Item - 2007.PG10.5

This report seeks Council approval to release the draft Design Guidelines for ‘Greening’ Surface Parking Lots (Attachment No.1) for stakeholder consultation. Council is also requested to grant interim authority, during the consultation period, for City staff to test and apply the draft Guidelines in the review and approval of new developments.

The Design Guidelines for ‘Greening’ Surface Parking Lots implement the Built Environment and Natural Environment policies of the City’s Official Plan (Chapters 3.1 and 3.4). The Guidelines also provide design options and strategies to implement many environmental performance targets of the Toronto Green Development Standard.

Typically, surface parking lot design focuses on accommodating vehicle movements, maximizing the number of parking spaces and ensuring ease of maintenance and servicing. Although these functional aspects are important, if applied alone, the urban design and environmental outcomes are often undesirable. Areas of concern include poor quality landscaping, unattractive streetscapes, minimum regard for pedestrian circulation, safety and comfort, excessive stormwater run-off, and an increase in the urban heat island effect.

‘Greening’ the surface parking lot involves planting trees, providing good quality soil and generous landscaped areas, enhancing pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, managing stormwater on-site, reducing the urban heat island effect, and using sustainable materials and technologies.

The Design Guidelines for ‘Greening’ Surface Parking Lots provide specific strategies and measures which developers, designers and reviewers of surface parking lots can apply to help meet Official Plan policies and environmental performance targets of the Toronto Green Development Standard.