Item - 2020.SC19.2

Scarborough Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council amend the Zoning By-law of the former City of Scarborough L'Amoreaux Community By-law 12466, as amended, for the lands at 3268 Finch Avenue East substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment attached as Attachment 7 to the report dated October 19, 2020 from the Director, Community Planning, Scarborough District, save and except that the east side yard setback shall be a minimum of 3 metres from the property line.

2. City Council amend City of Toronto Zoning By-law 569-2013, as amended, for the lands at 3268 Finch Avenue East substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment attached as Attachment 8 to the report dated October 19, 2020 from the Director, Community Planning, Scarborough District, save and except that the east side yard setback shall be a minimum of 3 metres from the property line.

3. City Council authorizes 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 secure community benefits as follows:

a. Prior to the issuance of the first above-grade building permit,  a financial contribution in the amount of $975,000 towards the "Kidstown Water Park Project", with such amount to be indexed upwardly in accordance with Statistics Canada Residential Building or Non-Residential Building Construction Price Index, as the case may be, for the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, reported by Statistics Canada in the Building Construction Price Indexes Table 18-10-0135-01, or its successor, calculated from the date of the Section 37 Agreement to the date of payment;

b. The cash contribution required in a. above shall be indexed upwardly in accordance with the Statistics Canada Building Construction Price Indexes for Toronto, or its successor, beginning from the date of execution of the Section 37 Agreement to the date the cash contribution is provided to the City; and

c. In the event the cash contribution required in a. above has not been used for the intended purpose within three (3) years of the implementing Zoning By-law Amendment coming into full force and effect, the cash contribution may be redirected for another purpose, at the discretion of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with the Ward Councillor, provided that the purposes are identified in Toronto's Official Plan and will benefit the community in the vicinity of the Site.

5. The following matters are also recommended to be secured in the Section 37 Agreement:  

a. The Owner shall provide space within the development for installation of maintenance access holes and sampling ports on the private side, as close to the property line as possible, for both the storm and sanitary service connections, in accordance with the Sewers By-law Chapter 681;

b. The Owner shall enter into a financially secured Development Agreement for the construction of any improvements to the municipal infrastructure, should it be determined that upgrades are required to the infrastructure to support this development, according to the Site Servicing Review accepted by the Chief Engineer & Executive Director of Engineering and Construction Services; and

c. The Owner shall construct and maintain the development in accordance with Tier 1 performance measures of the Toronto Green Standard, as adopted by Toronto City Council at its meeting held on October 26 and 27, 2009 through the adoption of item PG32.3 of the Planning and Growth Committee, and as updated by Toronto City Council at its meeting held on December 5, 6 and 7, 2017, through the adoption of item PG23.9 of the Planning and Growth Committee, and as may be further amended by City Council from time to time.

6. Before introducing the necessary Bills to City Council for enactment, require the Owner be required to submit and satisfy the following, to the satisfaction of the Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services:

a. A Site Servicing and Stormwater Management Report to determine the storm water runoff, sanitary flow and water supply demand resulting from this development and demonstrate how this site can be serviced and the adequacy of existing municipal infrastructure; and

b. A revised architectural drawing for P1, P2, or P3 level to show the location of mechanical room as located in preliminary servicing drawing.

Scarborough Community Council held a statutory public meeting on November 9, 2020, and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This application proposes to amend City of Toronto Zoning By-law No. 569-2013 and former City of Scarborough L'Amoreaux Community By-law No. 12466, as amended, to permit the construction of a 13 storey mid-rise building at 3268 Finch Avenue East. 

The existing commercial plaza on the site is to be demolished and replaced with a total of 276 units and 314 parking spaces in a 3-level underground parking garage.  A total gross floor area of 25,885 square metres is proposed, resulting in a floor space index (FSI) of 6.38 times the area of the lot.  The proposed 14 townhouses that will front Finch Avenue East and Bridletowne Circle will be live-work units.

The proposed development is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (2020) and conforms with A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2020).  The proposal represents an appropriate type and scale of development in a strategic growth area and is an appropriate scale to transition to the adjacent property which has approvals for multiple tall building development immediately to the east.

The proposed development conforms to the Official Plan policies for lands within a Mixed Use Areas designation and is generally consistent with the Finch Warden Revitalization Study completed in 2010. The proposal generally complies with the direction provided by the City's Mid Rise Building Guidelines and animates the streetscape by integrating multiple integrated townhouse units into the base building with direct access from the public realm. The residential development on the lands is deployed at an appropriate density and built form as provided for by the development criteria for Mixed Use Areas.

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