Item - 2024.PH11.19

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council state its intention to designate the property at 322 La Rose Avenue under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance for 322 La Rose Avenue (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 1 to the report (March 14, 2024) from the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

2.  If there are no objections to the designation, City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the Bill in Council designating the property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the property at 322 La Rose Avenue under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value according to the Statement of Significance and description of Heritage Attributes found in Attachment 1.

The subject property at 322 La Rose Avenue (La Rose Farmhouse) is located on the north side of the street, east of Islington Avenue and north of Eglinton Avenue West. A Location Map and Current Photograph of the heritage property is found in Attachment 2.

As the oldest surviving structure within its immediate suburban context, the property at 322 La Rose Avenue is a vestige of a former 200-acre farm that was owned by Daniel La Rose, after who the street was named. A Pre-Confederation farmhouse that was constructed in c.1861, the property is an example of the Ontario farmhouse typology with Georgian style detailing. It contains a detached 2-storey main house with a 1½-storey rear kitchen wing on a L-shaped plan. There is also a 1-storey modern shed addition on the north side of the property and a modern 2-bay garage at the south side.

Staff have determined that the property at 322 La Rose Avenue has cultural heritage value and meets 4 of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. A property may be designated under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, if it meets two or more of the nine criteria.

The property was listed by the Borough of Etobicoke in c.1982 and subsequently included on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register in the 2000s.

On February 27, 2024 Heritage Planning received a Notice of Intention to Demolish a Listed Property under the Ontario Heritage Act for the property at 322 La Rose Avenue in accordance with the requirements of the Toronto Municipal Code 103-7.2 and the Ontario Heritage Act Section 27(9).

The Ontario Heritage Act states that structures or buildings on properties listed on the City’s Heritage Register cannot be removed or demolished without at least 60 days’ notice to Council. The legislation allows time for Council to review the property’s cultural heritage value to determine if the property merits designation before the property may be demolished if a building permit is requested.

Council should make a decision on the intention to designate the property by April 24, 2024. 

As the owner is concerned that the effect of Bill 23 may result in the loss of protection of the cultural heritage value of the property under the OHA after January 1, 2025, the owner of the property submitted the notice as a means of expediting heritage evaluation of the property and Council's decision on designation. The owner initially requested the listing of the property in the 1980s and recently hired a heritage consultant to prepare a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA). The owner would like the property to be designated as the family has had ownership of the La Rose Farmhouse for 80 years since the 1930s. At this time, no redevelopment is proposed for the subject property.  

At its meeting on March 28, 2024 the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB16.4 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the report (March 11, 2024) from the Acting Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the property at 322 La Rose Avenue under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value according to the Statement of Significance and description of Heritage Attributes found in Attachment 1.

The subject property at 322 La Rose Avenue (La Rose Farmhouse) is located on the north side of the street east of Islington Avenue and north of Eglinton Avenue West, in the Willowridge-Martingrove-Richview neighbourhood. A Location Map and Current Photograph of the heritage property is found in Attachment 2.

As the oldest surviving structure within its immediate suburban context, the property at 322 La Rose Avenue is a vestige of a former 200-acre farm that was owned by Daniel La Rose, after who the street was named. A Pre-Confederation farmhouse that was constructed in c.1861, the property is an example of the Ontario farmhouse typology with Georgian style detailing. It contains a detached 2-storey main house with a 1½-storey rear kitchen wing on a L-shaped plan. There is also a 1-storey modern shed addition on the north side of the property and a modern 2-bay garage at the south side.

Staff have determined that the property at 322 La Rose Avenue has cultural heritage value and meets 4 of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. A property may be designated under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, if it meets two or more of the nine criteria.

The property was listed by the Borough of Etobicoke in c.1982 and subsequently included on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register in the 2000s following amalgamation.

On February 27, 2024 Heritage Planning received a Notice of Intention to Demolish a Listed Property under the Ontario Heritage Act for the property at 322 La Rose Avenue in accordance with the requirements of the Toronto Municipal Code 103-7.2 and the Ontario Heritage Act Section 27(9).

The Ontario Heritage Act states that structures or buildings on properties listed on the City’s Heritage Register cannot be removed or demolished without at least 60 days’ notice to Council. The legislation allows time for Council to review the property’s cultural heritage value to determine if the property merits designation before the property may be demolished if a building permit is requested.

Council should make a decision on the intention to designate the property by April 24, 2024. 

As the owner is concerned that the effect of Bill 23 may result in the loss of protection of the cultural heritage value of the property under the Ontario Heritage Act after January 1, 2025, the owner of the property submitted the notice as a means of expediting heritage evaluation of the property and Council's decision on designation. The owner initially requested the listing of the property in the 1980s and recently hired a heritage consultant to prepare a Heritage Impact Assessment. The owner would like the property to be designated as the family has had ownership of the La Rose Farmhouse for 80 years since the 1930s. At this time, no redevelopment is proposed for the subject property.