April 5, 1999

To:Toronto Community Council

From:Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services

Subject:208 King Street East, Application No. 999013: Request for approval of variances from Chapter 297, Signs, of the former City of Toronto Municipal Code, upon application by Don Kilgallen / Zip Signs Ltd., 5040 North Service Road, Burlington, Ontario, L7L 5R5, on behalf of Capital Ventures Group Inc., 400 Adelaide Street West, Suite 100, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 1T2. (Ward 24 - Downtown)

Purpose:

To review and make recommendations respecting an application for a minor variance to maintain one illuminated fascia sign for identification on the south elevation at 208 King Street East.

Source of Funds:

Not applicable.

Recommendations:

That City Council approve Application No. 999013 respecting a minor variance to maintain one illuminated fascia sign for identification on the south elevation at 208 King Street East.

Comments:

The property is located on the north side of King Street East between Frederick Street and Sherbourne Street, in the King - Parliament Reinvestment Area. The property accommodates a six-storey office building.

The applicant is requesting permission to maintain one illuminated fascia sign on the south elevation of the building for identification purposes (see Figure 1). The sign has a length of 5.48 metres and a height of 0.51 metre, with an area of 2.79 mē.

The sign does not comply with Chapter 297 of the Municipal Code in that the sign is erected above the level of the second storey and more than 10 metres above the grade of the building:

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 locations 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.

In this instance, the sign is installed slightly higher than the permitted height which extends above the second storey level of the building.

The Alias/Wavefront is a software development company and a bulk of their development staff is located on second floor of the building. The company was concerned that if the sign was to be located at that level, there might be some interference into the software development electronic media through the power transmission of the sign. Also, the applicant has advised that because of a steel beam behind the second floor level sign band, it was very difficult to anchor the sign at the second floor level. The surrounding uses are commercial in nature and it is my opinion that the modest size sign located sightly above the permitted level will not impact the building, streetscape or the surrounding uses.

I am 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) 392-7536

E-Mail: ngirdhar@toronto.ca

Beate Bowron

Director, Community Planning, South District

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