Christopher Tam

The applicant appealed the City of Vaughan's failure to adopt an Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment to permit a high-rise, mixed-use residential development comprising four towers and 2,339 apartment units.

The City argued that existing transportation and infrastructure constraints required a cap on population and a reduction in the scale of development.

The Tribunal found that the proposed development, located within a Protected Major Transit Station Area, would optimize the use of existing infrastructure and support transit and active transportation.

The Tribunal approved the amendments in principle, subject to Holding provisions to ensure transportation and servicing capacity at the time of construction, and directed a Phase 2 hearing to determine the final form of the amendments.

The Tribunal held a settlement hearing regarding appeals to the Vaughan Official Plan 2010, specifically the Yonge Steeles Corridor Secondary Plan, along with related site-specific Zoning By-law Amendments and Draft Plans of Subdivision.

Based on uncontested expert planning and engineering evidence, the Tribunal approved modifications to the Secondary Plan's parking and holding symbol policies, finding they support transit-oriented development and conform with provincial and regional policies.

The Tribunal also approved the site-specific zoning and subdivision appeals in principle, subject to conditions, to facilitate high-density, mixed-use developments along the Steeles Avenue corridor.