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Bulletin of Events, Activities and Trends |
FoNTRA Newsletter - September 2024 |
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Dear Association Contact
This email is the ninth edition of our monthly eNewsletter - with information on upcoming meetings and other activities across the City.
September is a month of transitions, celebrations, and awareness. September is often called the Harvest Month as it is the time to gather the last of the summer crops. City Staff are now filling our calendars with consultations on proposed changes to neighbourhoods across the City. Make sure you provide your input on matters of importance to your community.
Our lead article this month focusses on Committee of Adjustment processes that allow Committee members to approve additional storeys (floors) to previously approved applications without community consultations.
We also alert you to a number of consultations scheduled on changes to Avenues that will impact many neighbourhoods across the City. Check to see if these consultations are applicable to your area. As well there are consultations on changes to parking requirements and adding low density residential areas that are have been previously excluded from the City’s Zoning Bylaw.The Save the Ontario Science Centre group has launched an initiative designed to engage school children in a letter writing campaign. This is great way to add more voices to the support the broader advocacy program.
Feel free to share the contents with fellow residents and neighbours.
Best regards,
Geoff and Cathie
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Committee of Adjustment When is Minor, really Major? |
Photo Credit: Gupta Group |
CBC News: Leaside residents say higher tower project left them blindsidedResidents of Leaside, a midtown Toronto neighborhood, are opposing a developer’s plan to increase the height of a proposed residential tower from 22 to 25 storeys. The Leaside Residents Association and the Broadway Area Residents Association had initially agreed with the Gupta Group on a 22-storey tower. However, the developer later applied for a “minor variance” to add five more storeys, and the city’s committee of adjustment approved an additional three storeys. Geoff Kettel, co-president of the Leaside Residents Association, expressed shock and frustration, noting that the extra height would add 33 more units, which he argues is not a minor change.
This tactic of using the committee of adjustment to seek increased building heights after agreements have been reached is becoming more common, according to the residents’ groups. Similar cases include a project at 300 Bloor St. West, where a request to add five storeys was denied, and another at 316 Bloor St. West, where a height increase was approved in exchange for a $1 million contribution to community facilities. The committee of adjustment is traditionally used for minor changes to properties, but residents like Kettel see this trend as an erosion of democratic processes.
The residents’ associations are considering taking their concerns to the city’s ombudsman. They argue that these “sneaky” tactics by developers undermine the agreements made with city planners and residents. Despite inquiries, neither the Gupta Group nor State Building responded to CBC Toronto. The issue has raised broader concerns about the role of the committee of adjustment and the need for potential changes to provincial rules to address residents’ concerns.
Click HERE to read the full CBC article.
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City Planning: Housing Action Plan - Avenues, Mid-rise and Mixed Use Areas Study
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As part of its Housing Action Plan, the City of Toronto is reviewing and updating City-wide Zoning By-law 569-2013’s default height permissions and performance standards that regulate development of Mid-rise Buildings on Avenues in areas where the City and community have not completed an Avenue Study. The height and density permissions for these areas would also be increased to align with Official Plan and Urban Design Guidelines criteria for mid-rise buildings. These changes would enable the “as-of-right” development of mid-rise buildings and simplify their design and construction in the affected parts of the Avenues identified on this Map (Proposals Report).Meeting Details:
- Date: Tuesday, September 10, 2024
- Time: 6:30 to 8:30PM
- Location: Virtual
- Registration required: LINK
The Final Report for the as-of-right mid-rise Zoning By-law Amendment is scheduled for the Planning and Housing Committee meeting on October 30, 2024, and city planners would like to hear your comments and feedback as they work to finalize the changes.
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City Planning: Avenues Policy Review - Invitation to Residents’ Associations
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Photo Credit: City Planning |
These meetings are part of the City’s initial consultation on the Avenues Policy Review, which includes both public and stakeholder consultation. The purpose of these meetings is to consult with Resident Associations on the Avenues Policy Review, which is one part of the City’s Housing Action Plan (HAP).
Meeting Details:- Time: 6:00 to 8:00PM
- Location: Virtual
- Date: Wednesday, September 18, 2024 - LINK
- Date: Tuesday, September 24, 2024 - LINK
Through the Avenues Policy Review, City Planning staff are looking at opportunities to:- update the vision and policy direction for how Avenues will develop;
- extend and potentially introduce new Avenues;
- streamline study requirements for building new housing along Avenues;
- consider opportunities to create areas of transition between Avenues and Neighbourhoods to enable more housing.
For background information you can read the proposals report that was adopted by the Planning and Housing Committee on February 28, 2024. For more information about this and similar initiatives, please visit the project webpage. A second round of engagement will be scheduled in the fall to discuss revisions to the proposals based on feedback from this initial round of engagement.
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City Planning: Zoning By-law Parking Requirements Review Meetings
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Photo Credit: Pexels lum3n |
New developments in Toronto are required to provide automobile and bicycle parking based on standards in zoning by-laws. The City of Toronto is currently reviewing the accessible parking and bicycle parking standards in the city-wide Zoning By-law (569-2013).
The City will be holding a series of online meetings to present the draft proposal of updated accessible parking and bicycle parking requirements as well as to report the preliminary findings on the impacts of new auto parking-related standards. The consultations with interested parties and the public will inform the final recommendations. Both scheduled meetings on each of the two topics will cover the same content. Please register for an upcoming public meeting:
Accessible Parking:
Date: Tuesday, Sept 17 - 3:00 to 5:00PM - LINK
Date: Wednesday, Sept 18 - 6:00 to 8:00PM - LINK
Bicycle Parking:
Date: Tuesday, Sept 17 - 6:00 to 8:00PM - LINK
Date: Wednesday, Sept 18 - 1:00 to 3:00PM - LINK
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City Planning: As-of-Right Zoning for Mid-rise Buildings on Avenues without Avenue Studies
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Image by macrovector on Freepik |
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Virtual consultation on the final proposed As-of-Right Zoning Permissions as part of the Housing Action Plan project to facilitate Mid-rise Buildings on Avenues without Avenue Studies.
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Meeting Details:
- Date: Tuesday, September 10, 2024 - LINK
- Time: 6:30 to 8:30PM
- Location: Virtual
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City Planning: Incorporating Low-rise Residential Lands into Zoning By-law 569-2013
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Image by pikisuperstar on Freepik |
Zoning By-law 569-2013 is the City’s city-wide zoning by-law which contains regulations directing the location and development standards for land uses, such as residential, commercial, and parks. Incorporating low-rise residential lands into Zoning By-law 569-2013 is a component of the City’s Housing Action Plan that seeks to achieve or exceed the provincial housing target of 285,000 new homes over the next 10 years.
Meeting Details:
- Date: Tuesday, September 17, 2024 - LINK
- Time: 6:30 to 8:30PM
- Location: Virtual
Low-rise residential lands are to be developed with detached houses, semi-detached houses, duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes. This study will explore potential changes to Zoning By-law 569-2013 with the aim of removing barriers, easing administration, and enabling the creation of more housing. This will also ensure the consistent and equitable application of important city-building initiatives such as recent Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods (EHON) and the review of parking requirements for new development.
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SOSC: Kids can Save the Ontario Science Centre Writing Campaign
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Ontario's kids deserve to have a say in the future of the Ontario Science Centre.
If you're a parent or a teacher, please download our activities package and encourage the kids in your life to share their love for the OSC with Premier Ford and your local MPP.
Kids can write a letter to the premier, draw a picture, even show Premier Ford how old they will be when the new science centre is opened at Ontario Place.Find out more about the campaign with this LINK.
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September is Survey Month |
City of Toronto: Action Plan for Toronto’s Culture Sector - Due by September 12th From September 2023 to April 2024, the City engaged with over 3,600 residents, both virtually and in person, to help inform the development of a new ten-year Action Plan. For a summary of key findings from the community consultation process, please see our 'What We Heard' report.
The City has developed draft priorities for the Action Plan based on the feedback from community engagement, and research on best practices from other cities. This survey seeks your input on the draft priorities. The survey will take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete and will remain open until September 12, 2024.
Click here to take the survey.
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City of Toronto: Renovictions Survey - Due by September 30th The City is developing a new bylaw aimed at preventing Renovictions (when a landlord illegitimately evicts a tenant by alleging that a unit is needed for renovations or repairs). Renovictions have become a serious issue in Toronto, disproportionately affecting low-income and marginalized communities. As such, the City is seeking to adopt a new bylaw, modeled after successful initiatives in other cities, to strengthen protections for tenants.
Click here to take the survey.
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City of Toronto: Indoor Temperatures in Apartment Survey - Due by September 30th The City of Toronto is seeking feedback from members of the public and residents, particularly those living in leased residential premises, about the current state of temperature regulations in Toronto, recent thermal comfort in their living spaces, and the feasibility of implementing measures that maintain indoor air temperatures throughout the year. Your feedback will help staff report back to the Planning and Housing Committee at the end of 2024.
Click here to take the survey.
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Eventbrite: Global Walking Tour "Vertical Villages" - September 12th
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Join CTBUH* Canada board member and tour guide, James Parakh, as he leads the Toronto leg of the tour on Thursday September 12 at 4 pm, starting at CN Tower. James Parakh is a Manager, Urban Design, City Planning and is a CTBUH Fellow, and Chair of the CTBUH Urban Habitat Assembly.
The tour will explore tall buildings and their related urban realm in downtown. Tour participants will be invited for additional networking after the walk at Town Crier.* The CTBUH (Council of Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat) will sponsor tours in 14 cities including Aukland, Chicago, London, Madrid, New York City, Shanghai, Singapore and many more.
More information and ticket purchase HERE.
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Eventbrite: Forum to Reimagining Ontario's Rental Market - September 17th
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Join the Urban Economy Forum the World Urban Pavilion in Regent Park for an insightful and engaging discussion on housing and the urban Sustainable Development Goals. This hybrid event is part of the World Urban Pavilion's Housing and Urban goals program, designed to explore the complexities and opportunities within Canada’s and Ontario's rental market, focusing on creating a more inclusive and fair housing landscape for all.
The session will explore various models for affordable renting, hearing from experts on how different countries implement rent control to benefit renters. More information and ticket purchase HERE.
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Eventbrite: ACO Symposium on Intangible Heritage - September 29th
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Intangible Heritage can relate to traditions, activities, commerce, communities, identities, and storytelling. There’s a sense in which all heritage has intangible elements.
While it certainly has relationships with physical spaces, what makes Intangible Heritage different from built heritage is that its significance lies outside traditional evaluations of architectural merit. It is use, not aesthetics, that defines Intangible Heritage.
More information and ticket purchase HERE.
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FoNTRA recommended read for the month is a recent article by Stefan Novakovic a staff writer with Azure Magazine.
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Image Credit: Azure Magazine |
The article compares the architectural landscapes of London and Toronto, highlighting key differences and similarities:
Density and Scale: London’s Keybridge Estate, with its 1.2-hectare area and 598 units, is one of the densest places in the city. However, for a visitor from Toronto, this scale is relatively modest. Toronto frequently transforms former strip malls and warehouses into large master-planned developments that dwarf the Keybridge Estate.
Urban Fabric: London’s developments, such as those by Allies and Morrison, feature intimate, cobblestoned mews and laneways with ample seating, greenery, and red brick architecture. This creates a cozy, sociable environment that contrasts with the often sterile feel of new developments.
Architectural Projects: Allies and Morrison are also working on significant projects in Toronto, including the Mr. Christie’s cookie factory site and Beltline Yards. These projects aim to integrate a similar sensibility of urban density and sociability into Toronto’s urban fabric.
Cultural Context: The article notes that Toronto’s architectural practices often focus on mitigating impacts and preserving historical character. This contrasts with London’s approach, which blends new developments seamlessly into the existing urban fabric.
Evolution and Diversity: Toronto’s rapid evolution and cultural diversity are seen as its strengths. The city’s architectural evolution is driven by both local and international designers, fostering a dialogue between different architectural languages and civic values.
Overall, the article suggests that while London and Toronto have different approaches to urban development, both cities are evolving in ways that reflect their unique cultural and architectural contexts.
Stefan Novakovic is an award-winning writer and editor specializing in architecture, urbanism and design. You can find a the full Azure magazine article HERE.
Also read Stefan's article on the recent Toronto flood HERE.
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If you are aware of any upcoming events that may be of interest to residents' associations across the City, please let us know. Send the information about the event to info@fontra.ca
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Check out the FoNTRA website for the latest updates on events and activities across the city. The link to the FoNTRA website is HERE.
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