Planning and Housing Committee
The full agenda, as filed
All 7 items in the clerk’s order. Each carries the city’s own words: the staff recommendation, what the body decided, and its status. Nothing below is written by us.
PH2.1received
Planning and Housing Committee 2019 Overview
The Deputy City Manager, Infrastructure and Development Services will present an overview of the reports and issues that will be considered by the Planning and Housing Committee in 2019. Presentation materials will be made public as soon as they are available.
The Planning and Housing Committee received the item for information.
PH2.2adopted
This report sets out the use of delegated authority during City Council's recess during the 2018 municipal election to direct the Chief Planner to attend at Toronto Local Appeal Board Hearings on appeals of Committee of Adjustment decisions or to appeal a Committee of Adjustment decision on behalf of the City.
The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that: 1. City Council receive the report (January 21, 2019) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning for information.
Staff recommendation as filed
The Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning recommends that: 1. City Council receive this report for information.
PH2.3adopted
This report responds to an application filed in the City of Vaughan to amend the City of Vaughan Official Plan and the City of Vaughan Zoning By-law, identifies the concerns of City Planning staff and makes recommendations on future steps to protect the City's interests concerning the applications. The applications are at the north-west corner of Yonge Street and Steeles Avenue West, abutting the City of Toronto. The purpose of these amendments is to permit three mixed-use residential towers connected by a seven storey mixed-use base building. The base would contain residential and hotel uses. The towers range in height from 52 to 65 storeys and the overall development would have a Floor Space Index (FSI) of 14.3 times the area of the lot. The Deputy Manager, Planning and Growth Management for the City of Vaughan has written a report to the City of Vaughan's Committee of the Whole regarding the application.
The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that: 1. City Council endorse the January 17, 2019 letter from the Director, Community Planning, North York District, Attachment 2 to the report (January 23, 2019) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to the City of Vaughan's Committee of the Whole which identifies the concerns with the application at 7028 Yonge Street and 2 Steeles Avenue West, including height and density. 2. Should the City of Vaughan approve an application at 7028 Yonge Street and 2 Steeles Avenue West that is not substantially in conformity with the Council of Vaughan adopted Yonge-Steeles Corridor Secondary Plan, City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to report to the Planning and Housing Committee on next steps. 3. Should the application at 7028 Yonge Street and 2 Steeles Avenue West be appealed to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal, City Council direct the City Solicitor and appropriate City Staff to attend and seek party status to support the City's interests.
Staff recommendation as filed
The Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, recommends that: 1. City Council endorse the January 17, 2019 letter from the Director, Community Planning, North York District (Attachment 2) to the City of Vaughan's Committee of the Whole which identifies the concerns with the application at 7028 Yonge Street and 2 Steeles Avenue West, including height and density. 2. Should the City of Vaughan approve an application at 7028 Yonge Street and 2 Steeles Avenue West that is not substantially in conformity with the Council of Vaughan adopted Yonge-Steeles Corridor Secondary Plan, City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to report to the Planning and Housing Committee on next steps. 3. Should the application at 7028 Yonge Street and 2 Steeles Avenue West be appealed to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal, City Council direct the City Solicitor and appropriate City Staff to attend and seek party status to support the City's interests.
PH2.4adopted
This report provides staff preliminary comments and recommendations on Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2017 announced by the Province on January 15, 2019. Economic Development and Culture and Legal Services staff were consulted in the preparation of this report. Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan will affect where the City will experience growth and development pressures and will require legislated updates to the City's Official Plan and Zoning By-law through a mandatory Municipal Comprehensive Review (MCR). Given the timing of the proposed amendments to the Growth Plan, the City's recommended requests to the Province described in this report, are in keeping with previous Council decisions and seek to ensure the integrity of the City's Official Plan. Any major policy amendments to the Official Plan would require a consultative and extensive effort that is intended to take place during the City's next MCR. The Province's commenting deadline on Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan is February 28, 2019.
The Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning recommends that: 1. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, 2017 to introduce language which clearly states the Province's intention to authorize municipalities to allow the conversion of lands designated Employment Areas, that are not identified as "Provincially Significant Employment Zones" in the Growth Plan, during the course of a municipally-initiated one-time window of opportunity only, as described on the Province's webpage at http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page20926.aspx . 2. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 of the Growth Plan, 2017 policies and mapping to recognize and include additional "Provincially Significant Employment Zones" in the City of Toronto, (including the City's major office parks). 3. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, 2017, to recognize the Ontario Food Terminal as a Provincially Significant Employment Zone which plays a pivotal role in the provincial agri-food network. 4. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan by using the previous definition of "Office Parks" in the Growth Plan, 2017, in order for Office Parks to continue to be designated as Employment Areas in the Official Plan. 5. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, 2017, to recognize all five of Toronto's "Office Parks" as "Provincially Significant Employment Zones". 6. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, 2017, to: a. Allow municipalities to require an applicant to retain space for employment uses, where employment uses had previously existed, as part of their development application, where the municipality has in-effect official plan policies indicating where and under what redevelopment criteria (location, size, use, phasing of development) such an employment replacement policy would apply, and b. Allow municipalities to also set minimum employment space thresholds for new development in mixed use areas where no employment uses previously existed. 7. City Council advise the Province of its support to remove "Prime Employment Area" references from the Growth Plan, 2017. 8. City Council advise the Province of its support to change the Growth Plan, 2017, to remove the mandatory requirement that each municipality develop an employment strategy and replace this requirement with amended policies that require municipalities to adopt official plan amendments prescribing a number of employment related actions ensuring their protection. 9. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, 2017 to reinstate the Growth Plan definition of a Major Transit Station Area by removing the reference to a proposed 500 to 800 metre radius range and reinstating the 500 metre radius requirement. 10. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, 2017, wording for Policy 2.2.4.4.b. by deleting the word "high" from the proposed policy so that "high ridership" is not a qualifier for lower density target consideration. 11. City Council request the Province to include a new policy in the Growth Plan to clarify that where an overlap occurs between the City's designated Employment Areas and potential Major Transit Station Areas, the Growth Plan's Employment policies take precedence and the established minimum density targets for Employment Areas, required by proposed policy 2.2.5.13.a would prevail over any other established density target, including those for Major Transit Station Areas and others, in order to ensure the protection and preservation of the City of Toronto's finite employment land base. 12. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, 2017 to reinstate Growth Plan Policy 2.2.2.4.a. which makes reference to encouraging intensification to achieve the desired urban structure instead of Policy 2.2.2.3.c. proposed in Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, 2017. 13. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, 2017, to reinstate Growth Plan Policy 2.2.1.4.e., which ensures the development of a high quality compact built form, an attractive and vibrant public realm through site design and urban design standards. 14. City Council request the Province modify O. Reg. 311/06 to add Official Plan Amendment 231 as a matter in process that was approved under the previous Growth Plan, 2006, as amended in 2013, but is currently under appeal at the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal. 15. City Council request the Province modify O. Reg. 311/06 to add any decision made by Toronto City Council on the day before the enactment of the proposed Growth Plan Amendment, except those matters (Official Plan Amendment 231) identified in Recommendation 14 above as matters in process that are subject to the current Growth Plan 2017, but are currently under appeal at the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal. 16. City Council forward this item, and any other related item on this matter, that is before City Council on February 26, 2019, to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing by the Province's commenting deadline of February 28, 2019.
Staff recommendation as filed
The Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning recommends that: 1. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, 2017 to introduce language which clearly states the Province's intention to authorize municipalities to allow the conversion of lands designated Employment Areas, that are not identified as "Provincially Significant Employment Zones" in the Growth Plan, during the course of a municipally-initiated one-time window of opportunity only, as described on the Province's webpage at http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page20926.aspx. 2. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 of the Growth Plan, 2017 policies and mapping to recognize and include additional "Provincially Significant Employment Zones" in the City of Toronto, (including the City's major office parks). The additional Provincially Significant Employment Zones will be identified in a report by the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division, directly to City Council. 3. Further to Recommendation 2, the Planning and Housing Committee request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division, to report directly to City Council with regard to identifying the additional Provincially Significant Employment Zones at the February 26, 2019 City Council meeting. 4. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, 2017, to recognize the Ontario Food Terminal as a Provincially Significant Employment Zone which plays a pivotal role in the provincial agri-food network. 5. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan by using the previous definition of "Office Parks" in the Growth Plan, 2017, in order for Office Parks to continue to be designated as Employment Areas in the Official Plan. 6. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, 2017, to recognize all five of Toronto's "Office Parks" as "Provincially Significant Employment Zones". 7. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, 2017, to: a. Allow municipalities to require an applicant to retain space for employment uses, where employment uses had previously existed, as part of their development application, where the municipality has in-effect official plan policies indicating where and under what redevelopment criteria (location, size, use, phasing of development) such an employment replacement policy would apply, and b. Allow municipalities to also set minimum employment space thresholds for new development in mixed use areas where no employment uses previously existed. 8. City Council advise the Province of its support to remove "Prime Employment Area" references from the Growth Plan, 2017. 9. City Council advise the Province of its support to change the Growth Plan, 2017, to remove the mandatory requirement that each municipality develop an employment strategy and replace this requirement with amended policies that require municipalities to adopt official plan amendments prescribing a number of employment related actions ensuring their protection. 10. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, 2017 to reinstate the Growth Plan definition of a Major Transit Station Area by removing the reference to a proposed 500 to 800 metre radius range and reinstating the 500 metre radius requirement. 11. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, 2017, wording for Policy 2.2.4.4.b. by deleting the word "high" from the proposed policy so that "high ridership" is not a qualifier for lower density target consideration. 12. City Council request the Province to include a new policy in the Growth Plan to clarify that where an overlap occurs between the City's designated Employment Areas and potential Major Transit Station Areas, the Growth Plan's Employment policies take precedence and the established minimum density targets for Employment Areas, required by proposed policy 2.2.5.13.a would prevail over any other established density target, including those for Major Transit Station Areas and others, in order to ensure the protection and preservation of the City of Toronto's finite employment land base. 13. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, 2017 to reinstate Growth Plan Policy 2.2.2.4.a. which makes reference to encouraging intensification to achieve the desired urban structure instead of Policy 2.2.2.3.c. proposed in Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, 2017. 14. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, 2017, to reinstate Growth Plan Policy 2.2.1.4.e., which ensures the development of a high quality compact built form, an attractive and vibrant public realm through site design and urban design standards. 15. City Council request the Province modify O. Reg. 311/06 to add Official Plan Amendment 231 as a matter in process that was approved under the previous Growth Plan, 2006, as amended in 2013, but is currently under appeal at the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal. 16. City Council request the Province modify O. Reg. 311/06 to add any decision made by Toronto City Council on the day before the enactment of the proposed Growth Plan Amendment, except those matters (Official Plan Amendment 231) identified in Recommendation 15 above as matters in process that are subject to the current Growth Plan 2017, but are currently under appeal at the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal. 17. City Council forward this item, and any other related item on this matter, that is before City Council on February 26, 2019, to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing by the Province's commenting deadline of February 28, 2019.
PH2.5amended
Toronto Housing Market Analysis: Insight to Action
This report provides the results of an independent study prepared by the Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis and Canadian Urban Institute, "Housing Market Analysis: From Insight to Action" (the Study). The Study is attached as Appendix 1. The Study provides insight into Toronto's housing market and the considerable housing challenges that residents face under current and projected conditions. It includes a range of housing data and some 20 key housing indicators across the housing spectrum, from homelessness to rental housing to home ownership. The Study provides a unique look at past trends, present and future housing demand and the need for the City to be ready to address the pressures of accelerated population growth over the next 20 years. During this timeframe it is predicted that vulnerable groups and low- and moderate-income households will experience increased difficulty accessing suitable and affordable housing. In light of its key findings, the Study recommends actions be taken to provide improved pathways for residents through the housing continuum; to address "housing inequity" as experienced by vulnerable populations; to provide more supply of market and affordable rental housing; and for the City to collect better data to inform future policies and programs. This staff report outlines recommendations for sharing the study findings with the public as part of the City's current consultations on the City's Housing Plan 2020-2030, and requesting City staff to provide annual updates on key housing statistical indicators.
The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that: 1. City Council forward the Toronto Housing Market Analysis report (February 5, 2019) from the Director, Affordable Housing Office to the Provincial and Federal governments.
Staff recommendation as filed
The Director, Affordable Housing Office recommends that: 1. The Planning and Housing Committee request the Director, Affordable Housing Office to share the results of the Housing Market Analysis with the public and housing stakeholders as part of the current consultation process on the City's Housing Plan 2020-2030. 2. The Planning and Housing Committee request the Director, Affordable Housing Office in consultation with other divisions to provide an annual update to the Planning and Housing Committee on key housing indicators including those resulting from the "Toronto Housing Market Analysis".
PH2.6adopted
Housing supply is a concern for the City of Toronto. Ongoing challenges in bringing housing to market is one of the challenges in a complex housing supply chain. Submission of complete applications, municipal approvals, provincial approvals, housing type and demand, financing, land and construction costs, and availability of labour are factors impacting housing supply. As a result, collectively we need to make adjustments within the chain and properly resource all parts of the supply chain. Part of the process also entails unlocking potential supply that is before the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) due to appeals by one party or another. Resource challenges also impact the LPAT as is demonstrated by the number of matters awaiting a hearing. Over the five-year period of 2013 to 2017, there were 146,181 residential units in development proposals under review by the City of Toronto. This includes over 30,000 residential units, in well over 100 rezoning applications, that have been appealed to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) and for which a Decision has not yet been recorded. The appealed development proposals represent a significant portion of the City's potential housing supply. In the absence of adding more adjudicators and mediators, a backlog of appealed matters awaiting hearings has been created impacting the potential supply of housing. Increasing the number of mediators and adjudicators would streamline the outcomes where a matter has been appealed by either the applicant or a third party and enable a more proactive approach to bringing housing supply to market. The addition of additional mediators has the potential to significantly reduce hearing times if a settlement is achieved. This would provide the opportunity to put proposals back on track and enable the development community to market, finance and construct new housing supply. Delays in receiving hearing dates have always been a frustrating issue for the City of Toronto. The backlog has increased even more since new planning legislation (Bill 139) and its transition regulations came into play in mid-2018. These regulations require the LPAT to operate under two appeal systems, the old (OMB) system (which applies to certain appeals that were in play prior to the proclamation of Bill 139) and the new LPAT system. By way of example, Official Amendment No. 231, the Official Plan of the City of Toronto with respect to the Economic Health Policies and the Policies, Designations and Mapping for Employment Areas and the City of Toronto's Comprehensive Zoning By-law 569 - 2013 have both been under adjudication before the OMB/LPAT since 2013. This backlog of hearings on policy matters and their implementing tools (zoning by-laws), creates uncertainly in the market and results in applicants appealing applications in the absence of an approved policy and policy implementation framework. Addressing the backlog for appeals relating to the old and the new system, may be the best tool the Government has to more rapidly bring more housing supply to market and provide certainty in the planning appeals process.
The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that: 1. City Council request the Government of Ontario to increase funding for the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) in order for Tribunal Ontario to appoint a team of temporary (and possibly permanent) adjudicators, mediators and other staff, necessary to alleviate the current backlog of hearings, and in particular hearings intended to adjudicate major policy matters and development applications that would result in the delivery of housing units to the City. 2. City Council request the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) to give priority to the City of Toronto's municipal conformity review (MCR) policy hearings and to concluding the adjudication process with regard to the City's comprehensive zoning by-law, in order to bring into force an enabling "up-to-date" municipal official plan policy and implementation framework which will then assist LPAT adjudicators in their adjudication of site or area specific planning applications and would enable the City to advance additional area specific zoning frameworks to implement new official plan policies. 3. City Council direct the City Clerk to distribute City Council's request to adequately fund the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Attorney General, the leaders of all parties represented in the Ontario Legislature, and to the Councils of municipalities within the Greater Golden Horseshoe.
Staff recommendation as filed
Councillor Ana Bailão requests that the Planning and Housing Committee support the following recommendations that requests the Province of Ontario take steps to clear the current backlog of applications at the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT): 1. City Council request the Government of Ontario to increase funding for the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) in order for Tribunal Ontario to appoint a team of temporary (and possibly permanent) adjudicators, mediators and other staff, necessary to alleviate the current backlog of hearings, and in particular hearings intended to adjudicate major policy matters and development applications that would result in the delivery of housing units to the City. 2. City Council request the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) to give priority to the City of Toronto's municipal conformity review (MCR) policy hearings and to concluding the adjudication process with regard to the City's comprehensive zoning by-law, in order to bring into force an enabling "up-to-date" municipal official plan policy and implementation framework which will then assist LPAT adjudicators in their adjudication of site or area specific planning applications and would enable the City to advance additional area specific zoning frameworks to implement new official plan policies. 3. City Council direct the City Clerk to distribute City Council's request to adequately fund the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Attorney General, the leaders of all parties represented in the Ontario Legislature, and to the Councils of municipalities within the Greater Golden Horseshoe.
PH2.7adopted
Review and Consultation on the Laneway Suites By-law and Policies
In 2018, City Council adopted measures to encourage the creation of secondary dwelling units, including laneway suites, through amendments to the City's Official Plan and Zoning By-laws. These changes are intended to increase both the supply and variety of rental housing within the City. On June 26, 27, 28 and 29, 2018 City Council adopted the report: Changing Lanes - The City of Toronto's Review of Laneway Suites (TE33.3). This report established a planning framework to permit laneway suites in an ancillary building abutting a lane on lands within the then boundary of Toronto and East York District. In accordance with the Laneway Suites By-law 810-2018, a laneway suite may be constructed behind any low-rise residential building permitted in a residential zone, including single detached buildings, semi-detached buildings, row houses, triplexes, and others, subject to certain criteria. By-law 810-2018 has been in force since August 2018, and since then interest in the construction of Laneway Suites has been notable. The City is currently reviewing 53 Preliminary Project Review applications, 18 building permit applications, and 15 minor variance applications for laneway suites. Given the positive response to By-law 810-2018, it is appropriate that consideration be given to expansion of the By-law to the remaining areas of the City with public laneways. The Laneway Suites By-law 810-2018 currently applies to the geographic boundary of Toronto and East York Community Council as is existed on January 1, 2017. Approximately 235 kilometres of public laneways, 74 percent of the City's total public laneway system, are included in the current By-law. The remainder of the City contains the remaining 99 kilometres, or 26 percent, of the city's public laneway network. This motion requests that City staff consider and consult on expanding By-law 810-2018 to include all residentially-zoned lots abutting a public laneway within the City, consider any technical changes to the By-law that may be necessary, and report to Planning and Housing Committee with recommendations in 2019.
The Planning and Housing Committee: 1. Requested the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with appropriate staff, to undertake a review and consultation on expanding the current policy and zoning permissions for laneway suites and to report back in 2019 with any recommended changes to laneway suite regulations.
Staff recommendation as filed
Councillor Ana Bailão requests that: 1. The Planning and Housing Committee request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with appropriate staff, to undertake a review and consultation on expanding the current policy and zoning permissions for laneway suites and to report back in 2019 with any recommended changes to laneway suite regulations.