October 18, 1999

To: Planning and Transportation Committee

From: City Clerk

Re: New Practices for the Review of Development Applications

Recommendation:

The North York Community Council on October 12, 1999, recommended the following to the Planning and Transportation Committee:

(1) the report (June 25, 1999) from the Commissioner, Urban Planning and Development Services, be adopted subject to the following amendments:

(a) amending Recommendation 2(i) by adding at the end thereof the words:

Abut only after consultation with Councillor(s) in accordance with practices presently in use in the former City of North York;@

so as to read:

A2(i) delegation of authority to staff, as permitted by statute, to approve applications for site plan control approval, various classes of consents, draft condominium approval (except for conversion of rental housing) and authority to execute, amend and release site plan agreements on behalf of the City but only after consultation with Councillor(s) in accordance with practices presently in use in the former City of North York;@

(b) amending Recommendation 2(ii) by adding at the end thereof the words:

Aand that the planner in charge of a project have available specific expertise that may be required, in particular urban planning design and landscape resources;@

so as to read:

A2(ii) a case management system which provides for a continuity of planning staff assignment from the beginning to the completion of any project and that the planner in charge of a project have available specific expertise that may be required, in particular urban planning design and landscape planning resources;@

(c) adding the additional recommendation:

A2(viii)prior to preliminary reports being written, Councillors be given the opportunity to hold a community meeting if they so require so that the planners have the benefit of community input at an early stage before preliminary evaluation;@

(d) amending Recommendation 3(ii) by deleting the words Aintensity of@ and replacing with the words Acriteria to be applied to@, so as to read:

A3(ii) to establish areas of site plan control on a consistent basis across the City, establishing appropriate thresholds defining the criteria to be applied to development or redevelopment which would require the submission of an application for site plan approval as detailed in this report;@

(e) amending Recommendation 3(vi) by adding the words Aafter consultation with local Councillor(s);@ so as to read:

A3(vi) to delegate authority to execute, amend and release agreements, as required, to the Chief Planner or delegate(s) after consultation with local Councillor(s);@

(f) adding the following Recommendations:

A(11) that all studies related to a project over a certain threshold be commissioned by the City of Toronto at the expense of the applicant and that staff be requested to report further on a suitable threshold;

(12) that the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services, be requested to report further on a policy that would require the removal of signage related to planning practices at the specific steps in the planning process;

(13) that pre-application meetings include Councillors, or their staff, if they so request;

(14) that Councillors be immediately notified upon receipt of an application;

(15) that informal consultation meetings be held with the community prior to a preliminary evaluation report;

(16) that notification of planning applications be sent to persons in the area including residential and business tenants and property owners;

(17) that all telecommunication applications be forwarded to the Telecommunications Steering Committee for direction;

(18) that industrial applications be exempt, unless requested by the Ward Councillor(s);

(19) that the following not be exempted:

townhouses;

additions to commercial parking lots;

school portables; and

telecommunication equipment;

(20) preliminary evaluation reports not include staff comments which may prejudice the final staff recommendation;

(21) Members of Council continue to chair planning community meetings, and planning staff chair these meetings only if requested by the Ward Councillor(s); and

(22) certificates of inspection be commissioned by Urban Planning and Development Services and paid for by the applicant.@;

(g) That Appendix 3, entitled, ASite Plan Approvals@ attached to the report (June 25, 1999) from the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services, be amended as follows:

(i) the deletion of the words, Aunless located on a designated AMain Street@ and have a lot frontage no more than 12.5m@ in Table 2 (page 17), entitled, AProposed Exemption@, relating to New Development: Institutional, Commercial, Office, Mixed Use, so that it now reads: AProposed Exemption@ - AAll subject to Site Plan Approval@

(ii) the deletion of the words, Ain the Port District@ in Table 2 (page 18), entitled, AProposed Exemption@ relating to New Development: Industrial, so that it now reads: AProposed Exemption@ - AAll Industrial exempt unless: adjacent to or opposite a residential use; adjacent to a school, park, arterial road or highway; adjacent to a ravine; or recycling@.

(iii) the deletion of the words, AAll exempt unless located adjacent to substandard lane or in or within 10m of a ravine@ in Table 2 (page 19) entitled, AProposed Exemption@ relating to New Development: Residential - singles, semis, duplexes, fourplexes, semi-detached, triplexes and fourplexes@, so that it now reads AProposed Exemption@ - Asingle-family & semi-detached lots created by consent and lots which are in the Valley Impact Zone (V.I.Z.) and special policy area lots, all subject to Site Plan Approval.@

(iv) the deletion of the words, AThe lesser of 600m2 or 20% of existing g.f.a. are exempt@ in Table 2 (page 19) , entitled, AProposed Exemption@ relating to Apartment Additions@, so that it now reads AAll subject to Site Plan Approval@.

(v) the deletion of the words, AExempt@, in Table 2 (page 22), entitled, AProposed Exemption@ relating to AReplacement, Reconstruction and Compliance Development@ so that it now reads, ASubject to Site Plan Approval if increasing the Gross Floor Area.@

(h) that Apreliminary evaluation reports@ be called Apreliminary assessment reports@;

(i) adding the recommendations embodied in the communication (October 12, 1999) from Mr. George Belza, save and except those recommendations which overlap with Recommendations (1) (a); (1)(b);(1)(d); and (1)(e) referred to above;

(j) amending the bolded portion of Recommendation (9) embodied in the communication (October 12, 1999) from Mr. George Belza so that it now reads as follows:

Awhere an applicant appeals an Official Plan Amendment or rezoning application prior to the required statutory public meeting, staff shall process the application in a manner which provides Community Council with a sufficient range of options so as to minimize the risk of prejudicing Council=s position before the Ontario Municipal Board.@

(k) adding a further recommendation to read as follows:

Athat an expanded notice radius for community and statutory public meetings and associated costs be determined in consultation with the Ward Councillors.@

Background:

The North York Community Council had before it the following:

(a) communication (August 3, 1999) from the Committee Administrator, Planning and Transportation Committee, advising that the Planning and Transportation Committee at its meeting held on July 12, 1999, referred the report (June 25, 1999) from the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services respecting New Practices for the Review of Development Applications to each Community Council for public consultation, review and report back to the Planning and Transportation Committee for its October 4, 1999 meeting;

(b) communication (August 25, 1999) from the Committee Administrator, Planning and Transportation Committee, forwarding a report (July 30, 1999) from Councillor Filion providing suggested amendments with regard to the New Practices for the Review of Development Applications;

(c) communication (October 12, 1999) from Councillor Moscoe, North York Spadina, forwarding draft recommendations tabled at the Planning and Transportation Committee meeting held on October 4, 1999; and

(d) communication (October 12, 1999) from the Director, Community Planning, North District, providing presentation notes on the proposed new practices for the review of development applications.

The following persons appeared before the North York Community Council in connection with the foregoing matter:

- Mr. George S. Belza; who also filed a written submission;

- Ms. Marion Lick; President, Willowdale Central Ratepayers= Association;

- Ms. Sharolyn Vettese, Chair, Yonge Street Area Ratepayers Association; who also filed a written submission;

- Mr. David Sambrook, President, Southwest Ward 10 Ratepayers Association; who also filed a written submission; and

- Mr. Morry Smith, President, Lansing Community Association, who also filed a written submission.

City Clerk

North York Community Council

Attachment

Francine Adamo/cp

Agenda. Item No. 29

c. Acting Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services