible.

5. To work with York Region to enhance streetscaping on Keele Street which will better integrate the Transit Station Area with the King City Village Core and with adjacent neighbourhoods and promote walking and cycling.

6. That the minimum height for new buildings shall be two functional storeys and the maximum height for new buildings is four storeys.

7. That greater building heights, not exceeding six storeys, may be permitted provided:

7.a. The building is located or tiered in height to minimize visual and shadowing impact on streets and public areas and does not negatively impact the small-scale village character;

7.b. The compatibility of the building with respect to adjacent low-rise residential areas and sensitive uses is addressed through the use of setbacks, buffers, angular plane requirements as well as the sensitive location of windows and balconies to minimize privacy impacts, as detailed in the implementing zoning by-law, detailed design guidelines, and through site plan control;

8.c. The development does not exceed a floor space index of approximately 2.5.

9.8. That any new retail, restaurant and service commercial uses shall only be permitted on the ground floor and within a mixed use development.

10.9. That no more than 15% of the gross floor area in the Transit Station Area designation is planned for nonresidential uses, exclusive of transit facilities.

11.10.That the maximum permitted gross floor area for any new single retail store or other commercial use permitted as part of any development is 300 square meters.

12.11.That office uses will be encouraged in the Transit Station Area.

13.12.That the determination of how residential and other non-residential development will be integrated is required and phasing options shall be considered, with these options potentially relating the amount of non-residential development permitted at any one time in each of the areas identified to the amount of residential development that has occurred within the same area.

14.13.That consideration may be given to permitting the development of non-residential uses that exceed the maximum gross floor area requirements of this section, provided a market impact study is completed to demonstrate that the uses will not have a negative impact on the King City Village Core. For clarity, it is not the intent of the study to assess the impacts of any proposal on the market share of an individual business or interfere with normal market competition.