Undead
Senior Member
Maybe we can index property taxes to assessed/market value movements. I believe this does the trick in Chicago from what I've seen. Higher carrying costs usually depress valuations.
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Zoning Reform Ideas
- Thread starter A Torontonian Now
- Start date
Northern Light
Superstar
I'm not sure this story fits here, but I couldn't think of a better thread for it, and didn't want to create one.
streetsoftoronto.com
Its an interview w/Brad Lamb.
He talks about a few things..........the one I took note of was this.
The City has changed the way its interpreting the separation distance guideline.
They used to measure from the face of the building to the face of the building to define 25M apart.
Apparently they are now measuring from the outermost part of the balcony to the balcony of the next building over. That essentially makes
the separation distance in the range of 29M if both buildings have balconies.
Thought it would good to get @innsertnamehere 's thoughts on this one and @ProjectEnd 's
Developer Brad Lamb on pockets of condo value in a very hot T.O. market
For some insight into what’s to come for the condo market, the death of balconies and more, we spoke with developer Brad Lamab.
streetsoftoronto.com
Its an interview w/Brad Lamb.
He talks about a few things..........the one I took note of was this.
The City has changed the way its interpreting the separation distance guideline.
They used to measure from the face of the building to the face of the building to define 25M apart.
Apparently they are now measuring from the outermost part of the balcony to the balcony of the next building over. That essentially makes
the separation distance in the range of 29M if both buildings have balconies.
Thought it would good to get @innsertnamehere 's thoughts on this one and @ProjectEnd 's
tstormers
Senior Member
Ooo I hope that isn't the case. Some of the plots of land I work with are difficult enough going face to face, though I know tricks will be done with balconies to avoid some of this. ie. inset or a gap in the area of question if on an angle opposed to parallel buildings.I'm not sure this story fits here, but I couldn't think of a better thread for it, and didn't want to create one.
Developer Brad Lamb on pockets of condo value in a very hot T.O. market
For some insight into what’s to come for the condo market, the death of balconies and more, we spoke with developer Brad Lamab.
Its an interview w/Brad Lamb.
He talks about a few things..........the one I took note of was this.
The City has changed the way its interpreting the separation distance guideline.
They used to measure from the face of the building to the face of the building to define 25M apart.
Apparently they are now measuring from the outermost part of the balcony to the balcony of the next building over. That essentially makes
the separation distance in the range of 29M if both buildings have balconies.
Thought it would good to get @innsertnamehere 's thoughts on this one and @ProjectEnd 's
Northern Light
Superstar
I've spoken w/one person here who indicated that other developers are saying this is not true.
I await further commentary from those in the know.
innsertnamehere
Superstar
The city already has a by-law prohibiting inset balconies on the tower-portions of buildings, only permitting them on the podium. (technically it's a by-law mandating 25m separation of main walls, but an inset balcony creates a condition where two main walls face each other on either side of the balcony, violating the by-law requirement). You could probably put inset balconies on towers through your by-law amendment, but you would get push back from urban design as it would "increase the visual scale of the tower floorplate" or something.
As for removing balconies from tower separation distances, It's definitely something the city is asking for, though not consistently. I don't believe they have any hard policy prohibiting it, or even a guideline, so there is room for developers to push back.
Another one is they have started asking for tower set backs from the podium to include balconies as well, which is fun as it effectively forces your tower step back to be 4.5m instead of 3m. Again, no hard policy on it though, so you can push back.
As for removing balconies from tower separation distances, It's definitely something the city is asking for, though not consistently. I don't believe they have any hard policy prohibiting it, or even a guideline, so there is room for developers to push back.
Another one is they have started asking for tower set backs from the podium to include balconies as well, which is fun as it effectively forces your tower step back to be 4.5m instead of 3m. Again, no hard policy on it though, so you can push back.
desperateAmbassador
New Member
"Death of balconies" would be a happy unintended consequence IMO... I never quite understood the obsession with them as they (a) are ugly in most cases, (b) reduce usable living space in the case of inset balconies and (c) are completely useless 8-9 months of the year in a northern climate.I'm not sure this story fits here, but I couldn't think of a better thread for it, and didn't want to create one.
Developer Brad Lamb on pockets of condo value in a very hot T.O. market
For some insight into what’s to come for the condo market, the death of balconies and more, we spoke with developer Brad Lamab.
Its an interview w/Brad Lamb.
He talks about a few things..........the one I took note of was this.
The City has changed the way its interpreting the separation distance guideline.
They used to measure from the face of the building to the face of the building to define 25M apart.
Apparently they are now measuring from the outermost part of the balcony to the balcony of the next building over. That essentially makes
the separation distance in the range of 29M if both buildings have balconies.
Thought it would good to get @innsertnamehere 's thoughts on this one and @ProjectEnd 's
Never understood why Toronto makes the same kind of towers you see in Miami Beach, maybe if current climate projections come true this will look like forward thinking...
Northern Light
Superstar
I have a balcony and quite enjoy it.
I have a small dining set allowing me to eat outside from May - October; and I typically grow about 80 plants during the summer.
I grow Fresh Basil, Rosemary, Thyme, Chives, Sage, Savoury, Dill, Mint and Parsley; as well as red and yellow grape tomatoes, early girl tomatoes, mixed lettuces, Portuguese Peppers, Green Beans and Strawberries.
For me its an important asset. I appreciate that isn't the case for everyone.
But it is for many people. All the more true as units get smaller, I have ~1,100ft2 and still see value in it, many people these days are lucky to get 1/2 that.
TRONto
Active Member
I loved my outdoor space when I had a balcony. Most don't use it, but I used mine on a regular basis
allengeorge
Senior Member
Not quite zoning related, but:
news.ontario.ca
Specifically, 20% foreign buyers tax province-wide. I personally don’t think that foreign money is the biggest driver of the price increase, but I’m in support of monetary/fiscal demand-side changes to halt the housing price spiral.
Ontario Newsroom
news.ontario.ca
Specifically, 20% foreign buyers tax province-wide. I personally don’t think that foreign money is the biggest driver of the price increase, but I’m in support of monetary/fiscal demand-side changes to halt the housing price spiral.
tstormers
Senior Member
I believe the balconies are still not included from their tall building guidelines. Unless they haven't updated their website to a newer version than the 2013 one.
I just hadn't heard of any pushback in our office so I thought I'd relook, though there is verbiage that dictates larger separations the taller the building. Makes me think of 1200 Bay and the non existent setbacks there.
Suggested Block Plan for 1200 Bay Supertall Among Details in Planning Docs | UrbanToronto
Planning documents are giving us a better look at what Dutch developers Kroonenberg Group and ProWinko are proposing at 1200 Bay, replacing the existing 12-storey building with a skinny 87-storey tower designed by world-renowned Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron with local firm Quadrangle.
Also, we use inset balconies fairly often. The L Tower is a good example of that.
evandyk
Senior Member
We have a balcony and we use it regularly, though it's hard to dine outside with a toddler who needs a booster seat and is very wriggly. We grow a lot of the same stuff. He likes to play with sand and water out there, and he loves picking cherry tomatoes and eating them right there (we even let him do it without washing off all the Time & Space construction dust). I like it, and it is a nice asset to my apartment.
But adding those 100 square feet to my living room would probably be a bigger asset if that was the alternative.
But back to the tower distances, I'm not sure how much these are enforced. The Whitfield is going to be 18 m or less from my balcony.
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afransen
Senior Member
Average tax rate for Ontario on 40k income is around 13%. https://www.eytaxcalculators.com/en/2022-personal-tax-calculator.html
If that person wants to move to an equivalent house with an equivalent valuation on the other side of town, they would need to come up with $200k to pay the tax bill or add that to their mortgage. That is very strong incentive to never move. That kills labour mobility. It also means that the high bidder for housing will be long holding duration owners like landlords. Notwithstanding draconian rules about what entities can own housing types. Corps can own apartment buildings but not condos? Semidetached but not SFH?
afransen
Senior Member
Land value tax makes way more sense.
MrGoose
Active Member
Will never happen. Anything that would harm landlords / our oligarchs is not allowed.
afransen
Senior Member
I think more the pain would be felt by middle class homeowners. Landlords could operate profitably in an environment with land value tax.