War on fun update: patio applications for Campagnolo, Woodlot and more up for Valentine’s Day rejection
Summer—a.k.a. patio season—is still months away, but that isn’t stopping the Toronto and East York Community Council from raining on everyone’s parade in advance. Seven proposals for “boulevard café permits,” including from Campagnolo and the Queen West location of Dark Horse Espresso Bar, are on the agenda for the upcoming Valentine’s Day meeting of community council. In each and every case, city staff members have recommended that the application be denied. (To be fair, most of the time at least some nearby residents have opposed the patios.) At the same meeting, the Greektown on the Danforth Business Improvement Association will continue its battle against Toronto’s inconsistent rules on patio hours. Last year, a stretch of Danforth eateries won the right to keep their patios open until midnight, but a few party animals just couldn’t help themselves and broke curfew—so city staff has recommended the privilege be withdrawn. See the full list of doomed patio proposals after the jump:
[mappress mapid=”22″]
Dark Horse Espresso Bar
684 Queen St. W. (patio on Euclid Avenue)
Patio for 22 patrons
Staff report | Proposed floor plan
Campagnolo
832 Dundas St. W. (patio on Euclid Avenue)
Patio for 30 patrons
Staff report | Proposed floor plan
Woodlot Restaurant
293 Palmerston Ave.
Patio for five patrons
Staff report | Proposed floor plan
Café Stella
1261 Bloor St. W. (patio on St. Clarens Avenue)
Patio for 28 patrons
Staff report | Proposed floor plan
Mullins
537 College St. (patio on Euclid Avenue)
Patio for 49 patrons
Staff report | Proposed floor plan
Paris Bakery & Pastry
654 Lansdowne Ave. (patio on Wallace Avenue)
Patio for 40 patrons
Staff report | Proposed floor plan
White Swan Restaurant and Lounge
836B Danforth Ave.
Patio for five patrons
Staff report | Proposed floor plan
Greektown on the Danforth pilot project
Extended patio hours for the Greektown on the Danforth BIA
Staff report | List of participating businesses and violations
![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/food/campagnolo-woodlot-patios/&title=War on fun update: patio applications for Campagnolo, Woodlot and more up for Valentine’s Day rejection&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/darkhorse-patio-denied-624x373.jpg&description=[caption id="attachment_115553" align="aligncenter" width="656" caption="More like probably denied (Image: Jon Sufrin)"][/caption]
Summer—a.k.a. patio season—is still months away, but that isn’t stopping the Toronto and East York Community Council from raining on everyone’s parade in advance. Seven proposals for “boulevard café permits,” including from Campagnolo and the Queen West location of Dark Horse Espresso Bar, are on the agenda for the upcoming Valentine’s Day meeting of community council. In each and every case, city staff members have recommended that the application be denied. (To be fair, most of the time at least some nearby residents have opposed the patios.) At the same meeting, the Greektown on the Danforth Business Improvement Association will continue its battle against Toronto’s inconsistent rules on patio hours. Last year, a stretch of Danforth eateries won the right to keep their patios open until midnight, but a few party animals just couldn’t help themselves and broke curfew—so city staff has recommended the privilege be withdrawn. See the full list of doomed patio proposals after the jump:
[mappress mapid="22"]
Dark Horse Espresso Bar
684 Queen St. W. (patio on Euclid Avenue)
Patio for 22 patrons
Staff report | Proposed floor plan
Campagnolo
832 Dundas St. W. (patio on Euclid Avenue)
Patio for 30 patrons
Staff report | Proposed floor plan
Woodlot Restaurant
293 Palmerston Ave.
Patio for five patrons
Staff report | Proposed floor plan
Café Stella
1261 Bloor St. W. (patio on St. Clarens Avenue)
Patio for 28 patrons
Staff report | Proposed floor plan
Mullins
537 College St. (patio on Euclid Avenue)
Patio for 49 patrons
Staff report | Proposed floor plan
Paris Bakery & Pastry
654 Lansdowne Ave. (patio on Wallace Avenue)
Patio for 40 patrons
Staff report | Proposed floor plan
White Swan Restaurant and Lounge
836B Danforth Ave.
Patio for five patrons
Staff report | Proposed floor plan
Greektown on the Danforth pilot project
Extended patio hours for the Greektown on the Danforth BIA
Staff report | List of participating businesses and violations){kind=link}
In the 1261 Bloor Street West (Cafe Stella) report it incorrectly lists the contacted neighbors “A poll dated October 4, 2011 with the last date for filing a response being November 2, 2011 was conducted by the City Clerk’s Office, Elections and Registry Services for the Wallace Avenue flankage, in English and Portuguese, between the premises 193 – Wallace Avenue, 202 – 222 Wallace to determine neighbourhood support.”
Wallace ave is nowhere near 1261 Bloor St West. And coincidentally 193,202 and 222 Wallace are also listed in the Paris Bakery (654 Lansdowne Ave) report. This seems a bit fishy to me…
It’s not as uncomplicated as this. I tweeted out a link to the agenda yesterday, mentioning that the City sure seems to not want any new boulevard cafés. But someone at She Said Boom (of all places) pointed me to this OpenFile article, written by former Toronto Life blogger John Michael McGrath: http://toronto.openfile.ca/blog/curator-blog/exclusive/2011/better-know-community-council-thai-green-chili-edition
It reads, in part: “In this case, however, staff are recommending that community council deny the application [for Thai Green Chili’s patio]. Why? Because Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 313 says there can’t be a boulevard patio within 25 metres of a residential zone…city staff have their hands tied, according to local councillor Ana Bailão (Ward 18—Davenport). The municipal code forces them to recommend the application be denied. So Bailão will be recommending to her colleagues on Community Council that the application be approved, technically voting to overrule the staff recommendation.”
Weird, huh?
I feel sorry for many of these businesses as they have little knowledge about some of the convoluted by-laws.Many were put in to allow the city to stop applicants at the discretion of city staff.Councilors can over rule the staff and look like heroes for the next election.I have dealt with metro licensing and understand these tactics very well.I assure you in ward 19 mike layton will pass every one of these applications.
Just too bad the people involved had to go through this waste of taxpayers time and money.
really woodlot and white swan, patio for 5 patrons – what’s the point?
@ Travis
I’ve spent many summer nights after work standing on the Cameron’s patio – capacity 5 or 6 at most. It’s the closest Torontonians can get to the “privilage” of having a cold pint in front of the pub, chatting and people watching.
I can see Campangolo from my front porch — it’s a great restaurant and has beautified an ugly corner (remember run-down Coffee Time?). Like many of my neighbours, I signed the poll *in favour* of a patio. Unfortunately, not enough residents completed the poll, which the City takes as a negative response. A petition in favour of Camapngolo’s patio has since been submitted. Hope this makes a difference!
BTW, even though I can’t see the Press Club on Dundas, I can hear the noise from back patio every night in the summer (not that I’m complaining). How is this any different? And Campangolo doesn’t rage until 2 am…
War on fun? What fool wrote that? Obviously someone who does not have a patio meters from their home.
It’s no fun if you have to listen to the constant noise from patios.