Area-Specific Amendment to the Sign Bylaw: 2378-2410 Eglinton Avenue East

The Chief Building Official (CBO) brings forward all of the applications to amend the Sign Bylaw on an annual basis, so that City Council can consider the overall and cumulative impact of these applications on the City's built environment, and the Sign Bylaw itself. This report is in response to an application for an amendment that would facilitate the replacement of an existing third party ground sign that was established under a previous Bylaw, with a third party electronic ground sign displaying static copy on one side and electronic copy on the other. Under the current Sign Bylaw, neither the existing third party ground sign nor the proposed third party electronic ground sign is permitted in a Commercial Residential (CR) Sign District. The applicant's proposal would require that the existing third party ground sign be removed prior to the sign permit being issued. The proposed amendment also seeks to modify the applicable sign permit term by extending the initial sign permit term from five to ten years. The area where the sign would be located is expected to undergo significant re-development as the new Eglinton Crosstown project nears completion. Area re-development will render the proposed electronic ground sign even less compatible with its surroundings. Toronto Building, in consultation with City Planning and Economic Development and Culture, conducted a review of the application, and does not believe that the applicant's rationale is consistent with the objectives of the Sign Bylaw. Toronto Building does not recommend approval of this amendment as the proposed sign is likely to have a negative impact on a six-storey residential apartment building approximately 90 metres to the north. In addition, the proposed sign conflicts with existing first party signs on the subject property, and adds to sign clutter in the area as there are two other third party signs located within the 150-metre separation distance required by the Sign Bylaw.

with regulations to allow for, and regulate, a single third party electronic ground sign, as described in Attachment 1 of this report.