Item - 2024.SB11.6

The Sign Variance Committee:

1. Granted the requested variances to sections 694-22E, 694-25D (3)(e) and 694-25D (3)(f), each subject to three 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 2300 Sheppard Avenue West, as described in Attachment 1 to the report (September 4, 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.

Van Horne Outdoor LP (the "Applicant") has made an application for three variances required to allow the erection and display of one single-sided third party electronic ground sign displaying electronic static copy (the "Proposed Sign") to be located on the portion of a specific Utility Sign District ("U Sign District"), which is, immediately to the north of Sheppard Avenue West, and immediately east of the premises municipally known as 2300 Sheppard Avenue West (the "Proposed Location").

The Proposed Location is a portion of premises which currently function as a rail corridor that is commonly known as the MacTier Subdivision. This portion of the premises is designated as an U Sign District, which permits third party electronic ground signs. The Proposed Sign would have a height of 10 metres, and would contain one rectangular sign face, with a centre line of 6.10 metres and a bisecting line of 3.05 metres for a maximum a sign face area of 18.60 square metres. The Proposed Sign will be orientated so that the sign face faces west and shall be located in a specific location within the premises, and is described further in Attachment 1 to this report. The Proposed Sign would require three variances to Chapter 694, to allow the Chief Building Official (“CBO”) to issue the sign permit.

The requirements of Chapter 694 which have been requested to be varied, and the proposed varied requirements are summarized below:

Existing Requirement 1: § 694-22E - A third party electronic sign shall not be erected within 150.0 metres of any other lawful third party sign whether or not erected.

Proposed New Requirement: The Proposed Sign will be erected 140.00 metres from an existing third party sign located at 2256 Sheppard Avenue West.

Existing Requirement 2: § 694-25D (3)(e) - A Utility Sign District may contain a third party electronic ground sign, provided the sign shall not be erected within 60.00 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 will be located within 35.0 metres to the North of a premises located in a CR Sign District.

Existing Requirement 3: § 694-25D (3)(f) - A Utility Sign District may contain a third party electronic ground sign, provided where a sign is located within 250.00 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 will be located within 180.00 metres of, and face, the R Sign District to the south of the Proposed Location; and will be located within 180.00 metres of, and face, the CR sign district located to the west of the Proposed Location.

The Applicant has made an application seeking that each of the required variances would be subject to the following conditions:

1)  The maximum brightness of the Proposed Sign not to exceed 150 NITS at dusk to 11:00 PM; and

2)  The Proposed Sign's sign face be orientated facing westerly and in such a manner so that the centre line of the sign face, if projected to the street line separating the premises from Sheppard Avenue West, would possess an internal angle with the street line separating the premises from Sheppard Avenue West of no less than 105o and no greater than 115o; and,

3)  The Proposed Sign be located within the Proposed Location that is substantially in accordance with the specific location within the Proposed Location indicated as the location of the Proposed Sign as noted in Diagram 1: Location of Proposed Sign, as attached as Appendix 1 to this report.

After reviewing the Applicant's submissions and the additional information provided by City staff, the CBO determined that there is sufficient evidence to conclude that the eight required criteria in §694-30A of the Sign By-law have been established with respect to the three variances, subject to the three specific conditions as described further in Appendix 1 to this report.