Item - 2016.PG14.2

The Planning and Growth Management Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council direct that the draft amendments to the Official Plan policies and Zoning By-law contained in Attachment 2 and Attachment 3 to the report (August 19, 2016) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, be used as the basis for public consultation;

2.  City Council direct staff to schedule consultation with stakeholders including representatives of the development industry, the Business sector including Business Improvement Areas, Social Development Finance and Administration, Toronto Public Health, the United Way and residents groups; and

3.  City Council direct that notice for a public meeting under the Planning Act be given in accordance with the regulations under the Planning Act with the public meeting targeted for a meeting of Planning and Growth Management Committee in the second quarter of 2017.

This report proposes that City staff undertake consultation on proposed amendments to the Official Plan and Zoning By-laws to support the role of pedestrian shopping areas as areas that support local shopping and service needs, and provide locations for small business and for social gathering and interaction.  The proposed consultation would take place in the first quarter of 2017. 

The draft Official Plan amendment sets out objectives and urban design policies for pedestrian shopping areas, provides for limits on the amount of new retail development and the size of individual stores and sets out assessment criteria for proposals to exceed such limits.

The draft zoning by-law amendments would implement the draft Official Plan policies and include:

i.    revisions to the existing regulations for the former City of Toronto to set a maximum store size of 3,500 sq.m.; and

ii.   new limits on the amount of new retail space on a property and a maximum store size of 3,500 sq.m. in pedestrian shopping areas outside the former City of Toronto.