January 6, 1999

To:Toronto Community Council

From:Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services

Subject:48 Yonge Street, Application No. 998084: Request for approval of a variance from Chapter 297, Signs, of the former City of Toronto Municipal Code, upon application by Milica Sivic/ Signcorp, 34 Leading Road, Units 4 and 5, Etobicoke, Ontario M9V 3S9, on behalf of Royal Insurance Co. Of Canada, 10 Wellington Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M5E 1L5. (Ward 24 - Downtown)

Purpose:

To review and make recommendations respecting an application for a variance to install one illuminated, fascia sign, consisting of individual letters at south end of the east elevation for identification purposes at 48 Yonge Street.

Source of Funds:

Not applicable.

Recommendations:

1. That City Council approve Application No. 998084 respecting a minor variance from Chapter 297, Signs, of the former City of Toronto Municipal Code to install one illuminated fascia sign at south end of the east elevation at 48 Yonge Street.

2. That the applicant be advised, upon approval of Application No. 998084, of the requirement to obtain the necessary permits from the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services.

Comments:

The property is located on the northwest corner of Yonge Street and Wellington Street west, in a mixed-use district. The property accommodates an 11-storey office building. The applicant is requesting permission to install one illuminated fascia sign at south end of the east elevation for identification purposes (see Figure 1). The sign has a length of 6.96 metres and a height of 0.61 metre, with an area of 4.24 mē.

The sign does not comply with Chapter 297 of the Municipal Code in that the sign will be partially located on the third storey. Signs are permitted to be located only within the first two storeys of a building. The intent of this provision is to restrict signs to their traditional location in order to minimize the impact of signage on the building to which they are attached, on the streetscape and on the adjacent residential uses.

A site visit by staff has confirmed that the building has a glass facade and no reasonable opportunities for signage exist below this level on the east frontage of the building. In this instance, although the sign will be located slightly above the top limit of the second storey, it would extend only by 0.3 metre into the third storey of the building and it would be erected on the sign-band provided for signage. Further, the surrounding uses are commercial in nature and, in my opinion, the proposed sign will not adversely impact the building, surrounding uses or the streetscape.

I am, therefore, recommending approval of this application, as I find the variance requested to be minor and within the general intent and purpose of the sign provisions of the Municipal Code.

Contact Name:

Norm Girdhar

Telephone: (416) 392-7209

Fax: (416) 392-0580

E-Mail: ngirdhar@toronto.ca

Beate Bowron

Director, Community Planning, South District

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