STAFF REPORT
March 9, 2000
To: North York Community Council
From: Rob Dolan, Director, Community Planning, North District
Subject:PRELIMINARY REPORT
Application to amend the Zoning By-law
Medallion Properties Limited
1555 Jane Street
UDZ-99-42
Ward 6-North York Humber
Purpose:
To provide preliminary information on the above-noted application and to seek Community Council's directions on further
processing of the application and on the community consultation process.
Financial Implications and Impact Statement:
None.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that:
(1)The proponent file an application for an Official Plan Amendment and site plan approval in addition to the application
to amend the Zoning By-law.
(2)Staff be directed to schedule a community consultation meeting for April 4, 2000.
(3)Staff be authorized to schedule a Public Meeting under the Planning Act to consider this application.
(4)Notice of the Public Meeting be given in the manner prescribed in the Regulations under the Planning Act.
Site Description
The site is located on the east side of Jane Street at Harding Avenue and is developed with an 18 storey apartment building
and a separate one-storey grocery store. A restaurant and gas bar occupies the property immediately to the south, between
the site and Trethewey Drive. To the south east and east are single detached homes and two high rise apartment buildings.
Single detached dwellings are located on the north side of Harding Avenue with two high rise apartment buildings further
north on the east side of Jane Street. Two mid- rise apartment buildings are located across Jane Street to the west. East of
the existing apartment building is a mature stand of oak trees that provides amenity for the apartment building and for the
existing houses on Tedder Street.
The Proposal
This is a proposal for the redevelopment and intensification of an existing apartment building site that could be
characterized as "tower in the park". Although the Jane Street frontage contains paved parking for 190 cars, the rear of the
property is landscaped with mature trees. Three new elements are proposed; a new seven and 14 storey apartment building
(220 units) with ground floor commercial uses, new retail stores in the base of the new apartment building linked by a
colonnade to the existing retail and 22 new condominium townhouse units fronting onto a private road and six freehold
townhouse units fronting onto Harding Avenue. With the existing apartment building containing 324 units, and approval
for an additional 18 units on the ground floor, the site would ultimately contain 590 residential units. In l999, the owner
received Committee of Adjustment approval for the conversion of ground floor commercial uses to 18 new residential
units and day care space as well as approval for a ground floor, one storey addition for retail use for the existing grocery
store.
The pertinent statistics are shown below:
|
Project
Element |
Existing |
Proposed |
Total |
| Site area |
22,325 M2 (2.23 hectares) |
- |
- |
| Frontage |
152.93 metres |
- |
- |
| Lot depth |
152.87 metres |
- |
- |
| Lot coverage |
23.2% |
8.4% |
31.6% |
| FSI |
1.26 |
1.06 |
2.32 |
| Residential
G.F.A. |
26,004.3M2 |
22,321M2 |
48,325 M2 |
| Residential
Units |
324 |
266 (includes 18
units already
approved) |
590 |
| Retail G.F.A |
2,248 m2 of which 800 m2
to be displaced |
476.7 m2 plus
982 m2 approved
but not built
|
2,906.7 m2 |
| Parking |
508 |
334 |
842 |
Official Plan
The site is identified as a Potential Reurbanization Area and is designated Arterial Corridor Area (ACA) in the Official
Plan. The ACA designation permits mixed use development including residential, commercial and institutional uses.
Generally, a maximum density of 2.0 FSI is permitted and an FSI of up to 2.5 can be considered on sites located at major
intersections which have sufficient depth to ensure impacts on low density residential uses are minimal. The height of new
buildings shall be compatible in scale with adjacent development and shall generally be from 3 to 6 storeys. Additional
building height, up to the planned right-of-way width of the arterial road may be used to define major street intersections
where sites are deep enough to ensure that impacts on stable residential areas are minimal. Part C.4, Section 5.0 allows
Council to secure net benefits in terms of on-site facilities and improvements to amenities where intensification of a site is
proposed.
Zoning
The site is zoned C2 - Local Shopping Centre which permits office, retail and service commercial uses. A site specific
Zoning By-law (20071) was adopted in l965 in order to permit an l8 storey apartment building with an FSI of 1.1 and retail
commercial uses on the ground floor. A separate retail food store was permitted and the total commercial floor space on the
site was not to exceed 10% of the lot area. At least 50% of the lot area was to be landscaped. In l999 the Committee of
Adjustment approved a variance to permit a one-storey addition to the existing food retail store and the conversion of the
existing retail space on the ground floor of the apartment building into residential units.
Site Plan Approval
The applicant has filed for Site Plan Approval for the one-storey addition to the food store. Staff recommends that an
application for Site Plan Approval for the entire development be filed at this time so that landscaping, tree preservation and
the treatment of pedestrian circulation and amenities can be reviewed for the proposed development and the larger block in
relation to the request for increased density and lot coverage.
Issues
Official Plan Policies
An Official Plan Amendment application is required because the proposal exceeds the provisions of the ACA designation
for height and density. The applicant would not require an Official Plan Amendment if the density were to be decreased to
2.0 FSI and if the height of the proposed buildings along Jane and Harding was between 3 and 6 storeys.
Density
Under the ACA designation, the permitted density is generally 2.0 FSI and a density of up to 2.5 FSI may be considered
provided the site is located at a major intersection. A density of 2.32 FSI is proposed. The site has direct access to Jane
Street, an arterial road, and Harding Avenue, a local road. It is located 50 metres from Trethewey Drive, a minor arterial,
via Arena Street (see Exhibit 1). Since the property is not immediately bounded by two major arterials it cannot be
considered to be located at a major intersection. As a result, an Official Plan Amendment is required for a density over 2.0
FSI, and will be evaluated against Part C.4 Section 4.2 which contains development criteria including compatibility with
adjacent residential neighbourhoods, urban design objectives and the adequacy of municipal services and facilities.
Height
A height of 3 to 6 storeys, or generally not exceeding the planned width of the right-of-way, is permitted under the ACA
designation. Additional building height may be considered where it will define a major street intersection where sites are
deep enough to ensure impacts on stable residential areas would be minimal. The planned right-of-way width of Jane Street
is 27 metres and the height of the proposed building is 43 metres (14 storeys). An Official Plan Amendment for the
increased height will be evaluated in terms of surrounding land uses and urban design objectives.
Net Benefits to the Community
The subject application proposes an increase in height and density and Part C.4, Section 5.0 allows Council to secure net
benefits to residents in terms of on-site facilities and improvements to amenities when considering intensification.
Additions or improvements to area recreational facilities and pedestrian amenities need to be considered.
Built Form
This is an intensification of a "tower in the park" development and will be evaluated in terms of suitability of the site to
accommodate the proposed development and compatibility with surrounding uses. The proposal to construct a building,
which wraps the corner of Jane Street and Harding Avenue, will introduce a new street orientation for the site. Retail uses
on the ground floor will enhance the Jane Street frontage. The townhouses proposed for the eastern portion of the property
will eliminate the only outdoor amenity space for the tenants and require the removal of the mature trees. A review by an
arborist to determine which trees could be preserved with development and a Tree Preservation Plan is required. The new
proposal does not maintain the 1965 site specific by-law requirement that 50% of the lot be landscaped open space.
Parking
A total of 428 parking spaces are required for the existing development. The applicant has submitted a Parking Assessment
to rationalize the additional parking supply that is proposed to accommodate the new development. A new underground
garage is to be constructed for the existing apartment building and the existing underground garage is to be expanded and
will serve the tenants and visitors of the new apartment building as well as the employee parking for the retail stores. The
existing surface parking lot is proposed to be reduced from 190 to 112 spaces and will be reserved for retail customers and
apartment visitors.
Housing Policies
While the six townhouses fronting onto Harding Avenue will be freehold and the other 22 townhouses will be
condominium, the owner proposes that the tenure of the new apartment building is to be rental. Part C.4 Section 2.4.2
encourages the provision of a diversity of tenure.
Conclusions:
Staff has circulated the application for comments and will evaluate issues of height, density, built form, potential benefits
and impacts on the existing community. A public meeting under the Planning Act to consider this application is targeted
for the third quarter of 2000.
Contact:
Lynn Poole, Planner
North District
Tel: (416) 395 - 7136
Fax: (416) 395 - 7155
ROB DOLAN
Director of Community Planning, North District
List of Attachments:
Exhibit 1Official Plan
Exhibit 2Zoning
Exhibit 3Site Plan
Exhibit 4Elevations
