September 28, 1999
To:North York Community Council
From:Rob Dolan
Director, Community Planning, North District
Subject:PRELIMINARY EVALUATION REPORT
ZONING AMENDMENT APPLICATION
Brown Dryer Karol
74 - 78 Finch Avenue West
Ward 10 - North York Centre
File #:UDZ-99-13
Purpose:
This is a preliminary evaluation of an application to amend the Zoning By-law to permit the construction of 21 townhouses
at 74- 78 Finch Avenue West.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that:
(1)staff, in consultation with the local councillors, schedule a community consultation meeting with area residents; and
(2) staff be directed to prepare a Final Report evaluating the application and provide Notice of the Statutory Public
Meeting at the appropriate time.
Background:
Proposal:
Proposed are 21 townhouses on a deep, L-shaped lot situated on the north side of Finch Avenue West, between Talbot
Road and Kensington Avenue. On the southern half of the site, fronting Finch Avenue, the townhouses are three storeys in
height; on the northern half of the site, they are two storeys in height.
The site is located four blocks west of the Yonge/Finch intersection, and contains three single family detached dwellings.
Abutting uses include the Danish Lutheran Church directly to the east, a two-storey medical office building to the west
along the Finch frontage, and single family detached dwellings in the stable residential area to the north and north-west of
the site.
In the proposal, 6 units front onto Finch Avenue West, and 15 units face a private mutual drive running perpendicular off
Finch. Access to all garages, including those of the front-facing units, is provided by a private mutual driveway. The
overall lot area is approximately 2,675 m2, with a total development of 2,509 m2.
Official Plan:
The site is subject to the Central Finch Area Secondary Plan, and is split into two designations as shown on Schedule A.
The southern part of the site, along the Finch Avenue frontage, is designated CFMU-1 (Central Finch Mixed Use - One),
which permits:
- single, detached and multiple-unit residential uses, offices, retail and service commercial uses, places of worship, public
parks and recreational facilities, and institutional uses; and
- a maximum density of 2.0 for sites with a frontage of 30 metres or more, in which the use is solely residential; and
- a maximum height of 4 storeys or 13 metres ,whichever is the lesser, provided that:
- building setbacks of minimum 9.5 metres are provided along all lot lines that abut the stable residential areas
outside the Secondary Plan Area; and
- the height of any part of a building cannot exceed 70% of the horizontal distance separating that part of the
building from the nearest residential property line that coincides with the boundaries of the Secondary Plan area
(the "separation distance").
The development proposed for the CFMU-1 lands meets the Secondary Plan provisions respecting use, density and height.
However, the 8.73 metre setback from the property line adjoining 29 Talbot Road does not comply with the 9.5 metre
minimum cited above.
The northern part of the site is designated CFR-2 (Central Finch Residential - Two), which permits:
- single detached and multiple unit residential uses, public parks and recreational facilities, and places of worship;
- a maximum density of 1.0; and
- a maximum height limit of 3 storeys or 10 metres, whichever is the lesser, provided that:
- building setbacks of minimum 9.5 metres are provided along all lot lines that abut the stable residential areas outside the
Secondary Plan Area.; and
-the height of any part of a building cannot exceed 70% of the "separation distance".
The development proposed for the CFR-2 lands appears to comply with the Central Finch Area Secondary Plan provisions
respecting use, density, height and setback.
Zoning:
The entire site is currently subject to site-specific Zoning By-law No. 33107, which was approved in 1997, and is zoned
RM1(6). This by-law rezoned the site from R4 (One Family Detached Dwelling Fourth Density Zone) to RM1 (Multiple
Family Dwellings First Density Zone). The following chart compares this application to that permitted by RM1(6):
| |
DEVELOPMENT PERMITTED BY
RM1(6) |
DEVELOPMENT REQUESTED IN
THIS APPLICATION |
| GROSS FLOOR AREA |
2,700 m2 maximum |
2,509 m2 |
| MAXIMUM
BUILDING HEIGHT |
13 metres or 4 storeys, whichever is the
lesser provided that, buildings in no case
shall exceed 70% of the horizontal
distance between that portion of the
building and the lot lines that are parallel
and generally opposite to the front lot
line |
complies with Central Finch Area
Secondary Plan requirements |
| MINIMUM
SETBACKS |
2.0 m - front yard
45.0 m - rear yard
1.0 m - side yard
1.5 m for parking and accessory
buildings |
meets all setbacks, except the 45.0 m
setback from rear property line |
| PARKING |
a minimum of 1.75 parking spaces per
dwelling unit of which a minimum of
0.25 spaces shall be for the use of
visitors
this results in 52 spaces |
38 parking spaces (a deficiency of 4
parking spaces) |
| NUMBER OF
DWELLING UNITS |
a maximum of 26 dwelling units |
21 dwelling units |
Proposed tenure of townhouses and private driveway:
The applicant has stated his preference for freehold townhouse units accessed by a private driveway under common
ownership or subject to mutual easements. In July, 1998, City Council adopted a policy that generally discourages the
development of freehold housing on private roads (Clause No. 7, UEDC Report No. 9, 1998). The applicant has been
advised that this project should be developed as a condominium.
Discussion:
This application was submitted in April, 1999. Over the summer, revised drawings have been submitted to address staff
concerns respecting building heights, facing distances between primary windows in the townhouse units, side yard
setbacks, vehicular circulation and access to parking, and service areas. While the revisions represent progress in the design
of the application, the following issues require resolution:
1. An increase in the setback from the residential property at 29 Talbot Road
The application should be revised to comply with the minimum 9.5 metre setback requirement from the property line
separating the site from 29 Talbot Road.
2.Addressing the parking deficiency
Site-specific Zoning By-law No. 33107 requires 42 parking spaces for a 21-unit development. Thirty-eight are proposed in
this instance, a deficiency of 4. The application should be revised so that it complies with the Zoning By-law standard.
3.The provision of landscape plans
The applicant should submit landscape plans which show:
- boulevard enhancements along Finch Avenue West fronting the site, including street trees, and a new 1.5 metre
concrete sidewalk with a Metro decorative strip;
- a 1.5 metre concrete sidewalk parallel to the private driveway, for the full length of the site and starting at the
Finch Avenue sidewalk, providing access to the townhouse units;
- adequate landscaping in front of properties facing Finch Avenue and the mutual driveway, to provide safe and
amenable pedestrian use, day and night;
- details for screen fencing between the townhouse units and around the site; and
- 80 mm caliper shade trees planted at 8 metres on centre along the perimeter of the site to help integrate the
development into the adjacent residential neighbourhood.
Conclusions:
This proposal conforms with the density limits, permitted uses, height requirements and most setbacks set out in the
Central Finch Area Secondary Plan, but will require further modification to increase the building separation from the stable
residential area on Talbot Road, and to address the parking space deficiency. In addition, landscape plans should be
submitted in support of the application, and the applicant should apply for Site Plan Approval once these planning
refinements are made.
Contact Name:
Anne Milchberg
Senior Planner, North District
Telephone: (416) 395-7129
Fax: (416) 395-7155
E-mail: amilchbe@toronto.ca
ROB DOLAN
Director, Community Planning
North District
APPENDIX
Proposal Description
