It makes sense to provide connections, where possible, to Yonge Street, if there's gong to be high-density development off of it. Mid-block connections promote walking, and in car-dominated North York, that's an improvement.
42
There's supposed to be a real east-west road connector 100m south via Newtonbrook Plaza redevelopment.
http://urbantoronto.ca/forum/thread...ervatory-23s-e-i-richmond.11339/#post-1267682
On this site, since easement for pedestrian link, park and POPS are along south side of property, residents are encouraged to head south on Yonge,... to Finch Subway station - thus, promoting transit. Note: diagonal crossing (northwest to southeast) of proposed Park is beneficial for residents of this site; but the east-west pedestrian linkage won't be since it runs adjacent to the rear of the townhouse at southern base here.
The City relies on a general formula and negotiation skill of local Councillor to determine amount of Developer Contribution (Section37 CommunityBenefit, Section42 Parks & Section45 (Community improvements), etc,...).
https://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/...nnel=830adada600f0410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD
Technically, Section37 CommunityBenefit can only be spent within the Ward where that development occurs,.... ideally within 1km of the development to offset the negative impacts of this development to the existing locals most affected.
A Developer will never contribute anything extra than they're required since the extra cost will come out of their profit.
Thus, when this development has so much Developer Contribution centered around a nice 100m east-west pedestrian linkage with Park and POPS (PrivatelyOwnedPublicSpace),... that's done at the opportunity cost of other possible improvements to the existing local community,... such as non-profit childcare facility, new playground at local school, community centre improvement, public realm improvement, public art, cycling infrastructure, etc,... that would likely be more beneficial to the existing local communities and thus, serve the real objectives of these Developer Contributions.
The main beneficiary of this 100m east-west pedestrian linkage lined with Park and POPS is ConservatoryGroup's Ruby site directly west,... in the latest unsigned settlement proposal for Ruby (image in link below) there's no easement at Ruby site for connecting pedestrian linkage, so technically on their side of the property line, they can put in locked gate to restrict non-residents and limit their liability.
http://urbantoronto.ca/forum/thread...ry-23s-e-i-richmond.11339/page-2#post-1277662
@PMT, the above link shows why this one likely got bumped up to 32-storey (within 100m residential + mechanical)