From: Arnold and Sheri Neufeldt-Fast <neufast@yahoo.

ca>
To: Mayor and council <MayorAndCouncil@townofws.ca>; Andrew McNeely
<andrew.mcneely@townofws.ca>
Cc: Jim Mason <JMason@yrmg.com>; Rene De Vries <rene.devries@tetratech.com>
Sent: Sunday, June 22, 2014 9:46:06 PM
Subject: Joy Square (Council Meeting, June 24)


Dear Mayor and Council / Mr. McNeely (CEO),

I am unable to present in person at the Council Meeting on June 24, 2014. I would like to make
the following written submission for council's consideration for the following agenda item:

13. REVISION TO SITE PLAN CONTROL APPROVAL, JOY SQUARE CORPORATION, 5827
MAIN STREET, PART OF LOT 35 (M), CONCESSION 8, STOUFFVILLE, PLANNING FILE NO.
SPA13.001 (D11)

Joy Square is a strong proposal for what the neighbourhood needs and wants: something
remarkable near Weldon /Glad Park and Main St.--not average.

The property, together with area commercial, retail, and municipal properties, has the
potentialstill
to be
realizedof a
remarkable,
dynamic,
walkable
centre. The
immediate
vicinity has
very important
assets that, if
connected
with a strong
vision and
plan, could
build
significant
value for Joy
Square tenants in particular.

There is a captive market in this area of Stouffville (I too live within one kilometre from the
planned square); but moreover, there is a real opportunity to also captivate the market if
these existing assets / pieces (restaurants, arena, groceries, etc) can be connected, enabling
people to (and want to) meet, linger, and self-organize. The idea of a real square is brilliant, but
it requires more assistance to be realized.

The developer has surely done studies on the neighbourhood and knows that this property is
potentially one of the most walkable, bikeable locations in Stouffville. With a seniors residence
nearby, high-
density on
Rupert
(perhaps more
on Main old
Canadian Tire
site), as well as
a high-school
and arena, the
location has
the
opportunity to
become a
place where
people of all
demographic
groups can
meet and
encounter
each other.
This is key to
building a
vibrant
community
(part of
Stouffvilles
vision
statement).
The site could potentially pass the stroller-test--another measure of a building a complete
communityif planned properly!

A key question for this becoming a remarkable destination: Could this strip of Main Street be
found by walkers to be a) interesting, b) safe/comfortable and c) purposive (that is, with
destinations they need to reach)? This question would extend to the properties along this
stretch of Main Street as well. Staff and Council can help developers and businesses make this
happen.

I ask Council to consider the following in issues before approving the latest iteration of the Joy
Square proposal:

a. A retail/commercial mall or square on a bus route, near a municipal lot and in an eminently
walkable, bikeable location and captive market, can and should be given relief on expensive,
minimum off-street parking requirements for retail. The current proposal has far too much
parking in an area of town already full of parkingsuch that potential walkers (e.g., the many
seniors in the area needing and wanting to walk, young parents with strollers, youth and
middle-aged folks like me--on bicycles etc.) will likely a) not be inspired to walk or b) feel
comfortable or safe walking to c) these potentially worthwhile and interesting destinations.

Reduced parking requirements can be offered in exchange for wider sidewalks (especially
critical for the building towards the back--with an extremely narrow sidewalk) and the building
towards the front on Main Street.


Suggestion: i) an entire row of parking spots be removed facing the back building, in exchange
for a generously widened sidewalk; ii) an entire island of cars in the first middle-strip of approx.
24 parking spots be removed to offer space to gather, with fountain, benches, hedges, etc. The
town would make this parking exception based on the potential walkability/bikeability of site
(also on transit route) and for its own purposes: to plan for the creation of a more vibrant
community. This would benefit the developer / businesses, allowing them to transform a
captive market into a captivated market. The "square" model could expand as other adjacent
properties develop, and the vicinity could become truly remarkable, and attract other business
along Main as well.

b. The Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville has a trail/cycling master plan that looks forward to (and
has pre-budgeted for) a future bike-lane in the boulevard of this section of Main Street. This
should be anticipated by the design of Joy Square (and ideally fast-forwarded by the town). The
entry of bikes and strollers and walkers to the property needs to feel and look much safer and
plausible than the current parking plan/ traffic flow shows. The drive-thru should be re-
considered. Drive-thrus-- in my view and in the literatureappear to be a fast-fading view of
what people/communities want for themselves or for shopping experience, and certainly
makes space less comfortable and more dangerous for the vast majority of customers who
choose to get out of their cars to bank, or who want to arrive their on foot or bike. This area of
Stouffville need not be car-centric.

The current plan for a square on Main St. appears to be a quality investment, but still requires
councils vision and input for the entire vicinity around Main Street and Glad Park/ Weldon. A
square is exactly what the neighbourhood needs and would embraceyoung and old-- and a
concept which would build valuefirst for the developer and tenants of Joy Square, and then,
as it connects with other assets, for the larger location as well. But a few key adjustments are
still needed for this to happen.

I ask council to a) reduce minimum parking requirements in exchange for more generous side-
walks and significant civic, public space; and b) give guidance /creative vision for a vibrant,
walkable-bikeable vicinity from Parkview, SDSS, and Glad Park to Joy Square.

With a little assistance/creativity from the town, this could become a remarkable investment
and destination that will captivate the community and invite the development.

Sincerely,

Arnold Neufeldt-Fast
Stouffville, ON


Other correspondence by Arnold Neufeldt-Fast to Whitchurch-Stouffville Town Council for
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
* Retail Plaza as Gateway to Community of Stouffville (Hwy 48 / Main St)? Questions
* Library/Leisure Centre Expansion: Architectural Inspiration from the Long-house tradition?
* Saving the Stouffville Grain Elevator