Ontario Municipal Board Appeal - Group Homes
The Scarborough Community Council recommends that City Council:
(1)direct that the Ontario Municipal Board appeal by the former Municipality of
Metropolitan Toronto respecting Group Homes be withdrawn;
(2)request the Ontario Municipal Board to defer the hearing on the appeals filed by
The Catholic Childrens' Aid Society and The St. Leonard's Society of Metropolitan
Toronto, with respect to Group Homes, in order for the City of Toronto to establish a
position respecting these appeals; and
(3)adopt the recommendation contained in the following report from the
Commissioner of Planning and Buildings, Scarborough, subject to directing that the
report to be submitted to The Urban Environment and Development Committee in the
last quarter of 1998 be first submitted to The Scarborough Community Council to
permit the Community Council the opportunity to forward its comments thereon to
The Urban Environment and Development Committee.
The Scarborough Community Council submits the following report (July 14, 1998)
from the Commissioner of Planning and Buildings, Scarborough:
Purpose:
To advise Scarborough Community Council of the status of the above-mentioned appeal.
Recommendation:
It is recommended that staff report on this item to the Urban Environment and Development
Committee at a meeting in the last quarter of this year.
Comments:
Background
The Council of the former City of Scarborough passed a By-law on September 2, 1997, to
increase the distance between group homes in Scarborough from 300 metres to 800 metres.
The former Metro Council adopted a Motion (attached), at its meeting held on October 8
and 9, 1997 to appeal the Scarborough By-law to the Ontario Municipal Board primarily on
the grounds that the By-law was contrary to the intent of the policies of the Metropolitan
Official Plan.
Two other agencies have also filed appeals: The Catholic Children's Aid Society and
The St. Leonard's Society of Metropolitan Toronto. The effect of the new distance
separation on these agencies would be to further limit possible locations for new group
homes and to make most existing group homes legal non-conforming uses, with attendant
restrictions.
Each of the former municipalities had different rules for locating group homes. Now that we
have amalgamated, it may be desirable to harmonize the regulations. This issue should be
dealt with by the Executive Director of Urban Planning and brought to Council's attention
through a report to the Urban Environment and Development Committee, in the last quarter
of 1998.
Contact Name:
Susan Filshie
Telephone: 396-4270
Facsimile: 396-4265
E-mail: filshie@city.scarborough.on.ca