Northern Light
Superstar
The EHON - Expanded as of-right-zoning for major streets is coming to this week's Design Review Panel:
Meeting is on Thursday
Meeting is on Thursday
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Zoning Reform Ideas
- Thread starter A Torontonian Now
- Start date
Northern Light
Superstar
A couple of significant zoning related initiatives are up on the agenda for the next Planning and Housing Ctte.
One of these is the (draft) final version of the new Mid-rise performance standards, notably, how they relate to the angular plane.
The report delivers substantial new flexibility, as was previously proposed, and is now generally being granted in practice while protecting the underlying principle.
I am extracting some key bits from the above:
Comments: I am very pleased; I see my fingerprints all over this......... I think this is pragmatic, practical and helpful in every way.
One of these is the (draft) final version of the new Mid-rise performance standards, notably, how they relate to the angular plane.
The report delivers substantial new flexibility, as was previously proposed, and is now generally being granted in practice while protecting the underlying principle.
I am extracting some key bits from the above:
Comments: I am very pleased; I see my fingerprints all over this......... I think this is pragmatic, practical and helpful in every way.
Last edited:
Northern Light
Superstar
The harmonization of the R-Zone permissions with a general emphasis on more permissiveness and flexibility is also moving forward at the next meeting of P&H.
Northern Light
Superstar
Th
The above was today..............
This segment begins at about 1:27 on the video (note, that is time remaining)
This was the first slide to jump out at me:
Note that 41% of Neighbourhood designated (yellowbelt) properties that abut major streets are rear-facing or flanking (meaning, generally, that its a back or side yard fence that faces the major street)
Issues for the Panel:
Panel comments:
Some concern over car-orientation on both sides of a rear-facing site
Some concern over whether Tier 1 Green Standards may be an impediment to smaller apartments.
Pick-up/Drop off areas within the zoning by-law represent an unreasonable barrier to development.
Meg Graham was assertive in asking whether the City had consulted architects who design these types of buildings routinely to see whether they're really buildable
The short answer from staff was 'no'. And you could see the 'eye roll'. I don't blame her. She offered staff to have an email exchange so staff could gain constructive input.
The above was represented more gently expressed sentiment from others that there were real barriers to these examples from the City as to buildability.
General sense of the presentation being confusing.
Staff: Townhouse vs Apartment is not dictated by site, so long as the boxes/pro-formas check-out.
Panel: Too many housing types w/too many rules to examine properly all at once.
This needs more time.
Risk of developers gaming the proposed rules.
May not be sufficient infrastructure to support this in all areas. (schools and libraries mentioned)
Ralph Giannone: "Plans are not Plans unless they can be executed" ; "30 units is crap!" - Ralph is seething about this particular issue.
He goes on to give an example of a project of his, rebuilding a Keg restaurant and that he promised them/client to deliver approval of what should be an straight-forward SPA a timeline of six-eight months, and that is now 11 months and counting.
He's adamant that rules and boxes need to be simpler, more straight-forward and easier.
Paul Kulig: We're missing opportunities by omitting 'minor streets' that are greater than 20M ROW.
Paul: Getting rid of FSI is great, but details are important.
Other Panelist: Parking Maximums / restrictions required. Too car centric to let the market dictate.
Meg: This is too wild west, it will look and be awful. There is a need for this, for more liberalization/intensification, but it needs more direction.
Forms shown here are backward looking, lacking in innovation, will not achieve what is required from an urban perspective. Need more porosity in urban fabric. Once in a generational opportunity, what we've got here will not come close.
No vote was to taken here (none was scheduled)
The above was today..............
This segment begins at about 1:27 on the video (note, that is time remaining)
This was the first slide to jump out at me:
Note that 41% of Neighbourhood designated (yellowbelt) properties that abut major streets are rear-facing or flanking (meaning, generally, that its a back or side yard fence that faces the major street)
Issues for the Panel:
Panel comments:
Some concern over car-orientation on both sides of a rear-facing site
Some concern over whether Tier 1 Green Standards may be an impediment to smaller apartments.
Pick-up/Drop off areas within the zoning by-law represent an unreasonable barrier to development.
Meg Graham was assertive in asking whether the City had consulted architects who design these types of buildings routinely to see whether they're really buildable
The short answer from staff was 'no'. And you could see the 'eye roll'. I don't blame her. She offered staff to have an email exchange so staff could gain constructive input.
The above was represented more gently expressed sentiment from others that there were real barriers to these examples from the City as to buildability.
General sense of the presentation being confusing.
Staff: Townhouse vs Apartment is not dictated by site, so long as the boxes/pro-formas check-out.
Panel: Too many housing types w/too many rules to examine properly all at once.
This needs more time.
Risk of developers gaming the proposed rules.
May not be sufficient infrastructure to support this in all areas. (schools and libraries mentioned)
Ralph Giannone: "Plans are not Plans unless they can be executed" ; "30 units is crap!" - Ralph is seething about this particular issue.
He goes on to give an example of a project of his, rebuilding a Keg restaurant and that he promised them/client to deliver approval of what should be an straight-forward SPA a timeline of six-eight months, and that is now 11 months and counting.
He's adamant that rules and boxes need to be simpler, more straight-forward and easier.
Paul Kulig: We're missing opportunities by omitting 'minor streets' that are greater than 20M ROW.
Paul: Getting rid of FSI is great, but details are important.
Other Panelist: Parking Maximums / restrictions required. Too car centric to let the market dictate.
Meg: This is too wild west, it will look and be awful. There is a need for this, for more liberalization/intensification, but it needs more direction.
Forms shown here are backward looking, lacking in innovation, will not achieve what is required from an urban perspective. Need more porosity in urban fabric. Once in a generational opportunity, what we've got here will not come close.
No vote was to taken here (none was scheduled)
smably
Senior Member
Plot twist, Sean Fraser sent a letter to Olivia Chow today listing eight housing reforms he'd like to see before handing out Housing Accelerator Fund money. There's some juicy stuff in there:
Apparently Chow is on board and we'll hear more in December.
via https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/toronto-housing-accelerator-fund-conditions-1.7038873
Apparently Chow is on board and we'll hear more in December.
via https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/toronto-housing-accelerator-fund-conditions-1.7038873
Northern Light
Superstar
Plot twist, Sean Fraser sent a letter to Olivia Chow today listing eight housing reforms he'd like to see before handing out Housing Accelerator Fund money. There's some juicy stuff in there:
View attachment 522791
Apparently Chow is on board and we'll hear more in December.
via https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/toronto-housing-accelerator-fund-conditions-1.7038873
More or less, underway now.
Haven't heard of anything on this file, but haven't looked closely either
When it comes to Planning Applications, the above is mostly done now, with SPAs and CoA's not going through Council at all.
Where this does not exist is tree removals, and fence exemptions among other things that do waste a bit of Council time; but fixing that wouldn't really change approval times for anything.
This is exactly what I posted about above; that process is underway; but its a bit bungled for reasons also noted; we do want to be careful to pass the correct version of the policy.
Angular planes are already relaxed in practice and that will be policy by early next year. I disagree with removing the shadow restrictions on parks and schools. The problem is that its not one new building and some shadow
its all the new buildings and everything in shadow once you wander down the rabbit hole.
I don't think kids should have to play indoors because the school yard is dark, windy and cold.
Toronto already abolished parking minimums.
Already done.
Sure....I wasn't aware Toronto was turning away millions in donations to pay for affordable housing....... but why not.
***
Overall, the letter/demands look bad to me, because they include things already done, suggesting the Minister and his staff copy/pasted rather than looking at the truth on the ground.
Outside of the shadow issue, I'm fine w/the above.
smably
Senior Member
Wait, we already have BC-style pre-approved designs for multiplexes? News to me, if so. That, plus BC-style as-of-right zoning near transit stations, were the items that I found most interesting.
Northern Light
Superstar
No, the pre-approved design idea is still to come, but truthfully it is in BC too.....when you get into the nitty gritty.
I was meaning we have PMTSA implementation zoning passed in dozens of spots.
just east of the creek
Active Member
From Burlington, maybe not quite the NIMBY city one would suppose, but regardless, a positive step forward. Let’s see what the next steps are and what follows.
www.insidehalton.com
Burlington sets path for density increase by signalling intention to allow four residential units per lot
ARU, tiny homes, Density
www.insidehalton.com
evandyk
Senior Member
Toronto housing survey. Make your views heard. Don't let the NIMBY local opposition to everything be the only voice out there.
s.cotsurvey.chkmkt.com
- EHON Major Streets Survey
s.cotsurvey.chkmkt.com
allengeorge
Senior Member
Related to what @evandyk posted above, and on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/toronto/s/PC417Bqnp9
It’s critical to make your voice heard. Opponents are doing so already.
It’s critical to make your voice heard. Opponents are doing so already.
evandyk
Senior Member
I’m going to fill in the survey on every device I own!
evandyk
Senior Member
God forbid your semi detached house should have neighbours only 7.5 metres away!
rdaner
Senior Member
Done
Towered
Superstar
******* Etobians.