Item - 2025.PH26.2

The Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and Executive Director, Environment, Climate and Forestry recommend that:

1. City Council adopt the Official Plan Amendment 857 in accordance with Attachment 1.

2. City Council adopt the Zoning By-law Amendment in accordance with Attachment 3.

3. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the recommended Official Plan Amendment 857 and Zoning By-law Amendment referred to in Recommendations 1 and 2 as may be required.

Toronto's trees are essential in addressing biodiversity loss, mitigating the impacts of climate change, and contributing to the development of attractive, livable and healthy neighbourhoods. New infill housing is needed to help address Toronto's housing crisis. This report presents proactive solutions to ensure the city's existing tree canopy is supported and that there is growing space for trees as new housing is built.

This report recommends Official Plan and City-wide Zoning By-law amendments to protect and enhance the city's tree canopy while supporting infill housing development and to address the impacts on the tree canopy and water management associated with iceberg homes (houses which exhibit a larger below ground footprint than their above ground footprint or with multi-storey basements). Staff undertook extensive consultation on the amendments and have made revisions following feedback from the public and stakeholders.

Recommended amendments to the Official Plan address objectives to protect and enhance the tree canopy and growing space for trees as part of both new and infill development in Neighbourhoods and Apartment Neighbourhoods.

Recommended amendments to the City-wide Zoning By-law address landscaping and setback regulations, including requirements that apply minimum building setbacks below ground (consistent with existing setbacks above ground) for all low-rise residential buildings (e.g. detached houses, semi-detached houses, townhouses, and multiplexes), except for apartment buildings, in the Residential Zone category.

This report also describes updates to conditions for Committee of Adjustment applications to require new trees and protect growing space, as well as five specific tree by-law amendment proposals that were consulted on in the fall that will be discussed in detail in a future report on the City's tree by-laws.

The City Planning and the Environment, Climate and Forestry divisions confirm that there are no financial implications resulting from the recommendations included in this report in the current budget year or in future years. Staffing resources and expertise needed to advance the due diligence required, and to support enabling work of any of the proposed strategies outlined in the report will be accommodated within the existing approved budgets for relevant City Divisions.

The Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer has reviewed this report and agrees with the financial implications as identified in the Financial Impact section.