An update to Toronto's Tall Building Design Guidelines seeks to address problems with the seven-year-old planning document, while strengthening the protections afforded historic properties, key sightlines, and local context.
"Toronto is more than ever a city of skyscrapers, and so it is prudent they don’t scrape anybody the wrong way," writes Katie Daubs. "A new set of guidelines call for tall buildings to coexist with the rest of the city, by preserving certain views, honouring neighbourhood context and pedestrian experience — and, this one’s small one — but important: by suggesting that balconies have at least 1.5 metres of space and a rectangular persuasion for dining and seating, thank you very much."
"The latest effort come after six years of watching what worked and didn’t work in the past," she explains. "The general content is similar to existing planning documents, with more specific language and changes based on feedback from developers, ratepayer’s groups and citizens. One of the changes is a call for shorter base buildings," says Councillor Peter Milczyn, (Etobicoke-Lakeshore), chair of the planning and growth management committee.
"[Toronto’s director of urban design Robert Freedman] says the guidelines are 'not a checklist' and there is not likely a tower in the city that meets all of them. The idea is that when staff review an application, they should be looking to see if the 'applicant met the spirit and intent of the guidelines.'”
Read the full story: New Toronto tall building design guidelines aim to protect views of sky, sun, heritage
The myth of the 'first skyscraper:' How a clever PR campaign duped the world
The lie that laid claim to the skyscraper’s origins is well documented. Why do we still believe it?
Toronto Man Beats Streetcar on Foot to Highlight Traffic Delays
Runner Mac Bauer says he hopes his project spurs the city to improve transit speed and reliability.
Ontario Judge Saves Toronto Bike Lanes
A court order bars the provincial government from removing bike lanes, saying the decision would make roads more dangerous and fail to reduce congestion.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Housing is the top priority of Seattle’s sole new councilmember
Jenks campaigned on building 1,000 new units of affordable housing.
New tax cuts may slash $1.5 billion in funding for Miami transit, public parks
Amendment 3 will save Miami-Dade homeowners $2,700 in 2028.
Arizona, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania hope to finally advance climate goals post-midterms
The three states have spent years under Republican or divided control.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority