Housing Action Plan: Mid-Rise Buildings Rear Transition Performance Standards Review and Update - Status Report

Mid-rise buildings are the 'in between' scale of building, and have heights generally no greater than the width of the right-of-way that it fronts onto, up to 11 storeys. Mid-rise buildings are encouraged along Avenues and in other Mixed Use Areas, with their physical form and how they relate to their context informed by the Mid-rise Building Performance Standards urban design guidelines. City Planning has conducted a review of the Mid-Rise Building Performance Standards, focussing on the existing Performance Standards for Rear Transitions (5A through 5D). This focussed review of these four Performance Standards identified that providing flexibility in the rear transition of these building types to adjoining areas creates additional opportunities to further facilitate development of mid-rise buildings. Further facilitating development in a mid-rise building form will support increased housing supply in walkable, complete communities, while providing a wider range of housing options to address current housing challenges without compromising the needs of future generations. This report summarizes the feedback received through this public and stakeholder consultation, and recommends that staff advance finalized updated Rear Transition performance standards for the Mid-rise Building Urban Design Guidelines, and a Zoning By-law Amendment with as-of-right zoning for mid-rise buildings along Avenues that implement the updated performance standards including rear transition, height and density permissions, for City Council's consideration in early Q2 of 2024.

implementing the updated Rear Transition performance standards and as-of-right permissions for height and density implementing the Mid-rise Building Urban Design Guidelines.