Item - 2020.SC16.4

Scarborough Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council amend Highland Creek Community Zoning By-law 10827, as amended, for the lands at 3300 and 3316 Ellesmere Road substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendments attached as Attachments 5 and 6 to the report (June 25, 2020) from the Director, Community Planning, Scarborough District.

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

Scarborough Community Council held a statutory public meeting on July 17, 2020, and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This application proposes to amend the Zoning By-law and remove a Holding provision (H) to permit the development of a student residence building on the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) campus at 3300 and 3316 Ellesmere Road.  The proposed building is nine storeys (32.85 metres) in height, and contains approximately 23,660 square metres of floor area consisting of residence rooms (750 beds) along with a dining area and other student amenities.

The proposed development is consistent  with the Provincial Policy Statement (2020) and conforms with the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2019).  It contributes to a broad range of housing types that are provided for within complete communities, and intensifies within the built-up area in a way that supports active transportation while protecting for future transit and rights-of-way.  The student residence also generally conforms with the existing policy framework provided for by the Highland Creek Community Secondary Plan, as well as the emerging policy framework under development through a Secondary Plan process being undertaken exclusively for the UTSC campus.  It provides much needed student housing for an intensifying institutional use while supporting place making and urban design objectives for the campus.  In addition, through its use of passive house construction, the proposal is a model building for energy efficiency and green design.

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