Item - 2016.TE18.9

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1.  City Council authorize the City Solicitor, together with appropriate staff, to attend the Ontario Municipal Board hearing to oppose the applicant’s appeal respecting the Zoning By-law Amendment application for 18 Brownlow Avenue, 174-200 Soudan Avenue and 71-73 Redpath Avenue (15 247245 STE 22 OZ) for reasons including the following:

a. The proposal does not have regard for section 2(h) (j) (p) and (q) of the Planning Act.

b.  The proposal is not consistent with applicable policies in the Provincial Policy Statement, does not conform with the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe and does not conform with the City of Toronto Official Plan.

c.  The proposal represents overdevelopment of the site.

d.  The proposal is not in the public interest and does not represent good planning.

2. In the event that the proposal is approved in some form by the Ontario Municipal Board, that City Council:

a.  authorize the City Solicitor and Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with the Ward Councillor, to secure services, facilities or matters pursuant to Section 37 as may be required by the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning; and

b.  authorize the City Solicitor to secure the requirement of on-site parkland dedication pursuant to Section 42 of the Planning Act be conveyed to the City of Toronto for this site set out in Item TE14.31 adopted by City Council at its meeting on March 10, 2016.

This application proposes two residential towers of 25 and 20 storeys linked by a 4-storey base building at 71-73 Redpath Avenue, 174-200 Soudan Avenue and 18 Brownlow Avenue. The proposed development contains 463 new rental dwelling units. 269 new residential parking spaces will be added to the existing 3-level underground garage.

The current proposal represents significant overdevelopment of the site and is not supported by Planning Staff.

The Zoning Amendment Application has been appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) by the applicant due to Council's failure to make a decision on the application within the time prescribed by the Planning Act. This report recommends that Council direct the City Solicitor, together with appropriate City Staff, to oppose the proposal at the OMB.

The application is not supported for the reasons outlined in this report. The proposal has not been revised since Staff's February, 2016 preliminary report was submitted to Community Council.

None of the significant issues raised in that report have been addressed to the satisfaction of Staff. The proposed development does not respond to its planned and built context, and is located outside the boundary of the Yonge-Eglinton Urban Growth Centre. It does not comply with the in-force policies of the Official Plan, nor with Council-adopted Official Plan Amendment 289, Minister-approved Official Plan Amendment 320 or Council-adopted built form principles of the Yonge-Eglinton Secondary Plan Area directed for consideration in the review of current applications.