Request for Directions Report - 1960 Eglinton Avenue East - Official Plan Amendment Application

The application was submitted on February 4, 2020 and has been appealed to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal ("LPAT") citing City Council's failure to make a decision within the prescribed time frames set out in the Planning Act. The appeal was filed on October 28, 2020, during the COVID-19 state of emergency. The purpose of this report is to seek City Council's direction for the City Solicitor, together with appropriate City staff and/or external consultants, to attend the LPAT hearing to oppose the subject application. City staff have concerns with the proposed Official Plan Amendment and are of the opinion the proposed amendment, in its current form is not consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (2020) ("PPS"), does not conform with the A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2020) ("Growth Plan (2020)"), and is not consistent with the general intent of and fails to conform with the Official Plan. Further the proposed amendment is not supportable, in its current form, in the context of OPA 499 and not consistent with the general intent or conform to OPA 499.

2. City Council authorize the City Solicitor and appropriate City staff to continue discussions with the applicant to resolve the outstanding issues detailed in the report dated March 22, 2021, from the Director, Community Planning, Scarborough District, and to support a revised proposal that is generally consistent with Official Plan Amendment 499 ("OPA 499") for the lands at 1960 Eglinton Avenue East, and report back to City Council on the outcome of discussions, if necessary. 3. City Council direct the City Solicitor to request the owner of the subject lands to address the preliminary issues related to infrastructure required to support the anticipated growth in the overall context of the Golden Mile Secondary Plan area, including streets, density, servicing, parks, and community service facilities, which are to be assessed comprehensively, including coordination with other Golden Mile Secondary Plan landowners. 4. In the event the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal ("LPAT") allows the subject appeal in whole or in part, that City Council direct the City Solicitor to request the LPAT to withhold the issuance of any Order on the Official Plan Amendment appeal for the subject lands until such time as the LPAT has been advised by the City Solicitor that the proposed Official Plan Amendment is in a form and with content satisfactory to the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the City Solicitor.