Item - 2023.SC3.1

Scarborough Community Council:

1. Deferred consideration of the item until the April 5, 2023 meeting of the Scarborough Community Council.

This application proposes to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law to permit the development of a 22-storey mixed-use building at 2993 to 3011 Sheppard Avenue East and 1800 to 1814 Pharmacy Avenue. The proposal contains 410 residential units along with commercial retail uses at grade along Sheppard Avenue East and Pharmacy Avenue.

To facilitate the proposed development, an amendment to the Official Plan is proposed to redesignate the subject lands from Neighbourhoods to Mixed Use Areas and to establish a Site and Area Specific Policy to require that any future redevelopment contain a minimum of 1500 square metres of non-residential uses. A zoning by-law amendment is required in order to permit residential uses on the lands and to establish appropriate performance standards to facilitate this development.

The proposed development is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (2020) and conforms with A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2020). The development would intensify lands located on a priority transit corridor, providing an appropriate range and mix of uses on a currently underutilized site. The proposed built form transitions in scale to the adjacent low-scale land uses. It would include a base building of an appropriate height and scale to create a pedestrian street wall that will support and animate the public realm along these major streets. If approved, it will be a further addition to the reurbanization of this future higher order transit corridor.

This report reviews and recommends approval of the application to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law required to facilitate this development.