Item - 2022.PH35.15

City Council on July 19, 20, 21 and 22, 2022, adopted the following:

1. City Council adopt Official Plan Amendment 591 substantially in accordance with Attachment 1 to the report (June 20, 2022) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, with the following amendments:

a. convert the lands at 25 Transit Road, 155 Transit Road and 570 Wilson Avenue from Core Employment Areas to Regeneration Areas to facilitate a comprehensive review of the Wilson Station area as part of the Downsview Area Secondary Plan Review ("Update Downsview"); any redevelopment of the station site would ensure the continued operation of the station, bus terminal and related facilities;

b. convert the lands east and south of 151 Billy Bishop Way, being two parcels bounded by Billy Bishop Way to the east, Highway 401 to the South and Dufferin Street to the West, from General Employment Areas to Regeneration Areas to facilitate a comprehensive review of the lands adjacent to 151 Billy Bishop Way as part of the Downsview Area Secondary Plan Review ("Update Downsview"); and

c. amend the maps in Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 of Official Plan Amendment 591 to reflect the existing General Employment Areas designation for the lands municipally known in 2021 as 4570 and 4630 Sheppard Avenue East;  

d. delete proposed Site and Area Specific Policy 793 from Official Plan Amendment 591 for the lands known municipally in 2021 as 4570 and 4630 Sheppard Avenue East;

e. convert the lands known as 43-177A McCormack Street from General Employment Areas to Mixed Use Areas, by amending Map 2, Urban Structure, and Map 17, Land Use Plan, in the manner described in Attachment 1 to motion 4 by Councillor Frances Nunziata;   

f. delete Site and Area Specific Policy 437 and replace it with a new Site and Area Specific Policy 437 pertaining to the lands known as 43-177A McCormack Street, as shown in Attachment 1 to motion 4 by Councillor Frances Nunziata;

g. remove the lands known municipally in 2021 as 250 Bowie Avenue and 670 and 680 Caledonia Road from Site and Area Specific Policy 390 (Castlefield Caledonia Design and Décor District); and

h.  with respect to lands municipally known in 2022 as 3569, 3577, St. Clair Avenue East, 641, 661, 663, 619, 621, 625, and 627 Danforth Road; and 405 Kennedy Road ("the lands") by:

a. modifying Map 2 in Appendix 1 by removing the lands as Employment Areas;

b. modifying Map 32 in Appendix 2 by re-designating the lands from General Employment Areas to Mixed Use Areas;

c. modifying proposed Chapter 7 Site and Area Specific Policy 790 by deleting "and the CN rail" in the title and deleting the lands; and

d. adding a new Chapter 7 Site and Area Specific Policy 797 for the lands as follows:

"797. 3569, 3577, St. Clair Avenue East, 641, 661, 663, 619, 621, 625, and 627 Danforth Road; and 405 Kennedy Road;" and

e. affordable housing requirements will be determined through the review of the Zoning By-law Amendment Application, including the review of density permissions; such affordable housing will be secured through one or more agreements with the City.

2. City Council defer consideration of Conversion Requests 37 and 46 in Attachment 3 to the report (June 20, 2022) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning respecting the lands known in 2021 as 4570 and 4630 Sheppard Avenue East until the first half of 2023. 

3. City Council authorize the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to seek approval of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing of Official Plan Amendment 591 under Section 26 of the Planning Act, as amended by Parts 1 and 2 above.

4. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the recommended Official Plan Amendment 591 as may be required.

5. City Council declare by resolution to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing that Official Plan Amendment 591 conforms with Provincial Plans or does not conflict with them; has regard to the matters of Provincial Interest in Section 2 of the Planning Act; and is consistent with policy statements issued under subsection 3(1) of the Planning Act.

6. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to consider potential and appropriate Official Plan Amendment(s) that could expand permitted uses in Employment Areas (site or area specific only) to include sport facilities, places of assembly (including bingo halls and banquet halls), and places of worship and report back to the Planning and Housing Committee in second quarter of 2023. 

7. City Council authorize the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to use the Preliminary Assessment Chapter 7 Site and Area Specific Policies, attached as Attachment 4 to the report (June 20, 2022) from the Chief Planner as Executive Director, City Planning as a basis for consultation.

8. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to bring forward Final Reports at Special Public Meetings under Section 26 of the Planning Act in the first half of 2023 with recommendations on:

a. the remaining Employment Area conversion requests (first quarter);

b. revisions to Site and Area Specific Policies within Employment Areas that currently permit residential uses (first quarter);

c. revised Official Plan Chapter 1 Vision Statement for 2051, Principles for a Successful and Inclusive City and Indigenous Planning Perspectives (second quarter);

d. potential revisions for expanding the permitted uses within Employment Areas (site or area specific only to include places of assembly (including bingo halls and banquet halls), and places of worship (second quarter).

9. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to include capital and staffing resources in the 2023 Capital Budget to undertake the necessary zoning review resulting from outcomes generated from Part 8.d. above.

10. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, to convene a meeting with the area land owners and businesses in the north-east quadrant of McCowan Road and Sheppard Avenue East, including Dufferin Concrete, respecting land use compatibility between Employment Areas and the potential introduction of sensitive land uses.

11. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to conduct a preliminary assessment for the lands known as 949, 949A, 951, 953, 955 and 1011 Wilson Avenue to determine the feasibility of converting said properties to Mixed Use Areas, subject to a Site Area Specific Policy, and to report back in the first half of 2023.

12.  City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to include a cumulative running total of employment area gained or lost to the successive conversion reports brought to City Council, and to compare this total to the findings of the April 7, 2022 Report from Hemson Consulting titled "Future of Toronto Employment Areas and the Office Market" as attached as Attachment 6 to the report (April 11, 2022) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning in Item 2022.PH33.13.