May 10, 1999
To:East York Community Council
From:Ted Tyndorf, MCIP, RPP
Director of Community Planning, East District
Subject:Proposed Zoning By-law Amendments
Restaurant Parking Requirements
Ward 1 (East York)
Purpose
This report presents a proposal to amend Zoning By-laws 1916 and 6752 to change the
parking requirement for restaurants in commercial strip areas in the East York Community.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that Council approve amendments to Zoning By-law No. 1916 and Zoning
By-law No. 6752 to change the minimum parking requirement for restaurants in commercial
strip areas in the East York Community, except on Bayview Avenue and Overlea Boulevard,
to one parking space per 47 square metres of gross floor area.
Background:
Since 1992, staff have prepared a series of reports assessing the zoning by-law standards for
restaurants in various commercial strip areas in East York. The studies started with the Pape
Avenue commercial strip as a pilot area. As a result of the study, Council passed an
amendment to the zoning by-law on January 18, 1993 to reduce the parking requirement for
restaurants on Pape Avenue from one parking space per 4.8 square metres of public floor area
to one parking space per 47 square metres of gross floor area. This standard is the same as the
requirement for retail and office uses. The change permits restaurants, retail and office uses to
occupy existing commercial buildings interchangeably in the commercial strips, without
requiring additional parking. It recognizes that it is not financially feasible to provide
additional parking on most properties in the commercial strip, and eliminates the need for
Committee of Adjustment approval and cash-in-lieu of parking agreements for new
restaurants on the street.
Since that time, staff have undertaken similar studies on the commercial strips on Donlands
Avenue, Coxwell Avenue, Woodbine Avenue, O'Connor Drive, Bayview Avenue, and
Broadview Avenue. These studies have resulted in similar amendments to the zoning by-law
for each strip except Bayview Avenue. Borough of East York Council reviewed the parking
standards for restaurants on Bayview Avenue on September 15, 1997, and decided not to
change the zoning requirement.
This report addresses the remaining commercial strip areas and several pockets of
commercial-zoned land in the East York Community.
Lands Affected:
This proposal addresses all properties zoned "C" (commercial) in Zoning By-law No. 6752,
except the commercial strips that have already been addressed in previous studies. It also
addresses all properties zoned "Commercial-General C1" and "Commercial-Local C2" in
Zoning By-law No. 1916, except on Bayview Avenue and Overlea Boulevard. The Bayview
Avenue strip was excluded because of the Borough of East York Council's decision in 1997 to
maintain the existing parking standards there. The properties on Overlea Boulevard are also
excluded because the pattern of commercial development is different from traditional
commercial strip development in the rest of East York. A parking study has not been
undertaken relating to the conditions in the Overlea Boulevard area.
The parking studies for Pape Avenue, Coxwell Avenue, Donlands Avenue, Woodbine
Avenue, O'Connor Drive, and Broadview Avenue resulted in changes to the by-law to require
one parking space per 47 square metres for restaurants. There is a separate requirement in
Zoning By-law No. 6752 for each street. These separate requirements should be replaced with
one general parking standard for restaurants on all streets. In the case of By-law No. 1916,
Bayview Avenue and Overlea Boulevard would be the only exceptions.
Comments:
Most of the commercial strip areas in East York supply a range of uses which varies from
street to street. Generally these areas serve the daily needs of local residents only. Among the
strip areas studied, only Bayview Avenue regularly draws customers from an area larger than
the immediate neighbourhood.
In 1997, in conjunction with the study of Woodbine Avenue, O?Connor Drive and Bayview
Avenue, staff did follow-up counts on Pape Avenue and determined that the parking
occupancy rates were still acceptable five years after the restaurant parking standard was
changed. Follow-up counts have not been done on the other streets, however, no new parking
problems are apparent on these streets, and the changes appear to have been successful.
Given the past successes on other streets, staff are recommending that the parking requirement
for restaurants be changed to one space per 47 square metres of gross floor area on
commercial strips throughout East York, except on Bayview Avenue and Overlea Boulevard.
The recommended change is consistent with the changes recommended on other streets, and
permits uses to interchange in existing commercial units where the parking supply would
otherwise not comply with the by-law requirements. It also eliminates the need for additional
municipal approvals, and the inherent time delays, except for building permits and Metro
licenses.
Community Consultations:
Notice of this public meeting was given by publication in the Toronto Star.
Conclusion:
In the opinion of staff, a general change to the restaurant parking standard is warranted. The
inherent delays in the approvals process is a disincentive to the economic revitalization of the
commercial strip areas. Past studies in East York have shown that the parking supply in the
strip areas is sufficient to support additional parking demand.
Staff are recommending that Zoning By-laws 1916 and 6752 be amended to change the
parking standard to 1 parking space per 47 m2 of gross floor area in all commercial strip areas,
except on Bayview Avenue and Overlea Boulevard.
Contact:
Paul Galvin, Planner
Phone: (416) 778-2043
Fax: (416) 466-9877
pgalvin@borough.eastyork.on.ca
Ted Tyndorf
Director of Community Planning,
East District
/PG
