Update re 1327 Queen East development Planning ok with 8 storeys- December 13, 2015

Hi everyone – just before you all sink into holiday madness here’s the latest as to where we’re at :
LCC update re 1327-1339 Queen east application –

Rockport submitted yet one more set of drawings to the city which can be seen at http://app.toronto.ca/DevelopmentApplications/associatedApplicationsList.do?action=init&folderRsn=3515067 in the section marked Supporting Documentation.

Looking southeast from Alton Ave, architects' perspective drawing of the proposed development - via City of Toronto, Development Applications, 1327-1339 Queen St E Linked Document Nov 26, 2015 page 5 of 8

The new elements are dated November 26, 2015.   From that area (on the city website) you should access the PDF for the “linked technical report”Supporting documentation Linked technical report. It shows the new design. If you go to the architectural rendering document and open it you will see that they call it seven-storeys plus penthouse.

Sadly, the height has not changed and the Mechanical Penthouse is wrapped at 100% which literally provides a two-storey penthouse level above the 20m mark. The townhouse units have garages with Memory Lane access but no connection to the now one-level parking garage and so although they continue to be represented as one development, it looks more and more like two separate pieces, one being a townhouse development on Memory Lane.

City Planning: has capitulated. Leontine Major, the Planner on this file provided the links to the information featured below Thursday December 10th

Below is the link to the report that is on the City Council agenda:

http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2015/mm/bgrd/backgroundfile-86619.pdf

and the Motion to introduce it:

http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2015/mm/bgrd/backgroundfile-86618.pdf

The Motion to approve this 25.8m high development that is completely occupied above the 20m level was moved by Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon and seconded by Councillor Mike Layton.  This motion was without notice and did not appear on the City Council agenda of December 9, 2015 

If you don’t have time to download it, the basic problem is that City Planning presented a nine-storey building which includes a two-storey wrapped mechanical above the 20m mark to City Council for a vote. Although Planning states that the building height has been lowered it was not – the developer merely dropped the mechanical into the top two storeys. They argued that it presents as six-storey massing from Queen Street East because of deep step back of upper two-storeys.

No matter how they present it, it’s still 5.8 meters higher than the Mid-Rise Guidelines and 5.8 metres higher than any developments found on Queen East. It’s our belief that the mechanical penthouse should be just that, a mechanical penthouse and that no additional housing units should be permitted around the mechanical penthouse.


Leslieville Community Coalition: We’re moving toward the OMB hearing with the LCC’s lawyer and expert witnesses, gathering all the necessary components, information and documentation. The hearing is scheduled for January 25th.


Our fundraising efforts continue so if you can help please do by going to the website and contributing via the PAYPAL button or email us and we’ll advise other methods of payment. http://www.leslievillecommunity.ca/2014/09/etcc-steering-committee-summary.html Any amount can help because this precedent setting development will be fought at the OMB only by the LCC.

In this instance, the City Planners have recommended a development that goes against the guidelines, goes against the community’s wishes and goes against the 20m building height, a height which has been almost uniformly respected from one end of Queen East to the other.

We have lawn signs available for free – please come and pick one up with a frame from GADABOUT 1300 Queen St. East. It’s great way to show Community support and gather momentum for the run up to the hearing after Christmas.

In a short while we’ll let you know how you can help us get ready for the OMB hearing. Below is an list of sites identified by Rockport for future projects. Two of them are listed at 8 and 7 storeys which probably means higher than that. This is why the LCC is continuing to oppose the height. Right now there is nothing to the east nor to the west of this proposal that will match it. If it goes through unchanged there soon will be.


Thank you again for your support!
Victoria Dinnick for the LCC





Soft sites identified by Rockport and proposed heights. Extract from the:

FUNCTIONAL SERVICING & STORMWATER MANAGEMENT IMPLEMENTATION REPORT IN SUPPORT OF RE-ZONING AND SITE PLAN APPLICATION 1327 - 1339 Queen Street East - dated Oct 16th, 2015

A total of 4 candidate sites (’soft sites’) were identified, as follows:
Soft Site 1 (1285-1305 Queen):
158 units, 119 stalls, 8 storeys, 13,300 square metres of GFA

Soft Site 2 (1341-1347 Queen):
56 units, 42 stalls, 7 storeys, 4,650 square metres of GFA
Project No.: 13042
October 2015 Page 15
Rockport (Queen & Leslie) Inc.
1327 – 1339 Queen Street East

Soft Site 3 (1270-1286 Queen):
35 units, 27 stalls, 6 storeys, 2,900 square metres of GFA

Soft Site 4 (1249-1251 Queen):
20 units, 18 stalls, 6 storeys, 3,319.3 square metres of GFA (proposed application,
Neilas Developments)

There is existing municipal infrastructure consisting of storm sewers, sanitary sewers, combined sewers, watermains, and various utilities adjacent to the four future development soft sites on Queen Street East, Refer to Figure 6 for the segment plan. This existing municipal infrastructure can be extended to service the development of the soft sites.

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Revised Architectural Plans for 1327-1339 Queen East submitted to City Planning

Rockport has submitted a revised set of plans to the city - (go to this link and click on supporting documentation and download Architectural Plans October 16th to see their changes (http://app.toronto.ca/DevelopmentApplications/associatedApplicationsList.do?action=init&folderRsn=3515067) for the development at 1327-1339 Queen East.

Looking north, architects' perspective drawing of the proposed development - via City of Toronto, Development Applications, "Linked Document" Oct 16, 2015 PDF - page 5 of 5

The most worrisome change is that there are now eight garage bays for the townhouses opening directly on Memory Lane! The height has not changed – it is still 25.8 metres but now they are showing a mechanical that is wrapped with Penthouse units so the height with wrapped mechanical looks to be 26.8 metres with the elevator shaft climbing slightly higher. In effect, the building is now nine storeys tall.  There are larger units and as a result the number of units has decreased. Parking has decreased as they have taken out a floor of parking but have not lowered the building. 

The LCC is fundraising for our Legal representation at the OMB. We are actively seeking Leslieville Visionaries – please contact us if you can help 416-461-6417 or visit:http://www.leslievillecommunity.ca/2015/09/become-leslieville-visionary.html to donate.  
We sincerely thank those who have already stepped forward to be Leslieville Visionaries. You do us proud.

The Second Leslie to Coxwell Urban Design Guideline meeting is scheduled for Thursday October 8 at S.H. Armstrong 7:00 P.M. TO 9:00 P.M.

The Second Leslie to Coxwell Urban Design Guideline meeting is scheduled for Thursday October 8 7:00 pm to 9pm at S.H. Armstrong. This meeting will present the city’s draft of the urban design guidelines which reflect community feedback from the meeting in April, and the Official Plan policies for Queen St. between Leslie and Coxwell. 

These are the guidelines that this section of Queen needs to have in place going forward for the many developments that are in the works. Please try and plan on being there. 

BACKGROUND: In June 2014, City Council requested the Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York to assess the portion of Queen Street East between Leslie Street and Coxwell Avenue to determine whether either the existing Urban Design Guidelines for Queen Street East between Coxwell Avenue and Neville Park Boulevard or the (at that time) emerging Urban Design Guidelines for Queen Street in between Jimmie Simpson Park and Leslie Avenue, and associated Official Plan policies, should be extended to apply to the portion of Queen Street East between Leslie Street and Coxwell Avenue, and report back to Toronto and East York Community Council in 2015. 

The first meeting was on April 21, 2015 

Community Workshop #2: October 8, 2015 Meeting Notice

Contact Kelly Jones Planner, Community Planning City Hall, 19th Floor, East Tower 100 Queen Street West Toronto, Ontario M5H 2N2 Tel: 416-392-4293 Fax: 416-392-1330 

E-mail: kjones2@toronto.ca

You can also contact the following Ward Councillors: Councillor Paula Fletcher Ward 30 – Toronto-Danforth Tel: 416-392-4060 Email: councillor_fletcher@toronto.ca

Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon Ward 32 – Beaches-East York Tel: 416-392-1376 Email: councillor_mcmahon@toronto.ca

How the LCC's work has paid off

The Leslieville Community Coalition Incorporated is incorporated as a not-for-profit, non-charity organization formed by Leslieville residents, business owners, and property owners in response to the concerns of the community to the proposed 1327-1339 Queen Street East development by Rockport Group. 


The LCC formed as a result of a community meeting called in March 2014 by Rockport Developments. The meeting was to introduce Rockport Groups proposal for a development at 1327-1339 Queen St. The push back from the community was palpable. Since this meeting the LCC has worked on getting the developer to adhere to the Mid-Rise Guidelines that are in place both to the west and to the east of this section of Queen Street in Leslieville. 

Since that time the LCC has:
 • Lobbied successfully to have a Heritage study done for the buildings slated for demolition. 

• Lobbied successfully to have the city review City policy regarding laneway housing as it relates to the development. • Lobbied successfully for a Planning study to be implemented to create meaningful guidelines for development in the area. 

• Lobbied successfully to have a working group comprised of Leslieville community representatives and Toronto City Planning convened to review the application. 

• Lobbied successfully to have the City of Toronto Transportation Services review: The Transportation impacts of potential change and growth of the Leslie Street Coxwell Avenue Planning Study that is underway, and the Urban Transportation Consideration Report, submitted by the applicant, taking into account all recent changes to the transportation and transit network. 

• Invested in an independent evaluation by a registered planner of the developer’s proposal

• Informed and updated residents about the development by creating a Blog, Facebook page and website. 

• Incorporated as an organization to qualify as a party, gaining full participation status, at the Ontario Municipal Board.

• Retained legal counsel as well as the services of a registered planner and an architect. 

• Organized an additional community meeting to update residents on the status of the application. 

• Organized three one-on-one meetings with the developer to create a dialogue regarding the application. • Provided the developer and his architect with architectural drawings to show an acceptable alternative proposal for the neighbourhood. 

• Organized several meetings with Ward 30 and 32 City Councillors regarding the proposal. 

• Created a campaign including the distribution of lawn signs, and organized community fundraisers to pay for the costs involved in the OMB appeal process. 

• Reached out to other neighbourhood associations with similar interests. 

• Participated in the OMB mediation process as a full Party with the City staff and the developer. 

 To continue to work towards responsible development We Need Your Vision.  Become a visionary today! Invest in the future of Leslieville.  Call 416-461-6417. 

Visionaries have started stepping forward!

Yahoo !!!!! There is excitement in the air! We have our first Leslieville Visionaries and the announcement is only a few days old!*

BUT we need more visionaries. Many More. WE NEED You!

By donating $1.000.00 you or your business will be acknowledged and profiled publicly on our networks.

Join us in envisioning our Leslieville community’s future character. Become a VISIONARY TODAY!!
CALL 416-461-6417;

Or Email(click):.


* "Leslieville Visionary" Ad by Leslieville Community Coalition on p2 of the Sept 24th edition of the The Beach Mirror | Issuu: http://t.co/0nvTERocos



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Become a Leslieville Visionary

The Leslieville Community Coalition needs help with the next step of our fund-raising initiative. We are is running a full page ad in the Beach Mirror appearing September 24 to launch a campaign looking for Leslieville Visionaries (see below). We are asking individuals like yourselves to be a visionary for the community. We’re challenging people to invest in their vision of what it takes to make a neighbourhood great in order to make it a reality? To do this We Need You!

A Leslieville Visionary is someone who not only recognizes the need to take a stand for good planning, great design, and appropriate development in this area but is also someone willing to invest in our neighbourhood. The character of this unique community is at risk and without vision our section of Queen Street East could become another charmless, generic condo corridor.

The Leslieville Community Coalition is scheduled to go the Ontario Municipal Board in January 2016 to represent this community’s vision for future development. We’re expanding fundraising outreach so that legal and other experts can be retained for the hearing. The focus is to get individuals and businesses to commit to becoming “Leslieville Visionaries” by donating $1000 each. The funds will go directly to help the LCC retain the legal expertise necessary for a seat at the table at the OMB. If you are, or know someone who could be a Visionary please contact us via email or call 416-461-6417 to donate. We will have packages outlining the benefits of becoming a Leslieville Visionary and why it’s so important. Visit the blog for the latest updates.

Let's Focus on Raising the Bar

View from Hiltz and Queen of the development at 1327-1339 Queen East if the the OMB allows the developer to go ahead with a 26.3 metre building plus 3.8 metre mechanical penthouse, in violation of the City's Guidelines.

"We're one of the fastest growing cities in North America. Our Guidelines are not stopping development. In fact, one could argue, when you have that much growth you need to be more rigid in ensuring that you're getting really great outcomes because there's a risk that you will, in fact, get a lot of low quality product. And there are some that will argue that that has in fact happened because we've grown very quickly. Stuff slips through.

...there are some sites where its time has not yet come. And that's okay because we've got a lot of units approved in this city that have not yet been built. Let's actually focus on raising the bar and getting a better product."

—Jennifer Keesmaat, Chief Planner, City of Toronto,
Chief Planner Roundtable - Mid-Rise Buildings: Growing Toronto's Neighbourhoods (at 31:01)

Tim Kirkwood edit of the video from the April 24, 2015 forum:
Chief Planner Roundtable - Mid Rise Building: Growing Toronto's Neighbourhoods (33:48)



If you think Leslieville needs to focus on raising the bar for future developments in the neighbourhood please help by clicking the Paypal button and donating today.



References:

Video above is an edit of the 7 hour long Chief Planners Roundtable - Mid-Rise Buildings: Growing Toronto's Neighbourhoods - held a Toronto City Hall, Conference Room 1 on April 24 2015.

City of Toronto | Chief Planner Roundtable | http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=4a2946bca58c1410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD




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The Mid-Rise Grey Zone

This is what the massing of the development at 1327-1339 Queen East will look like if the the OMB allows the developer to go ahead with a 26.3 metre building plus 3.8 metre mechanical penthouse.  The Mid-Rise Guidelines to the east and the west of this area only allow for a 20 metre building on this site.  The existing zoning only allows for a maximum height of 12 metres.

How does Rockport’s architect, Roland Rom Colthoff, justify a height that exceeds the guidelines by more than two-storeys?

 

"There's a real burden on the development of a relatively small site to try and achieve something. All the projects we've done, we've breached the height. Typically the goal is to get 8-storeys on the site on a 20-metre right of way (and) the argument being that we would have had a mechanical penthouse regardless, in addition to the 6-storey height, and if we can prove through the planning principles that Jack [Winberg], mentioned as well, that there's no impact - that you don't have any additional shadow, if there are no additional overlook impacts - why not have that additional area, have those additional residences on the street contributing to that vital street economy?  I don't know how you do it, but I suggest that you take the guidelines as the mean and try and think about a grey zone on either side of that where there’s a limited amount of projections the principal ones being the elevator and stairs."  Roland Rom Colthoff, 

Director RAW Architects and designer of the project at 1327-1339 Queen St. East 

quoted from City of Toronto’s videotaped April 24th roundtable discussion on  Mid-Rise Buildings: Growing Toronto's Neighbourhoods

If you think Leslieville's future development should be based on vision and not on a grey zone that impacts shadow and overlook please help by donating today.