DEVELOPMENT SERVICES COMMITTEE
	TO:	Mayor and Members of Council
	FROM:	Jim Baird, Commissioner of Development Services Valerie Shuttleworth, Director of Planning & Urban Design
	PREPARED BY:	Elizabeth Wimmer, Senior Planner, Urban Design
	DATE OF MEETING:	2005-Jun-07
	SUBJECT:	Variance to the Fence By-Law 277-97 at 625 Cochrane Drive

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the report entitled “Variance to the Fence By-Law 277-97 at 625 Cochrane Drive” to Development Services Committee, dated June 7, 2005 be received;

AND THAT the request to grant relief from the provisions of the Fence By-Law 277-97 to permit a 1.8m high decorative metal screen fence in the front yard of a commercial office building (to screen a proposed backup generator unit) at 625 Cochrane Drive, whereas the by-law permits a maximum 1.2m high fence in the front yard, be approved.

PURPOSE:

The proposed fence variance is in response to Committee of Adjustment Application File No. A/30/05, in order to screen a generator unit.

BACKGROUND:

The owners of 625 Cochrane Drive have made an application to the Committee of Adjustment to request relief from the requirements of By-law 165-80, as amended, to permit a back-up emergency power generator to be located within the front yard of the building. The By-law does not permit any accessory industrial equipment to be located within a yard adjacent to the street. Urban Design staff submitted comments to the Committee of Adjustment to request the unit to be relocated to a side or rear yard. In discussions with the applicant they confirmed that operational constraints would prevent this. The applicant also confirmed that the need for an back-up emergency power generator is critical to the function of the building.

Urban Design staff conducted a site visit and determined that the generator could be acceptable in the front yard, provided the unit is screened with a permanent structure and associated landscape planting. The screening structure should be architecturally compatible with the building design and materials and will be subject to the approval of the Town Architect.

OPTIONS/DISCUSSION:

The applicant has submitted a satisfactory design solution. A decorative, aluminium, 1.8m high fence has been proposed to enclose the generator. The proposed material is an architectural material and is commonly incorporated in to commercial building design. The material has aluminium vertical louvered panels and the colour reflects that of the existing building. The back-up emergency generator is approximately 1.8m high and the fence will be required at that height in order to fully screen the unit from view.

Staff recommend the request for the variance to the fence By-Law 277-97 be approved based on the design submitted. (See appendix A)

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

No financial considerations are required.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS:

The unit will emit noise when it is running.

ACCESSIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS:

No accessibility considerations are required.

ENGAGE 21^ST CONSIDERATIONS:

No engage 21^st considerations are required.

BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:

Committee of Adjustment

By-law enforcement

ATTACHMENTS:

Appendix A/B

Valerie Shuttleworth, M.C.I.P., R.P.P. Director of Planning & Urban Design

Jim Baird, M.C.I.P., R.P.P. Commissioner of Development Services

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