Item - 2020.TE16.77

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:                         

1. City Council request that the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, undertake an area study for the area generally bounded by; the north side of Bloor Street West, St. Helen’s Avenue to the east, the Kitchener GO Rail corridor to the west and Sterling Road to the south, to develop a planning framework, including an evaluation of appropriate built form, transportation and pedestrian networks, an overall public realm strategy including parks and open spaces and potential heritage sites. An Official Plan Amendment or a Site and Area Specific Policy to implement the finding of the planning framework would be addressed as a second phase of the study.

2. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to work with the Ward Councillor to establish a community consultation process for this study and to report back with a planning framework to the Toronto and East York Community Council in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Development pressures in this area have begun increasing, with several properties being bought and companies seeking meetings with my office and the planning department. With large projects proposed and approved to the south and several more plans forthcoming to the north, there is significant development pressure in the area. In order to ensure a comprehensive plan for the area and that growth occurs in a well-planned, comprehensive and coordinated manner I am requesting that City Council adopt the recommendations below.