Council amends Church-Richmond development agreement to use easement instead of land transfer for corner rounding

development

Council amends Church-Richmond development agreement to use easement instead of land transfer for corner rounding

The city is changing a 2018 development deal to let a Church and Richmond Streets project satisfy its corner-rounding requirement through an easement rather than transferring land to the city. The developer had proposed this approach in site plan, and staff confirmed it meets the requirement. Council is deciding before year-end to avoid holding up a nearly-completed building.

adoptedToronto City Council · Thu, Jul 30

Who did what

Councillor Chris Moise (Ward 13, Toronto Centre) movedMoved the amendment to the Section 37 Agreement
Councillor Ausma Malik (Ward 10, Spadina-Fort York) secondedSeconded the motion

Also in this item

• The development at 114, 120 Church and 59 Richmond is near completion, and there is no regular council meeting until 2027, creating time pressure to resolve the corner-rounding mechanism before the project finishes.

The journey

Wed, Jul 29 · Toronto City Council · adopted

Decision

Council approved the amended Section 37 Agreement, replacing the fee simple land transfer requirement with a pedestrian clearway easement registered on title to satisfy corner rounding.

On video

Jump to this item in the meeting video

Why is this story here?

ContainedThe amendment changes a specific development agreement for one site, replacing a property transfer requirement with an easement. It is a genuine decision but bounded to this address and reversible in principle, though the development is nearly complete. The decision does not constrain future councils' options on development policy generally.Invisible to residentsThis amendment affects the legal mechanism for satisfying a corner-rounding requirement at a single downtown site. No resident's commute, housing, or street use changes as a result; the corner rounding will happen either way. The technical choice between easement and fee simple transfer is internal to development administration.

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Official title: Amending Item 2018.TE34.48 - 114 and 120 Church Street and 59 Richmond Street East - Amendment of Section 37 Agreement to Address Corner Rounding Property Rights Transfer - by Councillor Chris Moise, seconded by Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik · meeting video