Ritchie•Herman•Golden•Silver

Hello Neighbours:

I apologize for the length of this; please take the time to read it entirely if you have an opinion on the Feather Factory Development.

This morning, a small group of concerned neighbours (me, John Phillips, Elizabeth Hallok and Brian Torry) met with Leslie Yager, the representative from Plazacorp at the City Hall offices of Gord Perks, with the councillor present. As you may remember, Plazacorp requested this meeting in order to come to an agreement about what the neighbours would accept, and wished to “mend fences” (their words) prior to going into a hearing at the Ontario Municipal Board. This Hearing is set for May 25, 2009 at 10 am. You may have already received a notice from the OMB about this hearing, and additional material from McCarthy Tetrault, Plazacorp’s lawyers.

We all know that the main concern about this project is the issue of parking. Now that the Feather Factory building is designated as a Heritage Building, they are not required to provide parking should the building be granted residential status, which will take place if they win at the OMB. At the January 29 meeting which Gord Perks held at High Park Baptist Church, Leslie Yager said that she had secured an agreement with Loblaws to provide 22 parking spaces in their lot adjacent to Herman Ave on a month to month lease, which was all that Loblaws felt they could offer. Today she reiterated this proposal and said they would stand by it; there is limited parking in the area available and this was the most realistic thing they could do to alleviate the parking issue.

They said that they would be going to the Ontario Municipal Board with a proposal which would eliminate the amenity space entirely, and in exchange for our not challenging the proposal, Plazacorp would make a donation to the Ritchie Avenue Parkette. When pressed, they said that this would be in the $15,000 to $20,000 range.

That was their offer. A lot of discussion ensued, which I won’t bore you with, however their offer did not agree with several issues which our neighbours felt strongly about, and we asked Leslie Yager to go back to Plazacorp and discuss with them the following:

1) Parking is the main issue, we need assurances that the lease agreement with Loblaws would go ahead
2) The amenity space is important for those living in small spaces; these folks will be our new neighbours. To eliminate it entirely, especially when we had fought this issue at the Committee of Adjustment, was an insult to them and to the existing neighbours who wrote letters and came to the hearing.
3) Money is not the issue; if they want to make a donation to Ritchie Parkette this would be of benefit to the community, but our approval will not be bought.

I have just received their response, forwarded to me by Gord Perks and copied below, and I would like your thoughts on how we proceed from here. Please bear in mind when considering their revised offer that:

a) Parking is not one of the variances they seek at the OMB; this would be a separate agreement done by Plazacorp in order to mend fences with us.

b) We won at the Committee of Adjustment but it would be unlikely that we would win at the OMB, especially if we turn down this revised offer which the OMB may feel is in good faith; the members of the OMB don’t know the neighbourhood and don’t really care; unlike the Committee of Adjustment which is made up of residents of various city neighbourhoods.

c) Going to the OMB will require a substantial commitment of time which many of us don’t have a lot of.

d) Our relationships among neighbours are the most important thing to preserve here; whatever we decide we must try to do it without dividing the great sense of community we have built up. We’re between a rock and a hard place, and if the best thing for us to do is just walk away from the table, so be it.

e) Regardless of whether we have a majority of neighbours agreeing to accept the offer, and we do so, everyone still has the right to go to the OMB and challenge the proposal if they feel strongly about it.

I have copied Gord Perk’s email below. Please read it through, think about it and email me with your thoughts by Thursday, April 30 at noon. John and Elizabeth have offered to go door to door with this information for those without email addresses. I would like to give Plazacorp an answer by Friday, May 1 at the end of the business day.

Thanks;

Peter

Debbie Adams and Peter Fleming
Ritchie/Herman/Golden/Silver Neighbours Group
80 Ritchie Avenue
Toronto, ON
M6R 2J9

From Gord Perks, Re: Plazacorp’s revised offer:

Good afternoon,

Leslie Yager has met with her principals at Plazacorp and in exchange for support
from my office and the community for the variances, they will do the
following:

- provide an indoor amenity room of 39 square metres ( this is the room
on the first floor, north side of the building between the two
stairwells, that was the space proposed at the Committee of Adjustment
hearing).
- make a financial contribution to the community in the amount of
$15,000.

With respect to community support Plazacorp would ask for a letter of
support to the three variances sought from the RMRA and from the
Ritchie/Herman/Golden/ Silver association.

She has advised that Loblaw*s is not willing to let their agreement
form part of an order at the Ontario Municipal Board, but as stated
previously, Leslie has confirmed that they have an agreement in
principle for 22 parking spaces.

This sounds awfully close to what you were asking for. I think you
should consider it seriously. Please advise.

Gord

Gord Perks
City Councillor
Ward 14, Parkdale-High Park

Hello Everyone;

Hi Everyone;

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

Hi Everyone;

Metrolinx has now officially started their condensed six month Environmental Assessment process. Please click on the link below to view their notice, which outlines the process and the dates and locations for the public open houses they are planning in the near future. I have also posted an excellent backgrounder from the Brockton community, the result of  a meeting with Metrolinx held on Wednesday April 1. 

metrolinx notice of commencement

metrolinx_summary_updated_april-09

Cheers;

Peter Fleming

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

Hi All;

The final meeting of the Local Advisory Council was held on Wednesday March 18, and the consultants presented their latest report, containing their response to our concerns. On the whole, the improvements over the previous plan are considerable, and we feel they have listened to us. Please take a moment to look at their presentation on the link below; it contains information on a variety of sites, and the Loblaws Zellers site (Opportunity Site Eight) is towards the end of the presentation starting on page 10. If you have comments, they can still be made to Councillor Gord Perks:  and planner Corwin Cambray: for inclusion in the final document. 

cheers;

Peter Fleming

bloordundas_lac_4_presentation_18mar09

Hello All;

Hello All;

Looks like the folks at the Feather Factory have decided to take their case to the Ontario Municipal Board and appeal their rejection by the Committee of Adjustment. Many thanks to Lily Korkka for updating us, we’ll provide more information as it arrives.

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