The Rise of Laneway Living: A Homeowners Dream Come True

In the ever-evolving landscape of Toronto's real estate, a quiet revolution is taking place – the rise of laneway living.

Source: Lanescape

Is your property connected to a laneway?

Ever pondered the potential of creating extra living space or boosting your income from your property? As urban spaces become increasingly sought after, laneway housing emerges as a solution that not only maximizes available land but also adds a touch of uniqueness to the city's architecture.

Enter the Laneway Suite, a cozy independent living space nestled in the backyard next to a public laneway, offering a private retreat separate from the main house.

As urban spaces become more coveted, laneway housing emerges as a solution that not only maximizes available land but also adds a touch of uniqueness to the city's architecture. A Laneway Suite, nestled in the backyard next to a public laneway, is an independent living space smaller and entirely separate from the main house on the lot.

Navigating the New Bylaws:

The recent announcement from the City Council introduces progressive bylaws, unveiling enticing prospects for homeowners through Toronto's Changing Lanes initiative.

This initiative allows homeowners to embark on an exciting journey of constructing residential units without the need for a public hearing, as long as their site adheres to zoning bylaws.

City Council's visionary move involves the relaxation of restrictions on laneway houses, unlocking the full potential for homeowners to enhance their living spaces. The updated bylaws now allow for the construction of these distinctive dwellings, offering a streamlined process for approval and construction.

This marks a significant step forward in fostering innovative and accessible housing solutions in the city, opening up new avenues for urban living.

Among the key highlights are:

• Reduced Restrictions:

  •  The new bylaws have significantly reduced the restrictions on laneway house construction, making it more accessible for homeowners to embark on this exciting venture.

• Height and Setback Adjustments: 

  • Homeowners can now explore greater height and setback options, allowing for more creative and functional designs.

• Streamlined Approval Process: 

  • The approval process has been simplified, ensuring a quicker path from concept to construction.

"As City council usher in a new era of urban development for Toronto, the recent changes in laneway housing regulations stand testament to the future of innovative living solutions. This is a significant step towards reshaping Toronto's architecture and enhancing the quality of life for its residents.

Now is the opportune time for us to capitalize on these advancements and maximize our potential in crafting distinctive and forward-thinking living spaces that truly embody the spirit of urban sophistication"

– Demetri Kafkis, Urban Planner

Design Criteria for Laneway Suites:

Key considerations include setbacks, separation from the main residence, and incorporation of soft landscaping. Guidelines dictate building height, footprint, rear and side clearance, and minimum separation from the main house. The bylaw offers design flexibility, with laneway suite floor area not counting toward the total allowed floor area on the lot.

Angular Plane Requirements:

To ensure privacy for neighbours, an angular plane must be observed at a maximum angle of 45°, commencing from a height of 4.0 meters on the side of the Laneway Suite facing the main house.

Fire Requirements:

Before initiating the construction of a laneway suite, it is imperative to confirm proximity to a fire hydrant and ensure adequate clearance. Failure to meet these criteria will result in building restrictions, making it a crucial first step in the process.

Maximum Distance to Hydrant:

The Laneway Suite entrance should not exceed a maximum distance of 45 meters from the main road if fire access is through the property, or 90 meters if accessed via the laneway. Additionally, there should be a maximum additional distance of 45 meters from the main road to the hydrant.

Minimum Unobstructed Path of Travel:

A minimum unobstructed path of travel of 0.9 meters must be maintained.

Footprint & Height Requirements:

To ensure the viability of your laneway suite investment, it is recommended to have at least a 1-bedroom plus den setup. The maximum footprint allowed is 10 meters deep by 8 meters wide, and the maximum height is limited to 6.3 meters.

Setback Requirements:

Compliance with building codes and regulations necessitates specific setbacks.

Minimum Rear Setback:

A minimum setback of 1 meter is required from the front of the Laneway Suite to the rear lot line, with exceptions for rear lots that do not face a lane or street.

Minimum Side Setback:

There are no minimum side setback requirements, except for side lots that face a lane.

Minimum Distance From Laneway Suite To Main House:

The minimum distance between the main house and the Laneway Suite depends on the building height. If the Laneway Suite height is 4 meters or less, the minimum distance is 5 meters. For heights exceeding 4 meters, the minimum distance increases to 7.5 meters.

Parking Requirements:

The City waives all car parking requirements for the main house; however, two designated bicycle parking spots must be provided on the property for the Laneway Suite.

Landscaping & Tree Requirements:

Soft landscaping rules are contingent on the property size, and the removal of a tree with a trunk diameter larger than 30 cm is strictly prohibited. This restriction holds significance as it can impact the viability and success of the Laneway Suite construction project.

Qualification Checklist:

If you answer yes to all of these questions, your property might be a good candidate for a Laneway Suite in Toronto:

1. Does your property have a maximum distance of 90 meters to the main road from the laneway or have at least 0.9 meters side clearance if you’re accessing the main road via the property?

2. Can you get a minimum build footprint of at least 400 square feet?

3. Is your backyard free of big trees or anything else that might get in the way of the build?

Permitted Building Types:

Laneway suites are permitted on all R-zoned lots containing detached, semi-detached, duplex, and row houses. They are not permitted in mixed MCR or CR zones.

Units per Lot:

A laneway suite is permitted to be a third unit on a lot in all R-zones. Where fourplexes are allowed, the laneway suite may be the fourth unit. Where fiveplexes are allowed, the laneway suite may be the fifth unit.

Use Requirements:

Laneway Suites may provide living accommodations, food and preparation facilities, short-term rentals, and home occupation if it is principally occupied as a residence.

Lot Line:

A laneway suite must be on a lot with a rear lot line or side lot line abutting a lane for at least 3.5 metres.

Landscaping:

The landscaping requirements will be determined by the lot frontage between the rear of the main residence and the front of the laneway suite.

• A) 6.0 m or less = min 60% for soft landscaping

• B) 6.0 m or more = min 85% for soft landscaping

• C) Between suite and abutting lane = min 75% for soft landscaping

Minimum Rear and Side Yard Setback:

If the rear lot line does not abut a street or lane and there are no openings such as vehicle access, doors, or windows in the rear main wall of the Laneway Suite then the minimum set back is 0.0 meters. In all other cases, the minimum would be 1.5 meters.

Minimum Separation Between Laneway Suite and Main Building:

The Laneway Suite can be no less than 5.0 meters from the main residence if the height of the suite is no greater than 4.0 meters. The Laneway Suite can be no less than 7.5 meters if the height of the Laneway Suite is greater than 4.0 meters.

Max Length, Width, Height:

Maximum length for a Laneway Suite is 10.0 m and the maximum width is 8.0 m. The height of the Laneway Suite is determined by the distance between the main residence and the Laneway Suite. If the distance between the two buildings is from 5.0 to 7.5 m, then the height would be 4.0 m. If the distance is more than 7.5 m, then the height can go up to 6.0 m. Any Laneway Suite can only have a maximum of 2-storeys.

Parking:

If a lot contains a laneway suite, then no parking spaces are required for any dwelling units.

Emergency Vehicle Access:

There must be a minimum width of 0.9 m of unobstructed access to the Laneway Suite and must be within 45.0 m of curb access from a fire hydrant. If the distance to the nearest public hydrant is greater than 45.0 m, then a private hydrant may be required.

Incentive Programs for the Construction of Laneway Suites:

Development Charges (DC) Deferral Program for Ancillary Secondary Dwelling Units:

• Since the development charges in the City of Toronto are not cheap, the City of Toronto created a deferral program that allows homeowners building an ancillary secondary unit (AKA a laneway suite) to defer the development cost of the laneway suite, as long as the suite remains a part of the property and is not severed into a new property within 20 years of the issuance of the building permit.

• The DC Deferral Application can only be filled out after you apply for a building permit for the construction of a laneway suite. Additionally, if you intend to apply for this program, please do not pay your development charges as the City will not be able to credit back the fee. To learn more about who can apply and how to apply, reach out to a us to start the conversation!

Affordable Laneway Suites Program:

• The Affordable Laneway Suites Pilot Program provides funding in the form of a forgivable loan of up to $50,000 for eligible property owners developing a laneway suite. The loan will be forgiven in 15 years from the date when the first tenant occupies the laneway suite. A forgivable loan is essentially a loan that is voided if all the terms of a particular agreement are satisfied. In this particular scenario, the rent being charged cannot exceed the City of Toronto Average Market Rent, by bedroom type at any time during the 15 year affordability period, as reported annually by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).

• Make sure that you understand the implications of charging average market rent, as it may lead to less rental income and also constrain you to only renting to long-term tenants.

• It is important to note that, just like the DC Deferral Program, you will need to have applied for a building permit before filling out the form. You will also need to be approved for the DC Deferral Program, so ensure that you fill out the DC Deferral Application form as soon as possible after you apply for your building permit!

For a more thorough understanding of how to plan and design your laneway suite addition within the City of Toronto ordinances and laws, the City Planning department has made available a concise video explaining basic information as well as a document summarizing the ordinances and requirements.

Embrace the future of urban living with laneway houses in Toronto. If you're considering this exciting venture, connect with us today to explore how we can turn your laneway living dreams into a reality. Together, let's redefine how Torontonians experience homeownership.