Amendments to North York Sign By-law No. 30788 Respecting
Signs on Land Development Sites
The North York Community Council reports that, pursuant to Clause 2 of North York Community Council Report
No. 4, adopted by City Council at its meeting held on May 11 and 12, 1999, notice of the public hearing held by the
North York Community Council on September 14, 1999, with respect to a proposed by-law to amend the former
City of North York Sign By-law No. 30788, was published in the Toronto Sun on August 30, 1999, and that no one
appeared at the public hearing on September 14, 1999, to address the North York Community Council.
The North York Community Council recommends that, as the requirements of the Municipal Act have been
fulfilled and no evidence has been presented to the North York Community Council that the proposed by-law
should not be enacted, the by-law to amend the former City of North York Sign By-law No. 30788, be enacted by
Council:
DRAFT BY-LAW No.
To amend former City of North York Sign By-law No. 30788
respecting signs on land development sites.
The Council of the City of Toronto HEREBY ENACTS as follows:
1. The former City of North York By-law No. 30788, "A By-law to prohibit or regulate signs and other advertising
devices.", as amended ("By-law No.30788"), is amended by adding the following:
1.1.13.1"Construction Sign" means a temporary sign without a foundation that is used to advertise the work or the name
of the person performing work on a property or structure.
2. By-law No. 30788 is amended by adding the following:
2.4.6Despite Section 2.4.3, a permit for a sign related to a land development shall be renewed only once and shall not
be renewed unless an application for a building permit for the land development has been submitted.
2.4.7Where a sign related to a land development has expired, a permit for a subsequent sign related to the land
development shall not be issued unless an application for a building permit for the land development has been submitted.
3. Section 2.8 of By-law No. 30788 is amended as follows:
(a) by amending Section 2.8.1 by inserting a semicolon after "signs";
(b) by amending Section 2.8.5 by deleting "and";
(c)by deleting Section 2.8.7 and substituting the following:
2.8.7Except in zones R-R, R-A, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and R7, non-illuminated construction signs which are less
than 4.7 m2 (50.6 ft2) in sign area, provided that they are removed from the land development site immediately after the
substantial completion of the work advertised directly or indirectly, by the name of the person performing the work, on the
construction sign;
(d)by amending Sections 2.8.11 and 2.8.12, in both cases, by deleting the period substituting a semicolon;
(e)by amending Sections 2.8.13, by deleting the period and substituting "; and"; and
(f)by adding the following:
2.8.14In zones R-R, R-A, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and R7, non-illuminated construction signs which are less than 1.1
m2 (12 ft2) in sign area, provided that they are removed from the land development site immediately after the substantial
completion of the work advertised directly or indirectly, by the name of the person performing the work, on the
construction sign.
4. Section 2.9 of By-law 30788 is amended as follows:
(a)by amending Section 2.9.15 by deleting the period and substituting "; and"; and
(b)by adding the following:
2.9.16 A sign that is erected upon or supported by hoarding used in the construction, renovation, maintenance,
restoration or repair of property, except where specifically permitted in a minor variance to this By-law.
5. By-law 30788 is amended by deleting Sections 4.6.1 and 4.6.2 and substituting the following:
4.6.1In any zone, except for zones R-R, R-A, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and R7, ground signs, wall signs or roof signs
having an aggregated sign area not in excess of 23.3 m2 (250 .8 ft2) related to a land development shall be permitted for
each .809 hectares (2 acres) of land or portion thereof to a maximum of four signs, provided that any sign is removed
immediately after the earlier of the following dates:
(i)the date thirty days after the substantial completion of the land development; and
(ii) the date six months after the issuance of the sign permit.
4.6.2In zones R-R, R-A, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and R7, one ground sign not exceeding 1.86 m2 (20 ft2 ) in sign area
related to a land development shall be permitted for each lot, provided the sign is removed immediately after the earlier of
the following dates:
(i)the date thirty days after the substantial completion of the land development; and
(ii) the date six months after the issuance of the sign permit.
Where two or more lots are contiguous, in lieu of individual signs, one sign having an aggregate area equal to that
permitted for each individual lot, to a maximum of 7.43 m2 (80 ft2) is permitted, provided the sign is located at least 15 m
(49.2 ft) from any adjacent occupied premises.
ENACTED AND PASSED this day of , A.D. 1999.
The North York Community Council submits the following report (August 20, 1999) from the City Solicitor:
Purpose:
This report provides the Draft By-law for the required public meeting on the proposed by-law amending the former City of
North York's Sign By-law No. 30788.
Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:
The enactment of the Draft By-law has no financial implications or impact for the City of Toronto. It requires no funding.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that:
1.the North York Community Council hold a public meeting in respect of the Draft By-law in accordance with the
provisions of the Municipal Act.
Following the public meeting and in the event the North York Community Council wishes to approve the Draft By-law, it
could recommend that:
2.the Draft By-law attached to the report (August 20, 1999) of the City Solicitor be approved and that authority be
granted to introduce the necessary bill in Council to give effect to it.
Council Reference/Background/History:
City Council at its meeting held on May 11 and 12, 1999 adopted Clause 2 of North York Community Council Report No.
4 respecting "Advertising Signs - Removal from Residential Properties" and adopted the following recommendations
respecting amendments to the former City of North York's Sign By-law No. 30788:
(2)that the City Solicitor be requested to prepare amendments to the Sign By-law as it pertains to land development signs
as follows:
(i)define construction signs to avoid any confusion with Land Development signs as follows: "a Construction Sign is a
temporary sign without a foundation, which is used to advertise the work or company performing work on a property or
structure, which may only be displayed while the specific work related to that sign is in progress and has a maximum area
of 1.1 sq. metres (12 sq. ft.), in a single family residential zone." Further require the removal of construction signs once the
work the sign was advertising is substantially complete;
(ii)limit the time frame that land development signs are permitted to remain to a maximum of six months after the
issuance of a sign permit or 30 days after a construction is substantial[sic] complete;
(iii)limit the number of renewals of a permit for a Land Development sign to one, so that, the maximum length of time
any land development sign could remain is one year. Further, do not allow for the renewal or subsequent permits for a land
development sign, if an application for a building permit has not been submitted for the subject property; and
(iv)reduce the permitted sign area of land development signs in residential zones to 20 square feet for each lot, and where
two or more lots are contiguous permit an individual sign to have a sign area equal to that permitted for each lot to a
maximum of 80 square feet; and
(3)that the City Solicitor be requested to prepare amendments to the Sign By-law as it pertains to posters on construction
hoarding:
(i)specifically prohibit posters on hoarding unless approved by the Community Council in the form of a variance to the
By-law.
The Director and Deputy Chief Building Official (North District) has confirmed that the references in these
recommendations to "a single family residential zone" and to "residential zones" was intended to refer to zones R-R, R-A,
R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and R7 as set out in the North York zoning by-law.
Under clause (e) of paragraph 146 of section 210 of the Municipal Act, before the former City of North York's Sign By-law
can be amended, notice of the proposed by-law and notice of the Council meeting [here delegated to the North York
Community Council] at which the proposed by-law is to be discussed, must be published once at least fourteen (14) days
prior to the meeting indicated in the notice.
Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:
Attached is the Draft By-law which implements the recommendations in Clause 2 of North York Community Council
Report No. 4 as adopted by City Council at its meeting held May 11 and 12, 1999, as reviewed with the Director and
Deputy Chief Building Official (North District). The amendments include restrictions that apply to all signs advertising
land development matters, restrictions on the sign area of signs advertising land development matters in residential zones
R-R, R-A, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and R7, and a prohibition on signs being erected upon or supported by construction
hoarding.
Contact Name:
Christina M. Cameron, Lawyer
Telephone (416) 392-7235
Fax (416) 392-1017
E-Mail: ccameron@toronto.ca
