City Council on September 30 and October 1, 2009, adopted the following:

 

1.         City Council direct the Directors of Community Planning in both Toronto and East York and Etobicoke York Districts to report back, in two years from the date at which the By-laws come into force and effect, to their respective Community Councils on the status of development within their respective segments of St. Clair Avenue West.

 

2.         City Council amend the Official Plan substantially in accordance with the draft Official Plan Amendment attached as Attachment 2 to the Final Report dated May 11, 2009 from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division, with the exclusion of Map B(1) from the Draft Official Plan Amendment and that the draft Official Plan Amendment be amended accordingly.

 

3.         City Council amend Zoning By-law 438-86 for the former City of Toronto substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment attached as Attachment 1 to the Supplementary Report No. 2 dated September 29, 2009 from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division.

 

4.         City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the draft Official Plan Amendment and draft Zoning By‑law as may be required.

 

5.         City Council adopt, in principle, the Urban Design Guidelines for St. Clair Avenue West between Bathurst Street to Glenholme Avenue as provided in Section 4, pages 36 to 45 of the Final Consultant Report (dated December 2007), attached as Attachment 4 to the report dated May 11, 2009 from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division.

 

6.         City Council adopt, in principle, the Urban Design Guidelines for St. Clair Avenue West between Keele Street to Glenholme Avenue, attached as Attachment 5 to the report dated May 11, 2009 from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division.

 

7.         City Council direct City Planning staff to examine, either through a Local Area Study or as part of the 5‑year Official Plan Review, the long term feasibility of the existing land use designations and uses for the Keele Street Node and Old Weston Road Node and to report back to Council on the findings of their review.

 

8.         City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning in consultation with the General Manager, Economic Development, Culture and Tourism to report back on the feasibility of expanding the geographic area of the St. Clair Avenue West Community Improvement Plan as it relates to façade improvement.

  

9.         City Council adopt the findings contained in the Community Services and Facilities Review set out in Attachments 6 and 7 to the report dated May 11, 2009 from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division.

 

10.       City Council adopt the St. Clair Avenue West Action Plan set out in Attachment No. 8 to the report dated May 11, 2009 from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to work with City staff to implement this Plan.

 

11.       City Council authorize the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division to retain the necessary consultant(s) to peer review the information referenced in the letter, dated July 21, 2009, from James Harbell of Stikeman Elliott and report to the Planning and Growth Management Committee on the regulatory recommendations for the affected area, within 6 months of the adoption of this report.

 

12.       City Council endorse the "enhancement zones" solution within the St. Clair Avenue Study on the understanding that it is a local solution supported by the local community after extensive consultation and is not applicable to other parts of the City where this condition does not exist.

 

13.       No further notice be given in respect of the proposed by-laws.

 

14.       City Council refer the following motion to the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, for consideration:

 

            Moved by Councillor Palacio:

 

1.         That Recommendation 1 of the Planning and Growth Management Committee be amended by replacing the words "two years" with "one year", so that Recommendation 1 reads as follows:

 

1.         City Council direct the Directors of Community Planning in both Toronto and East York and Etobicoke York Districts to report back, in one year from the date at which the By-laws come into force and effect, to their respective Community Councils on the status of development within their respective segments of St. Clair Avenue West.”

 

2.         That Recommendation 7 of the Planning and Growth Management Committee be amended to read as follows:

 

7.         City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to conduct a Planning Study concerning the long-term feasibility of the existing land use designation and uses for the Old Weston Road and Keele Street nodes and report back to the Etobicoke York Community Council on his findings within one year.”

 

3.         In the event that any planning application is filed prior to the conclusion of the city-initiated peer review for the approval of a development exceeding the current zoning permissions in the area between Old Weston Road, Spring Grove Avenue and Blackthorn Avenue, on both sides of St. Clair Avenue West, that staff in reviewing the application have regard for the Avenue Study recommendations contained in the May 11, 2009 Final Report from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division.

The Planning and Growth Management Committee:

 

1.         requested  the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to report directly to City Council on the feasibility of removing the density permissions on enhancement zone lands, once they have been purchased for development purposes and any structures on them demolished.

 

2.         referred the following motions to the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, for report directly to City Council:

 

             a.        Motion by Councillor Milczyn, that:

 

1.         The Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, report to Council on the following changes that concern Ward 17 only:

 

a.          amend the proposed draft Official Plan Amendment attached as Attachment No. 2 to the foregoing report by amending the maps to remove all "Area A" lands and applicable policies.

 

b.         amend the proposed draft Zoning By-law attached as Attachment No. 1 to the supplementary report (June 2, 2009) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, by amending:

 

-           the schedules to remove all lands within the enhancement zones

-           Schedule 3 to change the maximum permitted heights from H24.0 (ez) to H24.0 and from H30.0 (ez) to H24.0 (7 storeys)

-           Schedule 2 for properties with frontage on St. Clair Avenue related to paragraph (b)(i) to MCR T5.0 C2.0 R4.0

 

2.         That no further public meetings be held in relation to the proposed amendments to the draft Official Plan and revised Zoning By-law.

 

b.         Motion by Councillor Fillion, that the report (May 11, 2009) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, be amended by deleting the enhanced zone provisions.

 

The Planning and Growth Management Committee held a public meeting on June 4, 2009, and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This City-initiated Official Plan amendment and Zoning By-law amendment are subject to the new provisions of the Planning Act and the City of Toronto Act, 2006.

 

This report recommends approval of amendments to the Official Plan and the former City of Toronto Zoning By-law 438-86 to implement the findings and recommendations of the St. Clair Avenue Study conducted for the segment between Bathurst Street and Keele Street as shown in Attachment 1.  The report also recommends adoption of Urban Design Guidelines and outlines implementation strategies to achieve, over time the revitalization of St. Clair Avenue West within this Avenue segment.

 

The proposed initiatives and recommendations contained in this report support the Avenue policies of the Official Plan.  They will assist in creating opportunities for the reurbanization along St. Clair Avenue West to encourage redevelopment, new housing and job opportunities while improving the pedestrian environment.

 

The amendments to the Official Plan and Zoning By-law are intended to help facilitate intensification that supports the existing and future retail uses along St. Clair Avenue West, as well as encourage transit usage.  The desired built form for St. Clair Avenue West is intended to create a balance between new developments on the Avenue and the low-rise Neighbourhoods to the north and south of St. Clair Avenue West.  This planned balance is designed to help mitigate impacts that new developments would have on the Neighbourhoods.

 

As part of the study process two consultant teams were retained to assist City staff.  Office for Urbanism in association with MSAi Architects and Marshall Macklin Monaghan conducted the study for the segment between Keele Street and Glenholme Avenue.  Brook McIIroy Planning + Urban Design/Pace Architects in association with MSAi Architects and Marshall Macklin Monaghan conducted the study for the segment between Bathurst Street and Glenholme Avenue.  Copies of the consultants' Final Reports were posted on the City's website for each respective study area.