Item - 2025.TE19.7

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council amend the Official Plan for the lands municipally known as 1-19 Thelma Avenue substantially in accordance with the draft Official Plan Amendment included as Attachment 5 to the report (December 18, 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 municipally known as 1-19 Thelma Avenue substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment included as Attachment 6 to the report (December 18, 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/or draft Zoning By-law Amendment as may be required.

4. Before introducing the necessary Bills for enactment, City Council require:

a. that City Council has approved the Rental Housing Demolition Application 20 192647 STE 12 RH under Chapter 667 of the Toronto Municipal Code pursuant to Section 111 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006, to permit the demolition of existing rental dwelling units;

b. the owner submit a revised Functional Servicing and Stormwater Management Report (“Engineering Reports”) to demonstrate that the existing sanitary sewer system and watermain, and any required improvements to them, have adequate capacity and supply to accommodate the development of the lands to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services;

c. if the accepted and satisfactory Engineering Reports, from Recommendation 4.b. above, require any new municipal infrastructure or upgrades to existing municipal infrastructure to support the development, then either:

i. the owner has secured the design, construction and provision of financial securities for any new municipal infrastructure, or any upgrades or required improvements to the existing municipal infrastructure identified in the accepted Engineering Reports, to support the development, in a financial secured agreement, all to the satisfaction of the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services; or

ii. the required new municipal infrastructure or upgrades to existing municipal infrastructure to support the development in the accepted Engineering Reports, in Recommendation 4.b. above, are constructed and operational, all to the satisfaction to the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services; and

d. all necessary approvals or permits arising from Recommendation 4.c.i. or 4.c.ii. above are obtained, where required all to the satisfaction to the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services.

5. City Council request the Executive Director, Development Review, Community Planning, in consultation with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to review the Forest Hill Village Urban Design Guidelines (2015) in conjunction with the St. Clair Avenue West and Bathurst Street Planning Framework (2019) with focus on the following objectives:

a. updating the existing planning framework for Forest Hill Village, the St. Clair Avenue West and the Bathurst Street area with consideration of recent changes to Provincial legislation and policies, updated Official Plan policies, and active development applications, to guide future growth;

b. developing updated built form and public realm principles for Forest Hill Village that reflect its unique retail and streetscape character to ensure that growth is balanced with preserving, enhancing and animating the retail character of the community and allows for a range of housing and uses; and

c. developing updated goals and objectives for housing and retail, with an emphasis on affordability, to protect against displacement of residents and businesses and maintain vibrant main streets.
 

6. City Council request the Executive Director, Development Review, Community Planning to work with the Ward Councillor to undertake a community consultation process for this review, and report back on findings and next steps to the Toronto and East York Community Council in the third quarter of 2025.

7. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager, Transportation Services to study options to mitigate traffic impacts on Thelma Avenue, including the consideration of a circular driveway or a layby on site to optimize vehicular flows.

8. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to conduct an area-based traffic study in the Forest Hill Village that produces recommendations that reduce cut through traffic on residential streets.

9. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to prohibit the issuance of any new on-street parking permits for the 1-19 Thelma Avenue development, to sustain existing street usage.

10. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to work with the Toronto Parking Authority to report on the feasibility of reducing the number of access points to the Green P (Car Park 164) lot on Thelma Avenue, creating a new exit on the north side of the lot on Spadina Road.

11. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to direct the appropriate City Staff to work with the applicant, in consultation with the local community, to develop a Construction Management Plan to mitigate construction impacts on the street.

12. City Council request the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services and the Executive Director, Development Review, in consultation with Solid Waste Management Services, to work on a private garbage collection solution during the Site Plan stage.

The Toronto and East York Community Council held a statutory public meeting on January 14, 2025 and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This report recommends approval of the application to amend the Official Plan and Zoning By-law to permit a 27.0-metre (7-storey) apartment building, including mechanical penthouse, within Neighbourhoods designated lands at 1-19 Thelma Avenue.