Transition Zones
In order to re-establish historic neighbourhood populations, while accounting for modern lifestyles, the City of Toronto should consider establishing Transition Zones. These would extend from the rear of properties which front onto Avenues, or the fronts of properties abutting other Major Streets which do not fall under the Avenue designation, a specified distance (i.e 100 to 200 metres) into the core of adjacent Neighbourhoods. Within this Zone, the “missing middle” of low-rise residential development would be targeted for intensification. Such a policy change would encourage the development of ground-related housing on the edges of Neighbourhoods, in proximity to commercial main streets, frequent and reliable higher order and surface transit, parks and other amenities, while maintaining the stability of Toronto's Neighbourhoods.
Transition Zones offer the potential to diversify the existing housing stock, thereby catering to a greater range of housing needs and making our communities more vibrant and resilient. By increasing residential populations in Neighbourhoods, they would optimize the use of existing infrastructure including roads, sewers, and watermains. Furthermore, they would optimize the use of existing services including schools, libraries, community centres, childcare facilities, parks, waste removal services and public transit. This would be accomplished by distributing the financial burden of constructing and maintaining infrastructure and services in a more sustainable and equitable fashion.
Within the broader context of other more dramatic policy interventions, which include the elimination of all Zones which exclusively permit detached single-family dwellings, or the movement away from Zoning regulations which restrict any form of residential use in favour of form-based codes, Transition Zones have the potential to serve as a more palpable policy solution to the housing crisis. The logic behind the idea is consistent with the intent of the City’s existing Urban Structure and Land Use policies. In fact, Transition Zones reinforce and expand upon the scope of these policies, representing the next logical step forward in an already well-defined, accepted and rationale approach to city building.
So, how do we determine where Transition Zones are most appropriate? Please click on Identification, Review and Evaluation to learn more.
Transition Zones offer the potential to diversify the existing housing stock, thereby catering to a greater range of housing needs and making our communities more vibrant and resilient. By increasing residential populations in Neighbourhoods, they would optimize the use of existing infrastructure including roads, sewers, and watermains. Furthermore, they would optimize the use of existing services including schools, libraries, community centres, childcare facilities, parks, waste removal services and public transit. This would be accomplished by distributing the financial burden of constructing and maintaining infrastructure and services in a more sustainable and equitable fashion.
Within the broader context of other more dramatic policy interventions, which include the elimination of all Zones which exclusively permit detached single-family dwellings, or the movement away from Zoning regulations which restrict any form of residential use in favour of form-based codes, Transition Zones have the potential to serve as a more palpable policy solution to the housing crisis. The logic behind the idea is consistent with the intent of the City’s existing Urban Structure and Land Use policies. In fact, Transition Zones reinforce and expand upon the scope of these policies, representing the next logical step forward in an already well-defined, accepted and rationale approach to city building.
So, how do we determine where Transition Zones are most appropriate? Please click on Identification, Review and Evaluation to learn more.