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Zoning Reform Ideas

AlbertC said:
www.thestar.com

Emma Teitel: Toronto’s rules about shade are costing us new housing

In the name of safeguarding sunlight on public parks, city policy is taking bites out proposed buildings and effectively protecting people who have housing at the expense of those looking for it, writes Emma Teitel.
www.thestar.com www.thestar.com
Click to expand...

Ms. Teitel's hot takes are rarely well thought out, nuanced or evidenced and this is no exception.

Doesn't mention the impact of shadows on vegetation at all; nor does she consider the impact in winter of hostile pedestrian conditions, nor does she consider the aesthetic issues; simply put, simple-minded
column from a simple-minded columnist.
 
Once again, not zoning reform, so perhaps there's a better spot for this, but Gregg Lintern put out a Twitter thread about what was approved at the last meeting of Council last week; and, well, its worth taking in:

1658757051013.png


For those that like the links:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1550599050696835075
 
Not strictly zoning related, but the provincial government is attempting to sell this as a housing-driven policy (just look at the Act name):

www.thestar.com

Doug Ford delivers new law that will give sweeping powers to ‘strong mayors’ in Toronto and Ottawa — and maybe other cities

The mayors of Toronto and Ottawa would have sweeping new authority over municipal budgets and the hiring and firing senior staff under Premier Doug Ford’s “strong-mayor” legislation.
www.thestar.com www.thestar.com

I really, really have my doubts that Tory is going to use this to push hard for change against the housing status quo, and do something like…I dunno…change the low density limits at certain MTSAs.
 
allengeorge said:
Not strictly zoning related, but the provincial government is attempting to sell this as a housing-driven policy (just look at the Act name):

www.thestar.com

Doug Ford delivers new law that will give sweeping powers to ‘strong mayors’ in Toronto and Ottawa — and maybe other cities

The mayors of Toronto and Ottawa would have sweeping new authority over municipal budgets and the hiring and firing senior staff under Premier Doug Ford’s “strong-mayor” legislation.
www.thestar.com www.thestar.com

I really, really have my doubts that Tory is going to use this to push hard for change against the housing status quo, and do something like…I dunno…change the low density limits at certain MTSAs.
Click to expand...

I've read the list of powers it provides. While they are sweeping, I can't really see any that advance housing.

The Mayor will be able to veto a decision of Council in certain circumstances; but this, more than anything protects the status quo, as the Mayor can only veto change, not how things are today.

The Mayor will have enhanced budget setting powers; however, budget chief Crawford is already a political ally of the Mayor, Budget Ctte is stacked w/the Mayor's allies and the budget must already go through Executive which the Mayor
effectively controls.

The Mayor will have some enhanced firing/hiring power around the City Manager and possibly some other senior positions; I can find little evidence that the Mayor couldn't get rid of someone or ensure someone's hiring today.

Council will also have the authority to overrule the Mayor with a 2/3 majority.

There are some new direct report-request powers (where the request need not come from Council); but since when is getting a report request through Council a challenge?

There is no unilateral power to approve developments, nor by-laws, there is no unilateral power to upzone.........

I don't see any connection between this legislation and housing.
 
Last edited:
Northern Light said:
I don't see any connection between this legislation and housing
Click to expand...
It is weird that they’re attempting to paint it as such via the Act name.

The only thing I could see as being housing related is if Council were trying to do something like an end-run around MTSA density targets - but then, wouldn’t the Minister have the ability to veto those changes?
 
Undead said:

Key quote: "We can't anymore only have the option between two-storey housing and 60-storey towers. There are many more options in between that and we need to take advantage of those options."

Talk is cheap, yes. But it's good seeing this realization trickling into the mainstream.
Click to expand...

Discussed in a series of posts over in the 'Who is Running for Mayor Thread" , here:

2022 election - who is running for mayor?

Back to Mr. Penalosa's campaign planks. His latest is 'Mondays with the Mayor'....... In which he proposes, if elected, to travel to a different ward each Monday evening and hold a town hall and Q&A from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. He also proposes to bring a senior manager/representative from every...
urbantoronto.ca urbantoronto.ca
 
Talk is cheap, and I don’t trust Tory - but that seems like a reasonable list.

I’ll celebrate if it happens, but glad these reforms are being talked about. Probably a sop to the progressive vote, and then we’re back to the below-inflation property tax hikes and the status quo.
 
I'll stick this here..............

Apparently, the province is seriously considering scrapping most/all development charges on any development that meets certain inclusionary zoning requirements (not specified)

www.thestar.com

Doug Ford will cut development fees on affordable housing, but municipalities could take a financial hit

Premier Doug Ford is poised to introduce further measures to expedite housing construction — and boost density — immediately after the Oct. 24 municipal elections, the Star has learned.
www.thestar.com www.thestar.com

This could, in theory, cost municipalities a ton of money............and it not clear how the province would imagine making them whole.

This could be a material incentive to inclusionary zoning..........but it could also be a disincentive if municipalities opt against same to avoid sacrificing revenue..........

This is very much a devil in the details type of thing.

Some excerpts from the article:

1665026153215.png


***

1665026172984.png
 
Funding it would definitely be interesting... land value tax anyone? It would raise substantial revenues without impacting affordability. The losers are current owners of the land.
 
I don’t think the province is particularly interested in making municipalities whole.

I really dislike the penny-pinching, at-or-below property tax increase culture at City Hall - but Toronto is unreasonably on the hook for services that really shouldn’t be funded out of property taxes (homeless shelters, substance abuse, etc). The province hasn’t made a peep about improving the financial setup there. I don’t expect them to step up here either.
 
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