Item - 2018.PG27.5

The Planning and Growth Management Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council amend the Townhouse and Low-Rise Apartment Guidelines, Attachment 1 to the report (January 24, 2018) as follows:

a.  In the introduction to the Townhouse and Low-Rise Guidelines on page 9 paragraph 1, delete the following words:

"while balancing the need to accommodate housing in a growing city."

b.  On page 9 paragraph 3, delete the following words:

"In some cases, not all guidelines can be met in full, however a development may be acceptable when it respects the Official Plan."

2.  City Council approve the "Townhouse and Low-Rise Apartment Guidelines", Attachment 1 to the report (January 24, 2018) from the Acting Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, as amended by Recommendation 1 above, for use in the evaluation of current and new townhouse and low-rise apartment development applications, effectively replacing the 2003 Infill Townhouse Guidelines;

3.  City Council direct City staff to monitor the effectiveness of the Guidelines, including the Development Infrastructure Policy and Standards (DIPS) and other related policies for a period of at least two (2) years to determine if any further revisions are warranted for Council consideration;

4.  City Council direct City Staff to conduct staff training sessions for the "Townhouse and Low-Rise Apartment Guidelines" to develop a consistent and comprehensive understanding of the applicability, objectives, and limitations of these Guidelines; and

5.  City Council direct the Acting Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with relevant City officials, to actively provide direction in cases where an application requires further review due to the complexity of a project or conflicting priorities. In some cases, the City's Design Review Panel should advise in this process.

The Planning and Growth Management Committee:

1.  Requested the Acting Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to report directly to City Council on the following items related to deleting in the Guidelines the permission for townhouse buildings to have multiple unit entrances accessed via exterior shared landings along public streets:

- Stacked Townhouse

- Primary Entrances

- Architecture

At its meeting of November 15, 2017, a final report was tabled at the Planning and Growth Management Committee and recommended the Townhouse and Low-Rise Apartment Guidelines be approved for use in the evaluation of current and new townhouse and low-rise apartment development applications, replacing the 2003 Infill Townhouse Guidelines. A monitoring period of at least two (2) years was also recommended to determine if any further revisions to the Guidelines, related policies and other implementation tools will be warranted for Council consideration.

The Planning and Growth Management Committee deferred consideration of the final report and requested City Staff to conduct further consultation with development industry representatives and resident associations.

Further consultation with development industry representatives and resident associations were conducted, which resulted in minor revisions to the Townhouse and Low-Rise Apartment Guidelines. The revisions were made to ensure that the Guidelines are clear, consistent, and achieve good urban design principles. These revisions retain the original intent of the Guidelines.

This Supplementary Report amends the previously submitted Final Report from the Acting Chief Planner and Executive Direction, City Planning, dated October 24, 2017.

The purpose of this report is to provide information to the Planning and Growth Management Committee on the Townhouse and Low-rise Apartment Guidelines ("the Guidelines") and to recommend that City Council approve the Guidelines as contained in Attachment 1 of this report for use in the evaluation of all new townhouse and low-rise apartment development applications. When adopted, the Guidelines will replace the 2003 Council-approved Infill Townhouse Guidelines.

Following the November 16, 2015 Planning and Growth Management Committee meeting, City Planning was instructed to initiate further consultation on the draft Guidelines and report back to the Committee during the second quarter of 2016. A first round of consultation occurred in early 2016. The input received resulted in a number of significant changes and improvements to the Guidelines. A second round of consultation on the updated Guidelines took place through the summer and fall of 2016. The finalized Guidelines contained in Attachment 1 integrate and balance a wide variety of stakeholder perspectives and align with the current policy framework and best practices for townhouse and low-rise apartment projects. 

The report also recommends establishing a monitoring program that will evaluate the effectiveness of the Guidelines over a period of 2 years, after which any further changes or refinements to the Guidelines or related policies and implementation tools will be presented for Council consideration.

Finally, the report includes recommendations to determine how implementation of the Guidelines may be better supported through updates to related City policies and standards, such as the Official Plan and Development Infrastructure and Policy Standards (DIPS).