August 12, 1999

To:Toronto Community Council

From:Acting Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services

Subject:416 Spadina Road, Application No. 999049: Request for approval of a variance from Chapter 297, Signs, of the former City of Toronto Municipal Code, upon application by Dominic Rotundo, 453 Chancellor Drive, Woodbridge, Ontario, L4L 5E1 on behalf of Scotia Bank Inc., 44 Adelaide Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M3N 4L4. (Ward 23 - Midtown)

Purpose:

To review and make recommendations respecting an application for a variance to erect two encroaching illuminated awning signs for identification purposes at 416 Spadina Road.

Source of Funds:

Not applicable.

Recommendations:

1. That City Council approve Application No. 999049 respecting a minor variance from Chapter 297, Signs, of the former City of Toronto Municipal Code to erect two encroaching illuminated awning signs for identification purposes at 416 Spadina Road.
2. That the applicant be advised, upon approval of Application No. 999049, of the requirement to obtain the necessary permits from the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services.

Comments:

The property is located on the north-west corner of Spadina Road and Lonsdale Road, in a mixed use district. The property accommodates a two-storey building with a Bank Branch (Bank of Nova Scotia) at grade. The applicant is requesting permission to erect two encroaching illuminated awning signs, one on the south elevation and one on the east elevation for identification purposes at 416 Spadina Road. The proposed sign on the south elevation is 10.70 metres long and 1.37 metres high with an area of 14.66 mē. The proposed sign on the east elevation is 8.68 metres long and 1.37 metres high, with an area of 11.89 mē (see Figure 1).

The sign on the east elevation does not comply with Chapter 297 of the Municipal Code in that the area of the proposed sign exceeds the permitted 30 % of the unit frontage. The area of the sign (11.89 mē ) exceeds by 2.86 mē the maximum 9.03 mē sign area permitted by the Municipal Code.

The size of signs is regulated in order to reduce the visual impact of signs on the streetscape and on the buildings to which they are attached. In this instance, the frontage of the building is comparatively narrow. The size of the proposed awning sign is, in my opinion, appropriate.

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) 392-0580

E-Mail: ngirdhar@toronto.ca

Beate Bowron

Director, Community Planning, South District

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