Item - 2013.TE25.64

The Toronto and East York Community Council directed that, following City Council approval of the Lower Yonge Precinct Plan, including any instruments required to implement such Plan:

1.         Staff schedule a community consultation meeting for the lands at 1 and 7 Yonge Street together with the Ward Councillor.

2.         Notice for the community consultation meeting be given to landowners and residents within 120 metres of the site, and to additional residents and owners to be determined in consultation with the Ward Councillor, with any additional mailing costs to be borne by the applicant.

3.         Notice for the public meeting under the Planning Act be given according to the regulations under the Planning Act.

The applicant has submitted a rezoning application to redevelop 1 and 7 Yonge Street.  The site is proposed to be divided into two blocks by an eastern 27 metre wide extension of Harbour Street.  On the south block, the application proposes to retain and add 10 storeys to the existing Toronto Star building and also develop an attached 70- storey hotel/residential building to the north and a 40-storey office building connected with a 6-storey podium.  On the north block, four new residential towers are proposed with heights of 75, 80, 80 and 88 storeys with an 8-storey podium for residential, retail and commercial uses.

This report provides preliminary information on the submitted rezoning application and seeks directions on further processing of the application and on the community consultation process.

This site is located in the Central Waterfront Secondary Plan area.  This Plan, adopted in 2003, is the subject of a number of appeals and is only in force for several specific areas.  A precinct plan for the Lower Yonge area bounded by Yonge Street, Lake Shore Boulevard, Queens Quay East and Lower Jarvis Street will be required prior to any rezoning.  The Lower Yonge Precinct Plan is underway and the establishment of directions and a policy framework are targeted for the end of 2013 and its implementation, through an area specific amendment to the Central Waterfront Secondary Plan, design guidelines or other tools, is targeted for the first quarter of 2014.   The development of the precinct plan policies are needed to inform the review of the application. Consultation on the issues for the development of the area has begun through the precinct plan process.

City Planning staff do not support the application in its proposed form.  It is not recommended to hold a community consultation meeting prior to City Council approval of the Lower Yonge Precinct Plan. Once Council approves the Lower Yonge Precinct Plan including any instruments required to implement the Precinct Plan, staff can advise Council on the timing for the processing of this application, provided all required information is submitted.