On December 14 a good number of people, including several Leasiders, took time out from Holiday preparations to attend a City of Toronto meeting at Northern District Library to learn about proposed Zoning By-law Amendments applicable to the Eglinton Crosstown transit stations and related buildings such as Maintenance Storage Facilities and Traction Power Sub-stations. A number of the Leaside attendees were interested on how this related to the rumours swirling about hi-rise development proposals for the Bayview station and that might involve one or more of the neighbouring “quadraplexes” south of Eglinton.
The city planner, Brian Gallaugher took care to explain that the Zoning By-law Amendments being brought forward were simply those required by Metrolinx to construct the 15 underground stations with their three storey glass boxes above ground. So if Metrolinx (or a developer) contemplated any use on the site beyond transit, such as residential or commercial then the development would be subject to further planning approvals from the City, with the usual public processes. And Metrolinx had promised that they would not be part of any development application.
In response to my questions about whether Metrolinx was invited to the meeting, it was revealed that there were two Metrolinx staff in the audience. My sense was that the City staff told us as much as they know, but we really needed to hear from Metrolinx, to get the real story of what is happening on the McDonald’s site. But let’s face it, Metrolinx is not accountable to us.
Brian Gallaugher did not have the details of the By-law available – it is still being tweaked by the City’s lawyers, but it will come to Planning and Growth Committee in January, and City Council in February.