Public Meeting Held in Accordance with the

Planning Act with respect to Zoning By-law

Amendements to Reduce the Parking Requirements

for Restaurants in Commercial Zones

The East York Community Council, based on the findings of fact and conclusions, recommends the adoption of the report (May 10, 1999) from the Director of Community Planning, East District.

The East York Community Council reports having held a statutory public meeting on May 26, 1999, in accordance with Section 34 of the Planning Act, and appropriate notice of this meeting was given in accordance with the Planning Act and the regulations thereunder.

The East York Community Council submits the following report (May 10, 1999) from the Director of Community Planning, East District:

Purpose:

This report presents a proposal to amend Zoning By-laws No. 1916 and No. 6752 to change the parking requirement for restaurants in commercial strip areas in the East York Community.

Recommendation:

It is recommended that Council approve amendments to Zoning By-law No. 1916 and Zoning By-law No. 6752 to change the minimum parking requirement for restaurants in commercial strip areas in the East York Community, except on Bayview Avenue and Overlea Boulevard, to one parking space per 47 square metres of gross floor area.

Background:

Since 1992, staff have prepared a series of reports assessing the zoning by-law standards for restaurants in various commercial strip areas in East York. The studies started with the Pape Avenue commercial strip as a pilot area. As a result of the study, Council passed an amendment to the zoning by-law on January 18, 1993 to reduce the parking requirement for restaurants on Pape Avenue from one parking space per 4.8 square metres of public floor area to one parking space per 47 square metres of gross floor area. This standard is the same as the requirement for retail and office uses. The change permits restaurants, retail and office uses to occupy existing commercial buildings interchangeably in the commercial strips, without requiring additional parking. It recognizes that it is not financially feasible to provide additional parking on most properties in the commercial strip, and eliminates the need for Committee of Adjustment approval and cash-in-lieu of parking agreements for new restaurants on the street.

Since that time, staff have undertaken similar studies on the commercial strips on Donlands Avenue, Coxwell Avenue, Woodbine Avenue, O'Connor Drive, Bayview Avenue, and Broadview Avenue. These studies have resulted in similar amendments to the zoning by-law for each strip except Bayview Avenue. Borough of East York Council reviewed the parking standards for restaurants on Bayview Avenue on September 15, 1997, and decided not to change the zoning requirement.

This report addresses the remaining commercial strip areas and several pockets of commercial-zoned land in the East York Community.

Lands Affected:

This proposal addresses all properties zoned "C" (commercial) in Zoning By-law No. 6752, except the commercial strips that have already been addressed in previous studies. It also addresses all properties zoned "Commercial-General C1" and "Commercial-Local C2" in Zoning By-law No.1916, except on Bayview Avenue and Overlea Boulevard. The Bayview Avenue strip was excluded because of the Borough of East York Council's decision in 1997 to maintain the existing parking standards there. The properties on Overlea Boulevard are also excluded because the pattern of commercial development is different from traditional commercial strip development in the rest of East York. A parking study has not been undertaken relating to the conditions in the OverleaBoulevard area.

The parking studies for Pape Avenue, Coxwell Avenue, Donlands Avenue, Woodbine Avenue, O'Connor Drive, and Broadview Avenue resulted in changes to the by-law to require one parking space per 47 square metres for restaurants. There is a separate requirement in Zoning By-law No.6752 for each street. These separate requirements should be replaced with one general parking standard for restaurants on all streets. In the case of By-law No. 1916, Bayview Avenue and Overlea Boulevard would be the only exceptions.

Comments:

Most of the commercial strip areas in East York supply a range of uses which varies from street to street. Generally these areas serve the daily needs of local residents only. Among the strip areas studied, only Bayview Avenue regularly draws customers from an area larger than the immediate neighbourhood.

In 1997, in conjunction with the study of Woodbine Avenue, O'Connor Drive and Bayview Avenue, staff did follow-up counts on Pape Avenue and determined that the parking occupancy rates were still acceptable five years after the restaurant parking standard was changed. Follow-up counts have not been done on the other streets, however, no new parking problems are apparent on these streets, and the changes appear to have been successful.

Given the past successes on other streets, staff are recommending that the parking requirement for restaurants be changed to one space per 47 square metres of gross floor area on commercial strips throughout East York, except on Bayview Avenue and Overlea Boulevard.

The recommended change is consistent with the changes recommended on other streets, and permits uses to interchange in existing commercial units where the parking supply would otherwise not comply with the by-law requirements. It also eliminates the need for additional municipal approvals, and the inherent time delays, except for building permits and Metro licenses.

Community Consultations:

Notice of this public meeting was given by publication in the Toronto Star.

Conclusion:

In the opinion of staff, a general change to the restaurant parking standard is warranted. The inherent delays in the approvals process is a disincentive to the economic revitalization of the commercial strip areas. Past studies in East York have shown that the parking supply in the strip areas is sufficient to support additional parking demand.

Staff are recommending that Zoning By-laws No. 1916 and No. 6752 be amended to change the parking standard to one parking space per 47 m² of gross floor area in all commercial strip areas, except on Bayview Avenue and Overlea Boulevard.

Contact:

Paul Galvin, Planner

Phone: (416) 778-2043

Fax: (416) 466-9877

pgalvin@borough.eastyork.on.ca

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

-Mr. M.E. Merkur, East York, in favour of the proposed Zoning By-law amendments, and recommending that the proposed Zoning By-law amendments also include Bayview Avenue;

-Ms Maryaleen Trafford, East York, in favour of the proposed zoning By-law amendments;

-Mr. Donald MacMillan, The Wee Jaggy Nettle, East York, in favour of the proposed Zoning By-law amendments; and

-Ms. Carol Maclure, East York, advised of the problems respecting parking on Bayview Avenue.