Item - 2021.NY25.2

North York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council amend the Official Plan, for the lands at 699 Sheppard Avenue East substantially in accordance with the draft Official Plan Amendment attached as Attachment 6 to the report dated May 27, 2021, from the Acting Director, Community Planning, North York District.

2. City Council amend Zoning By-law 7625, as amended, for the lands at 699 Sheppard Avenue East substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment attached as Attachment 7 to the report dated May 27, 2021, from the Acting Director, Community Planning, North York District.

3. City Council amend City of Toronto Zoning By-law, 569-2013, as amended, for the lands at 699 Sheppard Avenue East substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment attached as Attachment 8 to the report dated May 27, 2021, from the Acting Director, Community Planning, North York District.

4. City Council authorizes the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the draft Official Plan Amendment and/or draft Zoning By-law Amendments as may be required.

5. Before introducing the necessary Bills to City Council for enactment, require the Owner to enter into an Agreement pursuant to Section 37 of the Planning Act as follows:

a. the community benefit recommended to be secured in the Section 37 Agreement is $1,025,000 to go towards parkland and other community services and facility improvements within the area, as well as streetscape improvements and that the design of the streetscape improvements comply with the Streetscape Manual, to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning;

b. the amount above will be indexed upwardly in accordance with Statistics Canada Non-Residential Building Construction Price Index 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 execution of the Section 37 Agreement, or any other necessary agreement, to the date of payment which will be no later than issuance of first above grade building permit; and

c. in the event the cash contribution referred to in Recommendation 5.a. above has not been used for the intended purpose within three (3) years of the issuance of first above grade building permit, 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.

This application proposes to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-Law to permit an 12-storey mixed use building, containing 169 residential units at 699 Sheppard Avenue East. The proposed building has total gross floor area of 10,829 m², which would include 50.5 m² of commercial floor space on the ground floor of the building along Sheppard Avenue East. Vehicular access to the site would be provided by a single driveway via Sheppard Avenue East. The proposed development would provide a total of 115 parking spaces located in a two-level underground garage and has a proposed total of 238 bicycle parking spaces. The existing one-storey building on the subject property would be demolished.  

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).

This report reviews and recommends approval of the application to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law. The proposal represents an appropriate intensification of the site in close proximity to a higher order transit station. The proposed massing provides transition to the lower scaled residential neighbourhood to the south and minimizes the amount of parking provided in recognition of the transit available.