Item - 2012.PG10.3

The Planning and Growth Management Committee deferred consideration of the item until its meeting on March 22, 2012.

This report reviews and makes recommendations on a request by Blair Murdoch of Allvision Canada, on behalf of the Canadian National Railway Company (CN Rail), to obtain amendments to Chapter 694, Signs, General, of the City of Toronto Municipal Code.  The request is to amend Chapter 694 to: a) permit the replacement of, at select locations along the premises consisting of "utility corridors" which are owned by CN Rail ("CN Rail Corridors"), existing third party ground signs displaying static copy with new third party ground signs displaying electronic static copy; b) further remove additional third party ground signs displaying static copy, and c) prevent the erection and display of any future third party signs in and around the CN Rail Corridors at the portions of the premises where the existing third party ground signs are proposed to be removed.  

This report recommends approval of the requested amendments to Chapter 694, Signs, General, of the City of Toronto Municipal Code, as the application reflects the higher order Council objectives established in the City's recently approved sign regulation and revenue strategy by aspiring to manage the impact and contribution of signage to the visual character of the City’s public realm, appropriate to the goals expressed in the Official Plan.

Decision letter of the Planning and Growth Management Committee meeting October 6, 2011.

At its October 6, 2011 meeting the Planning and Growth Management Committee deferred item PG8.1 to the January 5, 2012 meeting in order to "allow consultation to take place with the City Planning Division, affected communities and stakeholders, in cooperation with local Councillors."

This report outlines and summarizes the extent of consultation in respect of the comprehensive consolidation and upgrade program for third party ground signs located on certain rail lands within the City of Toronto, which has taken place between October 6, 2011 and December 16, 2011.  Staff are in the process of disseminating the information and feedback received and intend to report back with the results of consultation during the March Committee cycle.