8 to 16 Locust Street and 15 Oxford Drive - Rental Housing Demolition Application - Final Report

The existing 10-storey rental apartment building known municipally as 15 Oxford Drive, which is comprised of 430 rental dwelling units, would be retained as part of the development and none of the building's residents would experience any changes to their tenancies. The properties are the subject of an Official Plan Amendment (OPA) and Zoning By-law Amendment (ZBA) application (20 113215 WET 05 OZ), which was appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT). A settlement offer was endorsed by City Council on February 2, 2022. On May 6, the OLT approved the OPA and ZBA applications in principle and withheld its final Order until outstanding matters, including a decision by City Council on the Rental Housing Demolition application and a Committee of Adjustment application to sever part of the 15 Oxford Drive are resolved. This report recommends approval of the Rental Housing Demolition application under Chapter 667 of the Toronto Municipal Code and the Residential Demolition Permit under Chapter 363 of the Toronto Municipal Code, subject to conditions.

six (6) replacement rental dwelling units on the subject site for a period of at least 20 years beginning from the date that each replacement rental dwelling unit is first occupied; and following such 20-year period, no replacement rental unit shall be registered as a condominium or any other form of ownership housing that provides a right to exclusive possession of a dwelling unit, including life-lease or co-ownership, and no application shall be made to demolish any replacement rental unit or convert any replacement rental unit to a non-residential rental purpose; and the six (6) replacement rental dwelling units shall be comprised of one (1) studio unit, four (4) one-bedroom units, and one (1) three-bedroom unit, as generally illustrated in the plans submitted to the City Planning Division dated March 23, 2022; and any revision to these plans shall be to the satisfaction of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division; b. The owner shall provide and maintain all six (6) replacement rental dwelling units at affordable rents, as currently defined in the City's Official Plan, for a period of at least ten (10) years beginning from the date of first occupancy of each unit; c. The owner shall provide an acceptable Tenant Relocation and Assistance Plan to all Eligible Tenants of the six (6) existing rental dwelling units proposed to be demolished, addressing the right to return to occupy one of the replacement rental dwelling units at similar rents and other assistance, including a rent gap payment, to mitigate hardship; and the Tenant Relocation and Assistance Plan shall be developed in consultation with, and to the satisfaction of, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning; d. The owner shall provide tenants of all six (6) replacement rental dwelling units with access to, and use of, all indoor and outdoor amenities in the proposed 36-storey residential building at no extra charge, and on the same terms and conditions as any other resident of the building without the need to pre-book or pay a fee, unless specifically required as a customary practice for private bookings; e. The owner shall provide ensuite laundry in each replacement rental dwelling unit within the proposed residential building at no additional cost to tenants; f. The owner shall provide central air conditioning in each replacement rental dwelling unit within the proposed residential building at no additional cost to tenants; g. The owner shall provide and make available for rent at least four (4) vehicle parking spaces to tenants of the replacement rental dwelling units. Such parking spaces shall be made available firstly to returning tenants who previously rented a vehicle parking space, secondly to returning tenants who did not previously rent a vehicle parking space, and thirdly to new tenants of the rental replacement dwelling units; h. The owner shall provide tenants of the replacement rental dwelling units with access to all bicycle and visitor parking on the same terms and conditions as any other resident of the proposed residential building; i. The replacement rental dwelling units required in Part 1.a shall be made ready and available for occupancy no later than the date by which seventy percent (70%) of the new dwelling units in the proposed development, exclusive of the replacement rental units, are made available and ready for occupancy; and j. The owner shall enter into, and register on title at 8 and 12 Locust Street one or more agreement(s), to secure the conditions outlined in Recommendations 1.a. through 1.i. above, including an agreement pursuant to Section 111 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006, all to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division. 2. City Council authorize the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division, to issue Preliminary Approval of the Rental Housing Demolition Permit under Chapter 667 of the Toronto Municipal Code pursuant to Section 111 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006 for the demolition of the six (6) existing rental dwelling units located at 8 and 12 Locust Street after all the following have occurred: a. All conditions in Recommendation 1 above have been fully satisfied and secured; b. The Official Plan Amendment(s) have come into full force and effect; c. The Zoning By-law Amendment(s) have come into full force and effect; d. The Committee of Adjustment application has received final approval; e. The issuance of the Notice of Approval Conditions for site plan approval by the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division or their designate, pursuant to Section 114 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006; f. The issuance of excavation and shoring permits (conditional or full permit) for the approved development on the site; and g. The owner has confirmed, in writing, that all existing rental dwelling units proposed to be demolished are vacant. 3. City Council authorize the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building Division to issue a Rental Housing Demolition Permit under Chapter 667 of the Toronto Municipal Code after the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning has given Preliminary Approval referred to in Recommendation 2 above. 4. City Council authorize the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building to issue a Residential Demolition Permit under Section 33 of the Planning Act and Chapter 363 of the Toronto Municipal Code for 8 and 12 Locust Street after the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division has given Preliminary Approval referred to in Recommendation 2 above, which may be included in the Rental Housing Demolition Permit under Chapter 667 pursuant to section 6.2 of Chapter 363, on condition that: a. The owner removes all debris and rubble from the site immediately after demolition; b. The owner erects solid construction hoarding to the satisfaction of the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building; c. The owner erects the proposed residential building on the site no later than four (4) years from the date that the demolition of such building commences, subject to the timeframe being extended to the discretion of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division; and d. Should the owner fail to complete the proposed residential building within the time specified in Recommendation 4.c. above, the City Clerk shall be entitled to enter on the collector's roll, as with municipal property taxes, an amount equal to the sum of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) per dwelling unit for which a demolition permit is issued, and that such amount shall, until payment, be a lien or charge upon the land for which the Residential Demolition Permit is issued. 5. City Council authorize the appropriate City officials to take such actions as are necessary to implement City Council's decision, including execution of the Section 111 agreement and other related agreements.