Purpose:

The applicant requests that Council exempt the applicant from the Etobicoke Zoning Code requirement of five additional vehicle parking stalls.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

Council=s approval of this application will provide the City with a $10,000.00 payment-in-lieu of parking and a $200.00 application fee.

Recommendation:

It is recommended that Council approve this application.

Council Reference/Background/History:

Cara Foods owns the existing Swiss Chalet restaurant located on the south side of Bloor Street West, west of Grenview Boulevard (Attachment No. 1). The applicant proposes to convert 62 m² of vacant floor space into an additional restaurant area that will be known as Toast Cafe. Marlin Travel previously occupied the vacant floor space.

Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:

The Urban Development Department informed representatives of Cara Foods that the expansion of the existing restaurant would require the provision of five additional vehicle parking stalls. The site cannot provide the five parking stalls, and the applicant has formally requested an exemption from the parking provisions of the Etobicoke Zoning Code, under the terms and conditions of Etobicoke=s payment-in-lieu of parking policy (Attachment No. 2).

Transportation Planning staff advised the applicant of the area=s overall parking situation and that staff could not recommend approval of any parking variance application made to the Committee of Adjustment. We advised the applicant that the only reasonable recourse was through an application to Council requesting consideration under the terms and conditions of Etobicoke=s payment-in-lieu of parking policy.

Transportation Planning staff examined the possible impact that the expansion of this restaurant may have on the parking situation in the immediate area. We have concluded that there are sufficient vacancies in the municipal parking lots immediately to the north of Bloor Street West, within a comfortable walking distance of the subject site, to permit a restaurant facility of this size to operate without detriment to the parking conditions in the area.

In correspondence dated May 13, 1997, The Kingsway Business Management Board expressed their support for the above-noted application (Attachment No. 3).

Conclusions:

It is staff=s opinion that the request for exemption to the provision of five additional vehicle parking stalls is acceptable. The five stall parking shortfall will not have a significant impact on parking conditions in the immediate area; therefore, staff is of the opinion that Council can grant the requested exemption for five parking stalls, subject to the usual conditions.

Council has the authority under Section 40 of the Planning Act, Revised Statutes of Ontario 1990, Chapter 13, to require the payment of monies by an applicant where it is considered appropriate to exempt a project from all, or part, of the Etobicoke Zoning Code parking requirements.

Should Council concur with the application of the policy at this location, we will require that the applicant make a payment of $10,000.00 for the five stall parking shortfall before issuance of a building permit.

Contact Name:

Mr. A. Smithies - Tel: (416)394-8412, Fax: (416)394-8942

Manager, Transportation Planning

(Copies of Attachment Nos. 1-3, referred to in the foregoing report, were forwarded to all Members of Council with the agenda of the Etobicoke Community Council meeting of February 18, 1998, and copies thereof are on file in the office of the City Clerk.)