Item - 2019.SB5.2

The Sign Variance Committee:

1. Granted the six requested variances to sections 694-22E, 694-26I(1), 694-26I(4)(a), 694-26l(4)(b),694-26I(4)(d) and 694-26I(4)(g), each subject to the specified conditions, required to allow the Applicant to obtain a permit for the erection and display of one third party electronic ground sign at 2 Atlantic Avenue as described in greater detail in Attachment 1 to the report (November 15, 2019) from the Manager, Sign By-law Unit, Toronto Building, with the following amendment to condition 3, Attachment 1 to the report (November 15, 2019) from the Manager, Sign By-law Unit, Toronto Building to add the word, "westernmost", to read as follows:

3. The westernmost third party roof sign currently located at 7 Fraser Avenue be removed, and all associated permits revoked prior to any application for a Sign Permit being submitted for the Proposed Sign.

A decision of the Sign Variance Committee, in the case of a decision to refuse to grant a variance, is final and binding on the date the decision was issued; and in the case of a decision to grant a variance with conditions, the decision is final and binding 21 days after the date the decision was issued unless an application to consider is filed by the ward councillor in accordance with §694-30S of Chapter 694 of the City of Toronto Municipal Code.

At its meeting of January 30, 2020, the Sign Variance Committee made corrections to the Summary of Item SB5.2, and requested the Chair to re-issue the Decision Letter.

This report reviews an application for six variances, subject to specific conditions, made by Pattison Outdoor on behalf of the property owner (the "Applicant"), to allow for one third party electronic ground sign displaying electronic static copy (the "Proposed Sign") at the property municipally known as 2 Atlantic Avenue (the "Subject Premises"), described in greater detail in Attachment 1.

The Proposed Sign would be located along the southerly frontage of the Subject Premises, which contains a two-storey office building, an associated surface-level parking lot and an existing third party ground sign. The Proposed Sign is intended to be erected and displayed be erected and displayed, after the removal of the existing third party sign, in the same location at the Subject Premises. The Proposed Sign would seek to capture the attention of traffic travelling along the Gardiner Expressway.

The Subject Premises is designated "C" within the Gardiner Gateway Special Sign District ("GG-SSD"). Third party electronic wall signs and third party electronic ground signs are permitted on premises with a C designation within the GG-SSD. The Proposed Sign would have a height of 24.38 metres, and contain two sign faces displayed in a "v-shape" configuration, each with a sign face area of 83.30 square metres.

The six variances are each subject to the following conditions, as summarized in the November 15, 2019 report from the Manager, Sign By-law Unit, Toronto Building:

1)    the existing third party ground sign to be removed from the Subject Premises, and the associated permits revoked prior to the issuance of a permit for the Proposed Sign;

2)    an existing third party ground sign located at 7 Fraser Avenue, a nearby premises 350 metres away to the west, be removed and the associated permits revoked prior to the issuance of a permit for the Proposed Sign; and

3)    an existing third party roof sign also located at 7 Fraser Avenue be removed and the associated permits revoked prior to the issuance of a permit for the Proposed Sign.

Following a review of the Applicant's submission, the Chief Building Official ("CBO") has determined that enough information has been provided to confirm that all of the nine established criteria in the Sign By-law have been met. Therefore, the CBO is supportive of the Sign Variance Committee granting the requested variances, subject to the specific conditions.