City resolution concerning Foundry District ‘status report’

At its meeting on 2005.07.05, Toronto and East York Community Council received a staff “status report” concerning the Foundry District (though the report fails to use that name) and passed the following resolutions:

14.  Status Report, South of Eastern Study,
629, 633 and 675 Eastern Avenue
(Toronto-Danforth, Ward 30)

Report 6, Clause 10

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that City Council:

1. adopt the staff recommendations in the Recommendations Section of the report (June 21, 2005) from the Director, Community Planning, South District subject to amending Recommendation (3) to read:

   (3) direct appropriate staff of the Economic Development and Culture Division and the Director, Waterfront Secretariat to report to Economic Development and Parks Committee for information, and to the Toronto and East York Community Council on the availability of suitable space in Toronto for the film sector and its needs with respect to future expansion and growth, and to consult with appropriate municipal departments, agencies, boards and commissions and the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation, when preparing this report

2. request the Director, Transportation Services, Toronto and East York District to undertake a traffic study in the area covered by the Community Improvement Plan which would address the outstanding Community Improvement Plan issues as well as the above requests and concerns as identified by the surrounding community. The results of the traffic study would:
   1. move commuter traffic off of local streets;
   2. address traffic calming on Eastern Avenue from Carlaw to Coxwell and local streets;
   3. meet school zone concerns;
   4. solve pedestrian concerns at the big box centres at Lake Shore and Leslie[and]Lake Shore and Eastern; and
   5. finish implementation of Community Improvement Traffic Projects.
3. request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with other appropriate City divisions and agencies, to report to the Toronto and East York Community Council, and to the Economic Development and Parks Committee for information, on the steps to be taken to maintain the current “Studio District” designation in the vicinity of Eastern Avenue, including maintaining street signs;
4. as part of the economic study being undertaken in the South of Eastern Study area, request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with Economic Development and Culture Division and the Director, Corporate Finance, to report to Toronto and East York Community Council and to the Economic Development and Parks Committee for information, on:
   1. the nature of employment, and the number and type of jobs, in the Kings area of the City of Toronto after redevelopment, compared to conditions prior to redevelopment;
   2. the applicability of the Kings experience to the South of Eastern study area and the proposed rezoning of 629, 633 and 675 Eastern Avenue;
5. request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with Economic Development and Culture Division and the Director, Corporate Finance, to report to the Toronto and East York Community Council and to the Economic Development and Parks Committee on incentives for employment uses to promote new investment for employment purposes and to maintain and grow the city’s job base; and
6. request the Director, Community Planning, South District to have regard for the leasing of the new studio space in the Port Lands while preparing the Final Report respecting the application for zoning amendments for 629, 633 and 675 Eastern Avenue. and have in mind timing and other issues discussed at the July 5, 2005 Toronto and East York Community Council meeting.

Report (June 21, 2005) from the Director, Community Planning, South District

Recommendations

It is recommended that City Council:

1. receive the general principles proposed by the Applicant as set out in Attachment 2 as the basis for further discussion and review in order to develop Development Principles for the South of Eastern Study area and the Toronto Film Studio site in particular.
2. direct City Planning staff, in consultation with other City divisions and agencies, to develop and report back on streetscape guidelines for Eastern Avenue following community consultation on the matter.
3. direct Economic Development staff to report back to Economic Development and Parks Committee for information and Toronto and East York Community Council on the availability of suitable space in Toronto for the film sector and its needs with respect to future expansions and growth.
4. inform the applicant for Toronto Film Studios that:
   1. an Arborist Report be submitted to the City for the site as required with the application submission;
   2. the applicant submit the environmental reports with respect to soil and groundwater conditions, and comply with any standard conditions of the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services in respect of the peer review process of the environmental submissions in order to achieve compliance with applicable Ministry of the Environment Guidelines, objectives and regulations, as part of the Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendment application.
5. direct City Planning staff, in consultation with Economic Development staff, to establish and implement a protocol to involve owners and businesses in the South of Eastern area in future work.

[The resolution also lists the following communications received and acknowledged in the record.]

1. 14(a). Communication (July 5, 2005) from Joe Lobko, Architect Inc.
2. 14(b). Communication (July 4, 2005) from Kenneth W. Ferguson, Toronto Film Studios
3. 14(c). Communication (July 5, 2005) from Christopher J Danton
4. 14(d). Communication (June 28, 2005) from Councillor Fletcher
5. 14(e). Communication (July 5, 2005) from Tyler J. Curtis
6. 14(f). Communication (July 5, 2005) from Steven Mirkopoulos
7. 14(g). Communication (July 5, 2005) from Mark Flowers