Minutes Confirmed on May 1, 2018

The Planning and Growth Management Committee:

1. Directed that the draft Official Plan Amendment containing policy direction for the second unit policy appended as Attachment 1 to the report (March 9, 2018) from the Acting Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning be endorsed as the basis for public consultation.

2. Directed City Planning staff to conduct consultations and an open house to obtain comments and feedback regarding the draft policy for second units contained in Attachment 1 to the report (March 9, 2018) from the Acting Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

3. Requested the Acting Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to prepare a Final Recommendation Report with a proposed Official Plan Amendment for second units in the second quarter of 2018 for a special meeting in fulfillment of Section 26 of the Planning Act.

This report presents a draft Official Plan Amendment for second units for the purpose of public consultation.  The draft policy is intended to clarify the existing Official Plan second unit permissions across the City and to strengthen the existing Official Plan policies that provide for a full range of housing and intensification and infill that is consistent with the Official Plan.

Currently, the City's Official Plan does not reference or set out specific provisions for second units. The draft Official Plan Amendment provides a clear policy framework under which second units would be permitted throughout the City. The draft amendment aligns the Official Plan with provincial policy changes to the Planning Act and Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2017 and reflects provincial direction to further encourage the creation of second units, including the Promoting Affordable Housing Act, 2016 which amends both the Planning Act and the Development Charges Act. A draft Official Plan Amendment is appended to this report as Attachment 1.

The Planning and Growth Management Committee recommends that:

1. City Council adopt the draft by-law in Attachment 1 to the report (March 9, 2018) from the Interim Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building to allow authorized first party signs to display all forms of first party sign copy in Residential Apartment (RA) Sign Districts by deleting the phrases "in association with an apartment building" from § 694-21.B.(2), and "identifying an apartment building" from § 694-21.B.(3) and §694-21.B.(4); and,

2. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to prepare the necessary Bills for introduction in Council to implement the above recommendation, subject to such stylistic and technical changes to the draft by-law as may be required.

This staff report reviews a proposed amendment to the Sign By-law to expand permission for first party sign copy in Residential Apartment (RA) Sign Districts. The proposed amendment will allow first party signs in RA Sign Districts to display all forms of first party sign copy by deleting the requirement that they display only copy associated with residential apartment uses. The Sign By-law currently limits the display of sign copy in RA Sign Districts to copy which exclusively identifies residential apartment buildings.

The proposed amendment will allow the incorporation of images, logos and non-residential sign copy, in support of the Tower Renewal Program and Residential Apartment Commercial (RAC) zoning adopted by City Council in 2014.

The Tower Renewal Program forms part of the Poverty Reduction Strategy, to revitalize older apartment towers and their neighbourhoods through the introduction of small-scale non-residential uses. As the Sign By-law does not currently contemplate non-residential uses in RA Sign Districts, sign copy containing logos and non-residential sign copy now require Sign Variances. Staff note that members of the public generally stated that they had no concerns with the signs proposed in these variance applications.

This report was prepared in consultation with staff from Social Development, Finance and Administration (SDFA).

The Planning and Growth Management Committee recommends that:

1. City Council refuse the application to amend the Sign By-law to add an area-specific amendment to Schedule 'B' of the Sign By-law, to allow for, in addition to the signage otherwise permitted, an electronic third party wall sign at 147 Queen Street East, as described in Attachment 1 to the report (March 12, 2018) from the Interim Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building.

The Manager, Sign By-law Unit, Toronto Building gave a verbal presentation to the Committee.

This staff report reviews and makes recommendations on an application by Outfront Media (the Applicant), on behalf of The Fred Victor Centre, to amend the Sign By-law to allow a third party electronic wall sign at 147 Queen Street East (the Proposed Sign). The Fred Victor Centre is a homeless support centre and shelter located in a Commercial Residential (CR) Sign District. Third party electronic walls signs are not permitted in CR Sign Districts.

The Proposed Sign has a height of 15.32 metres and a sign face area of 41.63 square metres.  These proposed attributes result in a sign greater than five times the permitted height and almost 14 times the permitted sign face area for other third party wall signs in CR Sign Districts.

The Proposed Sign, located less than 100 metres from Moss Park and just 20 metres from the Moss Park Armoury, is incompatible with the surrounding area. It is also likely to have a significant impact on adjacent properties because of its size, height and copy type.

The proposal also includes the removal of five existing third party signs located in Wards 30 and 35. These five signs are located several kilometres away from the subject property and have no relationship with the proposed sign. The removal of these signs will not mitigate any of the impacts of the Proposed Sign or increase its compatibility with the surrounding area.

Staff have also received objections to this application from residents in the area who are concerned with its impact. Their concerns included: driver distraction, the visual impact that the sign may have on the surrounding buildings and concerns that the sign may set a precedent for other signs in the area.

Based on the above, staff recommend refusal of this application.

The Planning and Growth Management Committee:

1. Received the report (February 26, 2018) from the Acting Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning for information.

The following gave a presentation on Toronto Employment Survey 2017:

-   The Manager, Strategic Initiatives, Policy and Analysis 

-   The Project Manager, Strategic Initiatives, Policy and Analysis

The attached bulletin summarizes the results of the 2017 Toronto Employment Survey. The bulletin highlights the Survey's key findings and counts of employment and business establishments in the City of Toronto for 2017, as well as the type and longevity of establishments and employment activity in Downtown, the Centres, Secondary Plan Areas and designated Employment Areas.

Toronto’s economy has performed strongly over the past year, as total employment in the City reached 1,518,560 jobs. The net increase of 57,550 jobs (3.9 percent) from 2016 exceeded both the national and provincial growth rates and is the highest year-over-year growth rate since 1999 (5.1 percent). The Survey counted 75,620 business establishments in 2017, an increase of 340 (0.5 percent) from 2016. In 2017, 4,540 establishments were new to the City.

The Planning and Growth Management Committee:

1.  Directed staff to schedule a community consultation meeting for the lands at 900 York Mills Road together with the Ward Councillor.

2.  Directed that notice for the community consultation meeting be given to landowners and residents within 120 metres of the site, and to all property owners, residents and tenants on Parmbelle Crescent, Bushbury Drive and Silverdale Crescent, with any additional costs to be borne by the applicant. 

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

4.  Directed the City Solicitor, should the applications be appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board, to request the OMB to consolidate the appeal of these applications with the OMB hearing of Appeal No. 178 to Official Plan Amendment No. 231 respecting the subject lands at 900 York Mills Road.

This application proposes to amend the Employment Lands designation in the Official Plan and amend the Zoning By-laws to permit a mixed-use development with residential, office, hotel, retail and other commercial uses at 900 York Mills Road.

The proposal is for two mixed-use buildings with heights of 32 and 36 storeys for a total of 564 residential units, a new eight-storey office building and additions to the existing 21-storey hotel that includes a new ten-storey hotel building, new ballroom and expanded conference centre. An additional 38,164 square metres of above grade parking is proposed in two parking structures, with heights of five and six storeys.

The mixed-use proposal would contain a gross floor area of 123,912 square metres, which when combined with the existing hotel would create a 153,812 square metre development across the entire site or an overall floor space index of 3.28 times the area of the lot.

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.

Planning staff have significant concerns with the proposal in its current form, particularly with the proposed residential land use on a site designated Employment Areas, the location, size and configuration of the proposed parkland dedication, and the above-grade parking structures, among other matters.

The Planning and Growth Management Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council direct the City Clerk to submit the report (April 4, 2018) from the City Solicitor, together with City Council's decision on the item, to the Toronto Local Appeal Body (TLAB).

2.  City Council request that the Toronto Local Appeal Body (TLAB) amend its Rules of Practice and Procedure to collapse the pre-hearing requirements for participants into one step, adopt a new rule requiring respect, courtesy and civility, and keep the principles of access to justice and effective public participation in the forefront during its review of the Rules of Practice and Procedure.

3.  City Council request the Toronto Local Appeal Body to consider a mediation pilot project pursuant to its Rule 20, as amended if necessary, to encourage early dispute resolution through a cost effective and timely process for the residents of the City of Toronto.

The Toronto Local Appeal Body (TLAB) recently announced a review of its Rules of Practice and Procedure (the "Rules") and related documents.  The Rules establish procedures and timelines for hearings, motions, settlements and mediation; disclosure and service requirements; and the roles and responsibilities of parties, participants, witnesses and representatives before, during and after hearings, amongst other matters.

The TLAB has invited members of the public, stakeholders and interested individuals to contribute to this review.  City Council, in the interest of promoting broader public interest goals, has an interest in the effective functioning and application of the Rules.  The City Solicitor intends to participate in this review by suggesting technical changes to the Rules in order to more effectively and efficiently represent City Council at the TLAB.