December 16, 1999
To: East York Community Council
From: Ted Tyndorf
Director of Community Planning, East District
Subject: PRELIMINARY EVALUATION REPORT
Application for Official Plan and Zoning By-law
Amendments - File No. L.O. ZBA. 3/99 by
Monterra Capital on behalf of 1351998 Ontario
Inc. for 660 Eglinton Avenue East
Ward 1
Purpose:
This is a preliminary report on a new application
for Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments
for the construction of a 7 to 9 storey residential
condominium at 660 Eglinton Avenue East.
Financial Implications and Impact Statement:
Costs associated with this development
will be assumed by the developer.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that the East York Community Council convene
a public meeting (under the Planning Act) to consider the Official Plan Amendment and Rezoning Application and that
the public meeting be scheduled for the first quarter of 2000.
Background:
Sunnybrook Plaza is located on the north-east corner of Eglinton Avenue East and Bayview Avenue. The plaza currently
contains approximately 4,700 square metres of retail and office uses. The plaza has two main parking areas consisting of
78 spaces immediately in front of the plaza along Eglinton Avenue and 51 parking spaces located in a parking area at the
north end of the property along Bayview Avenue. This Official Plan and rezoning application pertains to the proposed
construction of a 7 to 9 storey (166.33 to 172.13 metres) 83 unit residential condominium to be located on the north
parking lot. The retail parking currently located in the north parking area would be relocated to a new below grade garage
beneath the condominium. The property is currently under single ownership and would ultimately be severed into two
parcels pending successful resolution of the Official Plan and zoning issues.
The property is designated Main Streets Commercial/Residential in the East York Official Plan and is also subject to the
site-specific Official Plan policies of Section 3.15.14 (Special Policy Area 14). The corresponding site-specific zoning
by-law provisions are contained in Section 6.11.1.2 of East York Zoning By-law 1916.
The existing Official Plan and zoning by-law policies for this property were enacted in the early 1990's after a great deal of
community consultation. The various provisions permit the construction of a 215 unit residential condominium with grade
related retail uses, located along the Bayview frontage of the property, extending from Craig Crescent in the north to
Eglinton Avenue in the south. A portion of the current Sunnybrook Plaza was to be demolished in order to accommodate
the development. The permitted development was never constructed.
The maximum height for the south wing of the permitted building is 8 storeys (167.96 metres) and the maximum height of
the north wing is 6 storeys (163.69 metres). The site-specific Official Plan and zoning by-law provisions also allow an
increase in the height of the building from 8 to 9 storeys (170.60 metres) for the south wing and from 6 to 7 storeys (166.33
metres) for the north wing pursuant to the securing of specified services and matters through the use of Section 37 of the
Planning Act. These specified services and matters include off-site-streetscape improvements to Bayview Avenue and
Eglinton Avenue, off-site sanitary and storm sewer and water services improvements to accommodate the new
development, funds for a traffic study and the upgrading of tennis courts in Talbot Park, the provision of units for the
disabled, a rooftop recreation area above the plaza, and a standby letter of credit as security for the above matters.
Comments:
The new application for a 7 to 9 storey 83 unit residential condominium located on the northerly portion of Eglinton
Avenue East is a scaled back version of the original proposal. Its footprint closely corresponds to the north wing of the
permitted 215 unit condominium except that it is setback slightly more from the easterly property line and closer to
Bayview Avenue.
The finished roof of the north end of the building adjacent to Craig Crescent will not exceed the parapet height of the
existing apartment building on the north side of Craig Crescent but the south end is 9 storeys which exceeds the permitted
height of 7 storeys (166.33 metres) allowed through bonusing. The applicant has been requested to submit a full set of
shadow diagrams to fully assess potential overlook and privacy impacts for the residences on Craig Crescent. The
appropriateness of the use of Section 37 of the Planning Act for the new application requires review.
The applicant will retain the existing plaza and has no intention of proceeding with the permitted south wing. This means
that the overall residential/commercial density of the site decreases to less than 9,000 square metres from the existing
permitted maximum of 18,721 square metres. If the application is approved, the applicant has no objection to the removal
of this excess density in the final by-law.
A preliminary review of the application appears to indicate that the proposal for 155 parking spaces accommodated in three
levels of underground parking fulfills the existing site specific parking requirements for the existing plaza and the new
residential building. The 51 parking spaces currently on the site will be relocated to the new underground garage. These
matters will be further reviewed during the application circulation process and reported on in further planning reports.
Since the site is located adjacent to the residential neighbourhood to the north, an evening community meeting will be
organized in late January to solicit the public's comments. A review of these comments will be included in our final
recommendation report and presented to Community Council at a public meeting, which is anticipated to take place in the
first quarter of 2000.
Contact:
Ed Mihalcin
Senior Planner - East York Office
(416) 397-4498
(416) 397-4582
planning@borough.eastyork.on.ca
Ted Tyndorf, MCIP, RPP
Director of Community Planning, East District
