Volume 21 Number 2 Newsletter of the Swansea Area Ratepayers' Association MEETING NOTICE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 7:30 P.M. Tuesday, May 30, 1995 SWANSEA TOWN HALL 95 Lavinia Ave. Guest Speakers: Alex Ling & Larry Clay Topic: Bloor West Village Business Improvement Area 25 Years in Action Annual Reports Treasurer's Report Election of Officers TIME TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP If you have not already obtained your 1995 membership (look at your card to see the expiry date) please renew now. We will be going to the Ontario Municipal Board and the more members we have the more likely the Board will listen to our arguments THE FEES FOR 1995 ARE AS FOLLOWS : Single membership Family membership Business membership Please contact L. Gris at 766-2792 to renew. Membership inquiries may also be sent to Swansea Area Ratepayers' Association, c/o Swansea Town Hall, Box 103, 95 Lavinia Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M6S 3H9. EXECUTIVE MEETINGS Please note that Executive meetings are public and held normally on the third Tuesday of each month. There may be capacity limitations so contact the Executive before you come to a meeting. Our Executive Is G Martinsons, President. Ed Gaigalas. Vice-President: S Campbell, Secretary J Oreto,Treasurer; L. Gris, Membership: S. Wilkinson. Past-President: Your Directors: Ritvars Bregzis, J Bell, L. Clay, Ten Kortenaar, Tony Giniotis, W. Haines, O. Iwanyshyn, Ron Luft, P. Meier, M. Rew, Wm Roberts, M. Robertson. G. Thede, and L. Volpe. D'Arcy Dunal has resigned as Vice-President due to work constraints OFFICIAL PLAN We are continuing to monitor this matter and have discussions with the staff in regard to our concerns as part of the rezoning process. SWANSEA BY-LAWS Bill Roberts continues to act for SARA and SARG and has met with the staff from Planning and Development. The Swansea (Southport) Plaza amendments am going forward which will ensure that the maximum density of the site is to be two times (similar to the surrounding condominiums) rather than the originally proposed maximum of three times; any development will provide a minimum of 2385 sq m, of retail and serve uses to satisfy needs of the surrounding population (which guarantees at least the same amount of retail as is there now); protection for the surrounding condominiums in terms of distances, and visual transition to prevent adverse impact on the adjacent condominiums; and, requirement for parking and traffic studies as part of any redevelopment to look at impact. That leaves the outstanding issues of Stelco height limit - parking and the guarantee of commercial uses along Bloor Street (there are discussions with the Planning Department in regard to resolving these matters) - the general changes to setbacks and the loss of a code relating to Swansea (there are discussions occurring which may result in a 9m height limit for the low density residential area instead of the existing 9.2 m and the proposed 10m which is in keeping with the character of Swansea the appeal by the owners on Ripley Ave. to increase the height of their buildings (which SARA does not support). Bill Roberts appeared before the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) on the 16th of February, 1995 and will be attending on May 16, 1995. and all subsequent appeal dates SOUTH KINGSWAY- HUMBER BRIDGES We continue to monitor the status of the bridges and will keep you informed For more information contact G Martinsons at 766-1734 There will be an opening ceremony for tile pedestrian/bicycle bridge and its access routes in mid May. MEETING NOTICE ALL CANDIDATES MEETING FOR PROVINCIAL ELECTIONS 7:30 P.M. Thursday, May 25, 1995 SWANSEA TOWN HALL 95 Lavinia Ave. SWANSEA MEMORIAL LIBRARY You can arrange for any movie, book or other Library material to be delivered to the Swansea Branch for pick-up. You can order by computer at the branch or from your home. The Town Hall has arranged for a computer to be available during Town Hall hours so you can order books, etc. even when the library is not open. LIBRARY HOURS ARE: Monday: Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday: Saturday Sunday Closed 10.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m. 1.00 p.m.- 8.00 p.m. 10.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m. Closed 10.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m. Closed GARDINER LAKESHORE TASKFORCE We continue to monitor the Colborne Lodge Road project and will keep you advised Metro Traffic has agreed to do a traffic study thanks to the intervention of Metro Councillor David Miller. We understand the study will occur April to May, with a report being produced by the end of May, 1995 PLANNING ADVISORY COMMITTEE SARA opposed an attempt by some of the City Councillors to end the citizen committee which supervises planning issues. In addition we opposed an attempt by the Budget Review Committee to slash the Urban Design Division of the Planning & Development Department in half and suggested cuts be found elsewhere. We opposed turning urban design and research to the development industry. This division was very supportive of SARA in the design of the Humber River Bridges and in developing the concepts relating to the Gardiner/ Lakeshore Boulevard, CITIZENS SIGN COMMITTEE SARA supported the citizens sign committees attempts to block Further roof top signs in CR/MCR districts (such as the Bloor West Village) Contact Ron Luft on this issue, SAVANNAH RESTAURANT SARA held an information meeting on the Savannah Restaurant in January, 1995. We have formed a committee to explore ways of dealing with the parking and other issues relating to licensed restaurants. The Intention is to invite people from north of Bloor to co-operate with our committee. The Executive decided to suggest conditions be imposed limiting the size of the restaurant to not more than 240 persons, a 12.00 A.M. closing, no expansion and no transfer without a public hearing.   D'Arcy Dunal continues to represent SARA on this. Glen Thede (Chairman), Steve Ross and Ed Gaigalas are the committee dealing with LLBO matters for SARA. BLOOR WEST PARKING STUDY Glen Thede, Bill Roberts and Ed Gaigalas have been appointed to this committee which is to examine parking issues in the Bloor West Village. 99 COE HILL DR.(1 RENNIE TERRACE) Bill Roberts has continued to negotiate with the lawyers for the City and the owner of 99 Coe Hill Drive with respect to the parking spaces on the top of the ravine partially on park lands). The matter is before the Ontario Municipal Board and conditions are being discussed The City Parks Department has indicated the lands are not needed for Parks purposes. In Light of this position SARA has requested that conditions should deal with runoff clean-up and that any permission should not be permanent. POLLS for FRONT YARD PARKING IL BOULEVARD CAFES As a "cost cutting" measure the City decided to no longer allow local communities to be polled when issues of front yard parking or boulevard cafes adjacent to residential areas come before the City. We view this as a rejection of participatory democracy and a view to removing the rights of neighbourhoods to consider whether they wish to have such uses. We have asked the City to reconsider this matter. Bill Roberts is handling thus issue. ELLIS AVENUE PROJECT SARA has opposed this proposed development because we do not believe the present proposal contains sufficient protection and guarantees relating to storm water management, enforceability of the provisions relating to tree cutting, and the issue of ensuring that building heights and setback; will be compatible with the character of the area and protecting views from the Park, among other issues. The City has hired a consultant to do a study of the site. Meanwhile applications are being made for severances and road construction permissions at the Committee of Adjustment by the owner. We view these as being inimitable to good planning. For more information contact: Tony Ten Kortenaar 763-7474 or Oleh Iwanyshyn at 762-6724. We wish you a happy summer and hope to see you at our Annual General Meeting and Election of Officers. Swansea Area Ratepayers' Association C/O Swansea Town Hall P.O. Box 103, 95 Lavinia Ave. Toronto. Ontario, M6S 3H9