November 20, 1998
To:Scarborough Community Council
From:Ted Tyndorf, MCIP, RPP
Director of Community Planning, East District
Subject:PRELIMINARY EVALUATION REPORT
Zoning By-law Amendment Application SZ98034
Sherway Centre Limited
55 Town Centre Court
Part of Blocks I and L, Registered Plan M-1410
City Centre
Scarborough City Centre
Purpose:
This report requests approval to schedule a public meeting of Council regarding an amendment to the Zoning By-law. The
owner of the subject property, containing an 8 storey office building on the southwest corner of Town Centre Court and
Borough Drive, proposes to expand the current range of permitted uses for the existing office building. The applicant has
submitted a Zoning By-law amendment application requesting educational and training facilities and permission to apply
the existing parking standards of the site for the additional use, wherein the parking requirement of the site is a minimum
of 1 space per 100 square metres (1,076 square feet) of gross floor area to a maximum of 3 spaces per 100 square metres
(1,076 square feet) of gross floor area for all uses.
Financial Implications:
None.
Recommendations:
That the Scarborough Community Council convene a Public Meeting, targeted for the first quarter of 1999, subject to staff
providing Notice of the said public meeting to all properties within 120 metres (400 feet) of the subject property.
Background:
The details of the building and parking supply are as follows:
Total Gross Floor Area- 21 059 square metres (226,685 square feet)
Parking Supply:Underground219
Surface Parking Lot*159
Total Parking378
*Lot presently located on the west side of Town Centre Court, and permitted until Dec. 21, 2015 by way of minor variance.
Although the site enjoys office zoning, the applicant advises that there have been numerous requests to lease the existing
vacant space for educational and training facilities. The Committee of Adjustment has on two separate occasions granted
minor variances permitting educational and training facility uses on the subject site for temporary periods. One variance
will expire in May 2005, and the other variance will expire in July 2008. Combined both minor variances have allowed 2
954 square metres (31,800 square feet) of the building's total floor area of 21 059 square metres (226,685 square feet), or
15 percent, to be used for educational and training facilities. Educational and training facility uses have operated in the
subject office building since January 1996 without any known adverse impacts.
The subject site is designated City Centre Uses in the City Centre Secondary Plan, which provides for all uses appropriate
to form a business, cultural, social, recreational and governmental regional centre to serve primarily the eastern region.
Consistent with the City Centre Secondary Plan, the Zoning By-law establishes a parking standard for this site which
requires a minimum of 1 parking space per 100 square metres (1,076 square feet) of gross floor area to a maximum of 3
parking spaces per 100 square metres (1,076 square feet) of gross floor area respectively for all uses. It is appropriate to
regulate the parking for educational and training facilities using the existing zoning standard.
Comments:
Benefits
The addition of the proposed use at this location would provide the owner with more flexibility in leasing the existing
office space. It would also serve the business community located in the City Centre, while diversifying business and
employment opportunities.
In October 1995 Scarborough Council resolved that the Commissioner of Planning and Buildings (now the Director of
Community Planning, East District) consider the addition of educational and training facility uses when making
recommendations on the rezoning of office and commercial properties. In recent years, Scarborough Council has approved
educational and training facilities in offices and plazas, and they have proven to be compatible with other uses.
Contact Name:
Bill Kiru, MCIP, RPP
Planner, Community Planning Division
Scarborough Civic Centre
Telephone:(416) 396-7014
Fax: (416) 396-4265
E-mail:kiru@city.scarborough.on.ca
Respectfully submitted,
Ted Tyndorf, MCIP, RPP.
Director of Community Planning, East District
VBK/TT/vbk
