Variances from Chapter 297, Signs, of the Former City of

Toronto Municipal Code - 56 Blue Jays Way (Downtown)

The Toronto Community Council recommends that:

(1)Application No. 998095 respecting minor variances from Chapter 297, Signs, of the former City of Toronto Municipal Code to erect one illuminated ground sign at 56 Blue Jays Way be approved;

(2)the City accept the proposal from Beutel Goodman Real Estate Group to provide a minimum of one month during the winter season on its 40 metre mural on the south side of its building at 56 Blue Jays Way for public art, and to provide the full funding necessary to design and install this public art mural; and

(3)the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services assist the Beutel Goodman Real Estate Group in developing its public art, such assistance to be at no charge for City staff time.

The Toronto Community Council reports, for the information of Council, having requested the City Solicitor to submit the appropriate agreement for the consideration of City Council at its meeting to be held on March 3, 1999.

The Toronto Community Council submits the following report (February 1, 1999) from the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services:

Purpose:

To review and make recommendations respecting an application for variances to erect one illuminated ground sign for identification purposes at 56 Blue Jays Way.

Financial Implications:

Not applicable.

Recommendation:

That City Council refuse Application No. 998095 respecting minor variances from Chapter 297, Signs, of the former City of Toronto Municipal Code to erect one illuminated ground sign at 56 Blue Jays Way.

Comments:

The property is located on the west side of Blue Jays Way, south of King Street West, in the King-Spadina Reinvestment Area. The property accommodates a historically designated three storey building. A restaurant, "Papa Leoni's" is located on the first floor with its entrance at the south end of the building. The "Second City" live theatre has its lobby in the centre of the building on the ground floor with its live theatre space on the second floor. It is proposed that a new live theatre tenant, "Toni and Tina's Wedding" would share a second live theatre space on the second floor with an existing live theatre tenant "Tim Sims Playhouse". The "Second City" entrance lobby is also used for these shared space tenants.

The applicant is requesting permission to erect one illuminated ground sign for identification purposes for the proposed new live theatre tenant, "Toni and Tina's Wedding" (see Figure 1). The proposed ground sign will have a length of 2.6 metres and a height of 1.5 metres, with an area of 3.9 mē. The applicant's objective is to maximize exposure to persons exiting Skydome one block south on Blue Jays Way.

The sign does not comply with Chapter 297 of the Municipal Code in the following ways:

(1)only one ground sign for the purpose of identification is permitted within any frontage of a property; and

(2)the sign will not be set back 2.0 metres from the street line.

I have serious concerns with the first variance respecting the number of ground signs. The number of signs permitted within a single frontage is regulated so as to prevent clutter and to minimize the negative visual impact of excessive signage on the streetscape and the surrounding area.

At its meeting held on October 28, 29 and 30, 1998, Toronto City Council approved an application (No. 998061) for four additional ground signs for this frontage of the property: two for "Papa Leoni's and two for "Second City". Prior approvals permitted the erection of two further ground signs: one for "Papa Leoni's" and one for "Tim Sims Playhouse". This application, if approved, would result in seven ground signs on this property.

I recognize that this property is located in the Downtown West entertainment district where extensive signage is common. However, this is a historic building and, in my opinion, the signage for tenants could be better coordinated to achieve the objectives of the Municipal Code.

My staff advised the applicant that the proposal is not supported and suggested four more acceptable alternatives:

(a)add a sign component for "Toni and Tina's Wedding" to the existing ground sign for "Tim Sims Playhouse";

(b)re-use the northernmost existing ground sign now allocated to "Second City" to advertise "Toni and Tina's Wedding";

(c)re-use the existing projecting sign so that one side advertises the new theatre tenant, "Toni and Tina's Wedding", with the other side continuing to advertise "Second City"; or

(d)remove all four ground signs approved in October, 1998 and erect the proposed new ground sign for "Toni and Tina's Wedding" with a sign for the new tenant.

In response, the applicant countered with a fifth alternative, suggesting that two of the four ground signs approved in October 1998 be removed in compensation for the new "Toni and Tina's Wedding" ground sign. The agent's rationale is that the combined face area of these two ground signs is about double the area of the proposed sign.

While, I understand the objective of providing signage for each tenant, this suggestion does not adequately resolve my concern that there will continue to be excessive ground related signage on this property. In conclusion, I consider the additional ground sign proposed for 56 Blue Jays Way to be unnecessarily obtrusive which would negatively impact the streetscape and the surrounding area.

I am recommending that this application be refused, as I consider the variances requested to be significant and not within the general intent and purpose of the sign provisions of the Municipal Code.

Contact Name:

Norm Girdhar

Telephone: (416) 392-7209

Fax: (416) 392-0580

E-Mail: ngirdhar@toronto.ca