TO: Andrew McNeely, CAO, Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville;

Isa James, Planner, Urban Design, Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville

FROM: Arnold Neufeldt-Fast, 672 Millard St., Stouffville, L4A 0B2

DATE: June 14, 2014

RE: Retail Plaza--Proposed Zoning By-Law Amendment 5182, 5192, 5226 Stouffville Road, Community of

Stouffville File no. ZBA 08.023 (PUBLIC MEETING TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 2014 AT 7:00 P.M. COUNCIL

CHAMBERS, 111 SANDIFORD DRIVE)

Dear Mr. McNeely (CAO, Town of W-S) and Mr. Isa James (Planner, Town of W-S),

The following submission is in regards to the proposed by-law amendments for the establishment of a

retail plaza at 5182, 5192, 5226 Stouffville Road at Hwy. 48 in Stouffville.

Currently, retail plazas are prohibited at this location—the town’s “Gateway Mixed Use Area.” The

Town’s Policy direction for the Gateway Mixed Use Area is for “the creation of a unique and special

mixed use district which promotes commercial development integrated with residential uses. Special

architectural and landscaping treatment is required to strengthen the area’s identity and improve the

quality of the public realm” (Commercial Policy Study Update, Feb., 2013, p. 25).

Figure 1: Hwy 48 and Stouffville Rd (or Main St) --Proposed Site

The intersection of Highway 48 and Stouffville Road is of strategic importance to the Town as the main

entrance to the Community of Stouffville—its “western approach.”

I want to speak to the current proposal’s

ability address the criteria above, namely,

to a) strengthen the area’s identity, and b)

improve the quality of the public realm.

a. Architectural developments at this

key intersection must pick up on

Ringwood’s historic identity. The key

structure which has defined this

intersection and approach to the Figure 2: Historic gateway building to Stouffville for more than 150 yrs

Community of Stouffville is the old corner store and post-office building (later Da Classic Scoop) which

was demolished in 2008 (see picture below). Other buildings which have given this location identity are

the Brownsberger Homestead (behind the new Dodge/Jeep Dealership on Millard), the 1857 School

House on Hwy. 48, and the recently demolished Bartholomew Homestead at the corner of Stouffville

Road and McCowen. Each of these structures is pictured below, as well as a sample old, downtown

Stouffville photograph, and a currently boarded up Ringwood home on Main Street. These older

buildings are pivotal to any definition of the location’s identity and must be the architectural inspiration

for development at this corner.

The current proposal—its roof lines, peaks, and tower, for

example, bear little if any resemblance to the particular

design-history of Ringwood or Stouffville. For example, the

unique large, white “quoin” cornerstones and red brick of

the Bartholomew Homestead, Brownsberger Homestead,

and schoolhouse are an important local architectural

feature. They can be replicated: recently, the new Shell

Station on Main Street and the Region’s water pumping

station on McCowen Road picked this up in their respective

designs. (Another example of actual and relevant historical

features are captured in the new Fire Station; see Barkey,

ed., Stouffville 1877-1977 for other examples). The striking new PACE buildings on Glad Park Avenue, for

example, also draw strongly on old downtown Stouffville (see brick work, windows, three story; picture

below). However these unique, old Main Street local features are absent from the Hwy 48 / Main Street

proposal--an area specifically designated to play

an identity-shaping role for the Western Approach

to the Community of Stouffville.

A retail plaza is prohibited at this corner because

the Gateway is to introduce, be the face-of, set the

bar, and give definition for the community, with a

mix of both commercial and residential.

I suggest that *if* a retail plaza be allowed at this

corner, that the architectural style *must*

complement and support the historic character of

the community, and be closely related and

architecturally traceable to the building history of

our community, as noted above (with pictures below). Note again the Commercial Policy: “Special

architectural … treatment is required.”

Moreover, the community has planned the corner as a special “mixed-use” district. Structures that have

a second or third floor could include both commercial and residential. This is missing in the current

design—and as such does not match the criteria set out for the Gateway area. That being said,

Figure 3: Brownsberger House (original settler home)

Figure 4: Bartholomew Homestead

structures which in some way replicate the mixed-use aspects of old Main Street need not rule out

retail. But commercial development at this corner must in some way be integrated with and /or support

residential uses—which leads to the next point.

b. “The quality of the public

realm” must be “improved” by

any development at this corner.

The Ringwood area, especially at

Baker Hill and Main (only 550

metres away) will soon be home

to hundreds of new townhouses

and apartments (apartments are

already completed at 25 Baker

Hill, and now under construction

at 35 Baker Hill; 200-plus town

houses are also already under

construction). This corner of Hwy.

48 and Main Street will be in the “walking-shed” of hundreds of residents. Any development at Hwy 48

and Main Street, as per the Commercial Policy, must support the “quality of the public realm.” A normal

definition of a retail plaza does not measure well on that criterion. The space should be safe,

comfortable and interesting to walk to (and around) and enjoy—the way a classic square (e.g., Palmer

Square, Princeton—where I am this coming week) with significant green space, fountain, benches etc,

parallel parking to the shops, wide side-walks in front of all the shops—and shops that address the

street. Such a design supports the “quality of the public realm,” and stands in stark contrast to

Stouffville’s Smart Centre and retail plaza at the south-east corner of Ringwood and Main Streets.

Note: the corner of Baker Hill and Main Street is

already in walking distance (i.e., within 500

metres—at Sandale) of six drive-thru’s. The current

proposal adds yet two more to this end of town

(and they also address the street). Each drive-thru

diminishes the quality of the public realm, and is a

significant barrier to the enjoyment of a place by

residents who would like to either walk or cycle

safely and with enjoyment. Drive-thru’s no longer

have a place in urban Stouffville as we design our

town to become a much more walkable, bikeable

community.

The current proposal appeals almost exclusively to those who leave their homes in vehicles: there are

parking spots and/or drive-thru’s toward the street (large, and “uninteresting” spaces between

Figure 5: New residential development

buildings; and a poor image toward the street) and the design indicates no qualities that would anchor

and complement the quality of life for the large neighbourhood developing in Ringwood.

Retail development at this location should only be allowed as part of a mixed-use model that

demonstrates high quality of life for an emerging

neighbourhood; it must be eminently accessible

and enjoyable for residents choosing to walk, bike

or arrive by car. Other uses beyond retail (i.e.,

other commercial uses) on a second floor would

be an important improvement. Such a design,

which would include a significant green space

within a square, for example, should allow the

developer to present a proposal with far fewer

than 304 parking spaces. But the space must not

be “cheap / fake”—as the benches and pergola at

the SmartCentre, for example—but real quality

space for lingering.

Council should approve a retail plaza for this location only if the criteria above are met. The Gateway

Mixed Use Area is, again, for “the creation of a unique and special mixed use district which promotes

commercial development integrated with residential uses. Special architectural and landscaping

treatment is required to strengthen the area’s identity and improve the quality of the public realm”

(Commercial Policy, p. 25).

Thank you for considering these concerns. I am thankful to the developer for his investment in the

community, however I believe that the concept still requires important revision before it should be

allowed to move forward.

I am sorry that I am not able to attend in person; I am out of town for most of these next two weeks.

Sincerely,

Arnold Neufeldt-Fast

672 Millard, Stouffville

The 1887 historic Ringwood School House is on Hwy 48, north of Main Street.

Figure 6: New development on Glad Park Ave, Stouffville (PACE Geranium)

A

Main Street home, Ringwood

Traditional (old) Main Street Stouffville