Item - 2019.SC7.3

Scarborough Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council amend the Neighbourhood Commercial (NC) and Multiple Family Residential (M) Zone of the L’Amoreaux Community By-law No. 12466, as amended, for the lands at 3453 Victoria Park Avenue and 50-68 Morcambe Gate, substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment attached as Attachment No. 5 to the report (June 7, 2019) from the Director, Community Planning, Scarborough District.

2. City Council amend Zoning By-law 569-2013, as amended, for the lands at 3453 Victoria Park Avenue and 50-68 Morcambe Gate, substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment attached as Attachment No. 6 to the report (June 7, 2019) from the Director, Community Planning, Scarborough District.

3. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the draft Zoning By-law Amendments as may be required.

4. Before introducing the necessary Bills to City Council for enactment, City Council require the Owner to enter into an Agreement pursuant to Section 37 of the Planning Act, to be registered on title, to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor, to secure the following matters, services and facilities:

a. A cash payment of $400,000 towards the design, construction and cost of a new splash pad to be located adjacent to the Chester Le Community Corner and Child Care Centre.  These payments are to be provided in accordance with the terms of the agreement, or towards other eligible local community benefits as may be determined by the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division, in consultation with the Ward Councillor.  The payment shall be indexed from the date of the execution of the agreement in accordance with the Statistics Canada Non-Residential Construction Price Index for Toronto;

b. The provision of at least 5% of the total number of residential dwelling units proposed to be constructed on the subject site as new affordable ownership housing units to a non-profit housing provider on the following terms:

i. Affordable ownership housing is defined in the City's Official Plan as housing which is priced at or below an amount where the total monthly shelter cost (mortgage principal and interest – based on a 25-year amortization, 10 per cent down payment and the chartered bank administered mortgage rate for a conventional 5-year mortgage as reported by the Bank of Canada at the time of application – plus property taxes calculated on a monthly basis) equals the average City of Toronto rent, by unit type, as reported annually by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation;

ii. The unit mix and average unit size of the new affordable ownership housing units will reflect the unit mix and average unit size of the residential dwelling units proposed to be constructed on the remainder of the development, all to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division;

iii. All new affordable ownership housing units will be constructed to a fully-finished condition, to a similar standard as the units in the remainder of the development;

iv. Each new affordable ownership housing unit will be provided with at least one vehicle parking space;

v. The new affordable ownership housing units will be generally dispersed throughout the building or buildings within which they are to be provided, and occupants of the new affordable ownership housing units will have access to all building facilities and amenities on the same terms and conditions as all the other residents of the development;

vi. The owner shall submit, in consultation with the non-profit housing provider, the proposed layouts and locations of the new affordable ownership housing units as part of the application for Site Plan approval, and the final design and location of the new affordable ownership housing units shall be to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, prior to Site Plan approval.

c. The Owner shall enter into Agreements of Purchase and Sale ("APS") for the new affordable ownership housing units with the provider and/or the City prior to the issuance of the first building permit for the development phase within which the units are to be provided pursuant to Recommendation 1(a), and the APS will be assignable at no additional cost;

d. In the event that an acceptable non-profit housing provider cannot enter into an Agreement of Purchase and Sale for the new affordable ownership housing units, the owner shall provide, prior to the issuance of the first above-grade building permit, an upwardly-indexed cash contribution to the City in the amount of $1,100,000 towards the provision of new affordable housing in Ward 22.

5. As a legal convenience, the Owner shall enter into a financially secured Agreement for the construction of all improvements to the municipal infrastructure at no cost to the City to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director of Engineering and Construction Services.

Scarborough Community Council held a statutory public meeting on June 25, 2019 and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This application proposes amendments to the L’Amoreaux Community Zoning By-law No. 12466, as amended, to permit the construction of a 142 unit townhouse development at 3453 Victoria Park Avenue and 50-68 Morcambe Gate.  The existing 1-storey commercial/retail plaza would be demolished.  The development consists of 4 storey stacked and back-to-back townhouses organized into four blocks with a total gross floor area of approximately 14,000 square metres and an overall density of 1.72 times the area of the lot .  A total of 168 parking spaces are proposed, the majority of which are located underground.

The proposed residential infill development use is compatible with its surrounding context. The proposal introduces an appropriate built form to the site with development massed to address Victoria Park Avenue, Morcambe Gate and Chester Le Boulevard.  It also provides step backs and transition in scale and massing to adjacent properties to the north and south.  

The site organization and proposed landscaping will provide improved public realm conditions on the adjacent streets and an attractive environment for pedestrian movement within the site.  The proposal also includes an affordable housing component whereby approximately 5% or 7 units will be provided as affordable home ownership through a Construction Agreement with the City's Affordable Housing Office. 

The proposed development is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (2014) and conforms and does not conflict with the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2019).  The proposal conforms to the applicable Official Plan policies and complies with the criteria in the City's Townhouse and Low-Rise Apartment Guidelines with a built form that is compatible with the adjacent uses. 

This report reviews and recommends approval of the application to amend the Zoning By-law.