Zoning Requirements for Garden suit in Toronto/Laneway Suit in Toronto

Regulation

Garden Suites

Laneway Suites

Definition

A Garden Suite is a separate living space where one or more people can live together. It has everything needed for day-to-day living, including a kitchen for preparing food and a bathroom. It’s located in a building that’s separate from the main house and doesn’t touch a lane. It’s important to note that a Garden Suite is not the same as a Laneway Suite.

A Laneway Suite is a separate living space where one or more people can live together. It has everything needed for day-to-day living, including a kitchen for preparing food and a bathroom. It’s located in a building that’s separate from the main house and touches a lane. It’s important to note that a Laneway Suite is not the same as a Garden Suite.

Permitted Uses

Can be used for home occupations or short-term rentals if it’s the principal residence.

Same as Garden Suite.

Use Restrictions

Only one ancillary building (either a Garden Suite or a Laneway Suite) is allowed per lot.

Same as Garden Suite.

Landscaping Requirements

Lot frontage greater than 6.0 metres

At least 50% of the area behind the main house and extending across the full width of the lot must be soft landscaping (like grass, plants, etc.).

At least 85% of the area between the main house and the front of the laneway suite must be soft landscaping, not counting a walkway up to 1.5 metres wide.

Lot frontage of 6.0 metres or less

At least 25% of the area behind the main house and extending across the full width of the lot must be soft landscaping.

At least 60% of the area between the main house and the front of the laneway suite must be soft landscaping.

Area between the laneway suite and the lane

Not specified

The area between the laneway suite and the lane, not counting a permitted driveway and a walkway up to 1.5 metres wide, must be landscaped, and at least 75% of it must be soft landscaping.

Setbacks

Rear Yard Setbacks

For lots less than 45.0 metres deep, the garden suite should be at least 1.5 metres away from the back of the lot.

If the lot is more than 45.0 metres deep, the garden suite should be at least 1.5 metres or half its height away from the back of the lot, whichever is more.

If the back of the lot doesn’t touch a street or lane and there are no doors or windows on the back of the laneway suite, it can be right at the back of the lot.

Otherwise, it should be at least 1.0 metre away from the back of the lot.

Side Yard Setbacks

If the side of the lot doesn’t touch a street and there are doors or windows on the side of the garden suite, it should be at least 1.5 metres or 10% of the lot’s width away from the side of the lot, up to a maximum of 3.0 metres.

Otherwise, it should be at least 0.6 metres or 10% of the lot’s width away from the side of the lot, up to a maximum of 3.0 metres.

If the side of the lot doesn’t touch a street or lane and there are no doors or windows on the side of the laneway suite, it can be right at the side of the lot. If the side of the lot touches a street, the laneway suite should be as far away from the side of the lot as the main house is.

 If the side of the lot touches the back of another lot, and the laneway suite is taller than 4.0 metres, it should be at least 1.5 metres away from the side of the lot.

Otherwise, it should be at least 1.0 metre away from the side of the lot.

Separation and Dimensions

Minimum separation requirements between the ancillary building and the residential building, and rules about angular planes.

No part of an ancillary building containing a garden suite may penetrate a 45-degree angular plane projected towards the rear lot line, beginning from a height of 4.0 metres at a distance of 7.5 metres from the rear main wall of the residential building.

Same as Garden Suite.

Gross Floor Area

The gross floor area must be less than the gross floor area of the residential building on a lot.

Same as Garden Suite.

Lot Coverage

The area covered by all ancillary buildings, including the Garden Suite, may not exceed 20% of the lot area.

The area of the lot covered by an ancillary building containing a garden suite may not exceed the lesser of 40% of the area between all rear main walls of the residential building and the rear lot line, and a total floor area of 60.0 square metres.

The area covered by all ancillary buildings, including the Laneway Suite, may not exceed 30% of the lot area.

Parking and Bicycle Parking

No parking space is required for the Garden Suite, but a minimum of two bicycle parking spaces must be provided.

Same as Garden Suite.

Height Requirements

Distance from Residential Building (The maximum height depends on the distance from the residential building on the lot.)

Garden Suites Height Limit

Laneway Suites Height Limit

At least 5.0 metres but less than 7.5 metres

4.0 metres

4.0 metres

7.5 metres or more

6.0 metres

6.3 metres

Specific Area (bounded by Coxwell Avenue, Coxwell Boulevard and Massey Creek to the west, the Don River and Sunrise Avenue to the north, Victoria Park Avenue and Nursewood Park to the east, and Lake Ontario to the south)

6.3 metres

Not specified

Maximum Storeys

An ancillary building containing a garden suite may have a maximum of two storeys, provided it doesn’t exceed the maximum height restrictions stated above.

An ancillary building containing a laneway suite may have a maximum of two storeys, subject to the maximum height restrictions.

Architectural Features for Garden Suites Laneway Suites

Specific Structures on Roof

Certain things like antennas, flagpoles, green roof edges, satellite dishes, and weather vanes can stick up an extra 1.0 metre above the maximum height limit.

Skylights

Skylights can stick up an extra 0.3 metres above the maximum height limit.

Functional Elements on Roof

Things needed for the building to work properly, like equipment or structures, can stick up an extra 1.5 metres above the maximum height limit. This also includes things that cover or screen these elements.

Decks, Platforms, and Amenities for Garden Suites and Laneway Suites:

Requirements

Garden Suites

Laneway Suites

Platform Walls

The sides of a platform (like a deck or porch) are not considered main walls if at least 50% of the sides above the floor are open to the outside.

Same as Garden Suite.

Platform Restrictions

The platform area, excluding a green roof, should be less than 10% of the interior floor area of the suite. The platform should comply with the required minimum building setbacks, separation distances, and angular planes. The sides of a platform next to a side yard must be visually screened from an abutting lot by an opaque barrier at least 1.5 metres high.

Same as Garden Suite.

Platform Height

The platform floor should be almost level (no more than 0.2 metres higher) with the floor inside the suite. The platform should be on the first floor of the suite.

The platform floor should be almost level with the floor inside the suite and not more than 4.0 metres above the ground, unless it’s close to a wall facing a lane.

Platform Encroachments

A platform without walls can stick out up to 1.5 metres from the front of the suite if it’s no more than 0.3 metres above the ground.

Same as Garden Suite.

Canopy/Awning Encroachments

A canopy, awning, or similar structure over a platform can stick out into the required separation distance or building setback. The highest point of the canopy, awning, or similar structure can be up to 4.0 metres above the ground.

Same as Garden Suite.