Hello everyone,

Thank you for signing this petition to Stop City Planning to higher residential buildings at the corner of Yonge and Roehampton. I have gathered all the information necessary to oppose to this Zoning Amendment Application.

A letter will be generated and sent after each signing. Spread the word!!!

Please continue reading. I am giving you the appeal to write directly to City Planning, the contact information and facts.

The problem:

The proposed building at 2323 to 2329 Yonge Street (Yonge St and Roehampton Ave) will change an 8-storey office building with a regulated height that provides with office space, retail commercial space and public parking to a 37-storey mixed use building  with 380 dwelling units (a residential gross floor area of 23,480 square metres) that do not conform to the official Yonge-Eglinton secondary plan. The amendment of the secondary planning will allow higher residential buildings at the Montgomery Square Special Area. It should be stopped because we have enough residential towers in this block already. The Montgomery Square (E2 zoning) should ensure the uses of land to meet the needs of the community. We need more community services, office space, public parking and commercial buildings rather than higher residential towers at the Montgomery Square.

City Planning has created a loophole where Community Council recommended community consultation meeting to include residents within 120 metres of the application site, but this motion was carried without any consultation with residents within 120 metres of this application site. The Virtual Community Consultation Event on Wednesday October 27th, 2021 at 4:00 pm and 6:30 pm was for a Secondary Plan to take place in the entire Midtown area, not yet the specific consultation recommended by Community Council. 

During the Virtual Consultation Meeting on Wednesday October 27th, 2021 at 4:00 pm, I personally asked the question in regards to the 2323-2329 Yonge Street zoning amendment. The answer was that the E2 Zone Montgomery Square (Yonge St and Roehampton Ave) is part of a secondary plan where the specifications are not yet available.

I wrote to Matt Armstrong Senior Planner, Strategic Initiatives, City Planning matt.armstrong@toronto.ca who answered as follows,

“At the meeting on Wednesday, I indicated that the City is undertaking a review of zoning in the Midtown area to implement the in-force Secondary Plan. I used the example of the Plan being the 'vision' and the zoning being the 'precision'. A huge volume of public consultation was undertaken in the development of that Plan. Consultation on implementing the plan has been underway for some time, with Wednesday being the first large scale public meeting regarding zoning.”

Mr. Armstrong directed me to Rober Ursini Planner – Midtown Section Community Planning Toronto & East York District robert.ursini@toronto.ca

Mr. Ursini replied to my concern regarding Montgomery Square Application Number:21 219447 STE 12 SA which is the 2323-2329 Yonge Street Amendment Application as follows,

“The proposal at 2323 Yonge Street at 37 storeys does not comply with the height range in the Secondary Plan. Staff are reviewing this application to determine the impacts on the surrounding area including shadow, wind and transition to neighbouring properties. Staff have expressed concerns with the proposed height of 37 Storeys.”

“We note that your concerns with community facilities are valid. We are working with the Applicant to secure community benefits that may include community services and facilities, local parkland improvements, and public realm improvements.”

The Solution:

To oppose to the Yonge and Roehampton Zoning Amendment Application.

I appeal to each of you to write directly to the City Planning people involved, I am providing you with all the contact information needed. The loophole that the City of Toronto has created does not allow us to oppose to this project and we need to speak up because enough is enough!!!

The subject, contacts and text of the letter I suggest writing follows,

To: robert.ursini@toronto.ca

Subject: Opposing Yonge and Roehampton Zoning Amendment (Montgomery Square Application Number:21 219447 STE 12 SA)

Suggested Text:

Mr. Robert Ursini,

We are residents at the Montgomery Square and the Redpath Park Street Loop. We civilly oppose to 2323-2329 Yonge Street Zoning Amendment Application for the following reasons:

1. The existing non-residential building at 2323 Yonge Street has potential heritage value.
2. The existing non-residential building at 2323 Yonge Street is already serving the needs of the community providing with office space, public parking and commercial real estate. 
3. Heavier traffic at Yonge Street and Roehampton Avenue will negatively affect our neighbourhood by increasing noise pollution, congestion and accidents.
4. There are at least five public and private schools in the surrounding area with dozens of teenagers walking on Roehampton Avenue crossing the corner of Yonge Street a few times a day, so accidents will escalate as traffic flow increases.
5. The proposal is too tall and does not conform to Policy 5.4.3 of the Secondary Plan that anticipates a height of 20-30 storeys within the Montgomery Square Character Area. The proposed 37 storey building reads as a much taller building of >40 storeys due to the taller floor to ceiling heights. The proposed height does not fit within the planned context of this character area.
6. City Planning will have to amend the City of Toronto Zoning By-law No. 438-86 to allow this project proposal. To amendment By-law No. 438-86 will only support the project developer Phoenix 2323 Yonge Street Inc, owned by Riocan Real Estate Investment Trust, instead of supporting the needs of the growing neighbourhood at Yonge and Eglinton.
7. Transitioning to neighbouring properties during construction would be troublesome.
8. Other adverse effects on the community are directly related to allowing amendments to the present City of Toronto Zoning By-law No. 438-86. Those adverse effects include changes in temperature, humidity, wind, and turbulence, putting our quality of life at risk as such a mega building would require more energy, water and public services.

We courteously oppose to 2323 – 2329 Yonge Street Zoning Amendment Application because the detriments that this project will impose on the residents at the Montgomery Square and the Redpath Park Street loop largely offset the benefits that the applicant may want to secure for us.

Best regards,

(Your Name or Names)

I also recommend to fill out the Public Consultation online for this application:

These are the steps:

1. Go to the City of Toronto site www.toronto.ca/aic
2. Clicking on the blue button "Application Information Centre"
3. Enter the address: 2323 Yonge Street
4. Click on Search
5. There will be a small window with this application information
6. Click on "Application Details"
7. Scroll down to the end it says "Public Consultation"
8. Click on "I agree"
9. Enter your information "Name" "Mailing Address" "Email" and "Comment"

More information:

Application Number: 21 219447 STE 12 SA

Date Submitted: 29/09/2021

Status: Under Review

http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2020.TE18.40