Item - 2020.NY14.3

North York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council amend the Official Plan, for the lands at portions of 20 Castlefield Avenue and 567 Duplex Avenue substantially in accordance with the draft Official Plan Amendment attached as Attachment 8 to the report (January 3, 2020) from the Director, Community Planning, North York District.

2. City Council amend Zoning By-law 438-86 for the lands at 2490-2514 Yonge Street, 10-12 Castlefield Avenue, and portions of 20 Castlefield Avenue and 567 Duplex Avenue substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment attached as Attachment 9b to the report (January 3, 2020) from the Director, Community Planning, North York District.

3. City Council amend City of Toronto Zoning By-law 569-2013 for the lands at 2490-2514 Yonge Street, 10-12 Castlefield Avenue, and portions of 20 Castlefield Avenue and 567 Duplex Avenue substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment attached as Attachment 9a to the report (January 3, 2020) from the Director, Community Planning, North York District.

4. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the draft Official Plan Amendment and draft Zoning By-law Amendments as may be required.

5. Before introducing the necessary Bills to City Council for enactment, City Council require the Owner to enter into an Agreement pursuant to Section 37 of the Planning Act as follows:

a. prior to the issuance of the first building permit, cash contribution of $1,500,000.00 of which:

i. $1,000,000 will be allocated to the acquisition and/or improvement of public parks in the immediate vicinity; and

ii. $500,000 will be allocated to the Toronto Public Library for Northern District Branch improvements.

b. the following matters are also recommended to be secured in the Section 37 Agreement as a legal convenience to support development:

i. the Owner shall enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement with the City for the property at 2490-2506 Yonge Street in accordance with the plans and drawings dated November 1, 2019, prepared by Turner Fleischer Architects, and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Preservation Services, Urban Design, City Planning, the Heritage Impact Assessment prepared by GBCA Architects, October 31, 2019, and in accordance with the Conservation Plan required to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Preservation Services, Urban Design, City Planning, including registration of such agreement to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor;

ii. the owner shall provide a detailed Conservation Plan, prepared by a qualified heritage consultant, that is consistent with the conservation strategy set out  in the Heritage Impact Assessment prepared by GBCA Architects, October 31, 2019, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Preservation Services, Urban Design, City Planning;

iii. the owner shall provide an Interpretation Plan for the heritage property, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Preservation Services, Urban Design, City Planning, and thereafter shall implement such Plan to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Preservation Services, Urban Design, City Planning;

iv. the owner shall incorporate in the construction of the building, the exterior materials as shown on 1:50 scale drawings and a heritage plaque for the Capitol Theatre as approved by the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and submitted as part of the Site Plan Control process; and

v. the owner shall construct and maintain the development in accordance with Tier 1 performance measures of the TGS.

6. Before introducing the necessary Bills to City Council for enactment, City Council require the owner to:

a. submit to the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services for review and acceptance, a revised Functional Servicing Report to determine the storm water runoff, sanitary flow and water supply demand resulting from this development and whether there is adequate capacity in the existing municipal infrastructure  to accommodate the proposed development; and

b. make satisfactory arrangements with Engineering and Construction Services and enter into the appropriate agreement with the City for the design and construction of any improvements to the municipal infrastructure at no cost to the City, should it be determined that upgrades are required to the infrastructure to support this development, according to the accepted Functional Servicing Report accepted by the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services.

7. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to initiate an Official Plan Amendment application to redesignate the lands currently utilized by the Toronto Parking Authority at 20 Castlefield Avenue and 565 Duplex Avenue, save and except the lands subject to the proposed land exchange, to Parks and Open Space Areas in consultation with the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation.

North York Community Council commenced a statutory public meeting on January 8, 2020, and continued the public meeting on March 12, 2020.  Notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This application proposes to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law for the properties at 2490-2514 Yonge Street, 10-12 Castlefield Avenue, and portions of 20 Castlefield Avenue and 567 Duplex Avenue to permit a 14-storey (50.4 metres - excluding mechanical penthouse)  mixed use building containing 150 dwelling units and retail uses at grade along Yonge Street. Portions of the existing heritage building (Capitol Theatre) located at 2490-2506 Yonge St are proposed to be conserved. The Capitol Theatre façade, and existing canopy structure, are proposed to be incorporated into the development.  The Capitol Theatre would be commemorated by replication of its volume on the ground floor, and the vestibule space would be rebuilt to a similar footprint.

A total of 191 vehicular parking spaces are proposed that would be accessed from a driveway off of Castlefield Avenue. The proposal has an overall gross floor area of 18,675 square metres, of which 1,403 square metres are proposed to be dedicated to non-residential uses at grade, with the remaining 17,271 square metres of gross floor area dedicated to residential uses.  An overall floor space index (FSI) of 6.21 is proposed. A total of 162 bicycle parking spaces are proposed for the development, of which 24 are proposed to be located at grade, with the remaining 138 bicycle parking spaces located within the first level of underground parking.

The proposal includes a proposed land exchange with the City, where approximately 650 square metres of Toronto Parking Authority lands with frontage on Castlefield Avenue would be acquired by the applicant to be incorporated in the proposed development proposal in exchange for an equivalent or nearly equivalent area of land with frontage on Duplex Avenue to be conveyed to the City (see Attachment 7).

The proposed development is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (2014) and conforms with the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2019).  The proposal is in keeping with the intent of the Toronto Official Plan, particularly as it relates to intensifying a Mixed Use Areas site within close proximity to higher order transit and providing a range of housing types.  The proposal provides an appropriate separation to the existing neighbourhoods to the west and provides an improved public realm along both street frontages with new sidewalks and landscaping. In addition, the proposal conserves a heritage resource on site (Capitol Theatre), and provides improved views to the Orange Hall, an adjacent listed heritage building.  The proposed Section 37 benefits will include improvements to Northern District Library.

This report reviews and recommends approval of the applications to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law.