Item - 2023.PH7.13

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council approve the application to amend Chapter 694, Signs, General as outlined in Appendix 1 to the report (October 12, 2023) from the Acting Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building, including adding new regulations for property municipally known as 195 Galaxy Boulevard, allowing for one third party electronic ground sign to Schedule B, Signage Master Plans and Area-Specific Amendments of Chapter 694, Signs, General; and altering the sign district designation applicable to a portion of 195 Galaxy Boulevard from Open Space ("OS") to Employment (“E”) by amending the Schedule A, Maps, of Chapter 694 by replacing the current Sign District Map Ward 2: Etobicoke North, with a map substantially similar to the map in Attachment 2 to the report (October 12, 2023) from the Acting Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building.

Toronto's Sign By-law is a harmonized, City-wide set of regulations governing signs which was adopted in 2010. The Sign By-law contains a process for any member of the public to apply to City Council to amend the Sign By-law to implement significant changes to the sign regulations for a specific property or area. Applications are commonly made requesting amendments to the Sign By-law to allow signs that are prohibited, to remove permissions for signs in an area, or to modify the administrative requirements of the Sign By-law. The Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building,  ("CBO") brings applications to amend the Sign By-law together on an annual basis for City Council consideration, so that that City Council can more easily assess the overall and cumulative impact of these applications on the city's built environment, and the Sign By-law itself.

Sanford Outdoor Inc. (the "Applicant") is requesting an amendment to the Sign By-law (the "Proposed Amendment") to both redesignate a portion of the property municipally known as 195 Galaxy Boulevard (the Royal Woodbine Golf Club) from an Open Space ("OS")  Sign District to an Employment ("E") Sign District, for purposes of the Sign By-law; as well as, to replace the existing regulations for this portion of 195 Galaxy Boulevard (the "Subject Premises") with regulations which would allow the property to display a third party electronic ground sign (the "Proposed Sign"). The Proposed Amendment would establish regulations for the Proposed Sign, which do not comply with numerous provisions of the Sign By-law concerning third party electronic ground signs, where such signs would otherwise be permitted.

The Proposed Amendment qualifies for consideration by City Council as an amendment to the Sign By-law as it would alter the sign district designation of a premises, specifically the portion of Subject Premises 55 metres to the north and 70 metres to the south of the limits of Dixon Road where it passes through the Subject Premises (the "Subject Area").

Toronto Building, in consultation with City Planning, conducted a thorough review of the application, and does not believe that the proposed area-specific amendment is consistent with the objectives of the Official Plan, the applicable Zoning By-law or Sign By-law for the Subject Premises. Therefore, Toronto Building does not recommend approval of this amendment.