MEETING DATE: January 24, 2003

SUBJECT: COMMUTER PARKING EXPANSION

DOWNSVIEW COMMUTER PARKING LOT

CONCEPTUAL LAYOUT APPROVAL

CONTRACT A23-8

It is recommended that the Commission:

1. approve the conceptual layout of the Downsview Commuter Parking Lot;
2. authorize the issuance of a Purchase Order in the amount of $825,000.00 to the City of Toronto to cover the cost of all work within the Allen Road right-of-way required for the parking lot; and
3. approve the terms for the interim transfer of the lands as outlined in this report.

Sufficient funds are available in Program 3.3 Yards and Roads – Commuter Parking Expansion Short - Term Improvements (as set out on pages 465-473 of the Ridership Growth Related Category) of the 2003-2007 TTC Capital Program which was approved by the Commission on November 15, 2002.

The Commission operates 26 commuter parking lots comprising approximately 12,900 parking spaces to enhance our transit operations. Sustained growth in demand for parking spaces has resulted in 100% or greater utilisation at 14 lots, particularly those at terminal locations. An increase in inventory of available parking spaces is urgently required to satisfy current demand and provide a basis for continued marketing programs to attract new transit users from consumers presently using their cars.

The Spadina Subway Environmental Assessment for the extension to Sheppard Avenue completed in 1994 highlighted the need for commuter parking at Downsview Station. Due to available parking capacity at Wilson Station in the past, there had not been an urgent need for commuter parking at this location. However, given that commuter parking at Wilson is now approaching 100% capacity, there is latent demand for commuter parking that could be addressed by the construction of a new lot at Downsview Station. Downsview Station is the only subway terminal station that does not have a commuter parking lot.

To address the requirement for commuter parking at Downsview Station, it is proposed to construct a 650-space lot on the south side of Sheppard Avenue West and east of the Allen Road. The proposed lot area is bounded on the east and south sides by vacant land, the Allen Expressway/Downsview Airport on the west side, and the bus access roadway on the north side.

Two issues have affected the schedule for the construction of the lot; namely, obtaining site plan approval and jurisdictional transfer of the City-owned land to the TTC.

a) Site Plan Issues

City staff have been reviewing the TTC’s proposed concept for the lot since May of 2001 and have provided comments over the intervening months in such areas as urban design and landscaping, transportation, traffic assessment, and storm drainage.

A Traffic Impact Study (TIS) was completed in February 2002. The TIS concluded that in order to mitigate the impact on the Allen/Sheppard intersection and specifically the anticipated southbound left turn movement to enter the proposed parking lot, a new separate entrance to the commuter parking lot off Allen Road south of Sheppard Avenue is required (Appendix "A"). As a result, widening of Allen Road to allow for a left turn storage lane and a new traffic control signal are required. This would allow southbound and westbound commuters to access the lot from Allen Road rather than Sheppard Avenue.

To facilitate this requirement, the City will undertake the design and construction of all required work within the Allen Road right-of-way on behalf of the TTC. TTC’s estimated cost for this work is $825,000.00. Any additional funds required for this component of the work will be authorized according to the Commission’s authorization for expenditure policy.

The Allen Road construction is scheduled for 2003 to coincide with the Commission/City bridge rehabilitation work in the vicinity of Wilson Station in order to limit the traffic impact resulting from construction activities to a single calendar year. However, the completion of construction of the parking lot itself is currently scheduled for 2004 at an estimated cost of $5.1 million or $7,900/spot excluding the Allen Road widening.

Staff have met with Councillor Feldman on May 17, 2001 and November 27, 2002 and he is supportive of the Downsview commuter parking lot concept. Furthermore, a community meeting will be held in the next two months to provide the public with an opportunity for input to the design process.

b) Jurisdictional Transfer of Land to TTC

The 68-acre parcel of land on the southwest quadrant of Allen Road/Sheppard Avenue was initially purchased at the initiative of the TTC. The lands for the subway station were transferred to the TTC when the Spadina Subway extension was constructed. Since the construction of the Spadina Subway extension to Sheppard Avenue, City staff have adopted planning policies for the property, and development of the site is expected in the near to medium term. In response to these development pressures, the TTC proposed the following with respect to the construction of a Downsview commuter parking lot:

• The lot would be set back from Sheppard Avenue and the residential community to the east to facilitate development on the Sheppard Avenue frontage and to protect the community from the visual impact of the lot.

• The size of the lot would be reduced from 1,300 spaces to 650 spaces.

• The lot would be an interim use pending a Spadina Subway extension to Steeles Avenue or pressure to redevelop the lands.

Based on the acceptance of these principles by City staff, the design and site plan approval process was commenced. With conceptual design nearing completion, it is now appropriate to transfer the necessary City property to the TTC for the construction of the necessary commuter parking lot and to further define the issue of "interim use." TTC and City staff have been negotiating the terms for transfer of the land for the Downsview commuter parking lot from the City to the TTC and have agreed to the following terms for the interim transfer of the lands:

• The commencement of revenue service for the Spadina Subway extension to Steeles Avenue including the provision of approximately 3,000 commuter parking spaces in the Hydro corridor north of Steeles Avenue would automatically result in the transfer of the Downsview commuter parking lot lands to the City of Toronto and the elimination of the Downsview commuter parking lot.

• The TTC would be entitled to the proceeds of the sale of the Downsview commuter parking lands in accordance with the Policy Governing Land Transactions among ABCDs and Proceeds from the Sale of Surplus City-owned Real Property adopted by City Council on June 18, 19, and 20, 2002.

• Regardless of other limitations, the TTC would have jurisdiction over the Downsview commuter parking lands for a minimum period of 10 years.

• In the event the minimum 10-year period of TTC use has been satisfied and in the event approximately 65% of the non-TTC Downsview lands have been developed, a review of the future use of the Downsview commuter parking lands would be initiated. Development shall mean that a building permit has been granted for the building. The City, in consultation with the TTC, shall then re-evaluate the transfer and determine if a further extension for all or a portion of the lands is recommended.

• Further extensions will be for a minimum period of 3 years.

• The date of the jurisdictional transfer of the property to the TTC shall be the date that construction commences on the Downsview commuter parking lands (excluding the Allen Road connection) provided that construction commences in 2004.

• At any time during the TTC’s occupancy of the lands, the City of Toronto can propose the redevelopment of the lands provided that the TTC’s 650 commuter parking spaces are integrated into the development at no cost to the TTC, such approval by the TTC not to be unreasonably withheld.

The above conditions are acceptable to the TTC and will be included in the site plan agreement or in the jurisdictional transfer of the lands to the TTC.

Approval of the Downsview commuter parking lot conceptual layout and the issuance of a Purchase Order in the amount of $825,000.00 will allow detailed design of the parking lot and construction within the Allen Road allowance to proceed in 2003. The interim use issue has been resolved and allows for the site plan agreement and jurisdictional transfer process to be finalized.

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January 15, 2003

80-31-jm

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Attachment: Appendix "A" – Conceptual Layout

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