Authorization to Issue Notice
Zoning By-law Amendments Resulting from
Interim Control By-law 817-1998 SW19980A9
Birchcliff and Clairlea Communities
Ward 13 - Scarborough Bluffs
The Scarborough Community Council recommends that City Council extend Interim Control By-law No. 817-1998,
as it applies to No. 255 Blantyre Avenue, for a further six-month period beyond October 28, 1999.
The Scarborough Community Council reports having approved the Recommendation contained in the following report
(June 7, 1999) from the Director of Community Planning, East District, subject to adding thereto a request that the Director
of Community Planning, East District, undertake a community consultation process regarding appropriate zoning standards
for No. 255 Blantyre Avenue and bring forward recommendations thereon in a future report to Community Council.
The Scarborough Community Council submits the following report (June 7, 1999) from the Director of Community
Planning, East District:
Purpose:
The purpose of this report is to obtain Community Council authorization to issue Notice of a Public Meeting to consider
proposed Zoning By-law Amendments applying to 10 properties in the Birchcliff and Clairlea Communities. These
properties all contain Places of Worship and are currently subject to Interim Control By-law 817-1998 which is in effect
until October 28, 1999. As directed by Council, the proposed amendments result from a study which assesses the suitability
of maintaining zoning permissions for Nursing Homes and Senior Citizens' Homes on the subject properties and proposes
appropriate zoning standards.
Financial Implications:
None.
Recommendation:
That Scarborough Community Council direct staff to issue Notice of a Public Meeting to be held at the September 14,
1999 meeting of Scarborough Community Council, with notice to be provided to all owners within 120 metres (400 feet)
of Site Nos. 2 to 8 and 10 to 12 identified on Figures 1 and 2 attached to this report.
Background:
On October 30, 1998, Toronto Council enacted Interim Control By-law 817-1998 which applies to all sites zoned Limited
Institutional in the Birchcliff and Clairlea Communities. Eleven of these sites are currently occupied by a Place of Worship.
The twelfth is occupied by a school which in addition to the Limited Institutional zoning has a School zoning. During the
term of the Interim Control By-law, Nursing Homes and Senior Citizens' Homes cannot be erected on the subject
properties. The remaining uses, being Places of Worship and Day Nurseries, continue to be permitted.
Interim Control By-law 817-1998 was appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board by the owner of one of the subject sites,
being 255 Blantyre Avenue (Site No. 1 on Figure 1). A hearing on this matter was concluded on April 8, 1999. As of the
date of this report, a decision has yet to be rendered by the Board.
Since the enactment of the Interim Control By-law, staff have conducted a planning review of the subject sites to determine
whether the permissions for Nursing Homes and Senior Citizens' Homes should be maintained and if so, the range of
zoning standards which should apply. Council may recall that the Interim Control By-law was enacted as a response to the
virtual absence of zoning controls on these properties including height restrictions, most setbacks and parking
requirements.
Comments:
Summary of Staff Recommendations
Zoning changes are being recommended for ten of the twelve sites. No recommendations are presented for 255 Blantyre
Avenue as the zoning of this property, and a concurrent Site Plan Control application, were the subject of the
aforementioned Ontario Municipal Board hearing and a decision has yet to be rendered. If the Board upholds the Interim
Control By-law as it applies to 255 Blantyre Avenue, it will be necessary to schedule a separate Public Meeting before
Council to consider any zoning changes for this site.
No changes are recommended for the Our Lady of Fatima Separate School property (Site No. 9 on Figure 2). Upon further
review by staff, the zoning of the site limits the permitted uses to a School and Day Nursery only. As the school site does
not currently have Nursing Home and Senior Citizens' Home permissions, no further work is mandated by this planning
review.
The staff recommendations for the remaining ten sites are contained in the attached report. In essence, it is recommended
that Nursing Home and Senior Citizens' Home permissions be removed from two of the ten sites due to site constraints and
an anticipated adverse impact if they were to be developed with these uses. For the remaining eight sites, it is
recommended that the existing permissions for the two uses be maintained. Proposed building envelopes for each site
providing height limits, setbacks and maximum coverage have been developed. These standards are also relevant to the
development of Places of Worship and Day Nurseries and therefore, it is recommended that they be applied to the
development of all permitted uses under the Limited Institutional zoning.
Minimum parking standards resulting from an analysis by Transportation staff are proposed. Based on the analysis, staff
are recommending a minimum 0.3 spaces per Senior Citizens' Home unit and/or Nursing Home bed. This standard is based
on a review of existing standards in other Toronto Districts and neighbouring municipalities, as well as telephone
interviews and site visits of existing facilities. Due to the quasi-institutional nature of Senior Citizens' Homes and the
institutional nature of Nursing Homes, resident parking demand is anticipated to be low. The 0.3 spaces per unit/bed is
considered sufficient to satisfy the parking demand of residents, staff, service vehicles and visitors to these facilities.
Notice To Be Issued If Interim Control By-law Upheld
As stated above, the Interim Control By-law was challenged at an Ontario Municipal Board hearing dealing with minor
variance, zoning and site plan appeals for 255 Blantyre Avenue. Until a Board decision is rendered on the Interim Control
By-law, Legal Division staff recommend that notice of the proposed amendments detailed herein be withheld. If the
Interim Control By-law is upheld, then notice will be issued. If the Board directs otherwise, notice will not be issued and
staff will report further on the results of the hearing. Municipal Board staff advise that a decision should be available by
next month.
Results of Community Meetings
Two community meetings were organized by staff to obtain feedback on the proposals. The first was for the church
owners/representatives. Despite individual mailings to the owners indicated in the Assessment Rolls, only the owner of 255
Blantyre Avenue responded to the invitation. The second meeting was for area residents. Over 1,800 invitations were
issued and all 3 Community Associations in the area were notified. In response, approximately 25 telephone calls from
local residents were received and 10 households attended an Open House hosted by staff.
The majority of residents staff have spoken to concur with the staff recommendations. However, one caller who lives on
East Road in proximity to Site No. 3 expressed concern that Nursing Home and Senior Citizens' Home permissions on this
site are not appropriate and will generate excessive traffic. Given the location of this site on Warden Avenue adjacent to
Kingston Road and a public library, as well as the relatively low volume of traffic generated by these facilities particularly
when compared to Places of Worship, staff believe this site is both a viable and desirable location for potential uses of this
nature. In addition, a resident who attended the Open House indicated he would prefer a 2 storey height limit for Site No. 3
versus the recommended 3 storeys and a smaller building footprint. Staff believe the recommended footprint together with
a 3 storey height limit balances neighbourhood fit with the desire to provide for a potentially viable operation on this
property.
Contact Name:
Ms. Jayne Naiman
Scarborough Civic Centre
Telephone: (416) 396-7040
Fax: (416) 396-4265
E-mail: naiman@city.scarborough.on.ca
