Diana Birchall

The applicant appealed the City of Toronto's refusal of an Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment to permit a 39-storey mixed-use building in the Village of Yorkville.

The Tribunal found that the subject property is located within a designated low-rise area under Site and Area Specific Policy 211.

The Tribunal rejected the applicant's argument that the policy boundary should be moved to accommodate the tall building, finding that the proposed development did not respect or reinforce the existing low-scale character of the neighbourhood.

The appeals were dismissed as the applications did not conform to the City's Official Plan.

The applicant appealed the City of Toronto's refusal of a zoning by-law amendment to permit a 29-storey mixed-use building on a small mid-block site on Bloor Street West.

The City and local residents' associations opposed the development, arguing it represented an overdevelopment of a small site, lacked appropriate tower setbacks, and would create negative shadow and sky view impacts.

The Tribunal allowed the appeal in part, finding that the proposed canyon form tall building represented an appropriate optimization of the site and a transit-supportive intensification that was consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement and conformed to the Growth Plan.

The Tribunal concluded that the proposed access arrangements were functional and the building's massing and lack of side yard setbacks did not create unacceptable adverse impacts in the downtown context.