STAFF REPORT
December 17, 1999
To: North York Community Council
From: Rob Dolan, Director, Community Planning, North District
Subject: PRELIMINARY EVALUATION REPORT
Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment Applications
UDOP-99-39/UDZ-99-30, Site Plan Application UDSP-99-139
1097363 Ontario Ltd.
15 Dallner Road
Ward 6 -North York Humber
Purpose:
This is a preliminary evaluation of applications to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law, and for site plan approval to
permit the development of sixteen attached condominium dwellings at 15 Dallner Road.
Financial Implications:
All costs associated with the processing of this application are included in the Operating Budget.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that:
(1) staff, in consultation with local Councillors, schedule a community meeting date with area residents;
(2) staff prepare a Final Report evaluating the proposal and provide Notice of a Statutory Public Meeting at the appropriate
time; and
(3) prior to the publication of any Final Report on the applications, the determination of the zoning compliance of Sheridan
Mall, 1700 Wilson Avenue be settled.
Background:
Proposal:
The applicant proposes official plan and zoning amendments to permit the development of sixteen attached condominium
dwellings on lands currently developed with surface level parking. A private condominium road is proposed to separate
two blocks, each with eight three-storey units. Although the dwellings are in a building form typical of semi-detached
dwellings, the units are not located on a public road and are therefore being characterized as attached dwellings. Statistics
of the proposal follow in Table 1.
Table 1 - Proposal
| Site Area |
3585mē (0.36 hectare; 0.9 acre) |
| Residential Units |
16 |
| Lot Area, per unit |
192-281mē |
| Lot Frontage, per unit |
6.2-8.8m |
| Height |
3 storeys (9.5m) |
| Floor Space Index |
0.7 |
| Lot Coverage |
26% |
| Net Residential Density |
45 units per hectare (18 units per acre) |
| Access |
1 private condominium road |
Official Plan and Zoning:
The subject site is designated Commercial in the Official Plan, which permits office, retail and service commercial uses.
The parcel is also recognized as a 'Potential Reurbanization Area', and as such, is identified as a Sub-Centre permitting a
compatible mix of residential, commercial and institutional uses. Schedule "A" illustrates Official Plan designations of the
site and area.
The parcel is zoned District Shopping Centre (C3). A site specific by-law (BL28928) limits use of the lands to surface level
parking and also prohibits vehicle access to the site from Dallner Road. Schedule "B" illustrates the zoning of this site and
surrounding area.
Site Context:
The site is currently a surface level parking lot containing 108 spaces associated with the abutting shopping centre,
Sheridan Mall (1700 Wilson Avenue). The site was developed to permit vehicle access from the east via the adjoining
shopping centre parking lot; however, a fence erected along the eastern edge of the lands currently prevents access. The site
history below explains when and why the fence was erected.
North of the parcel is a four-storey apartment building. To the west of the site are one-storey single detached dwellings.
Commercial uses abut the site to the south and east. Schedule "C" illustrates the site context.
Site History
1982
A three-storey apartment building owned by Sundial Apartments Limited was located on this site until 1981/82 when it
was demolished.
1983
The site was rezoned in 1983 from Multiple-Family Dwellings Fifth Density (RM5) Zone to the current C3 zoning in
response to an application by the owner, Sundial Apartments Limited. The rezoning permitted development of an expanded
parking lot for the purposes of Sheridan Mall.
1988
The abutting shopping centre, Sheridan Mall successfully requested a minor variance for their property at 1700 Wilson
Avenue to permit expansion of the shopping centre. While the zoning by-law required 989 parking spaces, the variance
permitted 773 parking spaces. The site plan submitted with the application illustrated the 773 parking spaces and included
the 108 parking spaces developed on the subject site owned by Sundial Apartments Limited.
1996
The Committee of Adjustment approved an application in 1996 by Canada Life Assurance Company for the sale of the
subject site under a power of sale.
In response to the financing difficulties of the owner of the subject site, Sundial Apartments Limited, a fence was erected in
late 1996 by mortgage holder Canada Life Assurance. The location of the fence at the eastern edge of the site effectively
eliminates use of the lands for parking purposes.
Comments:
Official Plan:
While the Commercial designation in the Official Plan permits residential uses for the subject site, Section 2.3 of Part C.5
prohibits ground-level residential uses to ensure that the commercial nature of the area is maintained. As a result, the
Commercial designation is inappropriate for a residential only development and an Official Plan amendment is required.
The recognition of the site and adjacent lands as a Sub-Centre in Section 3.1 of Part C.10 is intended to encourage
redevelopment of the area with a compatible mix of residential, commercial and institutional uses. Staff will be mindful of
the future redevelopment potential envisioned within the Official Plan, and ensure that the proposal is congruent with this
potential.
While the application proposes dwellings with a 0.7 Floor Space Index (F.S.I.), only residential uses with a density of 1.0
to 3.0 F.S.I. is permitted in Sub-Centre areas. The merits of the proposed Official Plan amendment to permit attached
condominium dwellings at this location and time will be assessed. Section 3.1 of Part C.10 of the Official Plan emphasizes
that the extent, timing and intensity of development of Sub-Centre lands shall have regard for the timing and extent of
improvements, and the capacities of municipal infrastructure and community services.
This application is consistent with uses permitted in the Residential Density Two (RD2) designation of the Official Plan,
since the proposed dwellings are attached three-storey units with a density of 45 units per net residential hectare and would
form an edge between residential and commercial uses.
Zoning
The applicant proposes a rezoning to permit the development of sixteen attached condominium units. Table 2 compares the
proposal with Multiple-Family Dwellings First Density Zone (RM1) requirements.
Table 2 - Performance Standards
Dimension |
RM1 Zoning Requirement |
Proposed Units |
Lot Area-unit |
min. 220mē |
192-281mē |
Lot Frontage -building |
min. 30m |
12.3-15.7m |
Lot Coverage |
max. 25% |
26% |
Building Height |
lesser of 9.2m or 3 storeys |
9.5m/3 storeys |
Floor Area -unit |
min. 74mē |
146-150mē |
Front Yard Setback |
min. 7.5m |
7.5m |
Side Yard Setback |
greater of
6m or 20% of building length |
0.6-3.0m |
Rear Yard Setback |
min. 9.5m |
8.2-11.4m |
The merits of the requested performance standards will be evaluated in this particular context. Schedules "D", "E", "F" and
"G" illustrate the proposed site plan and elevations.
Loss of Sheridan Mall Parking
As previously noted, the site was rezoned in 1983 to the current C3 zoning at the request of the abutting shopping centre,
Sheridan Mall. The intent of that application was to expand shopping centre parking by 108 spaces. A minor variance in
1988 enabled Sheridan Mall to expand the shopping centre and provide 773 parking spaces, whereas the zoning by-law
required 989 spaces. The parking on the subject site is included in the 773 parking space complement of Sheridan Mall.
Since the subject application proposes eliminating parking spaces relied upon by Sheridan Mall to meet zoning
requirements, a minor variance or rezoning application for the Sheridan Mall site at 1700 Wilson Avenue is necessary. The
consideration of that application would clarify through analysis and a parking utilization study whether the impact of a
reduced parking complement for Sheridan Mall is appropriate, and would determine whether the subject rezoning
application of the Dallner Road site is viable. This issue has been discussed with the applicant and with the owner, Canada
Life Assurance Company.
Private Condominium Road
Council approved a motion in 1998 that discourages development of freehold housing on private roads. This motion
addresses concerns regarding the long term maintenance of private roads, the standards of private roads relative to public
roads, and the potential for redress to the City should difficulties arise. Although the application proposes condominium
housing, staff will consider future potential impacts of the proposed private road upon both future homeowners and the
City.
Staff will also evaluate the location and specifications of the proposed private road in relation to the future redevelopment
potential envisioned in the Official Plan for this Sub-Centre. The proposal will be reviewed in terms of its fit and
connection with the existing context and public road network, and for future potential redevelopment of the adjacent
Sheridan Mall property.
Urban Design:
The design, layout and landscaping of the proposal will have to integrate with existing low density residential uses located
west of the site and a high density residential use located to the north. The design and layout should not preclude the long
term reurbanization of the commercial lands to the south and east with street oriented forms.
The design, layout and landscaping of the proposal will be reviewed through the rezoning and site plan process by creating
a comfortable and safe pedestrian realm through minimized curb cuts and hard paving, and maximized soft landscaping
and tree planting on both public and private lands.
Plan of Condominium
A plan of condominium application will be required in relation to the subject proposal.
Conclusions:
The applicant is requesting Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments, along with site plan approval to permit the
construction of sixteen attached condominium units. Since the subject proposal would eliminate parking spaces relied upon
by the adjacent shopping centre, a minor variance or rezoning application is necessary for the abutting Sheridan Mall lands,
and it is recommended that the subject applications be subject to the settling of the zoning compliance issue. As well, the
applications will be subject to the successful resolution of site organization issues such as fit and connection with existing
and future development, address from a public street and the creation of pedestrian and neighbourhood amenity.
It is recommended that Community Consultation be scheduled by staff with local Councillors, and that a Final Report be
prepared to evaluate the proposal, with notice provided for a Statutory Public Meeting when appropriate.
Contact:
Gerry Rogalski, Planner
North York Civic Centre
Telephone: (416) 395-7104
Fax: (416) 395-7155
Email: grogals@toronto.ca
Rob Dolan,
Director, Community Planning, North District
List of Attachments:
A Official Plan Map
B Zoning Map
C Context Plan
D Site Plan
E Elevations - North Block
F Elevations - South Block
G Elevations - West
