Item - 2024.TE12.16

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council adopt the Liberty Village Public Realm Strategy attached as Attachment 5 to the revised report (March 21, 2024) from the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District and the Director, Planning, Design and Management, Transportation Services, and City Council direct:

a. City staff to review all current and future development applications against the Liberty Village Public Realm Strategy; and

b. City staff, including staff from Parks, Forestry and Recreation, Engineering and Construction Services, Transportation Services and Economic Development and Culture, among other relevant divisions, to review all capital and operational planning against the Liberty Village Public Realm Strategy.

2. City Council rescind the existing standing prohibition in effect at all times on the north side of East Liberty Street between a point 29.2 metres east of Pirandello Street and a point 14.5 metres further east.

3. City Council prohibit standing at all times on the north side of East Liberty Street between a point 29.2 metres east of Pirandello Street and a point 24.5 metres further east.

4. City Council rescind parking by permit only in effect from 12:01 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. daily on the even (north) side of East Liberty Street, from Pirandello Street and Western Battery Road, except no standing anytime from a point 29.2 metres east of Pirandello Street to a point 14.5 metres further east, and from a point 99.3 metres east of Pirandello Street to a point 8.8 metres further east.

5. City Council authorize parking by permit only in effect from 12:01 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. daily on the even (north) side of East Liberty Street, from Pirandello Street and Western Battery Road, except no standing anytime from a point 29.2 metres east of Pirandello Street to a point 24.5 metres further east, and from a point 99.3 metres east of Pirandello Street to a point 8.8 metres further east.

6. City Council amend the existing parking machine regulation in effect from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday to Saturday, from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Sunday, at a rate of $4.00 per hour and for a maximum period of three hours, on the north side of East Liberty Street, between a point 43.7 metres east of Pirandello Street and a point 99.3 metres east of Pirandello Street, to be in effect between a point 53.7 metres east of Pirandello Street and a point 45.6 metres further east.

7. City Council direct the City Manager, the Executive Director, World Cup Hosting 2026, the General Manager, Transportation Services, the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to explore the feasibility of and identify options for short to medium term public realm improvements in Liberty Village, including intersection safety improvements, sidewalk installation, and boulevard greening, and to report back to the Toronto and East York Community Council in the third quarter of 2024 on a funding and implementation strategy in the leadup to the FIFA World Cup 2026.

This report recommends that City Council endorse a Public Realm Strategy for Liberty Village. The Strategy is intended to be used to evaluate current and future development applications, as well as to inform road work, capital projects and any other public realm-oriented initiatives such as new parks and landscape improvements.

The Strategy includes a vision for high-quality streetscapes, open spaces and right-of-way connections.  It also outlines principles, guidelines and an implementation strategy to create a well-connected, walkable, attractive, safe, functional and accessible public realm. Embedded in the Strategy is also a comprehensive Neighbourhood Streets Plan

The Strategy provides direction and actions to:

- improve and expand existing parkland;

- widen sidewalks through such measures as the removal of boulevard parking and generous building setbacks;

- install traffic calming measures for streets to improve safety, functionality and walkability;

- identify curb extensions and other road re-design opportunities to be pursued through redevelopment or through future capital projects;

- increase the tree canopy and provide opportunities for greening the public realm;

- increase the connectivity of mid-block connections throughout Liberty Village; and

- identify gateways and view termini for future redevelopments.

The Public Realm Strategy complements existing Official Plan policies and is intended to provide clarity on enhancements to the public realm through both public and private initiatives. The Strategy is the result of a multi-year study that benefitted from feedback from the local community, Ward Councillor and input from city staff in a variety of Divisions. It has also integrated the concurrent review of major development applications.

Transportation Services conducted a Neighbourhood Streets Plan that reviewed traffic management and road safety in parallel to the development of the Public Realm Strategy. The Liberty Village Streets Plan (LVSP) responds to transportation concerns and opportunities for improvements raised by the community. The LVSP assessed the existing conditions in Liberty Village, and developed a set of recommended changes to the streets.

This report summarizes the LVSP findings and recommendations. Recommended changes include installation of traffic calming measures, intersection safety improvements, sightline improvements, conversion of boulevard parking to new sidewalk or other public realm improvements, and new sidewalks. A companion report titled "Traffic Calming (Speed Humps) - Western Battery Road" has been submitted to the April 3, 2024 meeting of Toronto and East York Community Council on this matter.

A Precinct Parking Study was also completed to assess the existing and future parking supply and demand in the area. There are expected to be adequate parking facilities in the neighbourhood to meet expected demand, but acute issues related to the location, price, and type of parking facility may occur. A number of recommendations have been developed to help address these issues.