Item - 2021.PH26.2

The Planning and Housing Committee:

1. Adjourned the statutory public meeting under the Planning Act for the Zoning Conformity for Official Plan Employment Areas - Phase 1 Final Report and Phase 2 Update until the October 18, 2021 meeting of the Planning and Housing Committee at 10:30 a.m.

The Planning and Housing Committee commenced a statutory public meeting on June 28, 2021, that continued on September 21, 2021 and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

Toronto's Official Plan includes extensive policies that recognize the importance of Employment Areas to provide for a broad and diverse employment base. On December 10, 2019, the Planning and Housing Committee endorsed a proposed two-phased zoning framework to bring the City's zoning by-laws into conformity with Official Plan Amendment 231 (OPA 231), Employment Areas policies.

Phase 1 of the review involves the removal of sensitive land uses as permitted uses in all former general zoning by-laws and the city-wide Zoning By-law for lands designated as Employment Areas in the Official Plan.

This report summarizes the Phase 1 review and recommends amendments to all of the in-force zoning by-laws to remove permissions for sensitive land uses or other land uses that are not permitted in General Employment Areas or Core Employment Areas under the policy direction of OPA 231. This report also describes the next steps for Phase 2 of the review.

At its meeting of June 28, 2021, the Planning and Housing Committee adjourned the statutory public meeting under the Planning Act for the Zoning Conformity for Official Plan Employment Areas - Phase 1 Final Report and Phase 2 Update until the September 21, 2021 meeting of the Planning and Housing Committee.

The Committee requested the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to provide a supplementary report that addresses: 1) zoning permissions for art gallery, museum and performing arts studio uses in General Employment Areas of the Official Plan (OP); 2) whether zoning by-law amendments are required to maintain land use permissions for the Woodbine Racetrack lands at 555 Rexdale Boulevard, in conformity with the OP; and 3) whether zoning by-law amendments are required to maintain existing zoning permissions for sites owned by the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) that are zoned industrial but not designated as either General Employment Areas or Core Employment Areas in the OP.

This Supplementary Report responds to the Committee requests, as well as written submissions made to the Committee, and revises some of the draft by-laws contained in the previously submitted final report from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, dated June 10, 2021.