Item - 2017.EY26.4

Etobicoke York Community Council recommends that:

1.  City Council adopt the Long Branch Neighbourhood Character Guidelines, included as Attachment 1 to the report (October 26, 2017) from the Director, Community Planning, Etobicoke York District.

2.  City Council direct staff to apply the Long Branch Neighbourhood Character Guidelines in the review of all new development applications and public initiatives for all residential lands bounded by Lake Ontario to the south, the rail corridor to the north, Twenty Third Street to the east, and Forty Second Street (including Marie Curtis Park) to the west.

3.  City Council request that the Long Branch Neighbourhood Character Guidelines, adopted by Council, be used by home builders, the community, City staff, committees and appeal bodies to provide direction in their decision making as they develop plans, review applications for redevelopment and/or enhance the public realm.

4.  City Council authorize the Acting Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to make such stylistic and technical changes to the Long Branch Neighbourhood Character Guidelines as may be required.

This report presents and seeks City Council adoption of the recommended Long Branch Neighbourhood Character Guidelines.  This neighbourhood is experiencing significant development and there is a concern by many that the character of the neighbourhood is being eroded.  As a result, it would be important for this neighbourhood to be able to define its character and identify what elements are important to maintain and preserve that character. 

The recommended Long Branch Neighbourhood Character Guidelines result from a City-initiated study, which commenced in early 2016, for all residential lands bounded by Lake Ontario to the south, the rail corridor to the north, Twenty Third Street to the east, and Forty Second Street (including Marie Curtis Park) to the west.  This neighbourhood is currently undergoing physical change, resulting from ongoing infill and redevelopment, at a rate which is higher than that of many other neighbourhoods within the City of Toronto. 

The Long Branch Character Guidelines is the first of a pilot project of a larger City-wide Neighbourhood Character Guidelines Template being developed by City Planning.  Another pilot area currently being studied is the Willowdale neighbourhood.

The City retained SvN Architects + Planners to assist with the preparation of the "Neighbourhood Character Guidelines Template" and "How to Manual" which would establish a City-wide framework by which neighbourhood-specific guideline documents can be prepared.  City staff and the consultants studied two pilot area neighbourhoods (Long Branch and Willowdale) to create and test Guidelines that could be used as an example for other neighbourhoods in the City.

The Long Branch Neighbourhood Character Guidelines aim to ensure that future development within this community is undertaken in a manner which is sensitive and generally consistent with the existing physical character of this neighbourhood.  The framework of the Guidelines is based on six themes:  (1) height and massing; (2) building elements; (3) driveways and garages; (4) setbacks and landscape; (5) special features; and (6) heritage.

The Long Branch Neighbourhood Character Guidelines will serve as a toolkit for use by home builders, the community, City staff, committees and appeal bodies to reference as they develop plans, enhance the public realm and/or review applications for redevelopment.  The "How to Manual" has been incorporated in the Guidelines (under Chapter 3, Section 3.1) in order to provide a framework for how to use these Guidelines (see Attachment 1: Long Branch Neighbourhood Character Guidelines).

This report recommends that Council adopt the Long Branch Neighbourhood Character Guidelines.  Should Council adopt these Guidelines, it is also encouraged that the Guidelines be subject to review and evaluation from time to time as the Official Plan is reviewed, to ensure they remain applicable as the Long Branch neighbourhood continues to evolve, and as the Official Plan and Zoning By-law are amended.