March 10, 1999
To:Toronto Community Council
From:Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services
Subject:1643 Yonge Street & 1250 Bayview Avenue, Application No. 999004: Request for approval of variances from
Chapter 297, Signs, of the former City of Toronto Municipal Code, upon application by Vincent A. Crisanti / Royal Neon
Canada Inc., 50 Four Valley Drive, Concord, Ontario, L4K 4T9, on behalf of Mount Pleasant Group, 65 Overlea Blvd.,
Toronto, Ontario, M4H 1P1. (Ward 23 - Midtown)
Purpose:
To review and make recommendations respecting an application for minor variances to permit two illuminated pedestal
signs for identification purposes at 1643 Yonge Street & 1250 Bayview Avenue.
Source of Funds:
Not applicable.
Recommendations:
1. That City Council approve Application No. 999004 respecting minor variances from Chapter 297, Signs, of the former
City of Toronto Municipal Code to permit two illuminated pedestal signs for identification purposes at 1643 Yonge Street
& 1250 Bayview Avenue.
2. That the applicant be advised, upon approval of Application No. 999004, of the requirement to obtain the necessary
permits from the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services.
Comments:
The subject property, known as "Mount Pleasant Cemetery", extends eastward from Yonge Street to Mount Pleasant Road
and continues eastward from Mount Pleasant Road to the west side of Bayview Avenue. The cemetery lands are located in
a "G" ( park) zoning district. The applicant is requesting permission to erect one illuminated pedestal sign on the east side
of the Mount Pleasant Road frontage and one illuminated pedestal sign on the west side of the Bayview Avenue frontage
for identification purposes (see Key Map).
The sign on the Mount Pleasant Road frontage will be erected in front of the central pillar of the entrance gateway to the
cemetery (see Figure 1). The sign will be directed towards the motorist and pedestrians travelling north and south along
Mount Pleasant Avenue. The sign will have a length of 3.38 metres and a height of 1.93 metres, with an area of 6.52 mē.
The sign on the Bayview Avenue frontage will be erected near the walkway entrance between Moore Avenue and Merton
Street on the west side of Bayview Avenue (see Figure 3). The sign will be directed towards motorists and pedestrians
travelling north and south along Bayview Avenue . The sign has a length of 2.23 metres and a height of 2.19 metres, with
an area of 4.88 mē.
The signs do not comply with Chapter 297 of the Municipal Code in the following ways:
1. the horizontal dimension of the sign on the Mount Pleasant Road frontage (3.38 metres) exceeds by 1.08 metres the
maximum 2.30 metres permitted by the Municipal Code;
2. the area of the sign on the Mount Pleasant Road frontage (6.52 mē ) exceeds by 6.27 mē the maximum 0.25 mē sign area
permitted by the Municipal Code. Also, the area of the sign on the Bayview Avenue frontage (4.88 mē ) exceeds by 4.63 mē
the maximum 0.25 mē sign area permitted by the Municipal Code.
The first variance relates to the horizontal dimension of the proposed sign on the Mount Pleasant Road frontage.
The horizontal dimension of pedestal signs is regulated so as to minimize the visual intrusiveness and to protect sight-lines
for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. The entrance gateway on the east the side of Mount Pleasant Road is set back 5.16
metres from the property line and 11.56 metres from the edge of the road. Since the sign is substantially set back from the
property line, it will not, in my opinion, be visually intrusive for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians travelling along Mount
Pleasant Road.
The second variance, which applies to both frontages, relates to the area of the signs. Signs permitted in "G" (park) zoning
districts are required to be small and low in order to limit any negative impact they may have on the users of the park, on
the streetscape and on the adjacent uses. In this instance both the east and west frontages of the cemetery are a city block
long. Although larger than the permitted size, these modest size pedestal signs will not, in my opinion, adversely impact the
cemetery, streetscape and the adjacent residential neighbourhoods.
I am recommending approval of this application as I find the variances 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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