Markham council moved several housing files forward on Tuesday, Jan. 27, approving a 46-unit townhouse project on Markland Street and formally recording a provincial tribunal ruling that allows an 11-storey residential building near Markham Road and Highway 7.

46 townhouses on Markland Street

Council adopted a Development Services Committee recommendation to approve official plan and zoning amendments for 136 Markland Street in Ward 2. The applicant, Mark-Dev Inc., plans 46 townhouses served by an internal private driveway. The final amendments will come back to a future council meeting without further notice.

When the committee reviewed the file on Jan. 20, the city's director of planning and urban design, Giulio Cescato, described it as a modest townhouse development. Committee members said they were pleased that feedback from the public meeting had been worked into the application, especially on outdoor recreation space.

Members also asked whether there would be enough room on site to store snow. Frank Clarizio, the city's director of engineering, said that because the roadway is private, snow removal will be the responsibility of the developer or the future condominium corporation. Asked about a traffic signal at the site's exit, he said staff did not consider one warranted because of how close it is to Woodbine Avenue. The committee asked staff to keep working with the applicant on more variety in the building elevations.

Tribunal allows 11 storeys at 5871 Highway 7 East

Council also received a summary from the city solicitor on an Ontario Land Tribunal decision issued Jan. 7. Following a settlement hearing, the tribunal allowed appeals by 648321 Ontario Inc. for an 11-storey residential building on about 0.3 hectares at 5871 Highway 7 East, on the west side of Markham Road, south of Highway 7.

The approved settlement sets a maximum density of 5.5 times the lot area, a maximum gross floor area of 15,500 square metres, a maximum height of 38.5 metres and a 12-metre rear yard setback, along with landscaping and parking requirements. The tribunal found the proposal consistent with the 2024 Provincial Planning Statement. The official plan amendment redesignates the land Residential Mid Rise, and the amendments were given by-law numbers at Tuesday's meeting for record-keeping.

Other files

  • Council passed a by-law allowing an owner to merge two parcels west of Markland Street and north of Major Mackenzie Drive East to make way for a grocery store.

  • Amendments for 10 River Bend Road were enacted, allowing a severance that creates three new building lots, for four in total.

  • Council enacted the official plan and zoning by-laws for the 39-storey rental building at 28 Main Street Unionville, which the Development Services Committee backed on Jan. 20.