Item - 2021.PH24.1

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council amend the Official Plan for the lands at 1-345 Geary Avenue, 2-360 Geary Avenue, 21-39 Primrose Avenue, 1352-1400 Dufferin Street, 1347-1355 Dufferin Street, 325-327 Westmoreland Avenue North, 1100-1102 Dovercourt Road, 508-510 Delaware Avenue North and 1102-1104 Ossington Avenue substantially in accordance with the draft Official Plan Amendment attached as Attachment 5 to the report (May 6, 2021) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture.

2. City Council amend City of Toronto Zoning By-law 569-2013 for the lands at 165-345 Geary Avenue, 2-150 Geary Avenue, 180-360 Geary Avenue, 21-39 Primrose Avenue, 1352-1384 Dufferin Street, 1347-1355 Dufferin Street, 325-327 Westmoreland Avenue North, 1100-1102 Dovercourt Road, 508-510 Delaware Avenue North and 1102-1104 Ossington Avenue substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment attached as Attachment 6 to the report (May 6, 2021) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture.

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

4. City Council direct that the area-specific changes to the land use permissions in Employment Areas adjacent to Geary Avenue, as described in Attachment 7 to the report (May 6, 2021) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, be considered as part of the current Municipal Comprehensive Review of the Official Plan (Our Plan Toronto), and that Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning report back to Planning and Housing Committee in the fourth quarter of 2021 with recommendations for any potential changes to land use permissions.

5. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to retain a qualified consultant to conduct a scoped rail safety study for properties on the south side of Geary Avenue to determine the threshold in size or capacity for various low occupancy non-residential uses that would not require rail safety measures for protection from the adjacent rail corridor.

6. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, through the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) appeal process for Official Plan Amendment (OPA) 231, to seek the removal of the lands at 2-80 Geary Avenue, 508-510 Delaware Avenue North and 1102-1104 Ossington Avenue from Site and Area Specific Policy No. 154 to eliminate policy redundancy with the proposed Site and Area Specific Policy in the draft Official Plan Amendment attached as Attachment 5 to the report (May 6, 2021) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture. 

7. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to develop a Parking Management Plan for Geary Avenue, in consultation with businesses, nearby residents and other parking users, to address competing demands on limited space from employees, shipping, receiving, customers, visitors and local residents.

8. City Council request that the General Manager, Transportation Services report to Toronto and East York Community Council with recommendations concerning all-way stop sign controls at intersections along the frontage of existing and planned segments of the Geary Avenue Parkette component of the Green Line (i.e. intersections of Geary Avenue and Somerset Avenue, Delaware Avenue, and Westmoreland Avenue) and any related measures to improve safety and comfort of park access for area residents and other park users.

9. City Council support future creative enterprises, small-scale retail, cafes, restaurants, bars and music venues on Geary Avenue and encourage other compatible non-residential land uses to animate Geary Avenue, as may be deemed appropriate through the Municipal Comprehensive Review of the Official Plan.   

10. City Council direct the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to continue to work with the community to support local cultural development and community aspirations to become a cultural corridor.

11. City Council direct the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to encourage the development of a future business improvement area at such time when the Geary Avenue commercial and industrial owners and their non-residential tenants are prepared to join together under a volunteer board of management to carry out improvements and promote economic development within a designated area.      

12. City Council direct the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to assist local businesses and prospective developers on Geary Avenue with the Imagination, Manufacturing, Innovation and Technology (IMIT) funding program and other future property incentives for creative enterprises.

13. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to consider a conversion from Core Employment Areas to General Employment Areas for the lands south of Geary Avenue, fronting the north side of Dupont Street from Emerson Avenue to Dovercourt Road, in the review of the broader Geary Avenue Employment Area as part of the current Municipal Comprehensive Review of the Official Plan (Our Plan Toronto).

14. City Council direct the Interim General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, to work with the community and stakeholders on Geary Avenue and report back to the Economic and Community Development Committee in the first quarter of 2022 with a comprehensive summary of actions taken and a timeline for further actions planned regarding:

a. the preservation and expansion of space for cultural production and presentation, including the possibility of a cultural corridor designation;

b. arts animation in the public realm of the Geary Avenue area; and,

c. an update on the development of a Business Improvement Area association (BIA) for the area.

15.  City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services, to provide a report to Toronto and East York Community Council in the first quarter of 2022 which provides a comprehensive summary of actions taken and timeline for further actions planned to advance the Geary Works - Mobility and Public Realm Strategy, Attachment 9 to the report (May 6, 2021) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture.

The Planning and Housing Committee commenced a statutory public meeting on May 20, 2021 that ended on June 11, 2021 and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This report summarizes the findings of Geary Works: a comprehensive study and community vision for Geary Avenue led by City Planning and Economic Development and Culture. The study produced the following six recommendations, which are described in and/or attached to this report.

Area-specific Official Plan Amendment and Site and Area-Specific Policy

Re: public realm, land use, and built form (see Attachment 5)
 

Area-specific Zoning By-law Amendment

Re: land use and built form provisions (see Attachment 6)
 

Cultural Heritage Resource Assessment

Re: historical overview and identification of cultural heritage resources
 

Considerations for the Municipal Comprehensive Review of the Official Plan

Re: employment land conversions for other non-residential uses (see Attachment 7)
 

Economic Development and Culture Strategy

Re: initiatives to support businesses (see Attachment 8)

 
Mobility and Public Realm Strategy

Re: public realm improvements (see Attachment 9)
 

This City-initiated application to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law applies to all properties fronting Geary Avenue and applies to the public realm in the vicinity of Geary Avenue.

The proposed Official Plan Amendment and rezoning are consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (2020) and conforms with A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2020).

This report reviews and recommends approval of the City-initiated amendments to the Official Plan and Zoning By-law. The amendments create a framework for a pedestrian-focused public realm along Geary Avenue, encourage active, animated non-residential uses at ground level, provide for gentle intensification of non-residential uses, and limit residential use where it's already permitted.