Clarifying the Rules: York Region guidelines for density targets

NRU
March 5, 2014
By Sarah Ratchford

York Region is considering a set of guidelines to help builders meet already-approved density targets.

York Region planning and economic development committee chair John Taylor says the region is trying to “provide more clarity for people.” He said regional officials have heard complaints from the development industry about challenges in meeting the targets.

The region’s 2010 Official Plan stipulated that there should be 20 units and 70 residents and jobs per developable hectare in new community areas that include Markham, Vaughan and East Gwillimbury.

The proposed guidelines for the density targets will be discussed at committee of the whole on Thursday.

BILD York Chapter chair Michael Pozzebon says the development industry has been aware of the targets “for quite some time.” He adds “As a natural progression, communities have become more and more dense over time.

“More townhouses, stacked townhouses and apartments will be included in the unit mix in order to meet the density targets.”

He adds that several communities in the region including Cornell in Markham, and North Leslie in Richmond Hill, already meet the targets.

Pozzebon says industry concerns likely centre around the region’s gradual shift away from predominantly single-family homes to denser communities that include more town houses and apartments.

Taylor stresses that talk about density and an evolving built form doesn’t mean the eradication of the single family home, even though fewer are being built.

“There are a lot of different ways to achieve density,” he says.

For example, a previously undeveloped major intersection could become a site for higher density buildings without affecting single-family neighbourhoods on nearby streets.

The region is projected to grow to 1.59 million people by 2031, says Taylor, putting the onus on the region to work with developers to ensure there is adequate space—and adequate, accessible communities—to support the growing population.

Director of long range planning Valerie Shuttleworth says the report is meant to be “assistive” to developers.

“Our expectation is the new communities will meet [these targets] and the document is intended to help [developers] understand how.”

She said the initiative boils down to making room for the projected new residents, ensuring they can live in communities with appropriate amenities.

For example, if communities are transit-oriented and walkable, and also meet density targets, Shuttleworth says land can be conserved.

“We’re slowing outward growth by achieving higher densities,” she tells NRU.

Prior to the province’s Places to Grow plan, Shuttleworth says there was no mandate on density. But she says there’s not much of a change for builders, because they were already starting to build more dense communities.

“The document demonstrates that newer communities built over the last decade or so are already close to meeting the targets.”