Item - 2024.TE15.16

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council refuse the application for the Official Plan Amendment in its current form,  respecting the lands municipally known as 505 University Avenue for the reasons set out in the report (June 20, 2024) from the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District.

2. City Council authorize the City Solicitor and City staff to take any necessary steps to implement City Council's decision.

On August 31, 2022, a Zoning By-law Amendment application (Application number 22 198152 STE 11 OZ) was submitted to permit a 64-storey mixed-use building with 25,700 square metres of non-residential gross floor area and 704 dwelling units. The designated heritage building at 505 University Avenue would be demolished, with some of its materials re-used in the construction of a new podium.

On October 25, 2023, the applicant appealed the Zoning By-law Amendment application to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) due to Council not making a decision within the time frame in the Planning Act.

On February 23, 2024, an Official Plan Amendment application was submitted to not require the replacement of the existing non-residential gross floor area in the proposed development as required by the Downtown Plan. The related Zoning By-law Amendment application was not updated or revised to remove the proposed non-residential gross floor area for office uses.

This report reviews and recommends refusal of the application to amend the Official Plan. The proposal does not conform with the Official Plan and Downtown Plan, and should be refused.