January 5, 1999

To:North York Community Council

From:Bryan W. Tuckey

Director, Community Planning, North District

Subject:PRELIMINARY EVALUATION REPORT

ZONING AMENDMENT APPLICATION

Plantastics Group Limited

64-68 Finch Avenue West

UDZ-98-28

Ward 10 - North York Centre

Purpose:

This is a preliminary evaluation of an application to amend the Zoning By-law to permit the replacement of three existing single family houses with 26 condominium townhouse units.

Recommendation(s):

It is recommended that:

(1)staff consult with the local Councillors to determine an appropriate Community Consultation process; and

(2)staff be directed to prepare a Final Report on the application and provide Notice of the Statutory Public Meeting at the appropriate time.

Background:

Proposal:

The applicant has proposed to replace three existing single family houses with 26 condominium townhouse units. Five units front directly onto Finch Avenue and the remaining 21 units front on the driveways within the condominium description accessing Finch Avenue. The proposed density is 0.92 FSI. Listed below are the pertinent statistics:

Official Plan:

The entire site is located within the Central Finch Secondary Plan (Part D.12) area. The southern portion of the site is designated CFMU-1 (Central Finch Mixed Use -One) which permits single detached, multiple attached residential, retail & service commercial, offices, places of worship, parks and recreation facilities, and institutional uses at a density up to 2.0 FSI. The northern portion of the site is designated CFR-2 (Central Finch Residential - Two) which permits single detached, multiple attached residential, parks and recreation facilities, and places of worship at a density up to 1.0 FSI.

The proposal conforms to the uses and densities permitted subject to the urban design principles set out in the secondary plan being met.

Zoning:

The site is zoned R4 (One-Family Detached Dwelling Fourth Density Zone) which generally permits single family dwellings.

Discussion:

The preliminary planning interests identified to date are as follows:

(1)Future Development

This development site is located next to the Danish Lutheran Church. The Church has lands both fronting onto Finch Avenue and land behind the applicant=s site in the middle of the block. Redevelopment in the Central Finch Secondary Plan area is to be accessed from Finch Avenue rather than the local streets. It is necessary to ensure that the development of the applicant=s site does not preclude future access or development of the church site. The applicant has proposed a strip of land approximately 3 metres wide on the west side of the site be preserved for a portion of a future driveway access to the church property. An appropriate means to secure this access will be recommended in the final report. Consideration of this application will be in the context of the abutting Central Finch redevelopment sites surrounding the site.

(2)Urban Design

The Central Finch Secondary Plan sets out a number of Urban Design principles such as:

• primary pedestrian access should be at grade, facing the street lands in the front yard should be landscaped in a manner that defines them as an actual or visual extension of the pedestrian environment
• the design and location of buildings, structures, mechanical equipment, vents, pedestrian entrances/exits, parking areas, driveways, sidewalks and landscaped areas shall be carefully coordinated to minimize conflicts.

Modifications to the proposal to better achieve these principles should occur as follows:

(2.1)Building Siting and Organization

The proposal should be reorganized to have a maximum number of units facing onto Finch Avenue.

The current proposal mixes the front door of units with parking areas, auto parking, garages and garbage storage and pick up. The site plan and units should be reorganized to provide formal front entrances from Finch Avenue sidewalk and a new landscaped pedestrian sidewalk along the west property line. Automobile parking and garbage storage and pick up should be accessed from a redesigned lane. In a redesign of this nature, improved private exterior space related to the units should be achieved.

The driveways in the condominium vary in width from 8.5 m to 6.0 m. In order to maximize the landscaped areas, evaluation of the building footprint and coverage, and minimizing lane dimensions and radii required for automobile, garbage and fire truck access and use any additional space will be done. At the present time, the applicant has not proposed conveyance of any public parkland. Public and private open space requirement will be evaluated in the Final report.

(2.2)Massing

The current proposal has a continuous building of over 26 units (86 metres) in length. As well as breaking the building to provide adequate address from Finch Avenue as described above, the remaining north/south building length should be broken into parts to break the apparent visual length of the facade. A number of techniques may be used including:

• breaking the mass into groups of 4-6 units and offsetting these from each other in the site plan by several metres.
• giving each of these groups of units a distinct architectural character with different finishes, roof lines and window and door treatments.

End walls of units visible from the street and lane should be treated with high level of architectural finish including windows as appropriate.

(2.3)Pedestrian Amenity

A landscape plan will need to be provided that includes:

• maintenance of existing mature trees along the property line where possible,
• a new 1.5 metre concrete access sidewalk along the west side of the property with adequate lighting to promote safe evening use.
• adequate front gardens defined by planting and landscape including a shade tree,
• adequate screening with trees and fences from adjacent uses.

City Wide Concerns:

At its meeting of July 29, 1998, City Council considered a report dealing with private roads and freehold development. Council adopted a recommendation that A development of freehold housing on private roads generally be discouraged@. This application is for a condominium townhouse project with access to Finch Avenue West. As part of a condominium description, its driveways do no constitute private roads.

Conclusions:

The applicant has proposed 26 townhouse units on their site in the Central Finch Secondary Plan area. This application will be evaluated in accordance with the policies of that plan. Preliminary planning considerations have been identified in this report which will be addressed in a Final Report. The relationship of this site to the redevelopment potential of its neighbouring sites will be assessed as part of a general context evaluation. The Final design for development will be based upon design principles set out in this preliminary report.

Contact Name:

Karen Whitney

Telephone: (416) 395-7109

Bryan W. Tuckey

Director, Community Planning, North District

Schedules:

A Official Plan

BZoning

CSite Plan

DElevations