Item - 2014.PG31.5

The Planning and Growth Management Committee requested:

1.         The General Manager, Transportation Services, in consultation with appropriate staff, to consult with Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) before the City Council meeting on April 1, 2014, and if necessary to submit a report directly to City Council which would address the issues raised in its communication of February 25, 2014 and in its public presentation to the Committee.

2.         The Deputy City Manager, Cluster B:

a.         in consultation with the Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer and the City Solicitor, to report to the April 10, 2014 meeting of the Planning and Growth Management Committee on a by-law to provide for an amendment to the hoarding permit fee so that the $16.94 per linear metre fee cover the cost of blank hoarding only, and that an additional 50% charge be applied for permission to place any writing or graphics on the hoarding; that such funds be used to enhance the public realm in cooperation with the Toronto Arts Foundation, the Toronto Arts Council and the various Local Arts Service Organizations; and on the impact of such a by-law;

b.         to submit a report on an alternative method of achieving the same objective, in the event that there is a legal impediment to bringing forward such a by-law.

3.         The Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager Transportation Services to consult with stakeholders on a process to implement improved mitigation measures for construction staging plans within the Right of Way and, in consultation with the City Solicitor, to specifically review linking Site Plan approval and construction staging plans; and to report to the Planning and Growth Management Committee by June 2014 on any further recommendation on improving this process.

Many of the buildings being constructed in the City of Toronto are designed to occupy the entire property on which they are situated, resulting in the need for construction staging areas to provide unloading zones and storage of construction materials. These staging areas must be very close to the site and usually occupy the curb lane and sidewalk adjacent to the building being constructed.

This report addresses requests from Toronto and East York Community Council and the Planning and Growth Management Committee to report on various issues related to construction staging areas within the public right-of-way. Staff recommendations aim to reduce the negative impact of construction staging on neighbourhood quality of life, the public realm and on the movement of pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles including people with disabilities.

Solutions proposed in this report include improved tools and processes to determine the impacts of staging areas earlier in the development process and minimize the impact of construction staging areas once they are in place.  Attachments also include proposed guidelines for providing information to the public, increasing the accessibility and wayfinding of covered walkways, as well as improving their appearance and illumination.  Finally, this report addresses the current Construction Hoarding Sign Permit Fee and its potential use for generating funding for artistic programming in the public right-of-way through a program administered by the Toronto Arts Council.