STAFF REPORT
January 10, 2000
To: Toronto Community Council
From: Acting Commissioner of Urban Development Services
Subject: 866 Avenue Road, Application No. 999081: Request for approval of minor variances from Chapter 297, Signs, of
the former City of Toronto Municipal Code, upon application by David A. Butler / The Butler Group, 11 Hazelton Avenue,
Suite 300, Toronto, Ontario, M5R 2E1 on behalf of Imperial Oil Limited, 2400 Dundas Street West, Unit 6, Suite 415,
Mississauga, Ontario, L5K 2R8
(Midtown)
Purpose:
To review and make recommendations for an application for minor variances to permit ten illuminated signs, for
identification purposes, four fascia signs, two canopy signs, a red stripe on three sides of the weather canopy and one
ground sign for the gas bar and retail convenience store to be located at 866 Avenue Road.
Financial Implications:
There are no financial implications resulting from the adoption of the report.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that:
(1) City Council approve Application No. 999081 for minor variances from Chapter 297, Signs, of the former City of
Toronto Municipal Code to permit ten illuminated signs, for identification purposes, four fascia signs, two canopy signs, a
red stripe on the north, east and south side of the weather canopy and one ground sign for the gas bar and retail
convenience store to be located at 866 Avenue Road, on condition that the signs be illuminated only between the hours of
7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. and this be achieved by an automated timing device.
(2) The applicant be advised, upon approval of Application No. 999081, of the requirement to obtain the necessary permits
from the Commissioner of Urban Development Services.
Comments:
The property is located south of Eglinton Avenue West, on the southwest corner of Avenue Road and Chaplin Crescent in
a residential zone district. The property contains an existing ESSO gas bar. In 1999, City Council approved an application
for the redevelopment of this site to contain a combined gas bar and retail convenience store.
The applicant is requesting permission to erect signage, for identification purposes, upon the redevelopment of the site for
the combined gas bar and retail convenience store uses (see Figure 1 & 2). The signs have dimensions as follows:
Sign No.1 & 1a: each illuminated "ESSO" fascia sign on the weather canopy is 1. 90 metres long and 0.45 metre high with
an area of 0.86 sq. m;
Sign No. 2a: the red stripe on the east elevation of the weather canopy is 12.80 metres long and 0.15 metre high with an
area of 1.92 sq. m;
Sign No. 2b & 2c: each red stripe on the north and on the south elevation of the weather canopy is 18.35 metres long and
0.15 metre high with an area of 2.75 sq. m;
Sign No. 3: the illuminated ground sign is 3.80 metres long and 2.52 metres high with an area of 9.58 sq. m;
Sign No. 4 & 4a: each fascia sign on the north wall of the convenience store building is 1.90 metres long and 0.92 metres
high with an area of 1.75 sq. m;
Sign No. 5: the fascia sign on the north wall of the convenience store building is 3.75 metres long and 0.90 metres high
with an area of 3.38 sq. m; and
Sign No. 6: the fascia sign on the east wall of the convenience store building is 1.90 metres long and 1.37 metres high with
an area of 2.60 sq. m.
(see Figure 1& 2).
The signs do not comply with Chapter 297 of the Municipal Code in that the proposed signs are not permitted in a
residential zone district.
Signs permitted in residential zone districts are required to be small and low in order to limit any negative impact the signs
may have on the streetscape and on neighbouring residential uses. In this case, the overall modest size signage proposal
was developed by the applicant after consulting and incorporating suggestions from the neighbourhood ratepayers and from
planning staff. The proposed signs are designed to blend in well with the building, site and the streetscape. However, to
mitigate any concerns about visibility of the illuminated signs, I have required that the applicant limit the hours of
illumination so that the signs are turned off from 11:00 p.m. to 7.a.m. by an automated timing device. With this condition, I
find the signage acceptable.
I am therefore recommending approval of this application as I find the variances requested to be minor and in keeping with
the general intent and purpose of the sign provisions of the Municipal Code.
Contact: Norm Girdhar
Telephone: (416) 392-7209
Fax: (416) 392-0580
E-Mail: ngirdhar@toronto.ca
Beate Bowron
Director, Community Planning, South District
List of Attachments:
Key Map
Site Plan
Elevations
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