Item - 2024.TE12.4

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council amend the Official Plan, for the lands at 350 Bloor Street East substantially in accordance with the draft Official Plan Amendment included as Attachment 5 to the report (March 14, 2024) from the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District.

2. City Council amend City of Toronto Zoning By-law 569-2013 for the lands at 350 Bloor Street East substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment included as Attachment 6 to the report (March 14, 2024) from the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District.

3. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the draft Official Plan Amendment and draft Zoning By-law Amendment as may be required.

4. City Council direct the City Solicitor to withhold the necessary Bills for enactment, until the owner has, at its sole cost and expense:

a. entered into an agreement for the conveyance of at least 16 new affordable rental housing units with the City of Toronto and operator of the social housing program pursuant to Section 453.1 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006, to secure the provision of a social housing program on the lands and registered it in priority against title to the lands, with such terms and conditions satisfactory to the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat and the City Solicitor, and with such terms and conditions outlined in Attachment 7 to the report (March 14, 2024) from the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District;

b. submitted a revised Functional Servicing and Stormwater Management Report for review and acceptance to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services;

c. entered into a Municipal Infrastructure Agreement to financially secure the construction of any improvements to the municipal infrastructure in connection with the accepted Functional Servicing Report by the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services, should it be determined that improvements to such infrastructure are required; and

d. submitted a detailed Reconstruction Plan, prepared by a qualified heritage consultant that is substantially in accordance with the reconstruction strategy set out in the Heritage Impact Assessment dated February 12, 2024, prepared by ERA Architects Inc., for the property at 350 Bloor Street East, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning.

5. City Council request that the owner make reasonable commercial efforts to convey off-site parkland to the City equal to the value of the on-site parkland dedication, in fulfilment of the parkland dedication requirements pursuant to Section 42 of the Planning Act, with the off-site parkland dedication to be acceptable to the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation and free and clear of any above or below grade encumbrances, with the exception of any encumbrances as may be otherwise approved by the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, to be conveyed prior to the issuance of the first above grade building permit; and

a. in the event that the off-site parkland dedication is less than the value of the on-site parkland dedication, then the owner will pay cash-in-lieu of parkland to make up for the shortfall in parkland dedication, prior to the issuance of the first above grade building permit;
 

b. in the event that the owner is unable to provide an acceptable off-site parkland dedication to the City, the owner will be required to satisfy the parkland dedication requirement through the payment of cash-in-lieu; and

c. the value of the cash-in-lieu of parkland dedication will be appraised through Real Estate Services and payment will be required prior to the issuance of the first above grade building permit.

6. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with the local Ward Councillor and the City Solicitor, to continue to work with the applicant to explore an in-kind community benefit package pursuant to 37(6) of the Planning Act, and to report back to City Council for further instruction on any offer of in-kind community benefits made by the applicant.

7. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to secure the following through the site plan approval process:

a. an outdoor, publicly accessible source of drinking water;

b. outdoor seating, to be located within or adjacent to the public right-of-way for public use, in consultation with Transportation Services; and

c. low-carbon energy strategy as part of the site plan agreement that includes at least the following sustainability measures:

1. a highly energy-efficient building envelope;

2. low carbon building heating and cooling, including Energy Recovery Units that provide sensible and latent heat recovery from ventilation in each suite;

3. ample electrical outlets for bicycle charging in the interior bicycle parking area;

4. fixtures and appliances that are efficient in their use of water and energy;

5. rainwater capture, used for site irrigation;

6. electric-only appliances or fireplaces for a minimum of 85 percent of the residential units;

7. motion sensor-controlled LED lighting in common areas;

8. accommodation for future solar photovoltaic system;

9. improved Stormwater Management Measures;

10. installation of outdoor (dark sky) downward lighting;

11. provision of indoor space dedication for household hazardous waste;

12. diversion of 75 percent of total construction waste from landfill;

13. installation of 16.0 metre height of exterior glazing as bird friendly;

14. Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment spaces for 100 percent of motor vehicle parking;

15. installation of cabinet space in kitchen suites for segregated waste;

16. upgrading the cycle-tracks directly in front of 350 Bloor Street East to raised cycle tracks, further enhancing safety for cyclists and promoting the use of alternative modes of transportation for residents of the new building and the wider community;

17. provision of 807 bicycle parking spaces for the 806 residential units, at a rate of 1.0 spaces/unit, to encourage cycling;  two bike repair stations are proposed as part of the development;

18. a direct entrance to the bike room from Mount Pleasant Road;

19. narrowing of Mount Pleasant Road on-ramp by implementing a “lane diet” to reduce the width of the travel lane along Mount Pleasant Road; the existing lane measures 7.3 metres - 8.8 metres, and the narrowing will reduce the travel lane to 4.5 metres; this reduction will allow for the addition of approximately 3 metres of boulevard space along the east side of Mount Pleasant Road to be allocated for a wider pedestrian sidewalk with new trees and planting zones;

20. improvements to the Bloor Street East and Mount Pleasant Road intersection to shorten the pedestrian crossing, and to implement further safety measures with raised islands and buffers for cyclists;

21. a detailed feasibility study of the implementation of Toronto Green Standard version 4.0 Tier 2 and geothermal energy to City of Toronto staff; and

22. providing a one-year Bike Share membership for all units at time of occupancy.

8. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to review and report back on the feasibility of amending Schedule B of the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 925, Permit Parking, to exclude the development located at 350 Bloor Street East from Permit Parking.

9. City Council request the applicant to regularly consult the Bloor East Residents’ Association in the preparation of its site plan, as the applicant has committed to do.

The Toronto and East York Community Council held a statutory public meeting on April 3, 2024 and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This report reviews and recommends approval of the application to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law to permit a 63-storey mixed-use building with 806 dwelling units, and a minimum of 400 square metres of non-residential gross floor area. 1,300 square metres of gross floor area will be dedicated to new affordable housing.

The Official Plan Amendment is required to permit development within 10 metres of the top-of-bank of a ravine, and to allow for the reduction of office uses and provision of a minimum gross floor area as affordable housing.