Development

We are happy to provide additional advice, where possible, if the information you are looking for is not available on this website.

Neighborhood Building Guidelines (pdf)

YMVA's Involvement in Development

Building Applications and the Committee of Adjustment

Right of Entry Bylaw (formerly "Right to Access")

Ravine Bylaw – There Are New Rules!

You need a permit if ...

You do not require a permit if ...

New Construction and Protected Vegetation

YMVA's Involvement in Development

The YVMA restricts its involvement to issues that either:

        1) have the potential to set a negative precedent for future development in The Valley, or

        2) development proposals that would negatively affect all valley residents.

The YMVA will not take sides in disputes between neighbours unless they meet one of the two criteria noted above.   In the interest of fairness The Development Committee will make the identical information available to all parties.

Building Applications and the Committee of Adjustment:

If a building permit application submitted to the city that meets all of the applicable city bylaws, it will be approved. If there is an application that requires variances from the bylaws, the application will be sent to the Committee of Adjustment for review. All neighbours within 100 feet of the property in question are notified. Any ratepayer has the right to speak at the committee on a particular application.

The city has information on their website to explain the Committee of Adjustment process at http://www.toronto.ca/planning/comm_adj.htm.

The YVMVA prepared this pamphlet (PDF 168k) describing the development and committee process with some tips. If, after reviewing this information, you still have questions, please feel free to call the executive member for development issues.

Right of Entry Bylaw (formerly "Right to Access")

On October 30 2008, Council adopted a new harmonized "Right of Entry" by-law - one that is a great improvement over previously existing by-laws.

Our thanks goes to the four city residents (Eileen Denny, Hilde Reis-Smart, David Bawden and Bobby Burton) , working on their own time and at their own expense who played a key role in protecting citizens. They are largely responsible for the new by-law which permits entry in a more fair and even-handed manner with appropriate assignment of responsibilities. The beneficiaries of their work are the people of Toronto. Under the previous rules, if there was a problem, it was left up to the neighbour to resolve or take the offending party to court.

A brief summary of the new by-law:

a permitting system which provides for significant input by the neighbour whose property is to be used;

the requirement that the accessing party provide a security deposit;

the ability of the City to issue orders to comply and to remedy damages at the accessing party's expense; and

City inspections.

For full details see the staff report at

http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2008/ls/bgrd/backgroundfile-16049.pdf.

Ravine Bylaw – There Are New Rules!

There have been issues in the valley related to the new ravine bylaws and cutting of trees and shrubs.

If your property falls into the area defined as part of the ravine by the city, you are not allowed to remove any trees or shrubs without permission from the city – regardless of their size. The 10” diameter rule does not apply to ravine properties.   The bylaws came into effect in 2002 to help prevent erosion and to try ensure soil stability. They were recently updated. For the most recent updated information please go to the city website http://www.toronto.ca/trees/ravines.htm On the city webpage, there are links to all the critical information including the bylaws and a link to the maps that show clearly which properties and areas fall under the bylaws.

Here are some excerpts from an email - edited to shorten- from city staff to the valley executive, August 2008:

“As well, the ravine bylaw has been amended again just this past May. It cleans up some of the wording in the bylaw itself, affords some additional protection, and allows for better compensation where trees are permitted for removal. Thus, the information that is on the website is currently outdated. We are hoping to have the revised bylaw and information on the website and out to the public by the end of next year. ….

Most professionals in the development community are aware or should be aware of our bylaw and requirements. In Hogg’s Hollow, we typically see the same developers repeatedly. We work closely with applicants to ensure they are compliant with our bylaw and its objectives. We are aware that there are people who do not know about our bylaw or choose to ignore it and we try to deal with these people as we can. Urban Forestry staff is typically in Hogg’s Hollow once every week or two, or more often. As there are only 5 staff members dealing with 30,000+ ravine protected properties in the City we do rely on the public a lot for information.

Ravine bylaw requirements need not be onerous if the public is informed. The information may be overwhelming so it is a good step to add this information to your newsletter. Our staff is available to answer questions as well. … Please do not forget to contact Toronto Region Conservation Authority regarding such issues at 416-661-6600x5250. They have jurisdiction in Hogg’s Hollow as well and deal with drainage, slope stability and erosion etc. issues.

Residents should also be contacting private professionals for advice regarding trees, ravine stewardship, slope stability, drainage and other issues. Urban Forestry reviews such plans when reviewing applications.”

You need a permit if:

A permit is required when a proponent wishes to injure or destroy a healthy tree of any size, or to place or dump fill or alter the grade (where not subject to TRCA fill regulation) in defined areas as identified in Schedule “A” attached to the By-law. This means that where development is proposed on property within or partially within the ravine protection area mapped on Schedule A of the Ravine By-law, the applicant will be required either to sign a declaration that there will be no injury or destruction of trees, or placing or dumping of fill or alteration of grade (where outside of TRCA jurisdiction); or to apply to Forestry for a permit under the Ravine By-law. Declaration forms and applications are available at all Planning or Building customer service counters and from Urban Forestry through the website http://www.toronto.ca/trees/forms.htm.

Completed forms should be sent to:

City of Toronto,

Urban Forestry Ravine Protection

355 Lesmill Road

Toronto M3B 2W8

Fax 416 392-6658

The application form lists the submission requirements. Permits may take a few weeks to be processed.

You do not require a permit under the following conditions:

For grade changes within areas that are fill regulated by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (a permit must be filed with TRCA).

For removal of a dead tree or a tree in declining or poor condition that cannot be maintained in a healthy and safe condition, after a certified tree expert (generally an Arborist) has evaluated it and the City Forester confirms the assessment.

For a tree that represents an imminent hazard to persons or property. Individuals removing such hazards are required to report to the City Forester on the conditions making the tree hazardous.

For the proper arboricultural pruning of a tree, provided that it will not harm the health of the tree. Examples of reasons for such pruning include the following:

Pruning to encourage the natural form of the tree species;

Pruning to remove dead limbs;

Pruning to maintain structural stability and balance of a tree.

It may be detrimental to tree health to prune to reduce the shading effect of tree branches or to improve a view and such action is not acceptable under the Municipal Code.

For the following circumstances:

Pruning according to proper arboricultural standards to clear tree limbs and branches interfering with structures;

Pruning of tree branches that interfere with utility conductors, as certified by the City Forester;

To injure or destroy trees which are involved with emergency work which includes drain repairs, utility repairs and structural repairs to a building of an emergency nature; work to prevent soil erosion, slipping of soil.

For cultivation or tilling of garden beds as long as such work does not alter or create slopes at greater than 10 percent.

For placing of soil involving an amount of less than five cubic metres for the purposes of maintaining existing manicured areas.

The city forester will suggest that you require an arborist’s report before you can apply for any removals on the ravine properties. However, it is possible to complete the application for removals yourself, provided you include photos and a planting plan. The city wants to ensure replacement plants are put in – in one case to remove a 6” diameter tree; the home owner had to agree to plan two additional trees on the property.

New Construction and “Protected” Vegetation:

You will notice that before many of the new homes are built, that the city has the developer place protective fencing around trees and shrubs that are to be left in place. However, we have received several complaints and it seems to be an ongoing challenge to save these plants. Several times, towards the end of the construction, the protective fencing was removed, and the developer allowed vehicles to damage and destroy the “protected” vegetation. If you see this happening, please take a moment to call or email the city forester’s North District office at:

City Forester - North District Office Contact Information:

Telephone:                       (416) 338-TREE (8733)
Office Hours:                     8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. - Mon-Fri
After Hours Emergency - (416) 395-6333
Email: trees@toronto.ca


	We are happy to provide additional advice, where possible, if the information you are looking for is not available on this website. Neighborhood Building Guidelines (pdf) YMVA's Involvement in Development Building Applications and the Committee of Adjustment Right of Entry Bylaw (formerly "Right to Access") Ravine Bylaw – There Are New Rules! You need a permit if ... You do not require a permit if ... New Construction and Protected Vegetation YMVA's Involvement in Development The YVMA restricts its involvement to issues that either: 1) have the potential to set a negative precedent for future development in The Valley, or 2) development proposals that would negatively affect all valley residents. The YMVA will not take sides in disputes between neighbours unless they meet one of the two criteria noted above. In the interest of fairness The Development Committee will make the identical information available to all parties. Building Applications and the Committee of Adjustment: If a building permit application submitted to the city that meets all of the applicable city bylaws, it will be approved. If there is an application that requires variances from the bylaws, the application will be sent to the Committee of Adjustment for review. All neighbours within 100 feet of the property in question are notified. Any ratepayer has the right to speak at the committee on a particular application. The city has information on their website to explain the Committee of Adjustment process at http://www.toronto.ca/planning/comm_adj.htm. The YVMVA prepared this pamphlet (PDF 168k) describing the development and committee process with some tips. If, after reviewing this information, you still have questions, please feel free to call the executive member for development issues. Right of Entry Bylaw (formerly "Right to Access") On October 30 2008, Council adopted a new harmonized "Right of Entry" by-law - one that is a great improvement over previously existing by-laws. Our thanks goes to the four city residents (Eileen Denny, Hilde Reis-Smart, David Bawden and Bobby Burton) , working on their own time and at their own expense who played a key role in protecting citizens. They are largely responsible for the new by-law which permits entry in a more fair and even-handed manner with appropriate assignment of responsibilities. The beneficiaries of their work are the people of Toronto. Under the previous rules, if there was a problem, it was left up to the neighbour to resolve or take the offending party to court. A brief summary of the new by-law: a permitting system which provides for significant input by the neighbour whose property is to be used; the requirement that the accessing party provide a security deposit; the ability of the City to issue orders to comply and to remedy damages at the accessing party's expense; and City inspections. For full details see the staff report at http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2008/ls/bgrd/backgroundfile-16049.pdf. Ravine Bylaw – There Are New Rules! There have been issues in the valley related to the new ravine bylaws and cutting of trees and shrubs. *If your property falls into the area defined as part of the ravine by the city, you are not allowed to remove any trees or shrubs without permission from the city – regardless of their size. The 10” diameter rule does not apply to ravine properties. The bylaws came into effect in 2002 to help prevent erosion and to try ensure soil stability. They were recently updated. For the most recent updated information please go to the city website http://www.toronto.ca/trees/ravines.htm On the city webpage, there are links to all the critical information including the bylaws and a link to the maps that show clearly which properties and areas fall under the bylaws. Here are some excerpts from an email - edited to shorten- from city staff to the valley executive, August 2008: “As well, the ravine bylaw has been amended again just this past May. It cleans up some of the wording in the bylaw itself, affords some additional protection, and allows for better compensation where trees are permitted for removal. Thus, the information that is on the website is currently outdated. We are hoping to have the revised bylaw and information on the website and out to the public by the end of next year. …. Most professionals in the development community are aware or should be aware of our bylaw and requirements. In Hogg’s Hollow, we typically see the same developers repeatedly. We work closely with applicants to ensure they are compliant with our bylaw and its objectives. We are aware that there are people who do not know about our bylaw or choose to ignore it and we try to deal with these people as we can. Urban Forestry staff is typically in Hogg’s Hollow once every week or two, or more often. As there are only 5 staff members dealing with 30,000+ ravine protected properties in the City we do rely on the public a lot for information. Ravine bylaw requirements need not be onerous if the public is informed. The information may be overwhelming so it is a good step to add this information to your newsletter. Our staff is available to answer questions as well. … Please do not forget to contact Toronto Region Conservation Authority regarding such issues at 416-661-6600x5250. They have jurisdiction in Hogg’s Hollow as well and deal with drainage, slope stability and erosion etc. issues. Residents should also be contacting private professionals for advice regarding trees, ravine stewardship, slope stability, drainage and other issues. Urban Forestry reviews such plans when reviewing applications.” You need a permit if:* A permit is required when a proponent wishes to injure or destroy a healthy tree of any size, or to place or dump fill or alter the grade (where not subject to TRCA fill regulation) in defined areas as identified in Schedule “A” attached to the By-law. This means that where development is proposed on property within or partially within the ravine protection area mapped on Schedule A of the Ravine By-law, the applicant will be required either to sign a declaration that there will be no injury or destruction of trees, or placing or dumping of fill or alteration of grade (where outside of TRCA jurisdiction); or to apply to Forestry for a permit under the Ravine By-law. Declaration forms and applications are available at all Planning or Building customer service counters and from Urban Forestry through the website http://www.toronto.ca/trees/forms.htm. Completed forms should be sent to: City of Toronto, Urban Forestry Ravine Protection 355 Lesmill Road Toronto M3B 2W8 Fax 416 392-6658 The application form lists the submission requirements. Permits may take a few weeks to be processed. You do not require a permit under the following conditions: For grade changes within areas that are fill regulated by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (a permit must be filed with TRCA). For removal of a dead tree or a tree in declining or poor condition that cannot be maintained in a healthy and safe condition, after a certified tree expert (generally an Arborist) has evaluated it and the City Forester confirms the assessment. For a tree that represents an imminent hazard to persons or property. Individuals removing such hazards are required to report to the City Forester on the conditions making the tree hazardous. For the proper arboricultural pruning of a tree, provided that it will not harm the health of the tree. Examples of reasons for such pruning include the following: Pruning to encourage the natural form of the tree species; Pruning to remove dead limbs; Pruning to maintain structural stability and balance of a tree. It may be detrimental to tree health to prune to reduce the shading effect of tree branches or to improve a view and such action is not acceptable under the Municipal Code. For the following circumstances: Pruning according to proper arboricultural standards to clear tree limbs and branches interfering with structures; Pruning of tree branches that interfere with utility conductors, as certified by the City Forester; To injure or destroy trees which are involved with emergency work which includes drain repairs, utility repairs and structural repairs to a building of an emergency nature; work to prevent soil erosion, slipping of soil. For cultivation or tilling of garden beds as long as such work does not alter or create slopes at greater than 10 percent. For placing of soil involving an amount of less than five cubic metres for the purposes of maintaining existing manicured areas. The city forester will suggest that you require an arborist’s report before you can apply for any removals on the ravine properties. However, it is possible to complete the application for removals yourself, provided you include photos and a planting plan. The city wants to ensure replacement plants are put in – in one case to remove a 6” diameter tree; the home owner had to agree to plan two additional trees on the property. New Construction and “Protected” Vegetation: You will notice that before many of the new homes are built, that the city has the developer place protective fencing around trees and shrubs that are to be left in place. However, we have received several complaints and it seems to be an ongoing challenge to save these plants. Several times, towards the end of the construction, the protective fencing was removed, and the developer allowed vehicles to damage and destroy the “protected” vegetation. If you see this happening, please take a moment to call or email the city forester’s North District office at: City Forester - North District Office Contact Information: Telephone: (416) 338-TREE (8733) Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. - Mon-Fri After Hours Emergency - (416) 395-6333 Email: trees@toronto.ca

	Copyright © 2005, York Mills Valley Association