April 26, 1999

To:Toronto Community Council

From:Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services

Subject:55 Bloor Street West, Application No. 999016: 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 Manulife Financial, 55 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M9W 1A5. (Ward 24 - Downtown)

Purpose:

To review and make recommendations respecting an application for variances to maintain one illuminated fascia sign for identification purposes on the west elevation at 55 Bloor Street West.

Source of Funds:

Not applicable.

Recommendations:

1. That City Council approve Application No. 999016 respecting minor variances from Chapter 297, Signs, of the former City of Toronto Municipal Code to maintain one illuminated fascia sign for identification purposes on the west elevation, on condition that the sign be illuminated only between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. and that this be achieved by means of an automatic device.
2. That the applicant be advised, upon approval of Application No. 999016, of the requirement to obtain the necessary permits from the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services.

Comments:

The subject property, known as "Manulife Centre", occupies the entire block bounded by Bloor Street West, Bay Street, Charles Street West and Balmuto Street. There is a three-storey high shopping concourse that runs along the Bay Street frontage between a high-rise office tower on the north and a high-rise residential apartment building on the south end of the property. A retail book store, "Indigo" Books, Music & Cafe occupies a major portion of the shopping concourse.

A two-storey high archway entrance and the store lobby is located on the Bay Street frontage. An existing illuminated "Indigo" fascia sign is erected on top of the archway entrance. The sign is 9.15 metres long and 4.42 metres high, with an area of 40.44 mē(see Figure 1).

The applicant is requesting permission to maintain the illuminated fascia sign for identification purposes.

The sign does not comply with Chapter 297 of the Municipal Code in the following ways:

1. the fascia sign is not wholly mounted against the wall of the building;

2. the sign is erected above the second storey and more than 10 metres above grade; and

3. the area of the sign ( 40.44 mē ) exceeds by 15.44 mē the maximum 25 mē sign area permitted by the Municipal Code.

The first variance occurs because fascia signs are required to be wholly mounted against the wall of a building. The top portion of the sign projects above the parapet wall and appears to be attached to the backdrop columns of the shopping concourse building (see Figure 2 & 3).

The second and third variances relate to the size and height of the sign. The size and height of signs above grade is regulated in order to reduce the visual impact of signs on the buildings to which they are attached, on the streetscape and on upper floor residential units in the immediate vicinity.

In this instance, the sign has been sized and positioned to compliment the proportions of this long and rectangular facade of the building. The closest residential unit would be more than 30 metres away from which the sign in the high rise residential building across on the west side of Bay Street. Due to this separating distance, there should not be any adverse impact on the surrounding residential uses. To ensure this, however, I have required that the hours of illumination be restricted to between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. The owner is in agreement with this recommendation.

I am recommending approval of this application, with a condition respecting the restriction of hours of illumination, 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