Item - 2023.SB5.1

The Sign Variance Committee:

1. Adjourned, at the request of the Applicant, the matter for an Application for Three Variances, Respecting One Third Party Electronic Ground Sign, at 590 Wilson Avenue, to its next meeting.

DUE To Construction (the "Applicant") has been authorized by the owner of the property municipally known as 590 Wilson Avenue, in North York (the "Subject Premises") to apply for three variances, required to allow for a permit to be issued to erect and display a double-faced third party electronic ground sign, displaying electronic static copy on the premises (the "Proposed Sign").

The Subject Premises is designated as an Employment ("E") Sign District, which allows third party electronic ground signs. The Proposed Sign will have two sign faces in a back-to-back configuration, each face measuring 5.80 metres horizontally by 2.91 metres vertically, with a height of 7.62 metres. The Proposed Sign is described further in Attachment 1.

The Proposed Sign requires three variances to Chapter 694 to allow the Chief Building Official ("CBO") to issue the sign permit. The requirements in Chapter 694 which have been requested to be varied, and the proposed varied requirements are summarized below:

1) § 694-24.A(14) – A third party sign shall not be erected or displayed or caused to be erected or displayed in whole or in part within 400 metres of any limit of any portion of Highway 401 contained within the municipal boundaries of the City. Proposed New Requirement: The Proposed Sign would be located approximately 260 metres from Highway 401 access ramp.

2) § 694-25.C(2)(f) – An Employment "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 cannot face any premise in the R, RA, CR, I or OS sign district. Proposed New Requirement: The Proposed Sign would be located approximately 200 metres from the CR sign district and it would be facing such district.

3) § 694-25.C(2)(g)[1] – An Employment "E" Sign District may contain a third party electronic ground sign, provided the sign be located a minimum of 500 metres from any other third party electronic sign located on the same street. Proposed New Requirement: The Proposed Sign would be located approximately 390 metres from an existing third party electronic sign, located further west on Wilson Avenue.

Following a review of the Applicant's submissions and additional information obtained by the City of Toronto staff investigation, the CBO has determined that there is not sufficient basis to conclude that the nine required criteria in §694-30A of the Sign By-law have been established with respect to the variances, as described further in Attachment  1 to this report. As such, the CBO recommends that the variance application for the Proposed Sign be refused.