Dear HVV Residents
* Planning Proposes New Zoning to Permit High Rises Along New Avenues – With No Further Approval Required
* HVVRA appreciates permission from the Beaconsfield Village Residents’ Association to modify message.
The City is proposing to designate 283 km of new Avenues across Toronto (roughly the distance from Scarborough to Kingston) under the new Avenues Review Study.
These changes will drastically alter residential neighborhoods including ours. <Click for map>
Council will vote on the study on February 5th. We need your help now if this proposal is to be mitigated.
Please email to the addresses below with the following request:
- “To REFER the Maps back to Staff for further Public Consultation” AND
- “To EXTRACT reference to “Tall Buildings” to allow context to be determined.”
What this proposal means:
- Midrise buildings (up to 14 storeys) will be permitted along existing and new Avenues
- Tall buildings (40–60+ storeys!) will be allowed within 800 meters of transit hubs.
Planners can redesignate and rezone lands along and near Avenues without further public consultation or Council oversight. Approval will be in the hands of city bureaucrats while elected officials are left out of the loop.
Why you should be concerned:
Many of the new Avenues run through residential neighbourhoods (e.g. 6 km of Kipling from Bloor to Westway, Royal York Road, south of Bloor to Hornell St., and from Bloor to LaRose, north of Eglington except by Humbertown Plaza, with most homes along the way two storeys tall. This plan will permit bring midrise and high-rise development into these areas “As of right”.
No clear development plan: While midrise buildings (up to 14 storeys) would be permitted on Avenues, near transit stations, there are no defined height limits.
No infrastructure plan: There is no plan nor budget to upgrades roads, transit, schools, parks, stormwater runoff to support a dramatic increase in density.
Commercial expansion into neighborhoods: City Planners can rezone Avenues and nearby streets for Commercial/Retail outlets (bars, fast-food outlets, cannabis shops) next to homes and schools.
Insufficient Consultation (This isn’t NIMBYism!)
Many residents support smart growth and thoughtful planning to increase density, but this Avenues proposal is a drastic change being rushed through without residents’ knowledge.
Email addresses:
Mayor_chow@toronto
phc@toronto.ca
Councillor_Holyday@toronto.ca
Councillor_morley@toronto.ca
Email addresses for the rest of Toronto City Councillors can be found <here>.
Sincerely
HVVRA Board of Directors
January 29, 2025