Please see below for information from the City of Toronto about a community consultation for the planning application for 922 Millwood Road. Please also see below for the input from the Association about this application.
UPDATED: Supporting documentation for Site Plan Approval for this project is available as of June 23, 2020. Documentation includes architectural drawings, sun/shadow studies, grading and landscape plans.
The City is holding a Community Consultation meeting where you can learn more about this application, ask questions and share your comments.
Date: Tuesday, December 3, 2019
Time: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Place: 182 Bessborough Drive (St. Anselm Catholic School – Library)
Proposal
The application proposes to amend the Official Plan and the applicable zoning by-laws to permit the development of a five-storey residential building containing 35 dwelling units with a gross floor area of approximately 3,261 square metres. A total of 29 resident parking spaces are proposed within two levels of underground parking.
The development would be accessed via Krawchuk Lane, a rear public lane to the north of the property connecting to Randolph Road. View a copy of the Preliminary Report providing background information.
To speak to the planner directly, contact Simona Rasanu at (416) 395-7687
or ac.ot1737824044norot1737824044@unas1737824044aR.an1737824044omiS1737824044. You may mail your comments to the planner
at North York District, 5100 Yonge St, ground floor, Toronto, ON, M2N 5V7.
You may also contact Councillor Jaye Robinson, Ward 15, at (416) 395-6408
or ac.ot1737824044norot1737824044@nosn1737824044ibor_1737824044rolli1737824044cnuoc1737824044.
Notice to correspondents:
Information will be collected in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. With the exception of personal information, all comments will become part of the public record. Our public meeting locations are wheelchair/mobility device accessible. Other
reasonable accommodation or assistive services for persons with disabilities may be provided with adequate notice. Please contact Simona Rasanu at (416) 395-7687 or ac.ot1737824044norot1737824044@unas1737824044aR.an1737824044omiS1737824044 with your request. The City of Toronto is committed to taking the necessary steps to ensure compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.
For more information, visit the City of Toronto development applications page.
Leaside Property Owners Association Incorporated
1601 Bayview Avenue, P.O. Box 43582
Toronto ON M4G 3B0
September 14, 2019
North York Civic Centre
Main floor, 5100 Yonge St.
Toronto, ON M2N 5V7
Re: NY8.7 Preliminary Report – Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment Application – 922 Millwood Road (Ward 15)
(Planning Application Number: 19 183673 NNY 15 OZ)
Dear Chair Councillor James Pasternak and Members, North York Community Council,
The Leaside Property Owners’ Association submits the following comments with respect to the above noted Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment application.
The Development Application
“This application proposes to amend the Official Plan, City of Toronto Zoning By-law No. 569-2013 and the former Leaside Zoning By-law No. 1916 for the property at 922 Millwood Road to permit the development of a five-storey residential building with a height of 16.5 metres (excluding mechanical penthouse) or 21.5 metres (including mechanical penthouse) containing 35 dwelling units with a gross floor area of approximately 3,261 square metres and a floor space index of 3.48 times the area of the lot. Vehicle access to the underground garage would be via a single driveway off Krawchuk Lane, a rear public lane to the north of the property connecting to Randolph Road. A total of 29 resident parking spaces would be provided on two levels of underground parking, and three visitor surface parking spaces are proposed off Krawchuk Lane for a total of 32 vehicle parking spaces. The development also proposes 36 bicycle parking spaces; a total of 32 long-term spaces would be in the underground garage and four short-term spaces would be at the rear of the building”. (Preliminary Report, p. 2).
General Comment
Given the existence of a 4 storey residential building to the east, and 4 and 5 storey residential buildings to the south, a multi-family residential building on the subject site would be in keeping with the Official Plan’s Neighbourhoods’ policies. However the scale and density of the proposed development is excessive, given the size of the subject lot (936.23m2),
Detailed Comments
1. Official Plan
The site is designated Neighbourhoods on Map 17 of the Official Plan.
Neighbourhoods are considered physically stable areas comprised of residential uses in lower scale buildings up to four storeys. The proposal to amend the Neighbourhoods policies via a Site Specific Area Policy (SASP) and to permit a five storey building on the subject site lacks justification and would create a precedent setting change to the cap of four storeys. Once an exception is made for more than 4 storeys in the Neighbourhoods designation, developers will use the exception as the new base and soon seek additional storeys “as of right”.
LPOA has recently experienced this type of height creep elsewhere in the community. It is appreciated that there is a five storey residential building nearby, however, it dates from 1988 and was approved under an earlier planning regime, and should not be used to justify a general increase in the four storey cap. In addition one would have expected that the number of storeys would decrease further away from the Avenue (Laird Drive), representing transition to the two storey format west of Randolph Road.
2. Zoning
a) The proposed density (FSI) of 3.48 is excessive being much more in keeping with a tall building in a Mixed Use or Apartment Neighbourhood designated area than a building of the proposed height in a Neighbourhood designated area.
b) The disclosed lot coverage ratio of 0.72 proposed for the subject site would appear to be an error given the minimal setbacks being proposed. Zero set backs are proposed for the west, south and east building frontages, and a setback of only between 1.64 and 1.84 metres along property’s northern boundary.
c) The proposed zero setback on the east side adjacent to 928 Millwood presents an architectural challenge for the proposed building to “fit” into the streetscape character presented by 928. The current design proposal does not appear to be in sympathy with the 928 façade.
d) Three visitor parking spaces would appear questionable given the number of units proposed.
3. Other Comments
a) Krawchuk Lane has a width of 6.0 metres and is one-way east bound at least where it meets Southvale Drive. Is the lane adequate to support the number of proposed units as well as the number of units to the east already dependent on it?
b) Given that it is proposed to cover most of the site with building, what provision is being made for snow removal and storage?
c) The façade of the proposed building is “boxish” and is out of keeping in design and materiality with the nearby multi-family residential buildings.
d) The site has a long prior use history as a dry-cleaning establishment, and as such is (or was) heavily contaminated; our experience of development on other contaminated sites in the area is that despite remediation efforts, contamination is persistent, and careful attention needs to be paid to testing and monitoring during construction.
Recommendations:
In summary the LPOA has significant concerns about the massing, density and architectural design for this project.
The LPOA recommends:
- That the City refuse the request for a SASP, i.e. maintain the current four storey cap for lands designated “Neighbourhoods” in the Official Plan.
- That the massing and density of the proposed development be reduced to appropriately reflect the size and context of the site.
- That the building be designed to be in sympathy with the streetscape and Leaside context.
