• Ambria Limited is proposing a 509-unit residential development at 12762 Tenth Line, filling the 2-hectare gap between Newstone’s surrounding project.
  • Their application seeks zoning permissions that would allow 148 stacked townhouses and 361 apartment units within a 10-story building.
  • Plans include 586 underground parking spaces, representing one space per residential unit and 0.15 visitor spaces per unit.
  • Currently proposed as residential-only, the Town is encouraging inclusion of ground-level commercial spaces to enhance the streetscape.
  • Ambria and Newstone’s projects would add 1,671 new homes across approximately 17 hectares within the Old Elm Major Transit Station Area.
  • The application will be presented at a March 5 Public Planning Meeting, which takes place at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers at 111 Sandiford Drive.

 

Ambria Limited’s development application for 12762 Tenth Line will be presented at a Public Planning Meeting on Wednesday, March 5. The proposal includes 509 residential units and fills the gap between Newstone’s project at 12724 and 12822 Tenth Line.

According to a related Staff report, Ambria’s development is planned in two phases. The first phase consists of 148 stacked townhouses at the rear of the site, with maximum building heights of 3.5 stories.

The second phase includes 361 apartment units within a U-shaped building fronting Tenth Line. It would reach a maximum height of 10 stories, or 31.8 meters, and a 45-degree angular plane will be required at the rear to better transition to the townhouse blocks.

If approved, the project would result in an average density of 320 units per hectare. That level well exceeds the Old Elm Major Transit Station Area (MTSA) minimum of 150 persons per hectare, according to the staff report.

MTSA’s are the lands surrounding higher-order transit stations, typically represented by a 500m-800m radius from the station, and are intended for significant intensification.

Policies put forward by the in-place York Region Official Plan (YROP) require at least 35% of units within the MTSA to be affordable. Staff have noted they will discuss how this requirement will be met with the applicant as the process moves forward.

In the context of ownership housing, the YROP defines affordable housing as “housing for which the purchase price results in annual accommodation costs not exceeding 30% of gross annual household income for low- and moderate-income households.”

A rental unit is considered affordable if it is leased at 125% or less of the average market rent for its type. Low- and moderate-income households are defined as those earning less than 60% of the income distribution for the local market area.

The development includes a total of 586 underground parking spaces. That includes 148 spaces for townhouse residents and 361 for apartment residents, providing one space per unit. An additional 77 visitor parking spaces are planned, amounting to 0.15 spaces per unit.

The apartment building is currently proposed as residential-only. However, Staff noted that Stouffville’s planning department aims to incorporate “at-grade active uses such as retail or other commercial uses to contribute to the public realm and animate the Tenth Line streetscape.”

A public park is not included in the plans, and Ambria intends to provide cash-in-lieu to meet its parkland dedication obligations. While some small outdoor amenity spaces are proposed, Staff are advocating for their consolidation to create greater recreational opportunities for future residents.

The subject lands are currently zoned as “Agriculture,” which permits only a single detached dwelling. While no decisions will be made at the Public Planning Meeting, Stouffville’s Council must approve rezoning for the project to proceed.

An integrated road network will connect the subdivision’s new streets to those also planned for Newstone’s development, ensuring seamless access to it and Tenth Line. The Staff report notes that urban design guidelines emphasize “high-quality landscaping and tree planting, sidewalks and street furniture, as well as pedestrian-scaled street lighting.”

Commenting on the application, York Region District School Board cited over-enrollment within local schools. Depending on execution timelines, future students living within the development may need to attend schools outside their immediate community until additional capacity is provided nearby.

Together, Ambria and Newstone’s projects would add 1,671 new homes across approximately 17 hectares. While Newstone’s lands include roughly five hectares reserved for environmental protection and stormwater management facilities, most of the developable land falls within the Old Elm MTSA.

The March 5 Public Planning Meeting will take place at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers at 111 Sandiford Drive.