Item - 2024.SB11.4

The Sign Variance Committee:

1. Granted the requested variances to sections 694-25.C(2)(e), 694-25.C(2)(f), 694-25.C(2)(h) and 694-25.C(2)(k), each subject to six conditions, as required to allow for the issuance of a permit respecting the erection and display of the Proposed Sign at the property municipally known as 130 Rexdale Boulevard, as described in Attachment 1 to the report (August 22, 2024) from the Project Director, Business Transformation and Citywide Priorities, 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.

An application for four variances, each subject to six conditions, as 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 (the "Proposed Sign") on the premises municipally known as 130 Rexdale Boulevard, in Etobicoke (the "Subject Premises"). TARGET Outdoor Canada (the "Applicant") represents that this application is authorized by the owner of the Subject Premises.

The Subject Premises is designated as an Employment ("E") Sign District, which allows third party electronic ground signs. The Proposed Sign will contain no more than two rectangular sign faces, in a “V-shape” configuration, each face with a horizontal measurement not exceeding 8.8 metres (centre line) and a vertical measurement not exceeding 2.3 metres (bisecting line), with a maximum height of 10.0 metres. The Proposed Sign is described further in Attachment 1.

The Proposed Sign requires four 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) § 694-25.C(2)(e) – An Employment "E" Sign District may contain a third party electronic ground sign, provided the sign shall not be erected within 60.0 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 would be located within approximately 40 metres of a CR sign district.

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 40 metres of a CR sign district to the east, 150 metres and 215 metres of RA sign districts to the northeast, 158 metres and of an R sign district to the northeast and 180 metres of an OS sign district also to the northeast, and would face all of the aforementioned sign districts.

3) § 694-25.C(2)(h) – An Employment "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 erected on the premises. Proposed New Requirement: The Proposed Sign would be erected on a premises containing one first party ground sign.

4) § 694-25.C(2)(k) – An Employment "E" Sign District may contain a third party electronic ground sign, provided where the sign has two faces, the sign faces shall be back-to-back. Proposed New Requirement: The Proposed Sign would have the sign faces displayed in a “V-shape” configuration.

The Applicant has proposed that the variances be granted subject to the following conditions:

Condition 1: The sign shall operate with a maximum brightness of 150 NITS between sunset and sunrise;

Condition 2: Light shielding technology shall be installed on the Proposed Sign;

Condition 3: The Proposed Sign's sign faces shall each have a sign face area that shall not exceed 20.0 square metres.

Condition 4: The existing first party sign on the south frontage (Rexdale Boulevard frontage), shall be removed and all associated permits be revoked, prior to the issuance of a sign permit for the Proposed Sign.

Condition 5: Any and all existing third party signs located at 130 Rexdale Boulevard shall be removed and all associated permits be revoked prior to the issuance of the sign permit for the Proposed Sign.

Condition 6: The interior angle of the Proposed Sign's sign faces not exceed 11 degrees, in such a manner so that the centre line of each sign face, if projected to the street line separating the premises from Rexdale Boulevard, would possess an internal angle with the street line separating the premises from Rexdale Boulevard of no less than 84 degrees and no greater than 90 degrees.

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 a sufficient basis to conclude that the eight required criteria in §694-30A of the Sign By-law have been established with respect to the variances, subject to the noted conditions, as described further in Attachment 1 to this report. As such, the CBO is of the opinion that Sign Variance Committee may grant the four requested variances, each subject to six conditions, required to allow for a permit to be issued to erect and display the "Proposed Sign") on the Subject Premises.