Item - 2022.TE34.8

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council adopt the Official Plan Amendment, University of Toronto St. George Campus Secondary Plan, included as Attachment 7 to the report (June 13, 2022) from the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District, with Attachment 7, amended as follows;

1.  Section 7.3 be amended by adding new words or sections, as follows:

 7.3 Within three years of the adoption of this Plan, the University of Toronto will provide to the City, and update as necessary over time, a housing strategy that describes how it intends to address institutional housing demand.

The housing strategy will, at a minimum:

 a) assess student and University-related housing and affordability needs, including details on existing housing options;

b) identify strategies and approaches to provide for near-term and long-term student and University-related housing needs, in particular within the Area boundaries, to support the academic function of the University, to improve University housing attainability and to minimize impact on the surrounding residential communities;

c) review student and University-related housing affordability challenges, and identify solutions to address these challenges;

d) review existing housing models to consider opportunities for the Huron-Sussex Character Area to include a diverse and stable resident population with a mix of short- and long-term residents;

e) identify potential locations to accommodate new student and university-related housing in the Area.

2.  Delete the word "character" after house form in Policy 5.10.b)iii.l, as follows:

iii) low-rise houseform character buildings fronting on Washington Avenue where the Institutional Areas land use designation applies, to maintain the scale and character of the street, and where institutional residences will be encouraged.

3.Add a new part to Policy 5.11.f) for the Bloor St Character Area, as follows:

f) sensitively transition from the low-rise houseform buildings fronting on Washington Avenue in the Huron-Sussex Character Area to the low-scale and mid-scale institutional building components and the taller institutional elements along Bloor Street West and Spadina Avenue through a combination of generous building stepbacks and appropriate separation distance.

4. Delete and replace section 5.11d as follows.

d. at the intersection of Bloor Street West and Queen’s Park, include existing and compatible low-scale institutional buildings (as outlined in Section 5.2a of the secondary plan) only, which will reinforce and enhance the significant and sensitive gateway location and will transition from the taller institutional elements and generally higher scale permitted elsewhere along Bloor Street West to the Queen’s Park Character Area with its generous parks and open spaces and generally lower scale; and

2. City Council adopt the University of Toronto St. George Campus Urban Design Guidelines, included as Attachment 8 to the report (June 13, 2022) from the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District.

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

4. City Council authorize the City Solicitor and appropriate City staff to take such necessary steps, as required, to implement City Council’s decision.

5. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to use the Secondary Plan policies, together with the Urban Design Guidelines, to inform the evaluation of current and future development applications in the University of Toronto St. George Campus Secondary Plan Area.

6. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and the Director, Urban Design, to develop and bring forward block-specific Urban Design Guidelines for the University of Toronto St. George Campus Secondary Plan Area, as required, for consideration by Council.

7. City Council direct the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning to report to the Toronto Preservation Board and Toronto and East York Community Council on the possibility for inclusion on the City's Heritage Register of the potential cultural heritage resources identified in the University of Toronto St. George Campus Secondary Plan Area, included as Attachment 9 to the report (June 13, 2022) from the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District.

8. City Council direct that Heritage Impact Assessments will be required for development applications that affect existing and potential cultural heritage resources identified in the University of Toronto St. George Campus Secondary Plan Area, included as Attachment 9 to the report (June 13, 2022) from the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District.

The Toronto and East York Community Council held a statutory public meeting on June 29, 2022 and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This report recommends the adoption of an Official Plan Amendment for a new University of Toronto St. George Campus Secondary Plan (the “Secondary Plan”) as well as implementing Urban Design Guidelines for the lands generally bounded by Bloor Street West to the north, Spadina Avenue to the west, College Street to the south and an irregular boundary generally running along Bay Street to the east. The Secondary Plan builds on the existing planning framework, including the Downtown Plan, to provide area-specific policies regarding the public realm, built form and land uses. The Official Plan Amendment also redesignates 2-20 Washington Avenue and 36-56 Harbord Street from Neighbourhoods to Institutional Areas.

The University of Toronto St. George Campus Secondary Plan Area (the “Area”) is an iconic place within Downtown Toronto. It forms a distinct part of the city as a result of its collection of cultural heritage resources, the expansive and connected public realm network and the concentration of some of the country’s foremost cultural, educational, research, medical and government institutions. As the Area continues to grow and evolve, the Secondary Plan directs that it must enhance its rich heritage character, contribute to and improve the public realm and distinctive pattern of landscaped open space, prioritize the movement of pedestrians and cyclists, and provide space to develop a sustainable, lively, inclusive and accessible campus environment that connects with the city beyond.

The recommended Secondary Plan and Urban Design Guidelines are the outcome of detailed analysis, public and stakeholder consultation, and staff input from various City Divisions. The Secondary Plan and Urban Design Guidelines are consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (2020), conform with the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2020) and conform with the Official Plan.