March 8, 1999
To:Chairman and Members of the Scarborough Community Council
From:Steve Franklin, Deputy CBO, East District
Subject:SIGN VARIANCE REQUEST FOR SHOPPERS DRUG MART
629 MARKHAM ROAD
Purpose:
To review and make recommendations respecting a sign variance request to allow a Shoppers
Drug Mart box type wall sign where the Sign Bylaw requires individual letters, to conform to
the established sign uniformity at 629 Markham Road.
Financial Implications and Impact Statement:
Nil.
Recommendation:
It is recommended that City Council not grant a variance to permit the installed box type wall
sign.
Comments:
The subject building located at 629 Markham Road has an established wall sign uniformity of
individual letters (see Appendix "A"). The Scarborough Sign Bylaw requires that multiple
occupancy buildings have identical sign types.
Shoppers Drug Mart has installed box type wall signs on the south and east elevations (see
Appendix "B"). They subsequently applied for a sign permit under application No. 98700136
which was not approved and Notice to Comply No. S00014 was issued to remove the signs.
Roberts Awnings who installed the signs have applied for a minor variance to the Sign By-law
to permit these box type signs. The owner of the property has no objection to these signs, as
set out in a letter dated October 23, 1998, and Shoppers Drug Mart has provided a letter
outlining their reasons for requesting the variance (see Appendix "C", 3 letters).
Shoppers Drug Mart indicates in their letter that exposure on the east elevation was "weak",
however, staff recommend that individual letters would provide the same visibility and
maintain the integrity of the Sign Bylaw by maintaining the uniformity that had existed on this
building.
It is, therefore, recommended that a variance not be granted.
Contact Name:
Jack Barron, Manager Sign Section
(416) 396-7224
(416) 396-4266 Fax Number
barron_j@city.scarborough.on.ca
Steve Franklin
Director, Deputy CBO, East District
Building Division
Urban Planning and Development
