Bloor West Village Residents Association

Nine members of BWVRA executive met with Councillor Bill Saundercook November 29/05 to discuss the application by developer Paul Wynn to build a 10-story, 50 + unit condominium on the site of the former Humber Odeon theatre at Jane and Bloor.

The Executive’s objections to this proposal as failing to make a contribution to the community, and failing to merit the upgraded zoning it requires (see background) were repeated by BWVRA Chair Greg Hamara.

Councillor Saundercook, who has refused to state his position in four public meetings attended by concerned residents, was asked to reveal how he will vote when the application is expected to come before Community Council in January.

The Councillor said he is inclined to vote FOR the development.

Mr. Saundercook explained that he fears the City’s refusal to upgrade the zoning would result an appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) by the developer. The Councillor speculated that a less desirable (possibly higher) building could well result, given the OMB’s tendency to side with developers.

The Councillor told the BWVRA that his strategy is to tell the developer he will vote FOR the re-zoning, “subject to a number of conditions”. In this manner, Mr. Saundercook said he would hope to obtain a number of improvements in the design.

However, the Councillor declined to reveal what changes are on his list. Pressed for specifics, Mr. Saundercook refused to provide them, saying he would be compiling the list after further consultations with stakeholders.

Among those he proposed to consult further were, the BWVRA, SARA (Swansea Area Ratepayers Association), the Old Mill Residents Association, West of Jane residents who have attended the public meetings, and The Office for Urbanism (the planning group which helped the BWVRA draw up a comprehensive analysis of the proposal).

The BWVRA officers pointed out that almost all of the above have already made their negative views clear at meetings and in written submissions. He agreed that he could not name a single person or entity, save for the developer, who is in favour of the proposal.

The Executive members strongly objected when the Councillor stated that he planned to consult only after the proposal went to Community Council, fearing that this left the major issues unresolved before a crucial vote.

Councillor Saundercook therefore agreed that he would consult and compile his list of conditions well ahead of the January meeting. He further undertook to present them to the developer and require him to respond before the Community Council meeting. It was agreed that the point of the exercise is to determine whether the developer will show new and increased flexibility in order to earn the support of Councillor Saundercook and at least some segments of the Bloor West community at large.

The BWVRA Executive has requested one last meeting this month with the Councillor in an attempt to argue that the project must either be substantially changed, or opposed.

Our meeting with Councillor Saundercook made one thing clear: he needs to hear more from the community to help him take the measure of its unhappiness with a proposal that is unworthy of such a prominent site as the old Humber Odeon.

We urge you to contact the Councillor directly to express your opinion. This website has photos and all the background you need on the proposal, along with a report detailing how it fails to comply (PDF, 1.6MB) with the Bloor West Village Urban Design Study (PDF, 9.5Mb).

Please write or call Councillor Saundercook, urging him to act now on his commitments and to press the developer hard for substantive changes to such aspects as the building’s setback from Bloor Street, setbacks from neighbouring buildings, its height, and the blank sides that would dominate the Bloor West streetscape.

Councillor_Saundercook@toronto.ca or call 416-392-4072

Greg Hamara
President BWVRA
On behalf of the BWVRA Executive
Dec 5, 2005

More than 50 brave driving rain to attend BWVRA forum

Despite torrential rains, more than fifty Bloor West residents attended the BWVRA’s forum on our “Vanishing Urban Forest”. Guest speakers confirmed that the city’s mature tree cover is changing and is under threat – and that inadequate resources have been allocated by the City to do much about it. The meeting heard that much can, and should be done by residents to protect this key element of our natural and economic environment, and to move it up the political agenda.

The Current Situation

Toronto’s Chief Forester Richard Ubbens says aerial studies show that Toronto has a tree cover on 17 to 21% of its area. Preserving it and expanding it is a constant challenge because plans are developed but not funded by the City. He says last year’s proposals for $11 million of investment in the urban forest was reduced by Council to just $1-million. Shelley Petrie, Executive Director of the Toronto Environmental Alliance, noted that ideally 40% cover is needed for a healthy urban environment. There are some 3-million trees in Toronto and only 200 forestry staff to care for them, meaning even some trees posing public safety hazards are not being dealt with. One resident who attended displayed a picture of a large tree that fell on his home after its condition was left unattended.

The Threats

Ubbens says construction of new roads and buildings eat into the city’s tree cover, while Regina Gudelis, Supervisor of Urban Forestry Planning and Protection, noted the problems of pollution, parking pads, pests, and age.

Parking pads sparked an extended debate. Gudelis says a number of Bloor West homeowners, frustrated with parking problems, have “re-landscaped” their front yards only to create illegal pads that cut into the roots of mature trees. Bylaw enforcement officers will issue stop orders if alerted to work that threatens a mature tree, either on private of public land.

Urban Forestry often turns down applications for new pads that threaten tree roots, but finds those decisions routinely overturned by City Councillors at Community Council. Shelley Petrie argued that their legal power to do so, should be removed.

Richard Ubbens says the parking pads issue consumes huge amounts of administrative time. Over the years he says he has seen enormous public support for them, but that they have changed the landscape to a “staggering” degree, and when people realize how much they often change their views.

Another threat to our mature trees is that which makes them so special: their age. More and more trees are coming to the end of their natural life span. The City is taking some actions to extend their lives, but resources are scarce. Regina Gudelis says it’s important for residents to care for all trees on their properties by keeping mowers and weed whackers away from surface roots, watering in dry times, and keeping them moist by applying mulch. NB: wood chips are available from the City’s Rockliffe yard.

The one long-term solution is for residents to plant young trees now to introduce a mix of ages to the canopy of the Village. The City will plant trees for free on the strip of City owned land in front of your home, but will only do so if you request one and undertake to water it regularly for the three years it takes to establish itself. Planting is best done in Fall and Spring. Call 416-338-TREE (8733) for information on species – you can order for the Spring!

Responding to a resident’s question, Richard Ubbens also noted that cutting continues in order to contain and hopefully eliminate the Asian Longhorn Beetle. But, the Emerald Ash Borer, which has moved from the U.S. into Southwest Ontario, poses an enormous risk to our trees since these imported pests have no natural predators. The City’s website has more information.

Bloor Street’s Troubled Trees

Residents asked why Bloor Street’s trees are in such poor condition and wondered whether potting them isn’t the problem. Richard Ubbens says these trees are usually over gas lines, and so have to be restricted to a shallow growth area. The pots, which have open bottoms, create extra root space above ground. The Chief Forester agreed that the pots are homely and assured the meeting that new design is nicer and larger. However, there is no plan to replace old ones because of the high cost.

Regina Gudelis says the problem with Bloor’s trees remains a mystery. Commercial trees on Annette and Dundas have done much better. But, planting in different seasons, with different varieties hasn’t worked on Bloor Street. The trees have been replaced four times in 12 years. The City will try talking to merchants about helping to care for the trees.

Pruning & Butchering

Does “pruning” go to far? Some residents have noticed crews carrying out what appear to be radical and unsightly degrees of “pruning” of mature trees. Ms. Gudelis explained that the City sometimes does major limb cutting to get trees to grow up rather than out, to deal with ones that come into contact with homes or cause excessive shadowing. She notes that people have the right to enjoy their properties and that this right is balanced against the need for large, healthy trees. Residents have the right to trim private trees overhanging their properties from neighbouring properties, but not to the degree of injuring them, which is a bylaw offence.

Guidelines, rights and responsibilities are outlined on the City’s website.

The Way Ahead

There are areas of the Bloor West Village where the trees on entire streets are coming of age. The canopy of trees in our area is changing. Mature trees are under increasing pressure from various threats – some of which residents can ease with due consideration and vigilance. But, the areas with the greatest potential for “reforestation” are in private hands.

Quick fixes do not usually work. Nursery trees (even larger ones) tend to fail more when replanted, then grow more slowly than ones planted as saplings. So, residents were told we need to finds spots both on their own land, and on the City owned frontage of their lots, where young large specie trees (eg: oaks) can be planted and well tended.

Residents also need to push the issue of Urban Forestry funding with our Councillors. The shortage of resources to deal with the issues residents brought to the November forum came up time and again.

Council will discuss the operations budget for Urban Forestry in January. Make your views known to the Mayor, to Councillor Saundercook, and Councillor Joe Pantalone, the point man on Council for trees.

As Shelley Petrie pointed out the issue is not just money, it’s planning. No strategy plan exists to reach the stated goal of increasing the urban canopy.

New areas for tree planting need to be opened up/created, Petrie said: parking lots in malls, boulevards, and derelict sites. Trees have yet to be worked into the planning process, making them a condition for granting zoning for extra density, for example. Trees have yet to be made part of the infrastructure (like sewer and water) of newly planned communities. Petrie points out that trees provide economic benefits (eg: energy savings from shade, water drainage) – and pointed to the State of Georgia as providing a model for the above.

FIND OUT MORE!

For information about tree bylaws, threats, what you can do, and your rights see: http://www.toronto.ca/trees/index.htm

The City’s FAQs on trees: http://www.toronto.ca/faq/trees.htm

Local Enhancement & Appreciation of Forests (LEAF) – provides links to a range of information sites, including a guide to caring for urban forests.

LEAF’s Essential guide for tree owners – bone up here! Advice on planting, caring, choosing a species, etc.

To find out about getting a free tree planted on the City owned frontage of your lot call 416-338-TREE (8733). A pamphlet is available listing and illustrating the species from which you can choose. Order now to plant for Spring ’06!

If you have any questions or comments, or want to relate an experience you’ve had, please contact us: info@bwvra.ca