Toronto City Council is back, and they just voted 16-5 in favour of a $5 million light show at the Toronto Zoo, paid for by funds raised for the zoo through the Toronto Foundation.
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Now at council: Councillor John Filion moves to refer changes to zoning bylaws governing shelters back to committee for more consideration.
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The zoning changes council is considering would delete requirements that new shelters must be located at least 250 metres away from existing shelters, and that all shelters be located within 80 metres of a major street.
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And Council is now heading into private session to talk about public appointments to the TTC board and Library board.
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Council is back. Motion from Cressy, Bailão and Bradford to look at raising the land transfer tax on homes selling for $3 million+ gets added to the agenda. Deputy Mayor Minnan-Wong holds it for debate.
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Councillor Mike Layton’s motion for a report on pursuing compensation from polluters for city’s costs related to climate change does NOT get added to the agenda. Referred to Infrastructure & Environment Committee. (Looks like those voting yes just wanted to kill it now.)
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For the record: one of the yes votes says I should not make assumptions re: her voting intention here. A fair and reasonable point! (I still bet Minnan-Wong and Holyday want to kill it.) x.com/JayeRobinson/s…
@GraphicMatt Never make assumptions!
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Toronto Council now debating as-of-right zoning for secondary suites. Here’s a link to the livestream for all you planning nerds: youtube.com/watch?v=9wFKi1…
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Deputy Mayor Minnan-Wong has a question about the proposed elimination of the zoning rule requiring secondary suites outside of downtown to come with a parking spot: “Where exactly are they supposed to park?”
It’s going to be that kind of debate.
It’s going to be that kind of debate.
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Councillor Robinson expresses concerns about committee amendment that’d allow homeowners to create front door entrances for secondary suites. (Instead of side or back door.) Federation of North Toronto Residents Association also alarmed about this. toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2… (PDF)
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(This is one of those things I just can’t comprehend. So a house might have two front doors — who cares?)
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Councillor Mike Layton wants to look at allowing on-street parking city-wide. “I think there’s been a silent war on the car going on across our city. I’d like to take away that restriction and free the car.” Champion-level sarcasm.
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Transportation staff say they have a report coming soon about allowing on-street parking in more areas across the city.
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Councillor Holyday moves to maintain requirement for secondary suites outside of downtown to come with a parking space.
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Holyday also has a motion that, should his first motion fail, secondary suites still come with a parking requirement just in his ward.
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Holyday says when people start parking on the street it introduces “more sources of conflict in a community.”
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Holyday: “The people in Etobicoke Centre do not want to take away the requirement for parking because it will fundamentally change their neighbourhoods, and it will fundamentally introduce conflict.”
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Basically, if I’m following this right, widespread on-street parking will inevitably lead to a Purge-like scenario where neighbours battle neighbours in a lawless symphony of blood.
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Councillor Joe Cressy: “My friends are leaving this city because they can’t afford to rent here. I have staff in my office that cannot afford to rent here. And you’re sitting around this chamber right now debating the impacts of parking if we add rental housing.”
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Councillor Perks: “Councillor Holyday, you’re chasing a dream that never existed and trying to impose it on a bunch of us who are just trying to live our lives with different incomes, different backgrounds and different dreams about the City of Toronto.”
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Councillor Brad Bradford makes good point that many suburban neighbourhoods have seen a population decline over the last five years, even as city overall grows and housing gets less affordable. History shows us there’s room for more people to live in those neighbourhoods.
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Tory says he’ll oppose Holyday’s motions, but will support Robinson’s no-two-front-doors motion. He says homeowners who want two front doors will still be able to get approval through the Committee of Adjustment.
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Holyday’s motion to maintain requirement that suburban secondary suites come with parking spaces FAILS 6-19.
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Holyday motion that secondary suites in his Ward 2 still require parking spaces also FAILS 2-23.
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On re-vote, Robinson’s motion to not permit secondary suites to have front door entrances CARRIES 17-8.
Mar 28, 2019 · 7:54 PM UTC
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Councillor Bailao’s motion to have staff report on exempting secondary suite units from development charges CARRIES 15-10.
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Matlow voted the wrong way on that final secondary suite bylaw vote. So they re-vote, and it carries 24-1.
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Now Integrity Commissioner Valerie Jepson is up with a presentation on her department’s 2018 annual report. I had some stuff in this week’s @cityhallwatcher about this — Jepson’s report says underfunding has threatened her department’s ability to provide effective oversight.
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Integrity Commissioner report: “There is a real risk that refusals to provide recommended resources are in fact indirect attempts to interfere with the administration of accountability offices. It is because of this risk that I believe the current model is unsustainable.”
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Deputy Mayor Denzil Minnan-Wong, on the possibility of raising the land transfer tax on homes worth $3m+: “Sure, they have big homes, but why should we be asking them to pay when they already pay so much in taxes?”
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Minnan-Wong: “If we need extra money, we should be able to find some other way to pay for it. Just one idea: how much does it cost for one night for the homeless? $100! Start there. Find some savings there - and maybe we can pay for a few other things.”
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Tory says he’ll support the Bailao, Cressy and Bradford motion to look at options to raise revenue to pay for housing subsidies, but won’t support a land transfer tax increase.
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Motion to look at revenue options to pay for housing subsidies, including a new land transfer tax bracket, CARRIES 18-7.
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@GraphicMatt Our millionaire mayor doesn't want us to have doors. Cool cool cool
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