Townhouse & Low-Rise Apartment Guidelines
On March 26, 2018, City Council adopted the Townhouse and Low-Rise Apartment Guidelines.
The Guidelines are intended to help implement the policies in the Official Plan by achieving the appropriate design for current and new townhouse and low-rise apartment development applications. The Townhouse and Low-Rise Apartment Guidelines replace the Infill Townhouse Guidelines (2003).
The Townhouse and Low-rise Apartment Guidelines apply to the design, review, and approval of new low-rise, multi-unit building developments that are four storeys or less.
The guidelines will normally be applied through the evaluation of development proposals and design alternatives in Official Plan Amendments, Zoning By-law Amendments, Plans of Subdivision, and Site Plan Control applications. The guidelines are intended to be read together with, and help implement the relevant Official Plan policies, applicable Zoning By-laws, Secondary Plans, Heritage Conservation District Plans, the Toronto Green Standard, the Toronto Development Guide, as well as any other applicable regulations, policies and guidelines.
The Townhouse and Low-Rise Apartment Guidelines include the following building types:
Townhouse
- Two to four storeys
- Shares side walls with neighbouring units
- Individual unit entrance with direct access to grade
- Distinct front and rear conditions
Stacked Townhouse
- Three to four storeys
- Shares side and back walls with units staked vertically
- Individual unit entrance with direct access to grade from shared outside landing
- Distinct front and rear conditions
Back-to-Back Townhouse
- Two to four storeys
- Shares side and back walls with neighbouring units
- Individual unit entrance with direct access to grade often on one side of the building or on both
Stacked and Back-to-Back Townhouse
- Three to four storeys
- Shares side and back walls with units stacked vertically
- Unit entrances have direct access to grade from an outside shared landing, often on more than one side of the building
- Defined as “Apartment Building” in the City-wide zoning by-law
Low-rise Hybrid Building
- Three to four storeys
- Shares side and back walls with units stacked vertically
- Ground floor units have individual entrances with direct access to grade
- Upper units gain access through a shared entrance into building and by vertical circulation and corridor
Low-rise Apartment Building
- Three to four storeys
- Multiple units stacked vertically and horizontally
- A shared main entrance and secondary accesses to units within the building
- Unit entrances accessed through internal corridors and vertical circulation
