STAFF REPORT
December 17, 1999
To: Scarborough Community Council
From: Ted Tyndorf
Director of Community Planning, East District
PRELIMINARY REPORTOfficial Plan Amendment Application SC-P19990025Zoning By-Law Amendment
Application SC-Z19990044Pajelle Investments Ltd.2139 Lawrence Avenue EastPart of Block A, Registered Plan
4329Wexford Employment District
Scarborough Wexford
Purpose:
This report requests approval to schedule a public meeting of Council regarding amendments to the Official Plan and
Zoning By-Law to permit use of space in the rear of the existing building on the subject property, for two auto sales and
service businesses. The applicant has submitted Official Plan and Zoning By-Law amendment applications to permit these
uses.
Financial Implications and Impact Statement:
None.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that: Scarborough Community Council convene a Public Meeting, targeted for the first quarter of 2000,
subject to:
(1) staff convening a Community Information Meeting, in consultation with the Ward Councillors; and
(2) staff providing notices of both meetings to all properties within 120 metres (400 feet) of the subject property.
Background:
The property comprises 0.51 hectares (1.26 acres) of land containing a one-storey building with approximately 2 440
square metres (26,300 square feet) of gross floor area.
Immediately abutting the site to the east at the southeast corner of Lawrence Avenue East and Birchmount Road is a rental
residential apartment building with ground floor commercial use. The area to the south and the adjacent property to the
west of the subject site are zoned and developed for industrial uses. Further west, on the west side of Underwriters Road, is
a community commercial plaza. Mixed Industrial/Commercial uses are located on the north side of Lawrence Avenue in
this area, and includes a car dealership opposite the subject site and another car dealership at the northeast corner of
Lawrence Avenue and Birchmount Road.
The building is presently occupied by a retail carpet warehouse outlet at the front of the building and a speaker
manufacturing and retail sales operation and two auto sales and service garages in the rear. The proposal is renovate the
existing building to accommodate two manufacturing/retailing units in the front and the two auto sales and service garages
in the rear of the building.
There are presently 54 surface parking spaces on the subject property.
Official Plan and Zoning:
The Official Plan designates the subject lands General Industrial Uses with High Performance Standards. A numbered
policy in the Official Plan for the subject site and the adjacent industrial property to the west, also permits Community
Commercial Uses, excluding Automobile Service Stations and Non-Accessory Third Party Signs excluding Marketplace
Signs.
The General Industrial Uses designation provides for a wide range of industrial uses except uses with noxious
characteristics and High Performance Standards regulate the building materials, siting, landscaping and other
characteristics of the site development. The Community Commercial Uses designation provides for a cluster of commercial
facilities to serve populations within a 1.5 km radius.
The Wexford Employment District Zoning By-Law zones these lands Industrial Zone (M) and Community Commercial
Zone (CC). The Industrial Zone permits industrial and other uses provided they are conducted wholly within enclosed
buildings. The Community Commercial Zone permits, inter alia, retail stores.
The site is subject to Site Plan Control.
Comments:
The applicant is the owner of the two automotive uses proposed for this site, "TVR" and "GTI". He has been in business in
several locations in Scarborough for more than 25 years and has a history of renovating and upgrading the various
properties at which these businesses have been located to achieve improved visual impacts on the streetscapes where they
were located. The speaker operation use proposed for part of the front of the building is "Studio Labs", a notable high-end
speaker manufacturer, which was previously located in East York for more than 30 years.
The Official Plan prohibition of Automobile Service Station on this site was based on concerns regarding the impact of
such uses on the Lawrence Avenue streetscape. The applicant proposes to locate the automotive uses in the rear of the
building and has indicated that the storage of vehicles for both of the proposed automotive operations is to be conducted
wholly indoors. The applicant has stated that he is not averse to any condition of approval to ensure this. The impacts of
the uses proposed need to be assessed, and the concerns stated in the Petition will be reviewed.
The applicant proposes to substantially upgrade the facade and other exterior features of the building and landscaping and
parking areas on the site (see Figure 2). Conditions to effect such improvements can be incorporated into a Site Plan
Agreement.
The Preliminary Site Plan submitted for this proposal indicates a deficiency of parking spaces in relation to the zoning
by-laws normal parking requirements. It will be necessary, therefore, to address the parking requirements for the proposed
uses.
A Petition signed by 162 residents of the adjacent apartment building to the east at 2155 Lawrence Avenue East, opposing
use of the premises at 2139 Lawrence Avenue East as a garage, mechanic shop or car dealer, was submitted to City Council
by Councillor Tzekas at the meeting on November 23, 1999. The Petition indicated concern regarding the presence of
substances such as gasoline, noise pollution, odorous and dangerous fumes, and the adverse visual impact of damaged cars
on the subject site.
Conclusions:
In light of the foregoing, it is proposed that a Community Information Meeting be held to identify and discuss community
concerns with this proposal.
Contact:
Errol Chapman
Planner, Community Planning Division
Scarborough Civic Centre
Telephone: (416) 396-4250
Facsimile: (416) 396-4265
E-mail: echapman@city.scarborough.on.ca
Ted Tyndorf, MCIP, RPP
Director of Community Planning, East District
ERC/EW
