Town of Markham

REPORT TO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES COMMITTEE

 

 

 

TO:

Mayor and Members of Council

 

 

FROM:

Jim Baird, Commissioner of Development Services

John Wright, Director of Building Standards

 

 

 

PREPARED BY:

Geoff Day, Zoning Examiner

 

 

 

DATE OF MEETING:

July 7, 2003

 

 

SUBJECT:

Ground Sign Variances

Imperial Oil

380 Main Street North

Applications # 03-111933, 03-111934

 

 

 

 

RECOMMENDATION:

 

THAT the ground sign variances, applications # 03-111933, 03-111934 submitted by Imperial Oil, be approved;

 

AND THAT a proposed amendment to Section 10.4.2 of "Sign By-law" 2002-94, which would delete the word readograph sign and replace it with internally illuminated and/or electronic readograph sign, and delete section 10.4.3 in its entirety, be included in the next amendment to the “Sign By-law” to permit this type of sign in Special Sign Districts.

 

BACKGROUND:

 

The subject property is zoned HC2 (Highway Commercial Two) under By-law 304-87, as amended, which is located on the southwest corner of 16th Avenue and Main Street North. 

 

The following chart illustrates the variances requested.

 

Sign Type

Permitted under By-law

Proposed

Ground Signs with electric readograph

Only non-electric readograph permitted for religious institutions

Ground Signs with electric readograph

 

OPTIONS/DISCUSSION:

 

Under the current sign By-law passed in May of 2002, no variances have been approved. 

At its meeting on June 11, 2003, Heritage Markham indicated that it had no objection to the proposed ground signs.  Heritage Section staff have no objection to the variances given the nature of the business and the proposed design of the ground signs.

 

Section 10.4.2 of the Sign By-law specifically prohibits readograph signs in Special Sign Districts.  However, Section 10.4.3 allows permanent non-electronic readograph signs for religious institutions only.  The discriminatory nature of such a provision eliminates any other type of businesses, (where information is changing on a frequent basis) from utilizing this form of media.  There does not seem to be a logical rationale for this prohibition.

 

Therefore the Building Department recommends that the ground sign variances be approved and an amendment be drafted to permit readograph signage for any business type.

 

INTER DEPARTMENTAL IMPLICATIONS:

 

The By-law Enforcement and Licensing Department is responsible for the inspection and enforcement of the Sign By-law. 

 

 

ATTACHMENTS:

 

Figure 1 - Applicant

Figure 2 – Site Location

Figure 3 - Proposed Building Canopy Signs

Figure 4 – Site Plan

Figure 5 - Photographs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

____________________________________            _________________________________________               

John Wright, Director of Building Standards                  Jim Baird, Commissioner of Development Services                       

 

Q:\Building\Data\Signvari\380 Main Street North.doc

 

 

FIGURE 1 - Applicant

 

APPLICANT:                        Imperial Oil Limited             

                                                111 St Clair Ave. West

                                                Toronto, ON

                                                M5N 1K3              

 

 

 

 

 

FIGURE 2 – Site Location

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FIGURE 3 - Proposed Signs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FIGURE 4 – Site Plan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FIGURE 5 – Photographs

 

 

 

View looking northwest from Main Street Markham

 

 

View looking south at the corner of Main Street Markham and 16th Avenue

FIGURE 5 – Photographs cont’d

 

 

 

 

View looking east from the north side of 16th Avenue