Item - 2010.SC31.21

Scarborough Community Council recommends that:

1.         City Council amend the Official Plan substantially in accordance with the draft official plan amendment attached as Attachment 2.

2.         City Council amend the Birchcliff Zoning By-law No. 8786, as amended, substantially in accordance with the draft zoning by-law amendment attached as Attachment 3.

3.         City Council amend the Site Plan Control By-law Number 21319 for the Birch Cliff Community substantially in accordance with the draft Site Plan Control By-law attached as Attachment 4.

4.         City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the draft official plan amendment, draft zoning by-law amendment and draft site plan control by-law as may be required.

5.         City Council endorse the Urban Design Guidelines shown in Attachment 6.

6.         City Council endorse the Draft Streetscape Improvement Plan-Key Elements as shown in Attachment 7 and the typical road cross-sections as shown in Attachments 8 to 10.

7.         City Council direct Technical Services staff and the appropriate City Divisions to implement, over time, the draft streetscape improvement plan as shown in Attachments 7 to 10, in conjunction with the reconstruction of Kingston Road within the study area.

8.         City Council direct Transportation Services, Public Realm, Street Furniture staff to identify Kingston Road, from Victoria Park Avenue to east of Glen Everest Road as a priority area for the placement of street furniture in Ward 36, substantially in accordance with the draft streetscape improvement plan as shown in Attachment 7.

9.         City Council direct Toronto Water staff, in consultation with Technical Services staff, to investigate the infrastructure capacities within the study area to determine the availability of capacity and identify any infrastructure improvements which may be necessary to support the proposed intensification of this area, and report back to Scarborough Community Council on any capacity issues.

10.       City Council direct Economic Development staff, in consultation with the Director of Community Planning, Scarborough District to form a working group, with the Ward Councillor, that also includes local businesses and residents, as well as, representatives from Build Toronto to discuss economic development strategies for Kingston Road in the Birch Cliff Community.  The working group should report back to Scarborough Community Council by the third quarter of 2010 on their findings, including the possibility of implementing a Community Improvement Plan (CIP) with associated incentive programs.

The Scarborough Community Council held a statutory public meeting on January 12, 2010, and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

The Scarborough Community Council directed that Attachment 3 - Draft Zoning By-law be replaced with the revised Attachment 3 - Draft Zoning By-law, distributed during the meeting.

These City-initiated official plan and zoning by-law amendments are subject to the new provisions of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.P. 13, as amended, and the City of Toronto Act, 2006.

This report recommends amendments to the official plan (Attachment 2) and zoning by-law (Attachment 3), urban design guidelines (Attachment 6) and a draft streetscape improvement plan (Attachments 7 to 10) to implement the objective of revitalizing and enhancing the Kingston Road corridor in the Birch Cliff Community as endorsed by City Council during Phase 2 of this Study in July 2008.  This will result in a vibrant, mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented main street with beautiful streetscapes, high quality architecture, compatible development and economic prosperity. 

The proposed zoning by-law introduces a Commercial-Residential (CR) Zone providing for a wide range of commercial and residential uses with provisions that will regulate height, density, building setbacks, Section 37 community benefit contributions and bicycle parking standards.  Allowable heights within the Community-Residential (CR) Zone will range from a minimum of 2 storeys to a maximum of 8 storeys depending on the location and surrounding context of the properties.  A 45 degree angular plane measured from adjacent low density residential neighbourhoods will be applied in order to achieve an appropriate height transition from these areas. 

The proposed amendment to the Official Plan will redesignate the north-east corner of Fallingbrook Drive and Kingston Road, known municipally as 155 Fallingbrook Road and 1212 to 1238 Kingston Road from “Neighbourhoods” to “Mixed Use Areas”.  The Official Plan amendment will also enable the City to secure hard landscaping where necessary to secure a wider pedestrian corridor along Kingston Road.  Staff also recommend that four properties located at 211 Victoria Park Avenue, 1316, 1318 and 1320 Kingston Road be subject to site plan control.

The proposed urban design guidelines and streetscape improvement plan support Council’s direction to invest in a better quality of life within the study area by also providing a safe and attractive public realm that provides for stimulating live, work and retail environments that will increase local pride and interest in this community.