March 3, 1999

To:Chair and Members of Etobicoke Community Council

From:Karen V. Bricker, MCIP

Director of Community Planning, West District

Subject:Proposed Official Plan Amendment

Signet Development Corporation(Rexdale-Thistletown)

File No. Z-2153

Purpose :

To advise Community Council of the status of Signet Development Corporation's application and their request to have Official Plan Amendment No. 68-99 to the Official Plan for the Etobicoke Planning Area placed before Council for adoption.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

City funding is not required. There are no impacts on capital or operating budgets.

Recommendation:

It is recommended that this report be received for information.

Background:

In August, 1994, Signet Development Corporation applied to the Council of the former City of Etobicoke to amend the Official Plan from Parkway Belt West to Special Retail and to introduce a Limited Commercial (CL) zoning to permit the development of a home improvement retail warehouse or prestige office/industrial uses. The approximate 4.5 ha site consists of two parcels of land separated by Alcide Street.

The lands had been released from the Parkway Belt West Plan on the basis of a site specific application to the Province by Provincial Order-in-Council 143-90. Although the lands had been removed from the Plan, they were still designated Parkway Belt West in the Etobicoke Official Plan and had no zoning status other than the Parkway Belt Land Use Regulations.

A staff report presented in March, 1995, concluded that from a land use perspective the proposed home improvement retail warehouse facility would be an appropriate use for the site and that it satisfied the criteria for the introduction of a Special Retail Designation. The report noted that if retail development did not proceed on the site, that prestige industrial/office uses would also be acceptable and in accordance with development in the area. The report also recognized that Signet was negotiating with what was then Metropolitan Toronto to assemble additional lands for development.

A Public Meeting was held on April 25, 1995, at which time Planning and Development Committee recommended conditional approval of the application. On May 1, 1995, the Former Etobicoke Council adopted Clause 93 of the Ninth Report of the Planning and Development Committee, 1995, thereby approving the amendments.

For Community Council's information, in February, 1999, Council approved the terms of reference for the preparation of a Land Use Study for the Claireville Area. As noted on Exhibit No. 1 attached, the proposed study area includes the lands immediately abutting the applicant's holdings. It is anticipated that the study will be completed in the third quarter of 1999.

Comments:

Subsequent to the Former Etobicoke Council's conditional approval in 1995, the applicants had been negotiating the purchase of additional lands and the possible sale of their lands. The applicants have now advised that they wish to proceed on the basis of their approval and current land holdings, while fulfilling the outstanding conditions relating to the zoning component of their application. There are however, no conditions which need to be fulfilled prior to the enactment of the subject Official Plan Amendment.

The applicants recently informed staff that the property has been conditionally sold to a group for a place of worship. The proposed Official Plan amendment and the commercial zoning conditionally approved for the property would permit the uses found within a Class 1 Industrial (I.C1) zone, including a place of worship, consistent with the zoning applicable to lands in the immediate area. A draft of the implementing Official Plan amendment is attached for Council's consideration and adoption.

Conclusions:

The proposed Official Plan Amendment implements the approvals previously granted by the Council of the former City of Etobicoke. As there are no outstanding conditions relating to the enactment of the amendment, staff will place a draft bill to adopt Official Plan Amendment No. 68-99 to the Etobicoke Official Plan on City Council's agenda.

Contact Name:

Paul Zuliani, Area PlannerTel: (416) 394-8230

Community Planning, West DistrictFax: (416) 394-6063

Karen V. Bricker, MCIP

Director of Community Planning

West District

PART ONE - PREAMBLE

1.1PURPOSE/LOCATION

Official Plan Amendment No. 68-99 applies to an approximate 4.5 ha parcel of land located on the west side of Highway 427 and south of Steeles Avenue. The purpose of the Amendment is to amend Map 4 Land Use by redesignating the site from Parkway Belt West to Special Retail and to introduce Site Specific Policy No. 63 to permit industrial uses in addition to special retail uses.

1.2BASIS

The former Council of the City of Etobicoke considered an application by Signet Development Corporation to amend the Official Plan from Parkway Belt West to Special Retail and to introduce a Limited Commercial (CL) zoning to permit the development of a home improvement retail warehouse or prestige office/industrial uses. The approximate 4.5 ha site consists of two parcels of land separated by Alcide Street.

The lands had been released from the Parkway Belt West Plan on the basis of a site specific application to the Province by Provincial Order-in-Council 143-90. Although the lands had been removed from the Plan, they were still designated Parkway Belt West in the Etobicoke Official Plan and had no zoning status other than the Parkway Belt Land Use Regulations.

A staff report presented in March, 1995, concluded that from a land use perspective the proposed home improvement retail warehouse facility would be an appropriate use for the site and that it satisfied the criteria for the introduction of a Special Retail Designation. The report noted that if retail development did not proceed on the site, that prestige industrial/office uses would also be acceptable and in accordance with development in the area.

A Public Meeting was held on April 25, 1995, at which time Planning and Development Committee recommended conditional approval of the amendments. On May 1, 1995, the Former Etobicoke Council adopted Clause 93 of the Ninth Report of the Planning and Development Committee, 1995, thereby approving the amendments.

Subsequent to this approval, the applicants had been negotiating the purchase of additional lands and the possible sale of their lands. The applicants have now advised that they wish to proceed on the basis of their approval and fulfill the outstanding conditions relating to the zoning component of their application. There are however, no conditions which need to be fulfilled prior to the enactment off the subject Official Plan Amendment.

PART TWO - THE AMENDMENT

2.1INTRODUCTION

All of this part of the Amendment, consisting of the following text and attached maps designated Schedule 'A' and Schedule 'B', constitute Amendment No. 68-99 to the Official Plan for the Etobicoke Planning Area. The Plan is amended as follows:

2.2MAP CHANGE (SCHEDULE 'A' and 'B')

The lands to be redesignated and the lands subject to Site Specific Policy No. 63 are hereby shown on Schedule 'A' and Schedule 'B' of this amendment.

2.3TEXT CHANGES

Development of the lands affected by this amendment will be consistent with the applicable policies in the Official Plan of the Etobicoke Planning Area and with the following Site Specific Policy which is hereby added to Section 5.2.1:

"63.Lands located on the west side of Highway 427, south of Steeles Avenue.

Lands may be developed with uses in accordance with the Special Retail Designation or the Industrial Designation of the Official Plan.

3.IMPLEMENTATION

The policy established by this Amendment will be implemented by a site specific amendment to the Zoning Code, Council's conditions to approval, and the signing and registration of appropriate agreements.

4.INTERPRETATION

The provisions of the Official Plan as they may be amended from time to time with respect to the interpretation of the Plan shall apply with respect to this Amendment.