Development Committee

History of Thompson Orchard Neighbourhood

Thompson Orchard is a small community of approximately 330 houses. Thompson Orchard runs west of Royal York, south of Bloor and is bounded west and south by Mimico Creek.

Almost all the original houses in Thompson Orchard were built in the 1930s and 1940s by a well-known designer and builder, Robert Home Smith and were similar in character. The neighbourhood of Thompson Orchard comprises tastefully appointed traditional 1 to 2 storey homes situated on well-treed and winding streets to create an air of a wooded retreat. Most of the original homes were designed in the Arts and Crafts style, which had become popular during that time.

Thompson Orchard is part of the Kingsway neighbourhood whose unique character has been recognized by the City in the Bloor Kingsway Urban Design Guidelines. That document recognizes the “distinctive character” of the Bloor Kingsway area.

Thompson Orchard is also part of the Sunnylea area. Sunnylea runs west of King’s Mill Park and the Humber River, south of Bloor Street West, east of Mimico Creek and north of Berry Road. While it has not been designated, this area has been placed on a list of ‘Potential Heritage Districts’, another recognition by Toronto that this neighbourhood has a distinctive character.

While there has been significant redevelopment in the Thompson Orchard area over the last 15 years most of the renovations or new homes have respected the character of the original neighbourhood.

Thompson Orchard By-law Zoning

Real estate areas have by-law zoning requirements and policies to regulate development. The last significant update to the City of Toronto real estate zoning (By-law 569-2013) was on May 9, 2013.

That update incorporated existing zoning exception for Thompson Orchard into the by-law (RD-18). For the link to the actual report, click on:

https://www.toronto.ca/zoning/bylaw_amendments/ZBL_NewProvision_Chapter900_3.htm#900.3.1

No amendments to RD-18 have occurred since that time.

As noted below, the lands, or a portion thereof, are subject to the following Site Specific Provisions, Prevailing By-laws and Prevailing Sections.

Site Specific Provisions:

  • (A) The maximum height of a detached house with a peak roof is 8.5 metres;
  • (B) The maximum height of a main wall of a detached house is 6.0 metres above established grade for either:
    • (i) all front and rear main walls; or
    • (ii) all side main walls;
  • (C) The maximum height of a detached house with a flat roof is 6.0 metres;
  • (D) Despite regulation 10.20.40.30 (1), the maximum building depth permitted by that regulation includes the one storey extension permitted by regulation10.20.40.20 (2);
  • (E) The maximum gross floor area on a lot is 185 square metres, up to a maximum floor space index of 0.45, including:
    • (i) the floor area of an attached or detached garage; and
    • (ii) void areas in the building; and
    • (iii) for the purpose of calculating a void area as part of the calculation of the maximum gross floor area in this Regulation:
      • (a) a void area is any part of a building above the basement level where the floor to ceiling height is 4.6 metres or greater;
      • (b) the floor area of a void area is doubled;
      • (c) a maximum void area of 4% of the gross floor area of a building may be excluded from the calculation of the maximum gross floor area permitted in a building; [By-law: 607-2015 Under Appeal]
  • (F) The minimum side yard setback of a detached house that is 2 or more storeys on a lot with a lot frontage:
    • (i) less than 15.3 metres is 0.9 metres and the minimum aggregate side yard setbacks of both side yards is 2.1 metres;
    • (ii) of 15.3 metres to 18.0 metres is 1.2 metres and the minimum aggregate side yard setbacks of both side yards is 20% of the lot frontage; and
    • (iii) greater than 18.0 metres is 1.2 metres and the minimum side yard setback of each side yard is increased by an additional 0.3 metres for every 3.0 metres greater than 18.0 metres to a maximum side yard setback of 3.0 metres for each side yard, and the minimum aggregate side yard setbacks of both side yards is 20% of the lot frontage; [By-law: 607-2015 Under Appeal]
  • (G) A garage with parking spaces for 3 or more vehicles is permitted on a lot with a lot frontage greater than 27.0 metres; and
  • (H) If the lot frontage is less than 12.0 metres, the maximum combined width of all vehicle entrances through the front wall of a building is 3.0 metres.