Item - 2024.SC18.5

The Scarborough Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to monitor the implementation and effectiveness of the zoning permissions for nightclubs in Ward 20, and to report to the Scarborough Community Council on monitoring outcomes upon issuance of three licences for nightclubs within the study area and one full year of operation for each of the three licensed establishments, and to recommend any necessary revisions to the Zoning By-law, or other changes to improve implementation.

At its meeting on December 13, 2023, City Council adopted Item 2023.PH8.2 - Recommended Amendments to Zoning By-laws for Bars, Restaurants and Entertainment Venues as part of the Night Economy Review, and enacted city-wide zoning permissions for nightclubs in commercial zones beyond the downtown area.  Nightclub zoning requirements are complemented by an updated licensing framework that provides improved regulatory oversight of nightclubs. Expanding entertainment uses, such as nightclubs outside the downtown core, creates broader employment and economic benefits across Toronto, while enhancing the quality of life for residents through increasing access to local entertainment options and cultural venues in other areas of the city.

Through Item PH8.2, Council directed City Planning staff to initiate a review of zoning regulations, including community consultation and engagement, for nightclubs in the area bound by Victoria Park Avenue, Eglinton Avenue and Markham Road in Ward 20 and report back to the Scarborough Community Council by the fourth quarter of 2024.

This review has been informed by analysis of zoning permissions for the area, a review of the existing built form along main street corridors in Ward 20 where nightclubs may be established, feedback received from community engagement, and data from Municipal Licensing and Standards (MLS) on complaints and investigations.

Based on the land use planning analysis, staff have not found a rationale to rescind nightclub permissions on a geographic basis in Ward 20. City Planning staff recommend monitoring the effectiveness of nightclub permissions within the study area, and to report back to Scarborough Community Council upon issuance of three licences for nightclubs within the study area and one full year of operation for each of the three licensed establishments in order to evaluate implementation outcomes and any necessary refinements to the Zoning By-laws.