ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE MEEWASIN BOARD AS THEY CONSIDER AMENDMENTS TO THE MEEWASIN DEVELOPMENT PLAN

BACKGROUND

S2 Architects, on behalf of Lake Placid Group of Companies, have requested several amendments to the Meewasin South Downtown District Development Policy. A concurrent request has been sent to the City of Saskatoon to amend their DCD1 Guidelines and will be considered at a public hearing on June 23^rd.

Amendment #1 - Office Space Restriction

A restriction on office space was included in the Meewasin Development Plan - South Downtown District Development Policy as a way to ensure office land uses did not dominate the South Downtown (River Landing). A limit of 50,000 square feet per site was adopted into policy.

S² Architects have requested this restriction be amended to instead include a restriction on office space stated as a proportion rather than an absolute square footage.

Proposed Amendment

Amend the restriction on office space (currently limited to 50,000 sq ft per site) to permit up to 30% (up to 100,000 sq ft) of the total development to be allocated to office use.

Amended policy will state:

Table 1 - Uses and Facilities for The South Downtown District

Category	Intent	Example Uses	Guidelines
Offices	To provide the opportunity for limited office development in the South Downtown.	General office space, administration, business incubators, meeting space, private clubs, public utilities and communication facilities	Offices will be limited to no more than 30 percent of the gross floor area on any site, to a maximum of 100,000 square feet and located above the first floor where possible.

Amendment #2 - Amended Height Restriction on Second Avenue

Restrictions on height have been adopted into the Meewasin Development Plan - South Downtown District Development Policy as a means to generate a terracing effect for development along the riverbank. The height restrictions also put South Downtown District (River Landing) developments into the context of existing development (eg. Radisson tower, Clinkskill Manor, etc.)

S² Architects have requested the height restriction be amended for a portion of Parcel Y adjacent to Second Avenue to accommodate the development of a full-service hotel.

Proposed Amendment

Amend the building height restriction of 27 meters (approximately 8 storeys) along Second Avenue to 42 meters (approximately 12 storeys).

Amended policy will state:

Building Form and Massing

Maximum Building Height

i)             The maximum height of any building or portion thereof must conform to Appendix A of The South Downtown District Development Policy.

Amendment #3 - Amended Parking Access Restrictions

Restrictions on parking and off-street loading have been adopted into the Meewasin Development Plan - South Downtown District Development Policy as a means to protect a pedestrian-friendly environment and create continuous street-level facades and interest. Parking and off-street loading functions are also impacted by programming (a significant feature of the River Landing Concept Plan adopted into the Meewasin Development Plan).

S² Architects have requested the restrictions on parking access be amended to allow for access to a parking garage along Spadina Crescent.

Proposed Amendment

Amend the restrictions on parking access along Spadina Crescent to permit direct access to an underground parking garage for condominium residents. It is anticipated this entrance would be opposite the lay-by for the feature building.

Amended policy will state:

Parking Garage entrances will not be permitted directly onto 2^nd Avenue and only along the riverfront - Spadina Extension with the following provisions:

• The access must have a maximum width of nine metres (9m).
• The access must provide a continuous street edge and blend into the street facade.
• The access must be integrated with the building massing and architecture.
• The quality of paving material used for sidewalk around the project is to be carried across the driveway entrance, where it intersects with a pedestrian crosswalk.

The access must not interfere with area development plans or street closures.

Process for Amending the Meewasin Development Plan

The Meewasin Development Plan may be amended by Special Resolution of the Board of Directors. Special Resolutions carry special public notification and hearing requirements (MVA Act Section 11).

The requirements include newspaper advertisement inserted at least once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks before the date of the public hearing scheduled to consider the amendment. Newspaper notices were inserted in the May 24^th, 31^st, June 7^th, 14^th, and 21^st editions. Site and web-site notices were also posted.

Board decision on the amendments is expected within a public meeting. A Special Resolution is considered passed if accepted by at least two (2) representatives from each of the three (3) Participating Parties plus one (1) additional vote in favour of the resolution.

Administration Recommendation

Three documents have been adopted into the Meewasin Development Plan to describe, in detail, how development may proceed within the South Downtown District (River Landing):

• South Downtown Concept Plan (2004)
• South Downtown Local Area Design Plan (2004)
• Meewasin South Downtown District Development Policy (2008)

Amendment #1 pertains to office space and is an improvement to the clarity of the intent to prevent the predominance of office uses within River Landing. Office use can have a limiting effect on evening activity, but contribute positively to a mixed-use development.

The Development Plan amendment proposed by S² Architects pertaining to office space does not change the nature, intent, or scope of the Development Plan relative to the South Downtown District Policy.

Amendment #2 pertains to building height along Second Avenue. An amendment to the height restrictions at this location allows Lake Placid Group of Companies to maintain a shorter building along Spadina Crescent (improving solar access to the public courtyard), increases the likelihood a high quality "hotel-chain flag" may be attracted to the development, and activity will increase on the site as a result of more hotel rooms.

The Development Plan amendment proposed by S² Architects pertaining to building height along Second Avenue respects a terracing effect for building along the riverbank and does not change the nature, intent, or scope of the Development Plan relative to the South Downtown District Policy.

Amendment #3 pertains to underground parking access from Spadina Crescent. This amendment has some impact on the ability of event programmers to use portions of River Landing and the broader South Downtown District (which includes the Meewasin Valley Centre, Friendship Park, and the Traffic Bridge).

The Development Plan amendment proposed by S² Architects pertaining to parking access from Spadina Crescent has a small impact on the intent of the Development Plan relative to the South Downtown District Policy, but does not change the nature or scope.

Meewasin Administration recommends adoption of Amendments pertaining to office space and building height restrictions along Second Avenue. Adoption of an amendment pertaining to parking access along Spadina Crescent is also recommended conditional on provisions for Spadina Crescent, Spadina Crescent (extension), and Traffic Bridge closures for special events.

Development Review Committee Recommendation

The Development Review Committee has responsibility for providing advice to the Meewasin Board on proposed amendments to the Development Plan. After reviewing the information provided, the Development Review Committee recommends that the proposed amendments pertaining to office space and building height restrictions along Second Avenue be accepted. Further that Meewasin adopt an amendment pertaining to parking access along Spadina Crescent conditional on provisions for Spadina Crescent, Spadina Crescent (extension), and Traffic Bridge closures for special events.

RECOMMENDATION

I recommend the following:

1.                  The proposed amendment to restate office space restrictions as a proportion of the total developable area be adopted into the Meewasin Development Plan.

2.                  The proposed amendment to the building height restrictions along Second Avenue be adopted into the Meewasin Development Plan.

3.                  The proposed amendment pertaining to parking access along Spadina Crescent be adopted into the Meewasin Development Plan conditional on provisions for Spadina Crescent, Spadina Crescent (extension), and Traffic Bridge closures for special events as shown on LU9 - Street Closure Plan.

Brenda Wallace
Resource Planning Manager

BRIEFING PREPARED FOR MEEWASIN BOARD OF DIRECTORS AS THEY CONSIDER PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE MEEWASIN DEVELOPMENT PLAN

Development Plan Amendment Request and Meewasin Principles

BACKGROUND

S² Architects, on behalf of Lake Placid Group of Companies, have requested the following amendments to the Meewasin South Downtown District Development Policy:

• Amend the restriction on office space (currently limited to 50,000 sq ft per site) to permit up to 30% (up to 100,000 sq ft) of the total development to be allocated to office use.

• Amend the building height restriction of 27 meters (approximately 8 storeys) along Second Avenue to 42 meters (approximately 12 storeys).

• Amend the restrictions on parking access along Spadina Crescent to permit direct access to an underground parking garage for condominium residents. It is anticipated this entrance would be opposite the lay-by for the feature building.

MEEWASIN PLANNING PRINCIPLES

The following questions may arise pertaining to Board consideration of this amendment request.

Is the developer getting a larger development opportunity as a result of these amendments?

The amount of developable space on Parcel Y and the Legion Site does not change. The floor-space-ratio (FSR) for the site remains 4:1.

• Developable space before the amendments = 496,152 square feet
• Developable space after the amendments = 496,152 square feet

What can be gained from allowing more building height along Second Avenue to accommodate a hotel?

The Lake Placid proposal accepted by the City of Saskatoon in their Request For Proposals on Parcel Y provides a public courtyard located in the centre of the development site. The current land use restrictions allow the developer to build a 27 meter building (approximately 8 storeys) along both Spadina and Second Avenue, and a 68 meter building (approximately 20 storeys) along both 19^th Street and Third Avenue.

The height of the Spadina Crescent building most affects the amount of sunlight the public courtyard receives. By accommodating a taller building away from Spadina, there is less developable area available to the developer to place along Spadina.

Lake Placid proposes a 14 meter building (approximately 4 storeys) along Spadina Crescent and a 42 meter building (approximately 12 storeys) along Second Avenue. The shorter building along Spadina makes the public courtyard more attractive. The taller building along Second Avenue makes the hotel portion of the development more attractive to a hotel franchise. This configuration also creates a terracing effect with proportion (i.e. 4 : 12 : 20 storeys).

Based on the amount of developable space allowed (i.e. the floor-space-ratio (FSR) of 4:1), Lake Placid Group of Companies have indicated they will be maximizing the development opportunity by adding height to the building along Second Avenue. If additional height (beyond the proposed 14 meters or approximately 4 storeys) was desired along Spadina Crescent, it could not be accommodated without another request to amend the Development Plan.

Is the amount of allowable office space doubling?

With or without the proposed amendment to the restrictions on office space, Lake Placid Group of Companies may build 100,000 square feet of office space based on ownership of both Parcel Y and the Legion Site. Each site may accommodate 50,000 square feet of office development currently.

The purpose of the office space amendment is to allow the Lake Placid Group of Companies to proceed with a wholistic single-site approach to the development.

What is the parking issue?

Lake Placid proposes to provide a substantial amount of parking - much more than would be required under regular zoning provisions if the project were to be built elsewhere (which is the basis for South Downtown District policy). The issue is not the provision of parking, but access to the underground parking provided.

Parking access has been limited in policy to 19^th Street and Third Avenue. Functionally, Third Avenue is not feasible given the existing road configuration.

Lake Placid proposes both public parking and service accesses along 19^th Street. A second access point for the condominium is proposed for Spadina Crescent (extension). Spadina Crescent will be closed periodically for events. The issue is whether these events will be impacted by the location of a parking access.

S² Architects have provided a diagram illustrating potential street closure options (see attached). Meewasin is confirming acceptance of this plan by City of Saskatoon Traffic Engineers.

Would any Meewasin principles or Development Plan objectives be jeopardized if the proposed amendments were adopted?

The following table outlines how the proposed Development Plan amendments fit with the objectives established for the South Downtown District of the Meewasin Valley.

Development Plan Objective	Administration Comment
Offer a dynamic blend of diverse, complementary land uses to attract people to the South Downtown year-round (day and evening).	The proposed amendments clarify the role of office space within the mix of land uses allowed within the South Downtown District. The amendment also prevents any site within the South Downtown from being exclusively office space. Office space restrictions are important to achieve evening activity within the District and on any given site.
Provide complementary year-round indoor and outdoor public activities.	The proposed amendments provide the opportunity for a larger hotel. Hotels provide some indoor public amenity. The proposed amendments provide improved outdoor public space by reducing the potential for large shadows on the central public courtyard.
Provide publicly-accessible physical linkages (ie. walkways, above-ground linkages) to allow for greatest barrier-free access to the river and allow public circulation between developments.	The proposed amendments allow Lake Placid Group of Companies to create a single-site development rather than developing over two sites. A wholistic approach to site development is anticipated to increase the likelihood of direct and functional links to public amenities and through the development site. The single-site approach also provides the opportunity for a larger public courtyard. The proposed amendment to parking access restrictions may compromise the ability to maintain and strengthen linkages to Friendship Park.
Development Plan Objective	Administration Comment
Support and enhance existing and new commercial activities by encouraging public and private investment.	The proposed amendments have been proposed by Lake Placid Group of Companies to improve private marketability of the project.
Highlight the waterfront as a special feature in the context of an urban environment and provide strong linkages from Downtown, Southeast Riversdale, Gathercole site, Friendship Park, and the riverbank.	The proposed amendment to parking access restrictions may compromise the ability to maintain and strengthen linkages to Friendship Park.
Produce mixed-use developments to integrate public activities on or near the riverbank.	The proposed amendments increase the potential for balanced mixed-use by restricting office uses.
Create a distinct identity and sense of place in Saskatoon and encourage the recognition of the historical richness of the area.	The proposed amendments do not speak to this objective.