STAFF REPORT

November 17, 1999

To: Toronto Community Council

From: Acting Commissioner, Urban Planning and Development Services

Subject: Preliminary Report on Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments, Application Number 199033, upon application by Concord Adex Developments Corp., 23 Spadina Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5V 3B6 on behalf of Canada Lands Company CLC Ltd., 200 King Street West, Suite 1500, Toronto, Ontario M5H 3T4, respecting 65 Navy Wharf Court (Block 19).

(Downtown)

Purpose:

To introduce an application to permit mixed-use development at 65 Navy Wharf Court (Block 19) to the west of the SkyDome.

Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

There are no financial implications resulting from the adoption of this report.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1) the applicant be advised to respond to the issues identified in this report; and

(2) City Council request the Acting Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services to hold a public meeting to discuss the application, and to notify owners and residents within 120 metres of the site, the local residents' associations and the Ward Councillors.

Background:

Concord Adex Developments Corp. (Concord Adex) is the owner of Blocks 20/23, 21, 22 and 28 in the Railway Lands Central and Blocks 24, 25, 26, and 29 in the Railway Lands West, shown on Map 1. In 1997, in response to an application by Concord Adex, the City adopted amendments to the Part II Official Plans for the Concord Adex Blocks to permit:

- a change in built form to permit taller, more slender towers on each of the blocks without any increase in density; and

- the addition of residential uses on Blocks 21 and 28, which formerly permitted only non-residential gross floor area.

Concord Adex has recently sold out its first phase of residential buildings on Front Street West. Eventually, the new residential neighbourhood in the Railway Lands will contain approximately 8,000 units.

Concord Adex has now entered into an agreement with Canada Lands Corporation (CLC) to purchase Block 19, immediately to the east of its current holdings and has made an application to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law for the Railway Lands Central to add residential use permissions on this block.

Comments:

1. Site

The property is located to the immediate west of SkyDome, north of Bremner Boulevard, east of Navy Wharf Court and to the south of Blue Jays Way (see Key Map). The overall site area is 8,297 square metres and currently accommodates 413 parking spaces within a below grade parking structure. The grade level of the site is vacant, with a pedestrian walkway along its eastern edge connecting Blue Jays Way to the open plaza located to the northeast of the intersection of Bremner Boulevard and Navy Wharf Court.

2. The Proposal

Concord Adex has made an application to allow residential uses on Block 19. This request would allow for development within a similar context to that approved for the balance of the Concord Adex holdings in the Railway Lands Central and West. Any approval of this application would be followed by a more detailed Site Plan Approval application with a detailed design for a building.

3. Official Plan and Zoning

The Official Plan designates the site as SkyDome Subcentre Special Mixed Use Area D. A total density of 47,100 square metres of non-residential gross floor area is allowed by both the Official Plan and Zoning By-law. Development on the site is restricted to a maximum height of 90 metres. There are a variety of other policies which define criteria related to urban design conditions, the satisfaction of environmental conditions, the provision of street-related retail uses, and the requirement of providing parking to serve SkyDome.

This Department's report, dated September 17, 1997, pertaining to the Part II Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments for Mixed Commercial-Residential Development within the Railway Lands West and Central, dealt with changes to the Part II Plan and Zoning By-law only for lands that were owned by Concord Adex. The report did not address the question of lands that were owned by Wittington, the City or Canada Lands Corporation. As a result, no consideration was given to permitting residential uses within Block 19.

4. Planning Issues

The current application by Concord Adex was received on October 26, 1999, and has been circulated to the appropriate City Service Areas and affected agencies. The following list of issues is preliminary only and may be subject to change once comments are received from other City Service Areas and agencies and following further review by planning staff.

At this time, the applicant will be expected to respond adequately to the issues identified below:

- adequacy of community services and facilities for the additional residential uses;

- adequacy of parking and traffic studies to ensure acceptable standards, especially given that the existing below grade garage provides parking for SkyDome patrons and commercial uses within the area;

- resolution of environmental issues including shadow studies, noise, wind and air quality;

- provision of district heating/cooling to improve energy efficiency;

- application of appropriate urban design guidelines;

- appropriate building design and massing - including the size of the tower's footprint;

- appropriate relationship of the building design to the SkyDome;

- resolution of any potential for conflict between the proposed building and SkyDome, including issues of shadowing and reflected light/glare on the playing field;

- appropriate relationship of buildings to the adjacent publicly accessible open space; and

- improvement of the adjacent open space.

Once the applicant has demonstrated that the issues noted above can be addressed adequately, staff will be able to organize the public meeting. In the interim, I will continue to communicate any further concerns which may be identified by other civic officials and agencies.

Conclusion:

This report has identified a number of issues that must be resolved prior to holding a public meeting and the introduction of the Final Report to Toronto Community Council. While this list of issues is not comprehensive, the applicant can now proceed with the resolution of the concerns identified.

Contact:

Angus Cranston

Senior Planner

Telephone: 392-0425

Fax: 392-1330

E-Mail: acransto@toronto.ca

Beate Bowron

Director, Community Planning, South District

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file 199033

List of Attachments:

Data Sheet

Maps (1-2)