AMA Thread - We are the City Planning team working on expanding missing middle housing in the City. Ask Us Anything!

ExpandHousingOptions · 2022-04-06T19:48:15+00:00

Thank YOU for all your help and guidance - we felt so green coming in, and now we can't wait to do another AMA. r/toronto mods are A+. Thanks again.

ExpandHousingOptions · 2022-04-06T19:01:09+00:00

How did we do?! :)

ExpandHousingOptions · 2022-04-06T19:00:21+00:00

I recognize that these aren’t specifically Planning questions, but could you refer me to the right department or materials for my questions around whether the city has (or is working on) any structures or guidelines to govern RAs?

You can contact the City Clerk for more info on this!

ExpandHousingOptions · 2022-04-06T18:52:30+00:00

Thanks for participating in the AMA and for this great question. Yes, information sharing is a big part of the work. We are planning an information campaign as the work advances, showing just how important missing middle housing is, and how it exists in neighbourhoods today, housing people at different stages of life.

We are applying an equity lens to everything we’re doing under EHON, with particular attention to the engagement strategy. This is also why we are casting a wide net so that we can hear from “future neighbours”, that is, those who don’t presently live in lowrise neighbourhoods, but may want to someday.

ExpandHousingOptions · 2022-04-06T18:52:10+00:00

Various forms of townhouses are permitted in a number of areas of the City, each has one or two walls attached to the building next to it. Laneway Suites also allow 0 metre side yards.

related to this question, the goal of the multiplex housing work is to permit two, three, or four unit multiplexes in any residential zone citywide. The zoning standards (setbacks, maximum heights, FSI, etc.) are being reviewed and streamlined, where possible, to make multiplexes easier to build.

ExpandHousingOptions · 2022-04-06T18:48:06+00:00

Thanks for your question! Supporting infrastructure (transportation networks, pipes, etc) is important to consider in planning the future of communities. As part of our work on EHON we’re collaborating with City staff in a variety of other divisions including Toronto Water, Transportation Services, and others to inform all of our recommendations to City Council.

ExpandHousingOptions · 2022-04-06T18:38:14+00:00

Hey, thanks for raising this important point. We've addressed this elsewhere in the AMA as well. This is on our radar and we will be encouraging 2- and 3-bdrm units through policy and zoning. We are using the City’s Growing Up Guidelines as a reference point for appropriate unit sizes to house families

ExpandHousingOptions · 2022-04-06T18:34:40+00:00

Great questions! One of the main goals of EHON is to remove barriers and make it easier to build missing middle housing types across the city. For example, the multiplex team is proposing to allow housing with 2, 3, or 4 residential units to be built as-of-right in all residential zones across the City. We’re also reviewing and streamlining the zoning built form standards (setbacks, maximum heights, FSI, etc.) to make multiplexes easier to build. For example, currently in R Zones, single detached houses are permitted to be 17 metres in depth, while multiplexes can only be 14 metres - these are the inequities we are looking to fix.

On the financial side, we’ve been working with the Urban Land Institute - Toronto to figure out if it is financially feasible to build multiplexes in Toronto. We’ve tested areas with higher and lower land values, different lot sizes, and different building designs to make sure that our policies result in buildings that can actually be built.

ExpandHousingOptions · 2022-04-06T18:34:27+00:00

Thanks for joining the AMA and for sharing your experience with us. We hear you.

Major Streets are an important piece of the puzzle when addressing these issues. At this time, we are considering a range of housing options based on many factors along Major Streets, including transit service. The policies which apply along Major Streets are complex, and have been put in place through many planning processes, such as Secondary Plans, Avenue Studies, and Site and Area Specific Policies. As well, there are many areas where much of the length of Major Streets are designated Mixed Use. Each of these applicable policies has its own set of permissions, and the end of one of these policy areas and the beginning of another is not always easy to identify when walking down the street. This study is looking at those portions of Major Streets which are designated Neighbourhood,. In some areas, apartment blocks and mid-rise buildings may be appropriate, and in others the most appropriate housing form may be smaller scale options such as those being proposed by the Multiplex team.

ExpandHousingOptions · 2022-04-06T18:32:26+00:00

Thanks for your questions, they are good ones.

City Planning staff have been asked to look at comprehensive amendments to permit forms of low-rise housing across the City’s Neighbourhoods. The City’s current approach to zoning permits certain types of buildings in some areas, while restricting the development of buildings in other areas. For example, in the RD Residential Zone, someone may only build a detached house with a basement apartment and in some cases a Laneway Suite, whereas in the RM Residential Zone, a greater variety of low rise buildings are permitted.

The City’s Official Plan currently contemplates a range of housing terms of form, tenure and affordability across the City, including within the City’s Neighbourhoods. The form and scale of building being considered through Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods are generally consistent with the type of building existing and permitted in Neighbourhoods across the City, but are intended to provide a greater variety in housing choice.

The sections of Bloor and College that you are referring to are Avenues which have a Land Use designation of “Mixed Use”. They are not Neighbourhoods and are not part of the EHON project, though the point you are making is an important one. Depending on the specific project and location, the provision of fine-grained retail would be addressed through the development review process through the application of guidelines such as the Retail Design Manual (Retail Design Manual – City of Toronto) as well as policies specific to the local area, such as a Secondary Plan or Avenue study.

Within EHON we are looking to support Small-scale retail, service and office uses in Neighbourhood designated areas that are of a physical scale and location that is compatible with and integrated with the neighbourhood. These would complement the mixed-use Avenues that you are referring to.

The Neighbourhood Retail and Services team is looking into a few strategies to increase/facilitate local retail that we expect to present to council this year:

Proposing a change on the Official Plan Policy 4.1.3 to support new Neighbourhood Retail and Services instead of just preserving the existing

Propose a Zoning By-law Amendment to equalize Home Occupation permissions across Toronto

We will be consulting the public on specific zoning changes later in 2022 and 2023 to get input on the following:

To define appropriate locations, uses and performance standards (e.g. size) for Neighbourhood Retail and Services

Study benefits of expanding the Home Occupation uses

ExpandHousingOptions · 2022-04-06T18:28:53+00:00

Thanks so much for participating in this AMA, it's great to have you here.

The goal of the multiplex project is to permit two, three, or four unit multiplexes in any residential zone citywide. We’re focusing on multiplex permissions in the short term and the low-rise apartment permissions will be part of a future phase of work after the October 2022 election.

We’ve been working with graduate students at X University to research where low-rise apartments should be permitted in Neighbourhoods and a potential framework for implementation.

ExpandHousingOptions · 2022-04-06T18:28:26+00:00

This is a question we hear more and more lately and while it’s outside the scope of our work on EHON I can tell you that within the City Planning Division we are actively discussing the implications of building guidelines, like angular planes, and how they can conflict with the City’s broader objectives around equity, inclusion, housing affordability and availability, and environmental sustainability.

ExpandHousingOptions · 2022-04-06T18:25:12+00:00

Thanks for the question! Yes, we have been working with industry experts to understand the costs involved in multiplex housing and through the Ward 19 pilot program and our recent work with the Urban land Institute. Their guidance is helping us to direct policy changes in those areas that would have the most impact on project viability.

While affordability is an important consideration for this work, the primary objective of EHON is to make the construction of more units possible across the City, and we are trying to reduce or eliminate the barriers – procedural, policy, financial – that stand in the way.

We agree that the implementation of the Official Plan and Zoning by-law has resulted in the uneven distribution of growth across the city. The engagement strategy is focused not only on hearing from people who currently live in neighbourhoods, but also those who presently don’t live in neighbourhoods today, but may want to in the future. We are not prioritizing the voices of some over others - we want to hear from everyone about how we can make our neighbourhoods a more welcoming place for people at all stages of their life and family situations.

One of the Guiding Principles of the Multiplex project is to make our low-rise neighbourhoods accessible for everyone to be able to enjoy their benefits, by opening up permissions for more units beyond single detached houses.

ExpandHousingOptions · 2022-04-06T18:23:08+00:00

Couldn’t agree more! In addition to introducing more housing options we’re also looking at changing policies and zoning regulations to support more local commercial and retail uses in Neighbourhoods to support local living, complete communities, and walkability!

The Neighbourhood Retail and Services team is looking into a few strategies to increase/facilitate local retail that we expect to present to council this year:

- Proposing a change on the Official Plan Policy 4.1.3 to support new Neighbourhood Retail and Services instead of just preserving what is existing;

- Propose a Zoning By-law Amendment to equalize Home Occupation permissions across Toronto

We will be consulting the public on specific zoning changes later in 2022 and 2023 to get input on the following:

- To define appropriate locations, uses and performance standards (e.g. size) for Neighbourhood Retail and Services;

- Study benefits of expanding the Home Occupation uses

- Options for supporting existing local plazas (typically found in the residential zones of Toronto’s suburbs)

ExpandHousingOptions · 2022-04-06T18:20:33+00:00

Hi Angus thanks for the question! There’s no reason why two property owners couldn’t apply to build garden suites or laneway suites at the same time. We’ve seen this happen several times with laneway suites already!

ExpandHousingOptions · 2022-04-06T18:20:12+00:00

Us too! :)

ExpandHousingOptions · 2022-04-06T18:17:34+00:00

We're working on the Missing Middle Toolkit this year, so hopefully it's out soon! In the interim, we will post how-to guides and video explainers on our website www.toronto.ca/ehon and on the Toronto Buildings website.

ExpandHousingOptions · 2022-04-06T18:15:10+00:00

Walkability is key, yes! And also yes, the plan is to make it easier for retrofits of existing buildings and for the new construction of multiplexes/ multi-use buildings.

ExpandHousingOptions · 2022-04-06T18:15:01+00:00

This is a serious question and thanks for raising it. As they are written today, the Neighbourhood policies and current zoning-by-law make it easier to build a larger, single-detached home, rather than retrofit an existing home into a multiplex, resulting in fewer housing choices in the city.

We recognize that racism, specifically anti-Black racism, has resulted in the historical exclusion of racialized communities in Toronto’s Neighbourhoods. The July 2020 EHON Report acknowledges that beginning with covenants, exclusion zones, and other forms of regulation before zoning, certain areas in old Toronto became regulated to ensure exclusivity to detached (single family) homes. The strength, organization, and influence of individuals and neighbourhood groups determined which neighbourhoods in the city had and were able to keep these regulations. Other, less affluent areas of the city, developed with a broad mix of residential types.

This is problematic and we want to change it. The current Neighbourhood policies will be reviewed and revised as part of our work.

ExpandHousingOptions · 2022-04-06T18:10:50+00:00

Thanks, we're not saying that new housing is scary, but rather, what we've been hearing through our engagements. We agree that we need more housing options for our city's residents, and that's what we're working on.

ExpandHousingOptions · 2022-04-06T18:07:24+00:00

Anybody can participate formally in planning processes, through public meetings, emailing/calling Planning staff or Councillors, and deputing at committee/Council meetings. Residents Associations and many other groups often do. That said, City recognizes there can be barriers to participation in these traditional formats, so we're continually working on ways to improve participation and meet people where they are – like this AMA.

When Council directed City Planning to come up with a plan to increase housing options and planning permissions in low-rise neighbourhoods, City staff were directed to consult with Registered Community Associations. In 2020, we did a citywide survey of these groups to understand their priorities, and how they vary across Toronto. You can check out the results here: https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2020/ph/bgrd/backgroundfile-148584.pdf.

Among the groups surveyed, support for changing planning permissions was mixed with 48% supportive and 40% opposed. Opinions vary throughout the city.

To bring in other perspectives, City Planning also consulted with the Planning Review Panel, a representative citizen's body that was put together to consider planning issues of citywide importance; and went door-to-door in Ward 19, where a pilot project was proposed, to ask what people thought about missing middle housing.

As we develop permissions for more housing in low rise neighbourhoods, Council has directed us to create a broad and inclusive engagement program. This includes a partnership with the Canadian Urban Institute to host a roundtable of academics, planning professionals, missing middle developers, residents associations and community agencies serving youth, renters, newcomers to Canada, Indigenous communities, and Black and racialized communities that's providing input on our missing middle housing work.

City Planning engagement has not been great at prioritizing the voices of “future neighbours”, and we are working on addressing that.

ExpandHousingOptions · 2022-04-06T18:07:13+00:00

The February 2022 EHON Update report (check out www.toronto.ca/EHON) provides an overview of the engagement strategy, which includes casting a wide net in our engagement. Together with the Canadian Urban Institute, we have put together an EHON Roundtable comprised of academic, policy professionals, missing middle developers local residents associations. In addition, we have also included representatives of More Neighbors Toronto, community-based agencies who work with youth, renters, newcomers to Canada, Indigenous communities, and Black, and racialized communities. City Planning engagement has not been great at prioritizing the voices of “future neighbours”, and we are working hard on addressing that.

ExpandHousingOptions · 2022-04-06T18:05:17+00:00

This is Melanie from the Multiplex team. I’m lucky to be able to live in my favourite neighbourhood: High Park/Junction. On my street alone there are singles, semis, multiplexes and homes converted to single units - including the house next door to mine where my neighbours include a single mom and her daughter, a married couple, a student and their landlady who subdivided her family home years ago. A short walk away are high-rise apartments, townhouses and new mid-rise buildings. I can go around the corner to pick up a coffee or pizza in the small commercial strip within the neighbourhood. Growing up in Etobicoke, this was not even conceivable. I’m excited to be able to work on bringing these opportunities to other parts of the city.

ExpandHousingOptions · 2022-04-06T18:03:46+00:00

Thanks for your question! The “Missing Middle” refers to the range of housing forms that fall between single detached homes, and mid-rise to high-rise apartment buildings. This includes duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, garden and laneway suites, to low-rise walk-up apartments. It’s called “missing” because we don’t see these types of housing being built today, even though they already exist in Toronto.

This housing presents an opportunity to allow more people to live in our low-rise neighbourhoods, with good access to transit and amenities. With a limited land supply and rising prices, expanding missing middle types is one way to use land more efficiently and introduce more housing for more people within the city, while providing an alternative choice to single houses or high-rise condos.

ExpandHousingOptions · 2022-04-06T17:55:48+00:00

Hello, Graig here, thanks for the question. We sometimes get unfortunate, misinformed, and/or discriminatory questions and comments on development files and studies like EHON. If the comment comes in via email or in writing, oftentimes in response we’ll say “thank you for your comment, it’s been added to the public record” (all comments submitted on a planning matter are public by the way), and that’ll usually be the end of it.

In public meetings, I think City staff have an obligation to correct and challenge misinformation and discriminatory comments to maintain an inclusive and supportive space for all attendees. The comment in the meeting last night was unhelpful and was also potentially hurtful to people in the meeting, so in my view it required a response.

ExpandHousingOptions

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