Item - 2024.NY11.7

North York Community Council:

1. Referred this item back to the Director, Community Planning, North York District so that the applicant can work with City staff to address comprehensive planning issues for the overall site at 1800 Sheppard Avenue East and report to the July 9, 2024 meeting of North York Community Council on such matters to include, but not limited to:

a. the phasing of the proposed development that addresses land use including the mix of residential and non-residential uses, including affordable housing;

b. provision of the public street network and the public realm;

c. site organization;

d. integration of development with Toronto Transit Commission facilities;

e. provision of public parkland sizes, configurations and locations to be conveyed to the City in fee simple;

f. timing and provision of municipal servicing infrastructure; and

g. planning for community service facilities.

The Official Plan Amendment proposes a multi-phased redevelopment of the existing 18.8 hectare site which includes a total of 12 new buildings, with height ranges between 18 and 52-storeys, 7,830 square metres of parkland dedication, a multi-use trail, new public and private streets, and a total of approximately 4,500 residential dwelling units at 1800 Sheppard Avenue East. A total of 309,000 square metres of residential gross floor area and 34,000 square metres of non-residential gross floor area are proposed for an overall total site density of approximately 2.44 times the area of the lot. The existing Fairview Mall will be retained. The proposed development is intended to occur in a long-term phased manner.

The Zoning By-law Amendment application for Phase 1 includes three mixed-use towers with heights of 38-storeys, 45-storeys, and 52-storeys. The proposed 45- and 38-storey towers are exclusively residential and located along the Sheppard Avenue East frontage.

The proposed Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment is not consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (2020) and does not conform with A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2020). The proposed development also does not conform to the City's Official Plan, including the Sheppard East Subway Corridor Secondary Plan (SESCSP).

This report reviews and recommends refusal of the application to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law, particularly as it relates to the phasing of the proposed development, failure to establish an appropriate planned context which may prevent the orderly development of the various proposed phases, including the ability to plan for adequate parkland,  adequate vehicular and pedestrian connections to support site circulation,  and the appropriate municipal services being available  to support the development, including municipal infrastructure and community services and facilities across the site over the long term.  

Until the Official Plan Amendment policies for the entire site are resolved which are intended to implement the Secondary Plan, Official Plan policies, and provincial policy outcomes, the Zoning By-law cannot be supported at this time.