March 10, 1999

To:Toronto Community Council

From:Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services

Subject:Preliminary Report on Application No. 298010 for an Amendment to the Official Plan and Zoning By-law and Plan of Subdivision Application No. 498041 (55T98215) to Permit the Construction of 1 Detached Dwelling and 24 Semi-Detached Dwellings at 101 Union Street (Ward 21 - Davenport).

Purpose:

To introduce a proposal to construct 1 detached and 24 semi-detached dwellings on industrial lands and seek Community Council endorsement to hold a public meeting.

Source of Funds:

Not applicable.

Recommendation:

It is recommended that I be requested to hold a public meeting in the community to discuss the application and to notify owners and residents within 300 metres of the site and the Ward Councillors.

Comments:

1.Site

The proposed development site is located on the east side of Union Street, north of Townsley Street. It is 4,775.8 m2 (0.4 ha) in size. The property was created by severing it from a 0.9 ha parcel that fronts onto Union Street. As a result, this property does not have road frontage. The industrial building currently on the site will be demolished to accommodate the proposed development.

Immediately east of the site is a vacant industrial building. To the north of the site are auto repair shops. Abutting this property to the south is an Ontario Hydro Services Company 115 kV transmission line. South of the transmission line is Consolidated Bottle Co. Ltd., a bottle distribution centre. On the west side of Union Street, north of the transmission line, are automobile related uses such as an auto body shop, a towing company and auto scrap yards.

2.The Proposal

The applicant is proposing to demolish the existing industrial building and develop the easterly portion of the site with residential units. The westerly portion, which fronts directly onto Union Street, will be retained for industrial use. A new north/south laneway is proposed between the two parcels. A development proposal has not been filed yet for the industrial units.

A total of 25 housing units are proposed comprised of 24, 2-1/2 storey, semi-detached houses and 1 2-1/2 storey detached house. The proposed lots for the semi-detached houses are all 5.08 m wide and 30.48 m long. The single detached house is on an irregularly shaped lot adjacent to the Hydro corridor. The proposed rear garages will take access off the rear lane. The residential portion would have a built residential density of approximately .72 times the lot area.

The proposed dwellings will front on a new north/south road that will run along the eastern edge of the property. The road allowance is entirely within the adjacent property limits of its neighbour at 81 Turnberry Avenue.

3.Neighbouring Redevelopment Proposals

The adjacent 2.7 ha (6.7 acres) industrial property to the east is occupied by a vacant industrial building. It was the location of the former Coca Cola Bottling Plant which vacated the site on February 27, 1998. The property was subsequently sold on November 2, 1998. A residential development proposal has been filed for this site (Application 199001 - 81 Turnberry Avenue) comprising 92 semi-detached houses and 6 detached houses. The owners of the two properties have agreed to share the cost of the new road to facilitate the proposed layout of the houses on both properties.

In addition, a surplus City-owned property at 80 Turnberry Avenue is currently being sold by the City. It is a 1.5 ha (3.78 acre) industrial property. It is probable that residential uses will also be proposed for it.

4.Current Official Plan and Zoning Designations

The lands are currently designated General Industrial in both the Part I and Old Stockyards District Part II Official Plans. This designation permits a wide range of industrial uses except those which may have a detrimental effect on other industrial uses. This designation would not permit residential uses, and an Official Plan Amendment is, therefore, required for the residential development proposal.

The lands are currently zoned I3 which permits a range of industrial uses with an unlimited amount of non-residential gross floor area within setback and height restrictions. A rezoning is required as residential uses are not permitted.

A subdivision application has been submitted.

5.Planning Issues

The planning issues involved with this application have been discussed with the applicant who has agreed to undertake the appropriate studies. It has been suggested that one study encompassing this application, the neighbouring one and the property at 80 Turnberry Avenue would be appropriate.

Planning issues include but are not limited to the following:

i)Retention of Industrial Lands for Industrial Purposes

This site is occupied by an industrial building. Sections 9.16, 9.17 and 9.18 of the Part I Official Plan for the former City of Toronto set out Council's policy for seeking to ensure that sufficient land is available to accommodate existing, new and relocating industrial firms, whose operations are suited to a city location.

Section 9.18 states that Council will not consider redesignation of industrially designated land so as to permit any non-industrial use in General Industrial Areas without first having considered a study of the area undertaken for the purpose of recommending Part II Plan policies. This study would have to have regard for matters such as:

a)the number and types of industrial firms and employees in the areas that would be adversely affected;

b)the impact on any surrounding industrial lands that would not be redesignated; and,

c)the environmental condition of the lands and the need for soil decommissioning.

ii)Compatibility with Adjacent Industrial Uses

This site is within an existing industrial area. There are automobile related uses along Union Street such as auto body shops, a towing company and several metal scrap yards, storage yards for gravel and sand, a bottle distribution centre, and a vacant industrial property to the east. The impact on major employers in the area by this proposed development must be addressed to ensure their long term stability.

The separation between the proposed residential units and the proposed industrial units facing onto Union Street will be a joint laneway. As part of the Old Stockyards District Part II Plan (Section 3.1(h)), Council must ensure that new residential developments are sufficiently distanced and/or buffered from industrial areas to minimize environmental and functional conflicts with nearby and adjacent industrial uses.

There is a need to ensure that the proposed industrial building fronting onto Union Street will be viable for future business purposes; that it will act as an adequate buffer from the adjacent industrial uses; and, that its phasing will coincide with the proposed adjacent residential.

iii)Compatibility with Adjacent Residential Development

There is no existing adjacent residential development. The closest residential development is on the west side of Old Weston Road which consists mainly of semi-detached houses with rear garages accessing onto the street. While the proposed lot sizes are approximately 5 m wide and 30 m long, the lots on Old Weston Road are an average of approximately 7.6 m in width and 35.8 m depth.

The layout of this subdivision proposes that the housing units will face in an east/west direction and front onto the new street abutting this property to the east. The layout of the housing units on the neighbouring property are proposed to be oriented in a north/south manner and will not be facing these dwelling units. There is a need to ensure better integration between these proposed developments. In addition, these proposals may be required to respond to a future residential proposal north of Turnberry Avenue.

iv)Transportation Impacts

Section 6.5 of the Old Stockyards District Part II Plan states that it is the objective of Council to develop traffic plans designed to separate industrial/commercial traffic away from residential areas. As Turnberry Avenue and Union Street are used for industrial traffic, a traffic study will be required to resolve traffic circulation problems that may result from this proposal.

v)Availability of Parks, Community Services and Facilities and School Capacity

A demographic profile of anticipated residents and potential impacts on schools and other community services and facilities is required by Council as part of any application for a residential plan of subdivision under Section 7.3 of the Old Stockyards District Part II Plan.

It is a policy of Council that land be conveyed to the City or cash payment in lieu of land be made to the City for the purposes of parks and public recreation at the rate of 5 % of the land to be redeveloped for residential purposes.

As this site is not a large site, the potential for shared park development on the adjacent site to the east should be explored.

vi)Environmental Issues

This site was zoned industrial in 1949. The current tenant of the building is Syracuse Cartage Warehouse & Distribution. The rest of the building is vacant.

It is a policy of Council under Section 5.3 of the Old Stockyards District Part II Plan, that the land owner in conjunction with a development application, provide studies and reports on environmental issues such as soil and groundwater conditions; noise and vibration; air quality; and demolition and dust control.

The Medical Officer of Health requires a detailed historical review of the site be undertaken to identify all existing and past land uses which could result in negative environmental effects, and, if necessary, the required environmental remediation measures.

vii)Built Form

The dwellings proposed have little variation in appearance and the rear garages are a solid wall. In order to enhance the streetscape, the applicant should consider some variation in architectural features and attempt to break up the solid wall created by the garages. Not only would this be more aesthetically pleasing but it also would create a safer environment for the future residents.

Contact Name:Rhonda Petrella

Telephone: (416) 392-0459

Fax: (416) 392-1330

E-Mail: rpetrell@toronto.ca

Beate Bowron

Director, Community Planning, South District

(p:\1999\ug\uds\pln\to991842.pln) - smc

APPLICATION DATA SHEET