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O'Connor Drive
(Sandra Road to Victoria Park Avenue)
The O'Connor Drive Avenue Study will examine the mixed-use corridor along O'Connor Drive from Sandra Road in the south to Victoria Park Avenue in the north. The City of Toronto Official Plan identifies O'Connor Drive as an "Avenue".
The City Planning Division is coordinating this study with the consulting firm, The Planning Partnership. The firm has been retained by the City to prepare the study report (Targeted for completion in Summer 2006).
This study will make recommendations for implementing the policies of the City of Toronto Official Plan. Recommendations may 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 in order to implement the recommendations.
What's New
Fourth Community Information and Working Session
A summary of the Community Meeting held on July 24, 2006, is now available for review.
View the Meeting Summary  .
(You will need to have the latest version of the
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Reader to view PDF files linked on this page.)
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, focusing 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);
- Focusing 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 will examine O'Connor Drive from Sandra Road in the south up to Victoria Park Avenue in the north.
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 O'Connor Drive Avenue Study aims to determine:
- Where and how mid-rise, mixed-use buildings can be introduced;
- How the streetscape and pedestrian environment can be improved;
- Where public open space may 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 Planning Division and the consulting firm, The Planning Partnership, who have been retained by the City to prepare the study report. Upon completion of the study, which is estimated for Summer 2006, and in consultation with the local community, City Planning staff will write a report that may include area-specific zoning regulations to guide development, which could include a mix of uses, heights, densities, setbacks and other zoning standards. The report may also contain urban design guidelines, a streetscape plan, landscaping, road improvements and improved access to public transit.
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 will be holding several community
consultation meetings and a design workshop for the study. City Planning staff and
the consulting team have consulted with a 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.
Community Consultation Meeting
A Community Consultation Meeting was held on June 21, 2006. Meeting Notice .
Community Consultation Meeting: Design Workshop - May 13, 2006
The City Planning Division held a Design Workshop on May 13, 2006 as part of the O'Connor Drive Avenue Study. The presentation from this meeting is available below:
Additional Material
Community Consultation Meeting - April 10, 2006
The Presentation from the Kick-off Public Meeting held on April 10, 2006, is now available for review.
Additional Material (April 10, 2006):
Community Consultation & Working Session 1 - Summary
Questions of Clarification
How can I get involved?
Community Information and Workshop Session
The next Community Meeting is scheduled for July 24, 2006, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Stan Wadlow Clubhouse, 373 Cedarvale Avenue, Toronto.
View the Meeting Notice .
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:
Marian Prejel, Planner
City Planning, Toronto and East York District
100 Queen St West, 18th Floor, East Tower
Toronto, Ontario M5H 2N2
Tel: 416-392-9337
Fax: 416-392-1330
Email: mprejel@toronto.ca
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