May 24, 2012

The Build Toronto takeover

Plus, new zoning bylaw drafts up for discussion

MICHAEL WALKER Ward 22 Councillor

MICHAEL WALKER Ward 22 Councillor

AMONG THE INITIATIVES Mayor Miller has pushed through is a new city corporation named Build Toronto. With the mayor at its helm for the first two years, it is charged with the disposal of city-owned property to maximize profit and job opportunities for Toronto, by entering into longterm public-private partnerships.

To some, this may seem to be a laudable goal, until one tries to balance the principles of responsible city planning that protects our neighbourhoods with maximizing profit for the city.

Build Toronto is taking control of two St. Paul’s properties: the TTC lands at Yonge and Eglinton and the Deer Park Public Library at 40 St. Clair Ave. E. The mayor wanted the fallow TTC lands to be the first to try out his new corporate development scheme. This is why I am so adamantly insisting that the new zoning bylaw and official plan for this quadrant include the proper development controls. There must be a maximum height limit (or “strata plan”) set on the TTC land to block a developer from appealing to the OMB since a strata plan only allows land to be sold up to a certain height.

So far, city council has thwarted my efforts to impose a strata plan on these lands. I will try again at the end of May when the land is to be transferred to Build Toronto. However, the library site at 40 St. Clair Ave. E. is a surprise. I’m concerned with what may become of our library. I invite you to write with your concerns regarding these two important sites of public interest.

Lastly, the city is proceeding with its long-overdue update to the zoning bylaw. City staff has a first draft of the new bylaw, and I am holding public meetings on June 1 at 7 p.m., at Christ Church Deer Park, and June 8 at 7 p.m. at the North Toronto Memorial Community Centre

This article appears in the June 2009 issue of Post City Magazines