January 28, 2000

To: North York Community Council

From: Rob Dolan, Director, Community Planning, North District

Subject: Preliminary Report

Application for Zoning By-law Amendment

Rosedale Development Inc.

4917 - 4995 Yonge Street, 11-27 Hollywood Avenue

and 8 - 18 Spring Garden Avenue

UDZ -99-41 and UDSP-99-154

Ward 10 - North York Centre

Purpose:

This is a Preliminary Report for an application to amend the Zoning By-law to permit a mixed commercial residential complex consisting of two 28 storey residential buildings containing 551 units and a 15 storey commercial office building with retail at grade.

Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

None.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1) Staff be directed to schedule a Community Consultation Meeting in consultation with the Ward Councillor(s).

(2) Staff be authorized to schedule a Public Meeting under the Planning Act to consider this application, targeted for the third quarter of 2000.

(3) Staff be directed to prepare a Final Report for the Public Meeting.

(4) Notice of the Public Meeting be given in a manner prescribed in the Regulations under the Planning Act.

Background:

In 1995 North York City Council adopted a site-specific zoning by-law to permit the construction of a 29 storey office complex fronting onto Yonge Street.

The applicant has appealed certain policies of OPA 477 to the Ontario Municipal Board. The Ontario Municipal Board has set a date in mid March of this year for the City and the applicant to update the OMB on this application.

Comments:

Site Context

The site is located three blocks north of Sheppard Avenue and Yonge Street intersection. The site currently contains the Legion Hall which fronts onto Spring Gardens Avenue, five commercial buildings at the north-west portion of the site fronting onto Yonge Street, and the remaining portion of the site is used as a commercial parking lot. To the east of the site is the Claude Watson (Spring Gardens) school site. This site is also subject to a site specific zoning by-law which permits a new three storey educational building on the north-east portion of the site. To the north is the Royal Bank building, a twenty-storey building constructed in 1990. To the south along the Yonge Street frontage are one and two storey commercial buildings with retail at grade, just east of this commercial strip is St. Edward's Secondary School.

Proposal

The applicant is proposing a mixed commercial residential complex consisting of three buildings, a 15 storey commercial office building with grade related retail uses fronting onto Yonge Street, and two 28 storey residential buildings, one fronting onto Spring Garden Avenue and the other onto Hollywood Avenue. The existing Legion Hall will be retained. The north residential building will contain 276 units and the southern building will contain 275 units. A total of 982 parking spaces will be provided on site, with 14 parking spaces at grade for visitors of the residential component and the remaining 968 in the underground garages. Access to the underground garages will be from Spring Garden Avenue for the commercial building and the south residential building, and from Hollywood Avenue for the north residential building.

The applicant is seeking permission for a Zoning By-law amendment to permit this development.

The pertinent statistics of the application are shown in the table below. Note: The gross floor area and FSI figures exclude 3043.6 m² of street-related retail gfa and recreation space of 848 m² proposed to be exempted from the calculation pursuant to density incentive policies.

Official Plan

North York Centre is governed by the policies of the North York Centre Secondary Plan (OPA 447), save and except for certain sections and policies which are subject to active appeals before the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB).

OPA 447 designates the Yonge Street frontage of the site as Downtown Mixed Use-1 (DMU-1), which permits only non-residential uses up to 4.5 FSI. The Plan designates the eastern portion of the site as Downtown Mixed Use - 3 (DMU-3) which permits residential uses up to 4.5 FSI. The maximum height limit is 100 metres and a small portion along the east property line is 65 metres.

The applicant maintains an active OMB appeal of OPA 447. Therefore, the in-force policies that govern this site are found in the D.2 Downtown Plan, as amended by OPA 393. The in-force policies designate the site Mixed Use (MU).

The D.2 Downtown Plan, as amended by OPA 393, as well as OPA 447, limits the density on the site to 4.5, exclusive of applicable incentives and transfers.

Zoning

The lands are zoned C1 (42). Under this zoning a 29-storey office commercial building containing 48,267.5 m² of gross floor area, fronting onto Yonge Street is permitted.

Site Plan

As per Council policy for rezoning applications within North York City Centre, the applicant has submitted a concurrent Site Plan Application for this development. Any site plan matters would be secured prior to the enactment of the zoning by-law amendment.

Issues:

1. Built form:

Ensure that shadows do not adversely impact to the schoolyard to the east.

2. Servicing:

Ensure that servicing needs (garbage pickup, deliveries and vehicular access) can be accommodated.

3. Transportation:

A Transportation Impact Study (TIS) and Traffic Certification in support of the proposed development are required.

4. Public Lane

The closing of the north-south public lane that runs from Spring Gardens Avenue to Hollywood Avenue.

Conclusions:

It is recommended that a community consultation meeting be scheduled by staff, in consultation with the Ward Councillors, and that staff be directed to prepare a Final Report on the application and provide notice of the Public meeting at the appropriate time.

Contact:

Paul Byrne

Senior Planner

North York Civic Centre

Telephone: (416) 395-7105

Fax: (416) 395-7155

E-mail pbyrne@toronto.ca

________________________________

Rob Dolan

Director, Community Planning, North District

List of Attachments:

Official Plan

Zoning

Figure 1 Applicant's proposed site plan

Figure 2 Applicant's proposed south and east elevation

Figure 3 Applicant's proposed north and west elevation