Liberty Developments has filed an application with City Planning to rezone the lands at 591 and 593 Sheppard Ave. E. for a development that some residents and the local councillor have deemed inappropriate.
The site, just east of Bayview Avenue, is currently home to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, which would be demolished. Liberty Developments included a 1,000-square-metre replacement church as part of their plans. Central to the proposal is a mixed-use, L-shaped building containing 210 dwelling units and retail at grade. At its highest, the building will reach ten storeys. The eight storey portion of the building will front on Sheppard. Coun. David Shiner, along with the Bayview Village Association (BVA), plans to take a stand against the proposal.
“The density is more than is targeted in the subway plan,” said David Magil, chair of municipal and government affairs for the BVA, referring to the city’s Sheppard East Subway Corridor Secondary Plan, which dictates that buildings along that stretch of Sheppard can only go as high as six storeys.
Shiner stated that the plan was designed to minimize intensification close to the road. “In addition to the height limit of six storeys, it calls for the buildings to be set back five metres from the city’s property line,” he said. “Then it calls for a two-storey podium in front of the building. All that is designed to minimize the impact of the intensification on the road itself and to eliminate creating a wall on the edge of the roadway.” He said that because of these requirements, the placement of the new church at the back of the lot creates a problem. “It takes up the valuable land that could be used for intensification in the rear of the property,” said Shiner, who also says that this will cause undesirable traffic impacts on the side street Barberry Place.
City planning staff is preparing a report for the North York Community Council for their April 6 meeting. The BVA plans to attend and voice their concerns, with hopes that Liberty will scale the project down several floors.
Liberty Developments could not be reached for comment.
