Item - 2017.PG22.3

The Planning and Growth Management Committee:

1.  Requested the Acting Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager, Transportation Services to:

a.  comprehensively review transportation impacts of the proposed development at 721 Eastern Avenue taking into consideration the transportation requests from the previously approved development at 629, 633, and 675 Eastern Avenue and transportation impacts associated with the current applications at 459 and 462 Eastern Avenue and the Unilever Precinct application;

b.  include cycling opportunities and pedestrian and transit improvements and school safety zones in the review;

c.  engage the traffic working group for 629, 633 and 675 Eastern Avenue on issues associated with traffic mitigation and traffic management as well as Bruce and Morse School; and

d. engage a facilitator to assist with public engagement.

2.  Directed staff to schedule a community consultation meeting for the lands at 721 Eastern Avenue in consultation with the Ward Councillor.

3.  Directed that notice for the community consultation meeting be given to landowners and residents within 120 metres of the site in consultation with the Ward Councillor.

4.  Directed that notice for the public meeting under the Planning Act be given according to the regulations of the Planning Act.

This application for Zoning By-law Amendment has been proposed at 721 Eastern Avenue along with a Draft Plan of Subdivision to subdivide the lands into three blocks (Site 1, 2, and 3).  The proposal includes a multi-use development consisting of office, research and development, ancillary retail, and an auto dealership.  A new public street is also proposed by the applicant to connect Eastern Avenue to Lake Shore Boulevard through the site (see attachment 1).

The applicant, General Motors (GM) of Canada, has a vision for the site which seeks policies to broaden the current zoning permission for traditional employment uses of manufacturing and warehousing to plan for a Toronto GM Mobility Campus (Site 1) including office, research and development, and ancillary retail uses.

The Toronto GM Mobility Campus is proposed to include:

-  Cadillac Canada National Sales and Marketing Headquarters;

-  GM Canada Regional Sales Offices;

-  Maven™ Canada offices and facilities;

-  Urban Mobility Research and Development, (e.g. first mile/last mile solutions and autonomous vehicle systems);

-  Chevrolet Buick GMC and Cadillac dealership and service space; and

-  Improved greenscaping and a public cafe.

The proposal presents a large city building opportunity with significant employment space for up to 3,000 new jobs across the 3 development blocks at full build out.  There are also challenges to the development of this site including achieving flood protection; introduction of a new block structure; site access and transportation; balancing the proposed mix of uses; and, impacts on adjacent green space areas and residential neighbourhoods.

This report provides preliminary information on the above-noted applications and seeks the Planning and Growth Management Committee's directions on further processing of the applications and on the community consultation process.

Next steps include a community consultation meeting to be held at a later date to present the proposal to the public and obtain input.  City Planning has requested that the applicant submit an Official Plan Amendment application to ensure specific requirements related to the proposed public road and other matters such as mix of uses, phasing, and conformity with Official Plan Amendment 231.

A Final Report and a Public Meeting under the Planning Act will be targeted for the second quarter of 2018, provided issues identified in this report are satisfactorily addressed and the applicant submits all required information in a timely manner.