Item - 2021.SB13.1

The Sign Variance Committee:

1. Granted the variance requested, subject to the listed conditions, as required to allow for the issuance of a permit respecting the erection and display of the Proposed Sign at the property municipally known as 33 Dundas Street East, as described in Attachment 1 to this report (September 20, 2021) from the Manager, Sign By-law Unit, Toronto Building.

A decision of the Sign Variance Committee, in the case of a decision to refuse to grant a variance, is final and binding on the date the decision was issued; and in the case of a decision to grant a variance with conditions, the decision is final and binding 21 days after the date the decision was issued unless an application to consider is filed by the ward councillor in accordance with §694-30S of Chapter 694 of the City of Toronto Municipal Code.

This report reviews and makes recommendations from a request by Branded Cities (the "Applicant"), on behalf of the property owner, in respect of a third party sign variance application and erect and display (the "Proposed Sign") a single electronic roof sign, displaying electronic moving copy, in the approximate location of an existing roof sign and electronic roof sign, which shall be removed as a condition of the variances sought. 

The subject premises is municipally known as 33 Dundas Street East (the "Premises") and is located within the Dundas Square Special Sign District ("DS-SSD"). The Proposed Sign would have a maximum height of 49.85 metres from grade, containing one rectangular sign face, with a 10.36 metres centre line (horizontal measurement) and a 27.43 metres bisecting line (vertical measurement), resulting in a sign face area of 284.17 square metres. The Proposed Sign is further described in Attachment 1 to this report.

Due to the unique nature of the applicable regulations and the Proposed Sign, there is one variance, subject to multiple conditions, to Chapter 694, which is being sought in order to allow the Chief Building Official ("CBO") to issue the sign permit for the erection and display of the Proposed Sign. The requirement in Chapter 694 which has been requested to be varied, is as follows:

§ 694-26D(2) - The Dundas Square Special Sign District may contain a third party sign which is erected, displayed, or substantially altered after July 30, 2016, which complies with the applicable provisions of Subsection 4 of Schedule C, Additional Special Sign District Regulations, notwithstanding Compliance with Subsection D(1); whereas the Proposed Sign does not comply with Section 4 of Schedule C, Additional Special Sign District Regulations, or Subsection 694-26D(1).

The requested variance would be subject to the following conditions:

1.  Any and all existing third party roof signs facing west on the building be removed and all associated permits be revoked;
2.  Any and all existing first party electronic roof signs facing west on the building be removed and all associated permits be revoked
3.  The Proposed Sign shall contain sufficient physical barriers on the sign face to minimize the visibility of the sign copy from the residential building to the south west of the Proposed Sign to the satisfaction of the Chief Building Official acting reasonably;
4.  The Proposed Sign will be located in the area marked 'X' as shown on 'Schedule 1- 33 Dundas Street East' in Attachment 1 to this report;
5.  The Proposed Sign shall display electronic moving or electronic static copy only;
6.  The Proposed Sign shall contain only one sign face;
7.  The sign face of the Proposed Sign shall be rectangular in shape;
8.  The sign face area of the Proposed Sign shall not exceed 285.0 square metres;
9.  The sign face of Proposed Sign shall not have a centre line that exceeds 27.45 metres;
10. The sign face of Proposed Sign shall not have a bisecting line that exceeds 10.4 metres; and
11. No more than one electronic roof sign shall located on the premises.

 
On the basis of information provided by the Sign By-law Unit staff, and the Applicant's submission, the CBO has determined that the information provides a sufficient basis to conclude that the nine required criteria established in §694-30A of the Sign By-law have been established with respect to the variance sought, subject to the noted conditions as described further in Appendix 1.

Therefore, the CBO supports the Sign Variance Committee granting the one requested variance subject to the conditions listed above required to allow for the issuance of a permit for the erection and display of the Proposed Sign.