Setbacks
City of Toronto Zoning By-law 1156-2010
Setback Definitions
REAR LOT LI
D
FRONT
C
SIDE
YARD
SID
REAR LOT LI
NE
SETBACK
SIDE LOT LINE
RD
SET
BAC
K
C
E YA
SID
E
LO
TL
IN
E
REAR YARD
SETB
ACK
NE
LOT LIN
E
FRONT Y
ARD SET
BACK
B
FRONT
LOT LIN
E
A
A
Lot Line means any boundary of a lot. 800.50 Defined Terms (430)
B
Front Yard Setback means a horizontal distance on a lot measured at a right angle from the front lot line
to the nearest main wall of a principal building or structure. 800.50 Defined Terms (280)
C
Side Yard Setback means a horizontal distance on a lot measured at a right angle from the side lot lines
to the nearest main wall of a principal building or structure. 800.50 Defined Terms (750)
D
Rear Yard Setback means a horizontal distance on a lot measured at a right angle from the rear lot line
to the nearest main wall of a principal building or structure. 800.50 Defined Terms (625)
© 2010 Copyright City of Toronto. All Rights Reserved
Setbacks
City of Toronto Zoning By-law 1156-2010
Front Yard Setback Averaging
X+Y÷2=Z
Z = Front Yard Setback
X
FRONT
LOT LIN
E
Z
FRONT Y
ARD SET
BACK
Y
FRONT
LOT LIN
E
In the Residential Zone category, if a lot is located:
A
Beside one lot in the Residential Zone category, and that abutting lot has an existing principal building
fronting on the same street and located, in whole or in part, 15.0 metres or less from the subject lot, the
minimum required front yard setback is the existing front yard setback of that principal building on the
abutting lot; or
B
Between two abutting lots in the Residential Zone category, each with an existing principal building
fronting on the same street and located, in whole or in part, 15.0 metres or less from the subject lot, the
minimum required front yard setback is the average of the existing front yard setbacks of those
principal buildings on the abutting lots. By-law Section 10.5.40.70 (1)
© 2010 Copyright City of Toronto. All Rights Reserved
Performance Standards
City of Toronto Zoning By-law 1156-2010
What is Lot Coverage & Maximum Building Depth and Length?
REAR LOT LINE
SIDE LOT LINE
SIDE LOT LINE
E
SIDE LOT LIN
SIDE LOT LINE
A
C
B
FRONT YARD SETBACK
FRONT LOT LINE
A
Lot Coverage
B
Building Depth
C
Building Length
A
Lot Coverage means the portion of the lot that is covered by any part of any building or structure on or
above the surface of the lot. 800.50 Defined Terms (415)
B
Building Depth means the horizontal distance between the front yard setback required on a lot and
the portion of the principal building's rear main wall furthest from the required front yard setback,
measured along a line that is perpendicular to the front yard setback line. 800.50 Defined Terms (100)
C
Building Length means the horizontal distance between the portion of the front wall of a principal
building on a lot closest to the front lot line, and the portion of the rear main wall of the building
closest to the rear lot line, measured along the lot centreline. If the relevant parts of these walls are
not intersected by the lot centreline, the measurement is from the point on the lot centreline where a
line drawn perpendicular to the lot centreline connects with the relevant part of the wall. 800.50
Defined Terms (105)
© 2010 Copyright City of Toronto. All Rights Reserved
Performance Standards
City of Toronto Zoning By-law 1156-2010
What is Floor Space Index (FSI)?
B
FSI = 1.0
Covering = 50%
of lot on 2 floors
LA
C
FSI = 1.0
Covering = 25%
of lot on 4 floors
Lot Area
A
FSI = 1.0
Covering = 100%
of lot on 1 floor
FSI
Floor Space Index (FSI) means the gross floor area of all buildings on a lot divided by the lot area.
800.50 Defined Terms (255)
© 2010 Copyright City of Toronto. All Rights Reserved
Performance Standards
City of Toronto Zoning By-law 1156-2010
How is Gross Floor Area (GFA) Calculated?
2
Second Floor
1
First Floor
G
Garage *
(NOT INCLUDED IN GFA)
B
Basement *
(NOT INCLUDED IN GFA)
GFA Gross Floor Area (GFA) means the total area of each floor level of a building, above and below grade,
measured from the exterior of the main wall of each floor level, including voids at the level of each floor,
such as an atrium, mezzanine, stairwell, escalator, elevator, ventilation duct or utility shaft, but excluding
areas used for the purpose of parking or loading. 800.50 Defined Terms (310)
B
Exclusion of Basement from Gross Floor Area in a Residential Building Despite the definition of gross
floor area in this By-law, for a lot in a Residential Zone category, the gross floor area of a residential
building does not include the basement, unless the elevation of the established grade is higher than the
average elevation of grade along the rear main wall of the residential building by 2.5 metres or more, in
which case 50% of the gross floor area of the basement is included. By-Law Section 10.5.40.40 (1)
© 2010 Copyright City of Toronto. All Rights Reserved
Building Height
City of Toronto Zoning By-law 1156-2010
What is Established Grade?
A + B ÷ 2 = EG
EG = Established Grade
H
BUILDING
HEIGHT
EG
B
A
A
A
0.01m
B
0.01m
ESTABLISHED
GRADE
FRONT YARD
SETBACK
EG
Established Grade means the average elevation of the ground measured at the two points where the
projection of the required minimum front yard setback line is 0.01 metres past each side lot line.
By-law Section 800.50-240 Defined Terms.
H
Determining the Height of a Principal Building:
Unless otherwise stated in this By-law, in the Residential Zone category the height of a principal building
is measured as the distance between the elevation of the established grade and the elevation of the
highest point on the building. By-law Section 10.5.40.10 (1)
© 2010 Copyright City of Toronto. All Rights Reserved
Building Height
City of Toronto Zoning By-law 1156-2010
What is a Sloped Roof and a Flat Roof?
10.0m
BUILDING
HEIGHT
BUILDING
HEIGHT
7.2m
ESTABLISHED
GRADE
ESTABLISHED
GRADE
A
B
Less than 1:4
1:4 or Greater
Shallow or flat roof
Maximum Height = 7.2m
Sloped roof
Maximum Height = 10.0m
A
A detached house in an RD zone that has a roof with a slope of less than 1.0 vertical units for every 4.0
horizontal units, for more than 50% of the total horizontal roof area; the maximum height is 7.2 metres
and the building must have no more than two storeys. By-Law Section 10.20.40.10 (4)
B
A detached house in an RD zone that has a roof with a slope greater than 1.0 vertical units for every 4.0
horizontal units, for more than 50% of the total horizontal roof area; the maximum height for a principal
building or structure on a lot is the numerical value shown in metres on the Height Overlay Map. If the
lot is in an area with no numerical value shown on the Height Overlay Map the height is to a maximum of
10.0 metres . By-Law Section 10.20.40.10 (1)
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