Item - 2020.SB8.1

The Sign Variance Committee:

1. Granted the requested variance, subject to the specified conditions, to § 694-6A(8)(a), § 694-20A(1), § 694-20A(2), § 694-21D(6)(b), § 694-21D(6)(c), § 694-21D(6)(e), § 694-21D(6)(f) and § 694-21D(1)(a) required for the Signage Master Plan consisting of 54 wall, window, roof and overhanging structure signs on the first five storeys of the building(s) located on the Premises municipally known as 55 Bloor Street West and three ground signs along the east, west and north property frontages of the Premises municipally known as 55 Bloor Street West, as described in detail in Attachment 1 of report (August 9, 2020) from the Manager, Sign By-law Unit, Toronto Building.

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.

This report reviews and makes recommendations on an application made by Kramer Design Associates (the "Applicant") who has been authorized by the owner of the property municipally known as 55 Bloor Street West (the "Subject Premises"), Manufacturers Life Insurance CO. to appeal the Chief Building Official's decision to refuse to grant 20 variances from the Sign By-law for 57 first party signs including: 28 wall signs, 10 window signs, 12 projecting signs, three overhanging structure signs, one roof sign and three ground signs at street level and along the lower five-storeys of the building(s) located on the Subject Premises ("2019-Signage Master Plan"). The 2019-Signage Master Plan and required variances are described in Attachment 1 to this report.

After reviewing the supporting materials of this application and a staff investigation into the subject premises and surrounding area, the Chief Building Official ("CBO"), refused to grant the requested variances required for the 2019-Signage Master Plan application.  An appeal of the CBO's decision to refuse the 2019-Signage Master Plan was filed by Patrick Harrington, on behalf of the property owner in July, 2020.

In 2018, the Applicant submitted an application ("Proposed 2018-Signage Master Plan"), which is similar to the 2019-Signage Master Plan. A modified version of the Proposed 2018-Signage Master Plan was approved with conditions by the CBO ("Approved 2018-Signage Master Plan").

The most significant changes between the Approved 2018-Signage Master Plan, and the 2019-Signage Master Plan are: that one wall sign has been added to the second storey at the east elevation, one wall sign has been added to the first storey on the west elevation, and two overhanging structure signs proposed to advertise BMO (removed from the Approved 2018-Signage Master Plan) have been modified in size and height.

Following a review of the Applicant's submissions and the results of research and investigation by the staff of the Sign By-law Unit, The CBO has determined that the Applicant has not provided sufficient information to determine that the 2019-Signage Master Plan meets all nine of the criteria established in §694-30A of the Sign By-law. Specifically, the information provided has not allowed the CBO to determine that the 2019-Signage Master Plan is compatible with the development of the premises and surrounding area and does not alter the character of the premises or surrounding area.

The CBO recommends that, the Sign Variance Committee refuse the all of the variances requested for the 2019-Signage Master Plan.