Get Involved: High Park Apartment Neighbourhood Study

Draft Urban Design Guidelines were posted for online community consultation until June 26, 2018. The final Urban Design Guidelines were adopted by Etobicoke York Community Council on July 4, 2018 (EY32.4) and will be considered by City Council at the July 23, 24 & 25, 2018 Meeting.

Draft Guiding Principles were presented at the March 8, 2018 Community Consultation Meeting and posted online for community review. The Draft Principles are not the proposed policies or guidelines. Finalized Guiding Principles were used to help inform the development of the recommended Site and Area-Specific Official Plan Policy and Area-Specific Urban Design Guidelines for the Study Area.

Draft Guiding Principles for Natural Features and Environment

Protect, preserve and enhance the natural environment within and adjacent to the Study Area.

1. Recognize the sensitivity and proximity of significant natural features and ecological functions and appropriately assess, protect and mitigate impacts on those features and functions.
2. Protect and preserve existing mature trees, vegetation and wildlife habitat wherever possible.
3. Introduce more native tree and plant species, biodiverse landscapes and green roofs, and low impact development strategies into the design of streets, parks and private properties.
4. Promote innovative, energy-efficient and sustainable design.
5. Maintain and increase opportunities for groundwater infiltration.
6. Avoid deep underground structures that disturb natural groundwater flows.
7. Preserve unencumbered land to support mature trees, water infiltration and opportunities to expand the public realm.   Unencumbered land means areas not covered by buildings or structures both above- and below-grade, which is important to water infiltration and mature tree growth, as well as potential future public street or public parkland opportunities.
8. Integrate bird-friendly measures throughout all aspects of site and building design, including retrofit opportunities.

Draft Guiding Principles for the Public Realm

Provide a high quality, well-connected, safe and comfortable public realm which prioritizes pedestrians, cyclists and public transit use and supports people of all ages and abilities.

1. Maintain and enhance views from the public realm to parks, open spaces, natural features, heritage properties and other local landmarks.
2. Maintain sunlight and provide comfortable wind conditions for streets, sidewalks, parks and open spaces.
3. Increase public parkland within the study area through the development of new parks and expansion of existing parks.
4. Recognize High Park Avenue as the central promenade of the neighbourhood and gateway to High Park.
5. Provide green streets with tree-lined, landscaped boulevards, green infrastructure, generous sidewalks, bicycle parking and comfortable places to sit.
6. Prioritize a safe, pedestrian-oriented environment with a network of well-connected parks and open spaces and frequent publically accessible mid-block routes.
7. Promote safe and direct pedestrian and cycling routes and crossings, particularly for access to schools, parks, public transit, local shops and community amenities.
8. Reinforce the sense of place, indigenous history and cultural and natural heritage, through engaging elements and features within the public realm.

Draft Guiding Principles for Open Space

Preserve and enhance the park-like setting, generous open space amenity and green landscape character of the Study Area.

1. Provide safe, aesthetically pleasing, and inviting open spaces that feel and promote health and well-being.
2. Maintain and provide centralized open green spaces within the block, which include trees and gardens, good access to sunlight, protection from wind and places to sit, play and gather.
3. Respect and reinforce the open landscaped character between buildings and along street frontages.
4. Design and program open spaces to support year-round use, a sense of community and a range of activities and amenities for residents of all ages and abilities.
5. Maintain and create child-friendly spaces and features.
6. Designate and design spaces for pet relief, gathering and play.
7. Coordinate the location, design and programming of open spaces and amenities according to sun, wind and seasonal conditions.
8. Provide well-lit, accessible, clearly demarcated and visible pedestrian connections through open spaces.
9. Minimize impervious surfaces and maximize soft landscape areas and tree plantings.

Draft Guiding Principles for Built Form

Respect and reinforce the pattern of buildings and open space within and adjacent to the Study Area.

1. Identify and protect important open space areas within each block.
2. Respect the balance between built form and landscape areas.
3. Maintain generous landscaped setbacks from street frontages
4. Provide generous space between buildings to maximize skyview, sunlight, privacy and daylight.
5. Design new buildings to fit harmoniously within the existing context.
6. Respect the height and scale of existing buildings within and adjacent to the Study Area.
7. Ensure new buildings provide an appropriate transition in scale down to lower scale buildings, parks and open spaces.
8. Transition to the adjacent Neighbourhoods area occurs within the Apartment Neighbourhoods area.
9. Limit new taller buildings and the extent of new shadows.
10. Locate and orient new taller buildings to minimize direct facing conditions and maximize spatial separation.
11. Increase setbacks and separation distances as building height increases.
12. Design new buildings with compact floorplates.
13. Design and place new buildings to minimize and mitigate negative impacts, such as wind and shadows on the public realm, amenity areas and neighbouring properties.
14. Locate and design main building entrances to be prominent and face the street.
15. Provide active ground floor uses, such as garden apartments, community rooms, local shopping, community facilities, small-scale schools, with clear, unobstructed views to the public realm and adjacent open spaces.
16. Promote design excellence, use high quality materials and energy efficient design.
17. Provide affordable and family sized units.

Draft Guiding Principles for Site Servicing

Provide consolidated, integrated and functional site servicing while minimizing impacts on the public realm.

1. Minimize surface level parking and provide most designated (resident and visitor) parking underground.
2. Consolidate and internalize service areas and parking ramps to limit impact on the public realm, building dwelling units and shared outdoor spaces.
3. Program existing surface parking or other hard surfaced areas for community events.
4. Provide clear and visible way-finding signage above and below grade.
5. Include visible and accessible covered outdoor bicycle parking.
6. Include secure indoor bicycle parking and storage space for bulky items (example strollers, mobility scooters).
7. Encourage recycling and organics collection.

A Social Pinpoint web page was set up that allowed community members to post and view comments on an interactive map of the High Park Apartment Neighbourhood Study Area. Over 250 comments were collected from December 15, 2017 to January 23, 2018.

View Summary of Social Pinpoint Comments.

Our Social Pinpoint page included six topics and questions to help guide comments:

1. Outdoor Spaces

   Tell us about outdoor spaces you visit within the study area (e.g. how often you visit; what you and others do there; what you enjoy; what is missing or could be improved). Also tell us about different times of day or year and your experiences with wind, weather, sun, shade, noise or personal safety.

2. Routes

   Tell us about the ways you move around the study area (e.g. the routes or shortcuts you use; where schoolchildren walk or wait for the bus; what works well as a pedestrian, cyclist, transit rider or driver; what safety concerns or barriers exist; what could be improved).

3. Tenant Amenities

   If you rent within the study area, tell us about the apartment building amenities that you use (e.g. resident only swimming pools, BBQ areas, tennis courts, child or pet-friendly areas, benches and outdoor seating, lobbies, laundry rooms, fitness facilities, party rooms, etc). Tell us how often you use these amenities, what you enjoy, what could be improved and what additional amenities you would use if available.

4. Valued Places & Events

   Tell us about local places or events that you feel add value to the community (e.g. local landmarks, public views, buildings or open spaces with character, mature trees and plantings, natural features, wildlife and habitats, past or present events).

5. Community Services & Facilities

   Tell us what local community services and facilities you use (e.g. parks, schools, child care centres, libraries, community centres and recreation facilities, places of worship, seniors support, employment and social services). What is missing from the area or could be improved to help meet your needs?

6. Local Shopping & Services

   Tell us what local shops and services you visit (e.g. where do you buy food and groceries, pick up convenience items, grab a coffee, do your banking, eat out, get a haircut, visit a doctor, dentist or pharmacist, etc). What is missing from the area or could be improved to help meet your needs?

The High Park Apartment Neighbourhood character study was launched with a community consultation meeting in October 2017. The following three key questions were asked:

1. What elements define the physical character of the area?
2. What spaces and attributes and most valued?
3. What conditions are less desirable and how can these be improved?

Responses to these questions can be sent to the City project team.