March 5, 1999

To:East York Community Council - March 30, 1999

From:Ted Tyndorf

Director of Community Planning - East District

Subject:PRELIMINARY EVALUATION REPORT

Applications for Official Plan and

Zoning By-Law Amendments - File No. L.O.ZBA. 1\99

and Site Plan Approval File No. SPA. 2\99

by Richard Wolfe on behalf of 850901 Ontario Ltd.

-60 Overlea Boulevard

Purpose:

This is a preliminary report on a new

application for Official Plan and Zoning

By-law amendments and concurrent

Site Plan approval.

Financial Implications:

None.

Recommendation:

1. It is recommended that the East York Community Council:

i) convene a Public Meeting (under the Planning Act) to consider the Official Plan Amendment and rezoning application and that the Public Meeting be scheduled for a Community Council meeting for the second quarter of 1999; and

ii) the City Clerk be instructed to provide public notice by circulation.

Background:

The application was submitted by Richard Wolfe on behalf of 850901 Ontario Ltd.; and pertains to a 6,185 square metre property located at the north-west corner of Thorncliffe Park Drive and Overlea Boulevard. In May, 1997, the applicant received site plan approval for the subject property from East York Council for 94 parking spaces to the rear and sides of the building and a two lane driveway traversing the front of the premises. The 94 spaces exceed East York's total parking requirements for the existing restaurant (37 spaces) and Goodwill retail warehouse (3 spaces), and 468.0 square metres of remaining unspecified retail potential based on a parking standard of 1 parking space per 19 square metres of floor area (25 spaces).

The applicant has now submitted a revised site plan requiring Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments showing in addition to the 94 spaces and the driveway, parking fronting on Overlea Boulevard. The revised site plan proposes 117 parking spaces. According to the applicant, current lack of front yard parking is a major impediment to fully leasing the existing building. The new parking replaces most of the substantial landscaped setback that currently exists between the front of the building and Overlea Boulevard.

The Official Plan prohibits front yard parking for properties facing on Overlea Boulevard. The East York By-law 1916 specifies among other matters that all front and side yards abutting Overlea Boulevard shall be used for landscaping purposes only. The By-law also offers the alternative of off-site parking within not more than 160 metres and within the same zone as the main use.

Comments:

The north side of Overlea Boulevard from Don Mills Road to Millwood Road is characterized by a relatively uniform edge of buildings setback as much as 16 metres from their property lines presenting an even edge to the urban space of the boulevard. Most of the areas in front of the individual buildings including 60 Overlea Boulevard have been landscaped like front lawns of large estates. Recent redevelopment along the north side of Overlea Boulevard has attempted to maintain this predominant character.

A preliminary review of the application indicates that the proposed front yard parking is not in keeping with the overall character of the landscaped setbacks located on the north side of Overlea Boulevard. This matter will be further reviewed during the application circulation process and reported on in the Final Report.

Since this site is located in the midst of a largely non-residential area, it is recommended that the required public meeting under the Planning Act be held at the East York Community Council meeting at the time the Final Report is considered.

Contact Name:

Ed Mihalcin

(416) 397-4498

(416) 397-4582

emihalcin@borough.eastyork.on.ca

Ted Tyndorf

Director of Community Planning, East District Office

/EM