Item - 2025.NY24.3

North York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council direct the City Solicitor, together with appropriate staff, to attend the Ontario Land Tribunal in opposition to the applications at 690-720 Sheppard Avenue East.

2. City Council approve that in accordance with Section 42 of the Planning Act, prior to the issuance of the first above grade building permit, the owner shall convey to the City an on-site parkland dedication having a minimum size of 816.3 square metres, to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Parks and Recreation and the City Solicitor.

3. City Council approve the acceptance of an on-site parkland dedication, subject to the owner transferring the parkland to the City free and clear, above and below grade, of all easements, encumbrances, and encroachments, in an acceptable environmental condition; the owner may propose the exception of encumbrances of tiebacks, where such an encumbrance is deemed acceptable by the General Manager, Parks and Recreation, in consultation with the City Solicitor; and such an encumbrance will be subject to the payment of compensation to the City, in an amount as determined by the General Manager, Parks and Recreation and the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management.

4. City Council approve a development charge credit against the Parks and Recreation component of the Development Charges for the design and construction by the owner of the above base park improvements to the satisfaction of the General Manager, Parks and Recreation. The development charge credit shall be in an amount that is the lesser of the cost to the owner of designing and constructing the above base park improvements, as approved by the General Manager, Parks and Recreation, and the Parks and Recreation component of development charges payable for the development in accordance with the City's development charges by-law, as may be amended from time to time.

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

The Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment applications were submitted and deemed complete as of March 8, 2024, to construct 32-storey (100.65 metres) and 28-storey (92.25 metres) mixed-use buildings (705 units) with 8-storey podiums. The proposed total gross floor area is 54,700 square metres (7.28 Floor Space Index), with the residential gross floor area occupying 54,512 square metres and the non-residential gross floor area (4 retail units) occupying 1,221 square metres. The application includes the proposed demolition of 15 rental dwelling units, and a related submitted Rental Housing Demolition application.

On February 24, 2025, the applicant appealed the Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment applications to the Ontario Land Tribunal ("OLT") citing Council's failure to make a decision within the timeframes specified in the Planning Act.

This report recommends that City Council instruct the City Solicitor to attend the Ontario Land Tribunal hearing along with the appropriate City staff to oppose the proposal in its current form and to continue discussions with the applicant to resolve the outstanding issues.