Ritchie•Herman•Golden•Silver

Hi All;

Roncesvalles Lofts at 25 Ritchie will be having their hearing at the Ontario Municipal Board on Tuesday, June 23 at 10 am. I will be out of town at that time and I would encourage any of you who feel strongly about challenging their proposal to attend the meeting and make your concerns heard.

Cheers;

Peter Fleming

Hi Everyone;

As you may know the Committee of Adjustment hearing for 25 Ritchie Avenue (Roncesvalles Lofts) takes place this Wednesday, April 8 from 3-6 pm. I’ll be going to the hearing, and I have posted my letter of objection below, along with the hearing notice. Please take a moment to read both, and send your own letter by the afternoon of Tuesday April 7th to David Driedger, File Administrator, Committee of Adjustment; Fax (416) 392-0580 or email

Please be sure to quote the following file number on your letter:

File Number A0011/09TEY

25 Ritchie Avenue

Mario Ribeiro

Cheers;

Peter Fleming

==

1
David Driedger
Office of the Committee of Adjustment
Toronto City Hall, 100 Queen Street West
Toronto, ON M5H 2N2
Fax: (416) 392-0580

April 6, 2009

Re: File Number A0011/09TEY
Mario Ribeiro
25 Ritchie Avenue, Toronto

Dear David Driedger:

I would like to make my opinions known on the above mentioned file, which comes before the
Committee of Adjustment on April 8, 2009. I would like to object to the following variances
requested by the developers of 25 Ritchie Avenue:

3. Section 4(4)(b), By-law 438-86
The minimum required number of on site parking spaces is 57.
In this case, 44 on site parking spaces will be provided.

Although the parking study provided by the developer suggests that the planned parking would
be adequate, it is important that the Committee of Adjustment understand the context of the
property. There is a very limited supply of permit street parking available, as Ritchie Avenue is a
short street bounded by three major arteries which prohibit parking after 7 am. Current
development in the area includes 2154 Dundas Street West, kitty-corner to the 25 Ritchie
property, which has now been granted Heritage Designation status exempting it from the need
to provide on-site parking for the 44 units in the building. This development will rely on permit
street parking for its residents and therefore any additional development in the area which
cannot provide on-site parking will only add to the significant parking issues currently faced by
the neighbourhood.

4. Section 2(1); Section 4(4)(c)(ii); and Section 4(17), By-law 438-86
The minimum required dimensions of a parking space are 2.7 m by 6.0 m, and the space
must be accessible and unobstructed at all times.
In this case, the proposed parking spaces will have dimensions of 2.6 m by 5.9 m and five
of the proposed surface parking spaces will be obstructed, by the location of a proposed
off-site loading space.

Obstruction of parking spaces by the movement of goods and services would significantly affect
local traffic, as trucks idling on the street would be required to move if the owners of the
obstructed parking spaces needed egress or ingress. This variance cannot be approved without
also considering the impact of variance 5, below.

5. Section 4(6)(C), By-law 438-86
One type G loading space is required on the lot.
In this case, no type G loading space is to be provided on the lot.

Loading for a building of this scale cannot be accommodated without a Type G loading space;
this omission would significantly affecting local traffic, pedestrian movement and parking. Ritchie
Avenue is a narrow residential street that has become almost impassable since construction on
25 Ritchie began. The proposed development’s vehicular access is immediately opposite the
vehicular access to the multi-storey High Park Lofts across the street, where there have already
been problems with parking and loading.

6. Section 4(2), By-law 438-86
The maximum permitted height is 14 m.
The altered six-storey building will have a height of 21.6 m.

The building as currently approved has a significant visual impact on the local community, even
in its partially completed state. Increasing the height an additional storey would add to the
already imposing nature of the building and be radically out of context to the exisiting two and
a half storey buildings on the street.

7. Section 4(12), By-law 438-86
A minimum of 114 m2 of indoor residential amenity space is required.
The altered six-storey building will have 54 m2 of indoor residential amenity space.

This variance if approved would significantly diminish the quality of life of the inhabitants and
would not provide sufficent space for the condominium board to meet and provide support and
leadership for the residents of the development.

While I support the need for greater density in our existing neighbourhoods, especially those
so well served by public transit, I feel that the currently approved density and scale of the 25
Ritchie Avenue development is more than sufficient to provide the developer with a return on
their investment. I oppose any increase in unit number or square footage, and reduction in
amentity space or parking mandated by current zoning By-laws. The exisiting By-laws ensure
that development occurs in appropriate context to neighbourhood scale and character; the
proposed variances for 25 Ritchie Avenue do not.

Sincerely;

Peter Fleming
80 Ritchie Avenue
Toronto, ON M6R 2J9

From Lily Korkka:

Hello Roncesvalles Triangle Residents,

Here is the official notice for the next meeting on April 8th (click on the following links to view:  25-ritchie-ave-notice 25-ritchie-ave-plans ).  The developers have gone back on their word again and have increased the size from their last community meeting from 20 metres to to 21.6 metres.  It feels like a very abusive process.  The building right now is about 16 metres.  I think everyone is seeing the visual effect of a windowless building.  There are many issues regarding 25 Ritchie - the overall height, not blending in with the surrounding buildings, the lack on site parking for tenants and clients of a work live unit, the amenity space is half the bylaw’s requested size, the manner in which the developers who still have their Triumph CASH and CARRY business on Howard Park are treating the neighbours in such an apathic manner. 

Please note if you did not receive the mailed notice to your home you need to contact the community of adjustment office and request to be placed on the contact list.  

Thanks to all of you who have sent in ideas and photos that will be submitted to the COA.
regards,
Lily

From Lilly Korkka:

Hello Roncesvalles Triangle Residents,

I have spoken with City Hall late yesterday afternoon and have been informed that the 25 Ritchie, Roncesvalles Lofts, will be presenting to the Committee of Adjustments on Wednesday April 8th, 2009. I don’t have a time yet. Homes and business in the 60 metres radius of the development should be receiving a letter from the city in the next few weeks. That is the distance basically right around the structure on Howard north side, Dundas west side, Ritchie north and south, from Dundas to Roncesvalles only, and Roncesvalles east side from Ritchie to Howard. If you live outside of the radius you should contact the File Administrator, Committee of Adjustment, David Driedger, (416) 392-7334 / and ask that your name be added to the mail out list. You should also write a letter to Councillor Perks office, .

This is a reminder, to those of you who submitted a letter for the last meeting Committee of Adjustment meeting for 25 Ritchie you need to write a new letter addressing the requested variances according to the new notice. When I receive the letter of notice I will forward it to all in case you don’t get it directly.

As 25 Ritchie grew a little taller this week I could already visualize the end product which reminds me of a big grey parking lot without windows surrounding all the homes and businesses.

Regards,
Lily Korkka

From Lilly Korkka: