STAFF REPORT

January 26, 2000

To: Toronto Community Council

From: Acting Commissioner of Urban Development Services

Subject: 10 Dundas Street East (Metropolis): Request for approval of Site Specific Amendment to Chapter 297, Signs, of the former City of Toronto Municipal Code to permit signage at 10 Dundas Street East. (Downtown)

Purpose:

The purpose of this report is to discuss the application by PenEquity Management Corporation to amend Chapter 297, Signs, of the City of Toronto Municipal Code to permit signage on the "Metropolis" project at 10 Dundas Street East, located at the corner of Yonge and Dundas Streets.

Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

There are no financial implications resulting from the adoption of this report.

Recommendation:

It is recommended that the City Solicitor be requested to submit a draft by-law, in consultation with the Acting Commissioner of Urban Development Services, to amend Chapter 297, Signs, of the former City of Toronto Municipal Code and to introduce a Bill in Council and an encroachment agreement regarding an amendment to By-law No. 118 of the former Metro Toronto respecting Signs over Metropolitan Roads, to permit signage on the proposed Metropolis project, substantially as set out in Appendix A of this report.

Background:

An application for a Site Specific Amendment to Chapter 297 of the former City of Toronto Municipal Code has been made by PenEquity Management Corporation P. O. Box 25, 370 King Street West, Suite 400, Toronto, Ontario M5V 1J9.

Since 1994 City Council has approved a number of initiatives with a view to encouraging and providing for the revitalization of lower Yonge Street, centred on the intersection of Yonge and Dundas Streets. These initiatives included the adoption of the Downtown Yonge Street Community Improvement Plan and Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments to facilitate, among other things, the redevelopment of properties in the vicinity of the Yonge/Dundas intersection to accommodate this major mixed-use development.

Comments:

1.01 Site and Surrounding Area

The site on which the proposed signage is to be located encompasses two-thirds of the block bounded by Yonge, Gould, Victoria and Dundas Streets. The development, known as "Metropolis", is part of the Yonge-Dundas Redevelopment Project, a street-related urban entertainment centre which includes commercial retail and restaurant space, a place of amusement, a 30 screen movie theatre complex and the integration of an existing parking garage. The total gross floor area of this development is 51,754.3 square metres with a height of 49 metres.

The building will form a landmark at the intersection of Yonge and Dundas Streets and is designed to complement Dundas Square and the underground parking garage to be constructed on the south side of Dundas Street to the east of Yonge Street. This development will accommodate significant public art as well as the wide range of animated fascia signs proposed. The building façade, apart from its lively signage, is also designed to achieve a sense of "transparency" to make the inner functioning of the building visible to enliven the Square and streetscape.

1.02 Proposal

The proposal is an architecturally designed composition of eight sign areas to accommodate a range of "spectacular" signs which have been integrated to form a part of the building façades on both Yonge and Dundas Streets. The signs, which are best understood as "Times Square" type signage, are described for purposes of Section 297 of the Municipal Code as "animated" signage and include both front and back-lit illuminated signs which may contain animated copy, projected copy or similarly copy projected onto the Yonge or Dundas Street building facades from a source originating or located external to the signage. These signs will be largely third party advertising but may include some first party identification.

The sign areas are located in the uppermost portion of the building and are shown in Figures 2 and 3 attached to this report. The specific proposal is as follows:

Sign Area A1 - 23.75 metres high and 12.00 metres wide with a total area of 285.00 square metres facing onto Yonge Street. (Shown on Figure 3)

Sign Area A2 - 28.55 metres high and 12.00 metres wide with a total area of 342.60 square metres forming a corner at the Yonge-Dundas Street intersection. (Shown on both Figures 2 and 3)

Both Sign Areas A1 and A2 are recessed into the building face.

Sign Areas B1 and B2 are stacked signs, facing onto Dundas Street, immediately to the east of the Yonge-Dundas intersection. Both are 17.75 metres wide and B1 is 9.2 metres high, and B2 is 13.3 metres high. B1 has an area of 163.3 square metres and B2 has an area of 236.1 square metres.

Sign Area C is 9 metres wide and 36.6 metres high with an area of 329.4 square metres.

Sign Area D is 8.1 metres wide and 15.20 metres high with an area of 123.12 square metres.

Sign Area E is 20.80 metres wide and 19.10 metres high and 397.28 square metres.

Sign Area F is 9.10 metres wide, 19.10 metres high and is 173.81 metres in area and forms the termination of the façade at Victoria Street.

Sign Areas B1, B2, C, D, E and F all project .8 metres from the building face and are all shown on Figure 2.

1.03 Compliance with Chapter 287, Signs, of the former City of Toronto Municipal Code

The proposed signage does not comply with Chapter 297, Signs, of the Municipal Code in that "spectacular" signage is a unique approach to signage which is only supportable in certain conditions and specific parts of the City. Therefore, this application is dealt with as a site-specific exception to be incorporated into Section 297-12 of the Municipal Code to permit third-party signage for eight proposed sign area locations on the Yonge and Dundas facades as shown in Schedule 2 and 3. I am proposing that these sign areas be subject to the standards and conditions described above and set out in greater detail in Appendix A.

Because the signs will project more than 18 inches beyond the property line it will be necessary to amend By-law No. 118 of the former Metro Toronto respecting signs over former Metropolitan roads. The signs proposed in Figures 2 and 3 begin at least 12 metres above the public sidewalk. The owner will be required to enter into an agreement to install and maintain the proposed signs in accordance with the terms generally set out in Appendix A.

1.04 Planning Considerations

The Yonge Dundas Redevelopment Project and the Metropolis development itself signal that the Yonge-Dundas intersection and new development and related signage which surround it should be different, special and unlike any other downtown or main streets in the city. The type of dynamic signage anticipated is part of the entertainment experience of this emerging district and contributes to the new sense of place emerging with the renewing street. The approach on Metropolis is consistent to the one approved by City Council at the media towers at both the Atrium on Bay on Yonge Street and at the Eaton Centre at the south-west corner of Dundas and Yonge, as well as large-scale signage on the revitalized Eaton Centre façade.

Conclusions:

It is my opinion that the proposed signage is appropriate at this location for the following reasons:

- the form of signage is consistent with what has been anticipated as part of the urban entertainment centre complex;

- the height of the proposed signage is significantly high enough on the building that protrusions over the sidewalk are acceptable;

- uses in the immediate area are almost exclusively non-residential and the area is already characterized by illuminated signs which are larger and more dynamic than in most commercial districts in the city;

- the signage supports and is consistent with the policies of the Official Plan respecting the downtown core and the specific planning initiatives aimed at revitalizing lower Yonge Street; and

- the signage is an integral part of the Metropolis project and will contribute to the demarcation of the Yonge/Dundas intersection, as the commercial crossroads of Toronto's downtown core.

The City's planning approach to this corner was endorsed by a decision of the Ontario Municipal Board in September 1998. I am supporting this site-specific amendment to the Municipal Code, and an amendment to By-law No. 118 of the former Metro Toronto.

Contact:

Elyse Parker, East Section

Telephone: (416) 392-7363

Fax: (416) 392-1330

E-mail: eparker@toronto.ca

Beate Bowron

Director, Community Planning, South District

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List of attachments

Appendix A

Appendix A

Proposed Permissive Exception to Chapter 297 of the Municipal Code to Permit Signage to be Erected and Displayed at 10 Dundas Street East and an amendment to the fomer Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto By-law No. 118

Section 297-12 of Chapter 297, Signs, of the Municipal Code of the former City of Toronto is amended by adding the following subsection:

Sections 297-10, 11 and 12 do not apply to any signs erected or displayed on the structure known in the year 2000 as 10 Dundas Street East, and shown on Figures 2 and 3 inclusive, if the signs, in their entirety, comply with the following conditions:

For the purposes of this exception, the following terms have the meanings indicated:

ANIMATED SIGNAGE - Back or front lit illuminated sign which may be three dimensional and contain animated copy, changeable copy, electronic message display copy, tri-vision panels, video screens which may feature animated graphics, real moving image and/or text utilizing televisions, computer video monitors, liquid crystal displays, light emitting diode displays, neon displays and similar displays, projection copy or similarly copy projected onto the Yonge or Dundas Street building facades from a source originating or located external to the signage.

GROSS SURFACE DISPLAY AREA (G.S.D.A.)- The total area which may be made available on the structure for the purpose of displaying signs in areas A1, A2, B1, B2, C, D, E and F, as shown on attached Figures 2 and 3.

Eight illuminated and animated fascia sign areas for purposes of third party and first party advertising are permitted to be erected or displayed on the structure known in the year 2000 as 10 Dundas Street East provided:

a) The dimensions, projections and gross surface display area of each respective sign area and as referenced to Figures 2 and 3 are as follows:

b) Each sign area maintains a minimum separation distance from all other sign area of at least two metres.

c) No sign resembles an official traffic signal, traffic sign or other traffic regulating device.

d) No sign obstructs or otherwise interferes with an official traffic signal, traffic sign or other traffic regulating device or the safe movement of traffic.

e) No sign is erected or displayed as a flag, banner or pennant and made of cloth, plastic or similar flexible material.

f) All sign surfaces are sealed or covered in a manner that prevents the exposure of all mechanics, electronics, internal sign elements and minimzes corrosion.

g) If for any period of time after completion of the structure at 10 Dundas Street East that signage is not in place, the materials in the surface display area shall be such that they are compatible with the finishes and colours of the base building.

By-law No. 118 of the former Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto is amended as follows:

- signs located within sign areas A1. A2, B1, B2, C, D, E and F may be permitted, provided that the sign and stage do not extend more than 36 inches over the street line, and

- the owner enters into an agreement with City of Toronto to assure appropriate installation and maintenance of the aforementioned signs.