September 10, 1999

To:Toronto Community Council

From:Acting Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services

Subject:590 Keele Street, Application No. 999073: Request for approval of variances from Chapter 297, Signs, of the former City of Toronto Municipal Code, upon application by J. Mace Blundell / Country Style Food Services Inc., 2 East Beaver Creek Road, Bldg. # 1, Richmond Hill, ON, L4B 2N3, on behalf of Kowalchuk Development Corp., 12 Upjohn Road, Unit 7, Toronto, Ontario, M3B 2V9 (Ward 21-Davenport)

Purpose:

To review and make recommendations respecting an application for a variance to permit a blank portion of illuminated awning as an addition to a existing illuminated awning sign on the north elevation of the "Country Style Donuts" building at 590 Keele Street.

Source of Funds:

Not applicable.

Recommendations:

1. That City Council approve Application No. 999073 respecting minor variances from Chapter 297, Signs, of the former City of Toronto Municipal Code to permit a blank portion of illuminated awning as an addition to a existing illuminated awning sign on the north elevation of the "Country Style Donuts" building at 590 Keele Street.
2. That the applicant be advised, upon approval of Application No. 999073, of the requirement to obtain the necessary permits from the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services.

Comments:

The subject property is located south of St. Clair Avenue West, on the west side of Keele Street in a Industrial-Commercial (IC) zone district. The property accommodates a "Country Style Donuts" building on the south-east corner of the property, built as a part of the newly constructed commercial / retail Plaza. The applicant is requesting permission to add a blank portion of illuminated awning to an existing illuminated awning sign on the north elevation of the building. The proposed additional awning on the west side of the existing awning sign is 3.35 metres long and 1.52 metres high with an area of 5.10 mē. (see Figure 1).

The sign does not comply with Chapter 297 of the Municipal Code in that the area of the enlarged awning sign (23.08 mē) exceeds by 3.53 mē the maximum 19.55 mē sign area (30 % of the area of the building face of the commercial unit) permitted by the Municipal Code.

The area of the 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 case, however, the sign exceeds the permitted size because a blank portion of illuminated awning is added and the frontage of the unit is comparatively narrow. It is my opinion that the proposed addition of blank illuminated awning would not adversely impact the building or the streetscape.

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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