Item - 2021.EY23.5

The Etobicoke York Community Council recommends that: 

1. City Council amend By-law 808-2018 to lift the holding provision (H) from the northeast portion of the lands and direct the Director, Community Planning, Etobicoke York District and the City Solicitor to introduce bills at such time as the intent of the holding provisions contained in the by-law are satisfied as set out in the report from City Planning dated March 29, 2021, or as otherwise may be determined appropriate by the Director, Community Planning.

2. City Council authorize the City Solicitor and any other City staff to take such actions as are required to implement the decision of City Council.

At its meeting on March 3, 2021, Etobicoke York Community Council requested the Director, Community Planning, Etobicoke York District, to prepare a report with an update on the holding provisions for 2200 Islington Avenue, including a complete list of conditions required to lift the holding provisions, and an update on the status of the conditions. This report responds to this request.

On October 16, 2020, an application was submitted to remove the Holding (H) symbol from the lands subject to Site-Specific Zoning By-law 808-2018 at 2200 Islington Avenue. The Holding (H) symbol only applies to the eastern portion of the site which is to be lifted upon the fulfillment of four conditions related to the realignment of the Islington Avenue and Rexdale Boulevard intersection (see Attachment 4: Schedule 'B' of Zoning By-law 808-2018). The adoption of the site-specific zoning by-law was based on the applicant's proposed construction phasing of the site, whereby the western portion of the lands would be constructed in advance of the eastern portion of the site subject to the holding provisions. This was done to allow for the reconstruction of the Islington Avenue and Rexdale Boulevard, as well as the sale of the remnant City lands to the applicant to be consolidated as part of the development site. Since the adoption of Zoning By-law 808-2018, the applicant has revised their construction phasing to prioritize the development of the eastern portion of the site to occur in conjunction with the development of the entire site.  

Planning staff are of the opinion that the holding provisions have not yet been satisfied.  While the applicant has made significant strides in attempting to fulfill the holding provisions by advancing the intersection realignment construction and working towards finalizing the sale of the remnant lands, to date only one of the four conditions has been satisfied. Staff will prepare a further report regarding the lifting of the holding provisions once the conditions have been fulfilled.