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Dundas Street West
The Dundas Street West Avenue Study is now complete. The study examined the
mixed-use corridor along Dundas Street West between Royal York Road
and the Humber River. This area has been designated as an Avenue in
the new City of Toronto Official Plan.
The City Planning Division coordinated this study. The consulting firm of
duToit Allsopp Hillier was retained by the City to prepare the study report that is now complete
and posted below.
This study made recommendations to implement the policies of the new City of Toronto Official Plan. Recommendations
include urban design guidelines, area wide zoning changes and other area specific planning tools. City Planning
staff will be responsible for developing new policy, zoning and urban design guidelines as necessary to implement
the recommendations.
Contents
Background
The City of Toronto has adopted a New Official Plan to replace the existing Official
Plans of the former six local municipalities and the former Metropolitan Toronto. The
new Plan is both visionary and strategic. It departs from the traditional land use
approach, focussing on opportunities for renewal and reinvestment, and finding new
ways to direct and manage the physical, social, and economic development for the
City.
The overriding objective will be to maintain and improve the quality of life in
Toronto.
The purpose of the Official Plan is to direct physical growth by:
- Identifying areas where the City wishes to see that growth occur (Downtown,
Centres and Avenues, and industrial growth in Employment Districts);
- Focussing civic resources to ignite that change; and
- Creating a new regulatory framework (i.e.
zoning by-law and design guidelines) that allows development to
proceed in a timely manner with a degree of design flexibility
while continuing to provide the broader community with a level of
certainty about the character and form of development.
Study Area
This Avenue Study examined Dundas Street West between Royal York Road and the
Humber River.
Click for larger image.
Study Purpose
The purpose of the study is to identify a vision for the future development of
the area, as well as an implementation program to achieve this vision. Each Avenue is different in terms of lot sizes and
configuration, street width, existing uses, neighbouring uses, transit service and streetscape potential. There is no one
size fits all program for the Avenues. A framework for change will be tailored to suit the local conditions along the street and
will involve local residents, businesses and other stakeholders. The Dundas Street West Avenue Study specifically shows:
- How mid-rise, mixed-use buildings can be introduced;
- How the streetscape and pedestrian environment can be improved;
- Where public open space can be created and existing parks improved;
- Where trees should be planted; and
- How use of the road allowance can be optimized and transit service enhanced.
Study Process
This is
a joint effort by the City's City Planning Division and the
consulting firm of du Toit Allsopp Hillier, who have been retained
by the City to prepare the study. City Planning staff will prepare area-specific
Official Plan and Zoning By-law to guide development. It will be supplemented with
urban design guidelines.
For more information on the Terms of Reference of the Avenue Studies, please consult
the Request for Proposals.
Community Consultation
City Planning staff and the consulting
team held three community meetings for the study. Presentations given at these meetings are available below. Groups and individual residents have also submitted feedback on the presentations.
In addition to the community meetings, City
Planning staff and the consulting team have consulted with the Local
Advisory Committee (LAC). This group comprises local area residents,
business owners and property owners. The role of the LAC is to
advise City Planning staff and the consulting team of issues
and opportunities within the area and to provide feedback throughout
the study process.
Consultants' Final Report
The consultants' Final Report with recommendations is now available and can be viewed/downloaded in pieces below:
View the Presentation from the Community Consultation Meeting to discuss the final report that was held on June 15, 2006.
View the final copy of the presentation from the Community Consultation meeting held on October 25, 2005.
View the presentation from the Community Information Meeting held on May 24, 2005.
View the consultant's presentation from the Design Workshop held on March 1, 2005:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
View the consultant's
presentation from the Community Meeting held on January 11,
2005:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
(You will need to have the latest version of the
 FREE
Acrobat
Reader
to view these PDF files.)
Final Report to Council
The Public Meeting under the Planning Act was held on July 11, 2006 at Etobicoke-York
Community Council. View the Meeting Notice.
The Final Report was adopted by City Council on July 25, 26, and 27, 2006. The by-laws became final and binding on August 31, 2006.
View the Final Report.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is this area being studied?
This area has been designated an Avenue within the new City of Toronto Official Plan. The Avenues
are important corridors along major streets where reurbanization and intensification can create new
housing and jobs. At the same time, the pedestrian environment, the look of the street, shopping
opportunities and transit service for existing residents can be improved.
Because of development activity and interest in the area, City Council directed City Planning staff to hire a consultant to conduct an Avenue study.
Why is new zoning required?
The Etobicoke Zoning Code dates back to 1949. The portion
of Dundas Street in the study area is zoned General Commercial (CG). The General Commercial (CG)
zone permits commercial
shopping plazas, mid-rise apartment buildings and mixed-use buildings. The existing CG zoning
also permits a maximum height of 14 metres, which allows for a 5 storey residential building or a
4 storey mixed use building. While these uses and heights are consistent with the vision for the
Avenue, the existing zoning was not developed for a main street condition. It encourages a
car-oriented urban form with large surface parking lots and little green space. New zoning
is necessary to achieve a better look and function for the street.
How will redevelopment in this area benefit the existing community?
Redevelopment will improve the streetscape by making it more attractive, safer, and greener with the
addition of street trees. The enhanced streetscape will make conditions better for pedestrians
and cyclists, as well as transit users and drivers. More and better quality shopping opportunities
are possible. There will be increased choice in housing types within the Kingsway area. The new
zoning will require a better transition between new development on Dundas Street West and neighbouring
homes.
How many units are being proposed?
Prior to the study, two new buildings, the Essence and the Prince Edward, were approved for construction. The Essence is located at 4135, 4146 and 4159 Dundas Street West and the Prince Edward is located at 4192-4196 Dundas Street West. There are 192 units in total proposed within these developments. These developments were both permitted with minor variances to the existing zoning.
New zoning will be prepared upon completion of the study and will give clear direction about uses, density, height and urban form in the area. City Planning staff estimate that the area could accommodate between 600 and 850 new units within the study area.
Are there other developments proposed within the study area?
There is one active development application for a new residential building within the study area. There is also development interest from other parties.
How does this compare with the existing zoning?
The existing zoning would likely permit a lower number of units to be built as-of-right, probably between 200 and 600 units.
How is the issue of traffic addressed in the study?
The study will investigate whether there is adequate capacity within the existing road network to permit the growth. It will also make recommendations to improvements within the Dundas Street West corridor to improve the function of the street. Such improvements could include an improved spacing for traffic lights, new locations for transit stops, or limiting driveway accesses.
How will the existing schools be affected by redevelopment along Dundas Street West?
Message from the Toronto District School Board Planning Staff
The study flows from the City's Official Plan, which contemplates residential intensification in communities such as that reflected in the 'Dundas West Avenue Study'. The intent of the study is to establish the framework for the form and character of future development (including residential intensification), including economic regeneration, improving streetscapes and the pedestrian environment, optimizing the road allowance, enhancing transit and potentially the nature and extent of community services. Although the focus of the study is on urban design, community services are being raised to ensure the viability of the implementation of some elements of improvements and change that are implicated in the redesign of Dundas Street West.
In this context, the following information is being submitted for consideration:
The study area is served by two schools.
The elementary school is Lambton-Kingsway Junior Middle School which has an enrolment of 649 (full time equivalent students) and a facility capacity of 694. Ninety-four percent of students reside within the school catchment area, which extends well beyond the study area.
The secondary school is Etobicoke Collegiate, which has an enrolment of 1,404 (full time equivalent students) and a facility capacity of 1,407. Ninety-two percent of students reside within the school catchment area, which extends well beyond the study area.
Children generated from residential development within the Study area could be accommodated at the two local schools, however there is the possibility of redirecting children to other schools if the local schools are full.
Currently the local schools have limited capacity to accommodate students from any additional development within the school attendance area, however there are alternative schools for children and the Board examines options, as the need arises, including accommodating children at sites where sufficient capacity exists.
In the future, both schools are expected to maintain similar levels of enrolment, despite a slight drop over the next few years. The desirability of the neighbourhoods and schools serving them ensures that levels of enrolment remain at or near the level of facility capacity.
The policy of the Toronto District School Board in responding to any residential development, in areas with insufficient local school capacity, is to request warnings on development sites and in purchase or rental agreements. These warnings serve to inform prospective purchasers as well as the existing community of the inadequacy of local school accommodation and the resulting option to redirect children to alternative school sites where sufficient capacity exists. This practice has been possible given the decline in the enrolment system-wide.
You may wish to browse the Toronto District School Board and Toronto Catholic District School Board websites for additional information.
Need more information?
To add your name to the mailing list, to submit comments and/or to request information, please
contact the project co-ordinator:
Wendy Johncox
Senior Planner
City Planning, Etobicoke York District
2 Civic Centre Court, 3rd Floor
Toronto, Ontario M9C 5A3
Tel: 416-394-8227
Fax: 416-394-6063
Email: dundasavenuestudy@toronto.ca
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