Item - 2023.SB1.3

The Sign Variance Committee:

1. Granted the requested variances to sections 694- 25C(2)(d), 694-25C(2)(e), 694-25C(2)(f) and 694-25C(2)(h), each subject to three conditions, 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 3985 Keele Street, as further described in Attachment 1 to the report (March 29, 2023) from the Project Director, Business Transformation, 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 3985 Keele Street (the "Subject Premises"), to apply for four variances each subject to three conditions, required to allow for a permit to be issued for one third party electronic ground sign with one sign face, displaying electronic static copy (the "Proposed Sign") at 3985 Keele Street.

The Proposed Sign would be located at the west frontage of the Subject Premises along Keele Street, with a single face directed to the southwest. It is proposed to have a maximum height of 7.65 metres, and a rectangular sign face with a maximum horizontal measurement of 6.10 metres (centre line) and maximum vertical measurement of 3.05 metres (bisecting line), with a maximum sign face area of 18.61 square metres. The Proposed Sign is described in Attachment 1 to this report.

Four variances to Chapter 694, each subject to three conditions, would be required to allow the Chief Building Official ("CBO") to issue a sign permit for the Proposed Sign. The requirements of Chapter 694 which have been requested to be varied, and the proposed varied requirements are summarized below:

1) § 694-25.C(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: The Proposed Sign will have a 3 metres setback from the street.

2) § 694-25.C(2)(e) - An E Sign District may contain a third party electronic ground sign provided, the sign shall not be erected within 60 metres of any premises located in whole or in part, in an R, RA, CR, I or OS sign district. Proposed New Requirement: The Proposed Sign will be erected within approximately 50 metres of the premises located in an Institutional “I” sign district.

3) § 694-25.C(2)(f) - An E Sign District may contain a third party electronic ground sign provided, where a sign is located within 250 metres of an R, RA, CR, I or OS sign district, the sign face cannot face any premise in the R, RA, CR, I or OS sign district. Proposed New Requirement: The Proposed Sign will be located approximately 110 metres from the OS and 50 metres from the I sign district and the sign face will face to the premises in the I sign district.

4) §694-25C(2)(h) – An E Sign District may contain a third party electronic ground sign, provided there shall be no more than one ground sign or electronic ground sign on the premises. Proposed New Requirement: The Proposed Sign would be the second ground sign on the premises.

If granted, staff recommend that each of the four requested variances should be subject to the following three conditions:

Condition 1: All existing third party ground signs located at the west frontage of the premises municipally known as 3985 Keele Street shall be removed and all associated permits revoked, prior to the erection or display of the Proposed Sign.

Condition 2: The Proposed Sign shall contain sufficient physical barriers on the sign face to minimize the visibility of the sign copy from the I and OS Sign Districts to the west on Keele Street to the satisfaction of the Chief Building Official acting reasonably; and,

Condition 3:  The Proposed Sign's sign face shall be orientated in a south-westerly direction.

Following a review of the Applicant's submissions and additional information provided by Toronto Building 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 four variances, subject to the noted conditions as described further in Appendix 1 to this report.

Therefore, the CBO supports the Sign Variance Committee granting the four requested variances, each subject to the three conditions described in Attachment 1 to this report.