Item - 2025.TE25.38

The Toronto and East York Community Council:

1. Authorized the General Manager, Transportation Services to enter into an Encroachment Agreement with property owner of 495-517 Wellington Street West, to permit a non-illuminated ground sign as shown on the plans prepared by Kramer Design Associates and dated June 6, 2025 within the Wellington Street West boulevard fronting 495-517 Wellington Street West, subject to the following conditions:

a. indemnify the City from and against all actions, suits, claims or demands and from all loss, costs, damages, and expenses that may result from such permission granted;

b. maintain the proposed non-illuminated ground sign at their own expense in good repair and a condition satisfactory to the General Manager, Transportation Services and will not make any additions or modifications to the encroachment beyond what is allowed under the terms of the Agreement;

c. accept such additional conditions as the City Solicitor or the General Manager, Transportation Services may deem necessary in the interest of the City;

d. remove the proposed non-illuminated ground sign upon receiving written notice from the General Manager, Transportation Services to do so;

e. the property owner ensures that the Encroachment Agreement with the City of Toronto is registered on-title of all relevant properties, at the sole expense of the property owner;                

f. the property owner shall obtain all Public Utility Coordinating Committee clearances and/or signoffs from the public utility companies and satisfy any requirements they may have;              

g. the property owner shall agree that the City and/or utility companies may remove the encroachment at any time in order to install or maintain services within the affected public right-of-way with no obligation to replace them;

h. the property owner shall apply to the appropriate City Official for the required sign permits applicable to the sign under Municipal Code Chapter 694, Signs, General or Chapter 693, Signs, Election or Temporary, Article 6, Vehicular Destination Signs, Neighbourhood and Business Area Identification Signs and Construction Hoarding Signs, as may be applicable;

i. the property owner of shall ensure that no sign is erected until permits for the sign are obtained from the appropriate City Officials;

j. the property owner of shall ensure that the sign is only erected, displayed and maintained in accordance with the requirements of sign permits issued; and provisions of Chapter 694, or Chapter 693, Article 6, as may be applicable;

l. the property owner shall pay all applicable fees related to the permitting of the sign and the provision of permission for the private use of the public right-of-way; and

m. the property owner will enter into an Encroachment Agreement with the City of Toronto, at the applicant's expense, and assume all liability and damages related to the encroachment.

This staff report is about a matter that Community Council has delegated authority from City Council to make a final decision.

The purpose of this report is for Toronto East York Community Council to consider an appeal from the property owner of 495-517 Wellington Street West, a multi-tenant commercial building regarding their proposed encroachment application. The proposed encroachment consists of an illuminated electrified ground sign ("the sign") to identify multiple tenants in this commercial building. The proposed sign consists of aluminum and acrylic construction, measuring 4.05 metres high, 1.43 metres wide and 0.62 metres thick, with a foundation depth of 1.37 metres within the public right of way, which is in contravention of City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 743, Streets and Sidewalks, Use Of.

The property owner is seeking authority from Toronto and East York Community Council to permit an electrified ground sign to be installed within the public right-of-way fronting 495-517 Wellington Street West and enter into an encroachment agreement with the City.

The proposed ground sign encroachment does not meet the requirements of the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 743, Streets and Sidewalks, Use Of, for delegated approval as an encroachment by the General Manager, Transportation Services. The owner will be given an opportunity to make a deputation before Community Council.

At its meeting on December 4, 2024, the Toronto and East York Community Council deferred Item TE18.18 "Encroachment Appeal - 495-517 Wellington Street West - Proposed Ground Sign" to its next meeting on January 14, 2025. The Ward Councillor requested Transportation Services to consult with City Planning staff regarding the proposed sign and to work with the applicant to explore alternative locations for it, such as placing it on or closer to the building wall. The King-Spadina Heritage Conservation District Plan contains guidelines which provide direction on the erection of signs on properties so that they will not negatively impact the cultural heritage value and heritage attributes of the District.

This report is provided for information purposes to update Toronto and East York Community Council on feedback received from Heritage Planning staff and provide an update on the feasibility of an alternative sign location.

At its meeting on July 8, 2025, the Toronto and East York Community Council deferred Item TE24.34 "Supplementary Report - Encroachment Appeal - 495-517 Wellington Street West - Proposed Ground Sign" to its next meeting on September 18, 2025. The Ward Councillor requested Transportation Services to consult with City Planning staff regarding the proposed sign and to work with the applicant to explore alternative size and locations for it, such as placing it on or closer to the building wall. The King-Spadina Heritage Conservation District Plan "the District" contains policies and guidelines which provide direction on the erection of signs on properties so that they will not negatively impact the cultural heritage value and heritage attributes of the District. On June 6, 2025, the applicant submitted a revised encroachment application to Transportation Services to request permission to install and maintain a non-illuminated ground sign within the Wellington Street West public right-of-way.

This supplementary report is provided for Toronto and East York Community Council to make a final decision on the revised encroachment application. Transportation Services is recommending Toronto and East York Community Council authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services to enter into an encroachment agreement with the property owner of 495-517 Wellington Street West, to permit a non-illuminated ground sign within the Wellington Street West boulevard area subject to conditions.