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).
At its meeting on June 11, 2021, Planning and Housing Committee adopted the Recommendation to receive the Townhouse and Low-Rise Apartment Guidelines Monitoring report for information. This report responded to Council’s direction from its March 26, 2018 meeting to monitor the Townhouse and Low-Rise Apartment Guidelines for a minimum of 2 years. The monitoring indicates that the Guidelines are working well, and have been effective in positively influencing the design of townhouse and low-rise apartment building applications to achieve the Public Realm and Built Form policies of the Official Plan.
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.