Item - 2019.PH7.1

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council amend the Official Plan substantially in accordance with the draft Official Plan Amendment 460 appended as Attachment 4 to the report (June 5, 2019) from The Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

2. City Council amend the draft Zoning By-law Amendment appended as attachment 5 to the report (June 5, 2019) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, by removing the Asquith-Collier, Ramsden Park, and Yorkville neighbourhoods as delineated in Site and Area Specific Policy 211 of the Official Plan, from the area to which the proposed By-law amendment will apply.

3. City Council amend Zoning By-law 569-2013, as amended, substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment appended as Attachment 5 to this report (June 5, 2019) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and as amended by Recommendation 2 above.

4. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the draft Official Plan Amendment and Draft Zoning By-law Amendment as may be required.

5. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to consider permitting laneway suites within the Asquith-Collier, Ramsden Park, and Yorkville neighbourhoods as part of the ongoing review of Site and Area Specific Policy 211.

6. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, as part of the monitoring report, to review all minor variance applications for laneway suites and include an analysis and discussion of these applications in the laneway suites report originally directed by City Council at its meeting on June 26, 2018 in its decision on Item TE33.3.

 
7. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to consult with the Federation of North Toronto Residents Associations as part of the consultation undertaken for the monitoring report noted in Recommendation 7, above.

 
8. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with appropriate city officials, to initiate a staff training program within all City Districts to ensure consistent city-wide understanding and application of the Laneway Suites Policies and By-law provisions.

The Planning and Housing Committee held a statutory public meeting on July 3, 2019, and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

On June 26, 2018, City Council approved Official Plan Amendment 403 and Zoning By-law Amendment 810-2018 to allow laneway suites within the boundaries of the Toronto and East York District as the boundaries existed in 2018. This report recommends extending permissions for Laneway Suites to areas adjacent to public laneways zoned for low-rise residential uses across the City.

Laneway suites are considered a type of second unit permitted by the Official Plan.  A laneway suite is a self-contained residential unit, subordinate to a primary dwelling, in which both kitchen and bathroom facilities are provided and located on a lot within an ancillary building, adjacent to a public laneway. Laneway suites provide an additional form of contextually appropriate low-rise housing within the City's neighbourhoods and are part of complete communities. They can provide more opportunities for people to live close to where they work, shop, and play and, can help make the city's urban lanes more green, liveable, and safe. Laneway suites can contribute to increasing the supply of rental housing and provide additional housing options for households at different ages and life stages.

On February 12, 2019, Planning and Housing Committee requested that City Planning, in consultation with appropriate staff, undertake a review and consultation on expanding the current policy and regulatory framework for laneway suites city-wide. This report responds to Planning and Housing Committee's request.