NNNow News Blog

Saturday, December 6, 2008

City's Response to the Parc Development

City Planning has sent a letter to the 25 Stafford (“Parc”) developer. Their summary of the letter is below.

NNN agrees with the city's assessment and looks forward to seeing changes to the development that are in line with the city's recommendations.

[City Summary Start]
• We consider the height and massing inappropriate for this location. The proposed height of the building should provide an appropriate transition between the adjacent building at 15 Stafford Street and the heritage listed Edward McNarmara row houses at 857-879 King Street West, and it should also provide an appropriate transition in height between the building to the west at 18 Stafford Street and Stanley Park South.

Our preliminary built form analysis shows that by reducing the height of the building further and stepping back the upper floor levels, a more context appropriate building could be developed that has no incremental shadow impacts on the Park above the 18m as-of-right shadow. This position is consistent with the position staff took regarding the building at 15 Stafford Street, where staff worked with the applicant to ensure there was negligible shadowing of the Park above the as-of-right shadowing.

The recommended changes would also reduce the overall density on the site (currently 9.4 times the lot area), bringing it more in keeping with the density at 15 Stafford Street (5.4 times the lot area) and 18 Stafford Street (6.4 times the lot area). The reduction in density would also help to address the deficiencies in parking and amenity space.

• The Bylaw requires 206m2 of indoor amenity space and 206m2 of outdoor amenity space. Only 76m2 in indoor amenity space is being provided and no outdoor amenity space is being provided. Additionally, indoor amenity space is required to be adjoining or directly accessible to the outdoor amenity space. While staff are usually supportive of minor reductions in amenity space requirements, we believe there is an opportunity to provide some outdoor amenity space onsite for all residents at grade, adjacent to the park as this many residents should not have to rely on a public park for all their outdoor amenity needs. Staff have reviewed the ground floor plan and have identified an opportunity to locate the indoor amenity space adjacent to the outdoor amenity space, while still allowing for approximately three units at grade, with private outdoor amenity spaces overlooking the park. There is also an opportunity to provide a direct connection from the lobby to the park, so that all residents of the building can directly access the park.

• With regards to the Stafford streetscape, staff would prefer to see the building frontage activated and the residential character of the street maintained and enhanced by:

• Setting the building back at grade to provide the same setback as 15 Stafford Street, which will produce a continuous street frontage and allow more landscaping opportunities;
• Locating residences at grade fronting Stafford Street, with patio areas adjacent to the sidewalk; and
• Locating the underground parking and loading access points adjacent to each other.

• Urban Forestry staff are concerned about the impact of the building on the trees adjacent to the site at the rear of the heritage building, given the trees canopies extend over the subject site. Urban Forestry are also requiring street trees to be planted along the Stafford St frontage.

• Staff request that a greater mix of unit types and sizes be integrated into the proposal, including bachelor units to increase affordable housing options and three bedroom units to allow more families to live and stay in the area. The current proposal contains one and two bedroom units only.

• Staff requested that consideration be given to the concerns raised by the community about the proposed building's proximity to the north facing balconies on the 15 Stafford Street building, which would limit the enjoyment of those balconies and the windows on the south face of the proposed building which have also raised privacy and overlook concerns.

• Planning and Technical Services staff have advised that onsite visitor parking will be required.

The city has asked that the developer continue to work with the city to revise the proposal, and is waiting for the applicant’s response.

[City Summary End]

Future of Railway Crossing on Strachan Avenue - Update from Deputy Mayor

Joe Pantalone's office sent out the following update on the Strachan Avenue grade separation. Very good news for the neighbourhood:

[BEGIN]
As your City of Toronto Councillor, I am pleased to inform you that Toronto City Council this week APPROVED the following motions on this matter:

"1. City Council strongly supports the Grade Separation Option which lowers the Georgetown/Milton rail corridor, allowing Strachan Avenue to pass over the rail lines, and

2. City Council direct staff to forward this report to the GO Transit Board requesting that the City Council preferred Strachan Avenue Grade Separation Option be included as part of the Individual Environmental Assessment Study of the Georgetown South Corridor Service Expansion and Airport Transportation Link."

As you may know, Strachan Avenue is presently used by 14,000 vehicular trips daily (more than Dufferin Street but less than Bathurst Street). This traffic is bound to increase as Liberty Village and other nearby areas are further developed.

As you may also know, the number of trains (GO Transit, VIA and cargo) will greatly increase as the Union Station to Pearson Airport Rail Link is built and GO Transit adds more lines. Therefore, the present rail crossing on Strachan Avenue has to be changed so that the rail traffic and the road traffic are separated. A number of technical solutions are possible, (you can see the report through the internet at www.toronto.ca/planning/strachanstudy.htm) but, only our proposal will be urban friendly (the proposal recommended by City Council). This proposal was seen by about 150 people in our community at the Public Meeting on November 5, 2008 at the Trinity Bellwoods Recreation Centre, where it received unanimous approval.

The final decision on this matter that will greatly affect our neighbourhoods, and the City of Toronto, will be made by GO Transit and through the environmental process. We have, as a community, taken the first positive step. We will, however, need to be vigilant to make sure that the final decision to allow the needed transit expansion to take place does so in a way that solves problems for us rather than creates new ones.

In conclusion, I hope you find the news in this update useful. I will, as usual, continue to keep you informed once the next steps become clearer.

Sincerely,

Joe Pantalone

Deputy Mayor
City of Toronto

[END]

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Community Consultation Meeting for Queen West Developments

Active 18 is holding a Community Consultation Meeting about the following projects:

1181 Queen Street West (at Gladstone)
1093 Queen Street West (at Dovercourt)
2 Gladstone Avenue (at Queen, NW corner)

Date: Thursday December 4
Location: Parkdale Public Library, 1303 Queen Street West
Time: 6:30 pm

The City is holding this meeting as part of the formal planning process for these three projects. This is your opportunity to review the plans, ask questions, and register your feedback. A flyer should have arrived in your mailbox from the Councillors office to notify you of this meeting (provided you live in the immediate vicinity of the Queen West Triangle).

Active 18 will be on hand and formally providing feedback on these developments. Please come out and learn about, contribute and engage with your community and neighbours.

Further information about this meeting and background is available at http://active18.org.

From the City's official notice:
These three zoning amendment applications have been appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board. All three were the subject of community consultation meetings in 2007 and earlier in 2008, however the design of these applications has changed since they were originally submitted. The City would like to hear your comments on the new designs and building massing.