Dear Humber Valley Village Residents,
For the past 2-½ years, City Planning and Toronto City Council have rapidly spearheaded a series of Amendments to the Official Plan and Zoning bylaws to increase so-called housing “opportunities.”
The newest initiative is the Avenues Study, part of the Housing Action Plan (HAP).
A City-wide, Virtual Open House is scheduled for Monday, January 13th, from 6pm to 8pm. to outline the latest proposal. [Register here to attend.] Please scroll down and click on Meetings and Events to register.
The Avenues Study proposes significant changes to Avenues and strategic growth centres in the Official Plan including:
- adding 283 km of new Avenues.
- mid-rise development up to 11 storeys with minimal parking requirements along Avenues.
- removing the requirement for Avenue Studies including infrastructure, traffic implications, schools, prior to approval.
- minimal community consultation prior to approval.
The HVVRA continues to be active and vocal in these “consultations” as are Residents’ Associations throughout the city. We are all deeply concerned with the on-going lack of transparency and one sided “consultations” while our feedback is trivialized, and questions go unanswered. We think Planning can do far better.
More importantly, we fail to see how these changes address or encourage affordable housing of any kind, while developers benefit from them.
We ask that you attend to the January 13th meeting. Then email your comments/concerns to the Mayor, Ward 2 Councillors, and the Executive Committee which recommends Council approve these proposals. Your feedback and that of other Residents Associations is the only way to help mitigate the damage from these latest proposals.
Please write:
RECENT AMENDMENTS:
- 2021/22: Laneway and Garden Suites — permitted in the rear of residential properties with appropriate rear and side yard setbacks. See here for Laneway suites. See here for Garden Suites.
- 2023/24 Multiplex Housing – permitting 4 storey, multiplex housing in residential neighbourhoods, as of right, without parking requirements with reduced setbacks. See here.
- 2024: Major Streets – permitting 6 storey buildings without parking requirements as of right on newly identified Major streets (including Islington, Kipling, Dundas St. West, Bloor St. West, and Royal York. See here for Major Streets.
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS Nov/Dec. 2024 (proposed and referred)
- Expanded Housing Options for Neighbourhoods (EHON) – to permit residential properties on any corner lot, or across from a park or school, to be converted to retail and commercial use. This includes coffee shops, bars, cannabis stores, personal services, (hair salons, nail spas) and commercial usages (e.g. medical services, dry cleaner, small appliance repair), with no parking requirements, as of right, just down the street from your house.
Following an outcry from Beaconsfield Residents’ Association citing a lack of consultation and transparency, Planning called a virtual meeting with 1 week’s notice, in mid-December, for Residents’ Associations (RAs) city-wide, including the HVVRA. Dozens of RAs subsequently mobilized to convince their local Councillors that the proposal was short sighted, poorly designed and needed more work. Ward 2 Councillor Stephen Holyday successfully made a motion at the Dec. 18th Council Committee to refer the EHON proposal for further study/consultation.
We encourage all residents to register and attend Monday’s meeting and email feedback and comments to the above email addresses.
Sincerely,
Anne Legris Anderson, President
on behalf of the The HVVRA Board of Directors
January 11, 2025