May 22, 1998

 To:Chairman and Members

North York Community Council

 From:Mr. E.Y. Uzumeri P.Eng.

Executive Director and Chief Building Official

 Subject:Wall Signage at 5140 Yonge Street

 Purpose:

 Evaluate and make recommendations concerning a request by Ms. Filo Costa, of Pride Signs Ltd., for a variance from the sign by-law to permit the erection of two wall signs to be placed at the 24^th storey level on the south and east elevations of the APetro Canada Building@ located at the south west corner of Yonge Street and Park Home Avenue.

 Recommendations:

 It is recommended that:

 (1)The request be considered for approval by Council in light of the variances, prohibitions and conditions alluded to herein.

 Council Reference/Background/History:

 In a letter dated April 27, 1998, Filo Costa, of Pride Signs Ltd., is requesting permission to erect two wall signs having a sign area of 960 square feet each. The two signs are to be erected on the east and south wall faces of the top storey of the building. One sign will be placed flush to the top of the parapet at the 24^th floor on the south elevation and the other flush to the top of the parapet on the east elevation.

 The building is located in an O3 zone and the sign by-law limits the area of wall signage in such zones to an aggregate area of 161.5 square feet. A site specific by-law number 28421 permits commercial uses in that zone and it would follow that the provisions for wall signage in a commercial zone aught to be applied in this instance. As such section 5.2.3.1. of the sign by-law would permit a cumulative sign area per storey of 15% of the wall area visible from any direction thus increasing the permitted sign area to approximately 532 square feet. Even at this increased permitted area the proposed signs will contravene the sign bylaw.

If the wall area of the top two storeys were taken into consideration the proposed signs would meet the percentage criteria applied to wall signs in a commercial zone.

As the City owns the underlying lands, a Development Agreement exists with some additional prohibitions on signage for the Civic Centre that must be cleared by the Director of Civic Projects.

 The applicant contends that similar signage has already been granted to both Belair Direct and The Xerox Corporation on buildings located further north on Yonge Street and that the signage would not be onerous due to the proposed height above grade.

 Conclusions:

 It is the opinion of this department that the proposed signs would not have a negative impact on the surrounding area and that the intent of the sign by-law would not be compromised by the erection of these signs, provided that no signage is permitted on the storey directly below. As we are not cognizant of specific limitations put fourth in the Development Agreement and have not yet been assured by the Director of Civic Projects that such conditions have been met, we ask that Council take this into consideration in its deliberations on this matter.

  E.Y. Uzumeri P.Eng.

Chief Building Official/Building Commissioner