Variance from Chapter 297, Signs,

of the former City of Toronto Municipal Code -

631-651 Spadina Avenue (Downtown)

The Toronto Community Council recommends that:

(1)City Council approve Application No. 998042-Option A set out in the report (June25,1998) from the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services respecting a minor variance from Chapter 297, Signs, of the former City of Toronto Municipal Code to permit illuminated signage on condition that the owner enter into an Encroachment Agreement with the City of Toronto with respect to the glazed cornice;

(2)the applicant be advised, upon approval of Application No. 998042, of the requirement to obtain the necessary permits from the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services; and

(3)the report (July 9, 1998) from Acting Assistant Director, By-law Administration and Enforcement, City Works Services be adopted.

The Toronto Community Council submits the following report (June 26, 1998) from the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services:

Purpose:

To review and make recommendations respecting an application for a variance to permit illuminated signage at 631-651 Spadina Avenue.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

Not applicable.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1)City Council approve Application No. 998042-Option A respecting a minor variance from Chapter 297, Signs, of the former City of Toronto Municipal Code to permit illuminated signage on condition that the owner enter into an Encroachment Agreement with the City of Toronto with respect to the glazed cornice.

Or

(2)City Council approve Application No. 998042-Option B respecting a minor variance from Chapter 297, Signs, of the former City of Toronto Municipal Code to permit illuminated signage.

(3)The applicant be advised, upon approval of Application No. 998042, of the requirement to obtain the necessary permits from the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services.

Comments:

The property is located on a block bounded by Glen Morris Street, Spadina Avenue and Harbord Street, in an institutional (Q) district. Construction has recently commenced on a ten storey, 436 room University residence, with retail uses at grade.

The applicant is requesting permission to install patterned glass signage on the glazed cornice of the building facing Spadina Avenue. The sign has a length of 46 metres and a height of 4 metres, with an area of 184 m5. Two options are proposed: Option "A" where the cornice "extends" beyond the southern edge of the building to the midpoint of Harbord Street and Option "B" where the cornice ends at the southern edge of the building (see Figures 1-4). The applicant is requesting approval of Option "A" which is conditional upon City Council=s approval of an encroachment agreement. If City Council does not approve Option "A", then Option "B" is recommended.

The sign illustrated in Option "A" and Option "B" does not comply with Chapter 297 of the Municipal Code in that it is not a defined sign type under Chapter 297 of the Municipal Code and is therefore not permitted.

The site is situated on the western edge of the University of Toronto campus at the intersection of Spadina Avenue and Harbord Street which is one of the six primary entrances to the campus. The sign would be patterned onto the glass wall of the extended interior corridor at the 6th and 7th floor levels. The extended corridor would be cantilevered over Harbord Street thereby forming a decorative cornice. Access to the cantilevered portion of the corridor would be restricted to maintenance staff only.

The projecting cornice on which the sign is proposed to be located serves as a "gateway" to the University, consistent with the policies identified in the University of Toronto Area Part II Plan which was enacted by the former City of Toronto Council on June 3, 1997. In my opinion, the sign appropriately identifies this major entry point.

I am recommending that City Council approve Option "A" and adopt Recommendations No. 1 and 3 of this report. However, should City Council wish to approve Option "B" instead because it supports the sign but not the encroachment, it should adopt Recommendations Nos. 2 and 3 of my report.

Contact Name:

Lora Mazzocca, Telephone: (416) 392-0421, Fax: (416) 392-7536;

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

The Toronto Community Council also submits the following report (July 9, 1998) from Acting Assistant Director, By-law Administration and Enforcement, City Works Services:

Purpose:

To report on the construction of an overhead service corridor on the Harbord Street flankage of 631 Spadina Avenue. The service corridor will be used to facilitate maintenance of signage that will be affixed to the exterior of the service corridor. As this type of structure does not fall within the standard provisions of Municipal Code Chapter 313, Streets and Sidewalks, of the former City of Toronto Municipal Code, I am required to report to your Committee.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

Not applicable.

Recommendation:

That City Council approve the construction of an overhead service corridor over the City street allowance on the Harbord Street flankage of 631 Spadina Avenue, subject to the owner entering into an agreement with the City of Toronto, as prescribed under Chapter 313 of the former City of Toronto Municipal Code, and agreeing to:

(a)indemnify the City from and against all actions, suits, claims or demands and from all loss, costs, damages, charges and expenses that may result from such permission granted;

(b)maintain the service corridor in good and proper repair and a condition satisfactory to the Commissioner of City Works Services;

(c)accept such additional conditions as the City Solicitor or the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services may deem necessary in the interest of the Corporation;

(d)remove the overhead service corridor upon receiving notice so to do with the understanding that the City shall not give such notice in the first 75 years following completion of the proposed work or the life of the building, whichever period is less; and

(e)pay an annual rental fee, as determined by the Commissioner of Corporate Services.

Comments:

Mr. Chris Radigan of Stephen Teeple Architect Inc., 511 King Street west, Toronto, Ontario M5V1K4, submitted an application on April 27, 1998, on behalf of the owner, University of Toronto, requesting permission to construct an overhead service corridor over the City street allowance on the Harbord Street flankage of 631 Spadina Avenue. The proposed corridor will be located 14.5 m above grade and extend 12.2 m over the City street allowance. It will be used to facilitate maintenance of signage that will be affixed to the exterior of the corridors.

For your Committee=s information, the former City of Toronto Council, at its meeting of May 28 and 29, 1990, adopted a general policy prohibiting the construction of overhead structures and pedestrian bridges over public rights-of-way, except for site specific locations where Council may approve such structures on the recommendations of the Commissioners of City Works Services and Urban Development Services providing appropriate justification and subject to the structure being accessible to people with disabilities.

In this instance, discussions have been on-going with members of Urban Development Services, Development Approval Division, who in turn have submitted, for your consideration at this meeting, a separate report dealing with the signage at this location.

With respect to the requirement of accessibility for people with disabilities, this would not be a concern at this location, as the service corridor would be restricted to maintenance personnel only.

Details of the overhead service corridor are shown on the attached sketches (Appendices 'A' and 'B').

Conclusions:

As this overhead service corridor will not impact negatively on the area, it should be permitted, subject to the owner entering into an agreement with the City of Toronto.

Contact Name and Telephone Number:

Fani Lauzon, 392-7894