Ontario Construction News staff writer
Toronto City Council has approved a plan to allow garden suites, often used as rental units, to be built on residential properties in the city.
Through the adoption of official plan and zoning bylaw amendments, council approved policies to increase the supply and type of housing by adding the term “garden suites” to the definition of “infill housing”, in Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 519 (Infill Construction, Public Notice).
Mayor John Tory says the plan is a ‘Made In Toronto’ solution with sensible regulations to protect neighbours, trees/greenspace and create options for multigenerational housing through ‘gentle density.’
“I believe this will help grow innovative housing options and cut unnecessary red tape and bureaucracy.”
The move also facilitates collection of data and monitoring of garden suites by the Toronto Building and City Planning divisions, similar to laneway suite construction.
A staff report outlined the rationale for the proposed separation distance between the main house and garden suite and its relationship to maximum permitted height. It also includes a description of the monitoring process for garden suites and the requirement for reporting back to the committee after either the 200th permit for a garden suite has been issued or after two years, whichever comes first.
Issues related to privacy, shadowing, parking requirements, and protecting trees and green spaces are also addressed. City staff gathered input from the public and industry stakeholders about how to best allow the construction of garden suites in Toronto while considering these important matters.
Subsections 16(3) and Section 35.1 of the Planning Act require cities in Ontario to include Official Plan policies and Zoning Bylaw requirements to allow detached accessory housing units, such as garden suites and laneway suites, on properties with detached, semi-detached, and townhouse buildings.
Previously, secondary suites were permitted within a detached house, semi-detached house, or rowhouse. However, only properties next to a public lane allowed an additional residential unit within an ancillary building, known as a laneway suite.
OP and zoning bylaw amendments allow for construction of an additional residential unit on residential properties that are not located on a public lane, in accordance with the requirements of the Planning Act.
While many lots in the city may accommodate a garden suite, factors that influence approval include lot width or depth, location and depth of the main house, adequate emergency access, and the location of protected trees. Regulations have been designed so that the size and setbacks of a garden suite are relative to the scale of the property and the size and location of the main house.
It’s one component of the Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods (EHON) initiative to facilitate more low-rise housing in residential neighbourhoods – ranging from laneway and garden suites to duplexes, triplexes, and low-rise walk-up apartments. The initiative is one solution among a range of City initiatives necessary to increase housing choice and access, and create a more equitable, sustainable city.
“Garden suites and other initiatives to expand housing options in neighbourhoods are important steps towards accelerating the creation of a diverse range and mix of housing options to accommodate people at all stages of life, and to accommodate the needs of all household sizes and incomes,” said Deputy Mayor Ana Bailão.