Item - 2016.TE18.12

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1.  City Council refuse the application for Zoning By-law Amendment at 55 Eglinton Avenue East for reasons including the following:

 
a.  The proposal is not consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement, 2014.

b.  The proposal does not conform to policies of the Official Plan, including policies related to Built Form and Mixed Use Areas.

c.  The proposal does not respond appropriately to Council-adopted guidelines/policies including the Tall Building Design Guidelines and the draft built form principles for the Yonge-Eglinton Centre.

d.  The proposal does not provide office replacement as set out in Council-adopted and Minister-approved policies of Official Plan Amendment 231, currently under appeal at the Ontario Municipal Board.

2.  Should the application be appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board, the City Solicitor and the appropriate City Staff  be authorized to appear before the Ontario Municipal Board in support of Council's refusal of the Zoning By-law Amendment.

3.  City Council authorize City Planning, in consultation with the Ward Councillor, to secure services, facilities or matters pursuant to Section 37 of the Planning Act, as may be required by the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, should the proposal be approved in some form by the Ontario Municipal Board.

This application proposes a 47-storey mixed-use commercial and residential building containing a total of 455 residential units.  The proposed building is composed of a 5-storey base building with a 42-storey tower above.  The proposed density is 23.8 times the lot area.

The application represents overdevelopment of a small site, and does not provide an adequate supply of commercial office space which adversely impacts the viability of the Yonge-Eglinton Centre as a diverse residential and employment node.

This report reviews and recommends refusal of the application to amend the Zoning By-law.