63 Old Forest Hill Road - Notice of Intention to Designate a Property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act

Prominently sited on an oversized deep lot, the grand residence is an excellent representative of an Arts and Crafts movement house with Tudor Revival style details dating to Forest Hill's prolific early era of subdivision and urban development. Completed by 1935, the finely-crafted, two-storey house was designed by the highly-regarded local architect, Douglas. E. Kertland, who helped establish the quintessentially Forest Hill aesthetic of the 1920s-1940s that continues to define the neighbourhood today. Subsequent to the McLaughlin family, the property was owned by the Cara Foods empire heir, Paul D. Phelan and under his care and stewardship for over 30 years until 2021. The subject property at 63 Old Forest Hill Road was added to the City's Inventory of Heritage Properties (now, Heritage Register) in 1975. Staff have completed the Research and Evaluation Report for the property at 63 Old Forest Hill Road and determined that the property meets Ontario Regulation 9/06, the criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act under all three categories of Design/Physical, Historical/Associative and Contextual value. As such, the property is a significant built heritage resource. On August 19, 2022 the City received a Minor Variance Application proposing to alter the existing two-storey dwelling by constructing a rear two-storey addition, with a new integral garage and new in-ground pool. The application is currently under review and a Committee of Adjustment hearing date has not been scheduled at the time of writing this report. A Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) is required for all development applications that affect listed and designated properties and will be considered when determining how a heritage property is to be conserved. Designation also enables City Council to review proposed alterations or demolitions to the property and enforce heritage property standards and maintenance.

2. If there are no objections to the designation, City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the Bill in Council designating the property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.