Neighbourhood Development Guidelines

The TPRA’s Development Committee’s role is to monitor development in and around or neighbourhood. Our Neibourhood is appreciated praised and prized for its large, mature trees, large lots, relatively low building density and vast variety of lot sizes with highly variable building types and sizes. The TPRA encompasses streets with different lot sizes from 20-25’ frontages on Glen Echo to 30-40’ frontages on Snowdon to 50-60” frontages on Golfdale to 60-100’ frontages on Teddington Park to very large custom lot with ravine space on Riverview Drive. In order to maintain our spacious and green corner of North Toronto, we believe all TPRA residents should support preserving it and encouraging future developments that respect the low density and natural features of our Neibourhood. In a residential development application, a “development” can mean an individual home renovation, a new addition, or a new in fill construction. We believe a development should not be objectionable to adjacent property owners due to the size or negative impact on neighbours.

The following is a list of planning principles that guide the TPRA’s responses to development applications:

One of the characteristics that TPRA residents cherish and seek to protect is the relatively low density, open space and greenery of the TPRA residential streets.
The original GFA for our neighbourhood, zoned C1, was 35%. In determining our responses to residential development applications, the goals of the TPRA are to;
- limit new residential development applications to a GFA of 65% for Snowdon and Glen Echo and a 50% for Golfdale, Teddington, and Riverview.
- limit the number and degree of “minor variances in front lot, side lot and rear lot setbacks and building wall heights.
The TPRA will endeavour to proactively engage property owners adjacent to parcels that are the subject of Committee of Adjustment Applications.
The TPRA will advocate that neighbours adopt these principles in their negotiations of the variances with the development proponents.
One of the negative impacts of climate change has been the increased frequency of extreme weather events, most notably the increase in severity and frequency of heavy rainfalls events. This has increased the risks of localized flooding across the City of Toronto. Consequently, the TPRA advocates the strengthening of flood prevention regulations related to limiting GFA increases of residential infill development.

Adhere to the zoning by-law
Generally try to keep within the by-laws by respecting good spacing between homes, maintain, compatible front, side and backyard setbacks to preserve your and your neighbour’s view.
Variances should be minor.
Respect your neighbours: right to privacy, sun and shadow effects, rain and spring runoff, being on a flood plain or on a hill does create some challenges.
Build to scale and character of your street and neighbour: size, mass and style of proposals should be similar or compatible to the character of the houses on the street.
Communicate with your designer and builder to make sure they are aware of your wishes to stay as close to these guidelines as possible.
Discuss your intentions and review your plans with your neighbours at least three houses each side and across the street from your lot well before the construction begins or variance notices from the city go out.