Toronto allows taller fences at Drake's mansion amid security concerns

The City of Toronto has granted Drake special permission to build fences twice as high as would otherwise be permitted, largely due to security concerns at his Bridle Path mega-mansion.

“The amount of people that try to come onto this property during the day and at night is very, very significant,” Brad Rafauli, vice-president of the Ferris Rafauli Architectural Design Build Group, told North York Community Council Monday.

“Security is really left in his hands.”

Rafauli was seeking permission on Drake’s behalf for an exemption from the city bylaw that restricts residential fences to two metres in height.

Drake’s mansion located on Park Lane Circle, which is still under construction, features several fences, walls, columns, and gates ranging from 3.0 to 4.4 metres, but his counsel argued that they blend into the property because the star has spent more than $1 million on 20-foot cedar trees to line them.

“It fits in with the neighbourhood,” Rafauli said.

But the property owner who shares a backyard lot line with Drake disagreed, arguing that the 4.4-metre “barrier wall” along the backyard’s edge casts an excessive shadow and sets a bad precedent.

“The brick wall is an eyesore to my clients in the neighbourhood as it can be observed from almost every single room of my clients’ residence,” the neighbour’s representative, Mandy Ng, said.

Councillors pointed out, however, that no other neighbours had expressed concerns and decided to grant Drake the bylaw exemption.

“There was very little opposition,” Jaye Robinson, the city councillor for the area, said. “There’s nothing lovelier than a whole row of beautiful trees, so we’re very impressed with the actual investment in trees on this particular property.”

Drake’s representative, meanwhile, stressed that the fence height was critical to his client’s security. Despite 24-hour security on the property, fans continually attempt to gain access to the site in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the mansion or the star, he said.

“Everyone knows where he eats, where he sleeps, and that has really freaked him out,” said Rafauli.

“Security is really, really high on the list.”
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