Item - 2021.PH29.2

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council amend Zoning By-law 569-2013, as amended, substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendment appended as Attachment 4 to the report (November 9, 2021) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning;  

2. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the Draft Zoning By-law Amendment as may be required;

3. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning consult with staff in Seniors Services and Long-Term Care, and any other civic officials, on incorporating Laneway Suite recommendations and best practices to accommodate and support seniors living in missing middle housing as part of any future updates to Townhouse And Low-Rise Apartment Guidelines and/or any guideline documents developed resulting from the Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods initiative; and

4. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division and the General Manager, Parks, Forestry, and Recreation, in consultation with the Chief Building Official, the Director, Environment and Energy, and other civic officials, report to Planning and Housing Committee in the first quarter of 2023 or as soon as possible regarding potential strategies to protect and enhance the City’s tree canopy and growing space, while also supporting infill housing growth in the City’s Neighbourhoods.

5. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager, Parks, Forestry, and Recreation, in consultation with the Chief Building Official, the Director, Environment and Energy, and other civic officials to meet the City's TransformTO Net Zero Strategy and to increase onsite green space, landscaping and the tree canopy while striving to promote ecologically responsive construction techniques and materials.

6. City Council request the Chief Planner and  Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager, Parks, Forestry, and Recreation to investigate the feasibility of inspecting all completed laneway and garden suites and their compliance to the bylaws as it pertains to the percentage of growing space and tree canopy remaining in these lots.

7. City Council, direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager, Parks, Forestry, and Recreation, to require as a condition of approval of a laneway and garden suite, that, if applicable, a canopy tree be retained or planted elsewhere on the lot.

8. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to communicate with the Committee of Adjustment members that the City of Toronto in 2019 declared a climate emergency and that TransformTO Net Zero Strategy should be considered in all their decisions as it is affected by the impact of reduced growing space and loss tree canopies.

The Planning and Housing Committee held a statutory public meeting on November 25, 2021 and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

Laneway suites are a type of second unit permitted in the City of Toronto. A laneway suite is a self-contained residential unit located in its own building, often in the back yard, on a lot adjacent to a public laneway. Laneway suites provide an additional form of low-rise housing within the City's neighbourhoods and are part of complete communities. They 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 contribute to increasing the supply of rental housing and provide additional housing options for a variety of household configurations, and people in different stages of life.

On June 26, 2018, City Council approved Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments to allow laneway suites within the boundaries of the Toronto and East York District as the boundaries existed in 2018. On July 16, 2019, City Council expanded permission for laneway suites to low-rise residential zones in Zoning By-law 569-2013 across the City.  As of May 2021, 238 building permit applications for new laneway suites have been submitted to the City.

Along with approving bylaw and policy changes to allow the construction of laneway suites, City Council directed City staff monitor the implementation of laneway suites and report on a range of matters to Planning and Housing Committee. The City retained Gladki Planning Associates to assist the City in undertaking a thorough review of laneway suite applications. The City also held a variety of consultation events, visited numerous laneway suite properties, and hosted meetings with a variety of stakeholders including residents, the building industry, the many groups consulted on the 2018-2019 Changing Lanes Study, and Councillors offices.

This report discusses the outcome of the laneway suite review and monitoring work and recommends several strategic amendments to the laneway suite permissions to facilitate their construction and respond to community comments.