August 24, 1998

To:Toronto Community Council

From:Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services upon submission of revised plans by Eastlake Development Inc. 55 Ormskirk Avenue, Suite 201, Toronto, Ontario, M6S 4V6

Subject:Further Report on revised plans for Rezoning Application No. 12398 for 38 Abell Street and 1199 Queen Street West, for the construction of 66 stacked townhouses. (Trinity-Niagara)

Purpose:

To introduce a revised proposal to construct 66 stacked townhouses at 38 Abell Street and 1199 Queen Street West and seek Community Council endorsement to hold a public meeting.

Source of Funds:

Not applicable.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

1.I be requested to hold a public meeting in the community to discuss the revised application and to notify owners and tenants within 120 metres of the site and the Ward Councillors.

2.The owner be advised that, prior to final Council approval of this project, the owner may be required to submit a Noise Impact Statement in accordance with City Council's requirements. The owner will be further advised of these requirements, as they relate to this project, by the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services.

Background/History:

At its meeting of February 15, 1996, the Land Use Committee of the former City of Toronto adopted the Final Report on a rezoning application to permit residential development, including live/work on this site.

The final report recommended approval of residential uses and set out general density and height limits that would have permitted a combination of townhouses and 8 storey apartment buildings.

Since there is little street frontage, the report also recommended that the owner be required to construct and convey to the City a public road along the south edge of the site to provide for the westerly extension of Sudbury Street. In addition, it was also recommended that the lands extending further west to Queen Street West be protected for possible future public road extension of Sudbury Street to Queen Street West to serve possible future redevelopment of lands west of the site.

Ownership of the site has now changed and the new owner proposes to construct 66 stacked townhouses. The road extensions required previously are still part of this application.

Comments:

Site:

The large vacant site at 38 Abell Street is located in the interior of a large city block bounded by Queen Street West to the north, Lisgar to the east, CN's Weston Subdivision Railway line and Sudbury Street to the south. Since Abell Street itself is partially closed, the site has only 10.98 metres of street frontage at the south-east corner of the site, adjacent to the westerly terminus of Sudbury Street.

The 1199 Queen Street West portion of the site is a linear strip of land running along the rail corridor to Queen Street West.

Proposal:

The proposal is for 66 stacked townhouses in three rows running north from a proposed new public street on the 38 Abell Street portion of the site. The townhouses would be 3 1/2 storeys (11 metres) in height. The density is 0.45X.

Sixty-six parking spaces are proposed, with access from proposed driveways. Thirty-three units will be two-bedroom, and 33 will be three-bedroom units. The proposed residential buildings are to be located 30 metres from the rail right-of-way and the applicant is also proposing a rail safety berm south of the proposed new road. (see data sheet)

Current Official Plan and Zoning:

The site is designated in the Garrison Common North Part II Official Plan as Mixed Industrial Residential Area "B". Under this designation residential use are permitted through a rezoning up to 2 times the lot area. The site is zoned I1 D3 (light industrial uses), and has height limits of 18 and 16 metres.

Prior to permitting any change in use from industrial to residential, the Official Plan requires that regard be had for the compatibility of new residential buildings with the existing neighbourhood in terms of use and ensuring adequate residential living conditions.

Planning Issues:

One of the basic planning principles for redevelopment of lands in the Garrison Common North area is integrating the area into the existing city fabric in terms of street and block pattern, uses and density. As recommended in my earlier report on this site, it is necessary for a new public road to be constructed along the south edge of the site to provide the site with a public street frontage. Therefore, the siting of the buildings and the location of the driveways as they relate to the proposed new road and pedestrian routes need to be examined, in order to maximize building frontage along the street.

In addition, the portion of the site that extends further west to Queen Street should also be protected for a possible future public road extension of Sudbury Street to Queen Street West. This will help facilitate the future creation of blocks and street patterns more typical of the area north of Queen Street and help promote redevelopment of isolated neighbouring industrial lands to the west. As recommended in my earlier report, this will still continue to be a requirement and would be secured by a Section 37 Agreement.

A north-south connection from Sudbury Street to Queen Street West is another connection that would help re-establish the street pattern of this area. When dealing with this matter earlier, the Land Use Committee of the former City of Toronto requested that the possibility of reopening Abell Street from Sudbury Street to Queen Street be examined. The current ownership and development pattern of land to the east of this site prevent the reopening of this connection as a street at the present time, but it may be possible to take steps that could help to secure the eventual reopening of the street and achieve the connection to Queen Street as abutting lands are developed. These possibilities should be examined during the review of the application.

Contact Name:Paul Byrne

Telephone:(416) 392-7349

Fax:(416) 392-1330

E-Mail:pbyrne@city.toronto.on.ca

Beate Bowron

Director, Community Planning, South District

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APPLICATION DATA SHEET

Confirmed Municipal Address:(Part of) 38 Abell St. and (Part of) 1199 Queen St. W. (Tentative address 150 Sudbury St.)

PLANNING CONTROLS (For verification refer to Chief Building Official)

PROJECT INFORMATION