Item - 2022.SB16.1

The Sign Variance Committee:

1.  Granted the requested variances to sections 694- 25C(2)(a), 694-25C(2)(d), and 694-25C(2)(j), each subject to two conditions, as required to allow for the issuance of a permit for the erection and display of one third party electronic ground sign at the property municipally known as 1221 Finch Avenue West, as described in Attachment 1 to the report (March 9, 2022) from the Manager, Sign By-law Unit, Toronto Building.

A decision of the Sign Variance Committee, in the case of a decision to refuse to grant a variance, is final and binding on the date the decision was issued; and in the case of a decision to grant a variance with conditions, the decision is final and binding 21 days after the date the decision was issued unless an application to consider is filed by the ward councillor in accordance with §694-30S of Chapter 694 of the City of Toronto Municipal Code.

Pattison Outdoor (the "Applicant") has stated that they have been authorized by the owner of the property municipally known as 1221 Finch Avenue West (the "Subject Premises"), to apply for three variances, each subject to two conditions, required to allow the Chief Building Official ("CBO") to issue a sign permit for one third party electronic ground sign with four sign faces, displaying both electronic static copy and static copy (the "Proposed Sign") at 1221 Finch Avenue West.

The Proposed Sign would be located along the northern frontage of the Subject Premises, contains four sign faces (two on each side of the sign) in a back to back configuration and would be perpendicular to, and viewed by traffic travelling westbound and eastbound along Finch Avenue West.

The Proposed Sign would have a maximum height of 8.66 metres from the grade and is proposed to contain a combination of third party electronic static copy on sign faces measuring 2.91 metres vertically by 5.79 metres horizontally with a total sign face area of 16.85 square metres; and, first party static copy on sign faces measuring 1.57 metres vertically by 3.57 metres horizontally with a total sign face area of 5.60 square metres. The Proposed Sign is described further in Attachment 1.

The Proposed Sign would require three Variances to Chapter 694, each subject to two conditions, to allow the Chief Building Official (“CBO”) to issue the sign permit. The requirements of Chapter 694 which have been requested to be varied, and the proposed varied requirements are summarized below:

1)  § 694-25C(2)(a) - An Employment "E" Sign District may contain a third party electronic ground sign, provided the sign face area shall not exceed 20 square metres. Proposed New Requirement: The Proposed Sign will have a sign face area of 22.45 square metres;
 

2)  § 694-25C(2)(d)  - An Employment "E"  Sign District may contain a third party electronic ground sign, provided the sign shall not be erected within any required setback of a building from a street as regulated by the City’s applicable Zoning By-law, which requires a minimum 9 metres setback. Proposed New Requirement: That the Proposed Sign have a 1 metre setback from the street; and,

 
3)  § 694-25C(2)(j) - An Employment "E" Sign District may contain a third party electronic ground sign, provided the sign shall have no more than two sign faces. Proposed New Requirement: The Proposed Sign will contain four sign faces in total.
 

If granted, each of the three requested variances, would be subject to the following conditions:

1)  Any and all existing first party ground signs located at the north frontage of the premises municipally known as 1221 Finch Avenue West shall be removed and all associated permits revoked, prior to the erection or display of  the Proposed Sign;
 

2)  The portion of the sign marked as 'Area 'B' in Schedule A of Attachment 1 to this report be used for first party sign copy only.
 

Following a review of the Applicant's submissions and additional information provided by the Sign By-law Unit staff, the CBO has determined that there is a sufficient basis to conclude that the nine required criteria in §694-30A of the Sign By-law have been established with respect to the three variances, subject to the noted conditions as described further in Appendix 1 to this report.