Toronto Residents Organization
Research, Education, Analysis and Tools
Senior Editor City of North Vancouver | July 2018 | IntroductionCoach Houses are detached non-strata units also known as granny suites, lane way housing, garden suites and carriage houses. Coach houses have been present in the community over the last century. In the early 1900s, a coach house was sometimes the first unit built on a lot … Read more
By Elijah Chiland | May 29, 2018 | la.curbed.com Amid a profound housing shortage that’s driving up rents and property values statewide, California officials and real estate experts are looking to an often overlooked form of housing as a potential solution: the in-law unit. Thousands of Angelenos already live in back houses and granny flats (officially called “accessory dwelling … Read more
By Tabatha Southey | April 6, 2018 | It can be difficult to explain a love of Toronto to your friends if they, say, live in London or New York. Trying to sell people on why one sticks with Toronto, you find yourself saying the civic equivalent of “Look, it’s really good in bed.” Toronto’s certainly … Read more
City of Ottawa | Fall 2017 | Coach house principles: Principle 1 – Form of IntensificationCoach houses are meant to be a gentle form of intensification, allowing for affordable housing options, on residential properties that are developed with a detached, semi-detached, duplex or rowhouse dwelling (if that rowhouse dwelling is on a corner lot or … Read more
Davey McEathron Architecture | June 21, 2017 | We have experience designing many building types within the complex zoning codes of Austin, TX. We also know that dealing with permits and zoning can be a nightmare. To put your mind at ease, we’ve assembled some quick notes on what will likely come up during the … Read more
City of Victoria | Feb. 24, 2017 | Design Guidelines – Character Quality in design, high quality architectural expression, and unique individual identity of a Garden Suite are encouraged. However, the Garden Suite should relate to the principal building on site in terms of materials, roof form, and general architectural expression. The intent, however, is … Read more
City of Saskatoon | June 24, 2016 | DEFINITIONSGarden Suite means a small, self-contained, ground-oriented dwelling unit that is accessory to a one-unit dwelling. It is located in the rear yard of a one-unit dwelling and has cooking, food preparation, sleeping and sanitary facilities which are separate from those of the one-unit dwelling. Garage Suite … Read more
Urban bellyachers are challenging the long-held notion of Toronto the Tolerant. Here’s a look at some of the city’s most controversial developments, and why their detractors are so mad
By Edward Keenan | Columnist | Jan. 3, 2016 | Back in June, I wrote a column making fun of many of the busybody neighbourhood complaints that make the news, ones I characterized as “petty, whiny jerkiness.” Exhibit A in that argument was the Cabbagetown fight against a local park splash pad, which some neighbours quoted in press … Read more
City of Portland | January 1, 2016 | The Accessory Structures Zoning Code Update revises the Portland’s Zoning Code regulations for accessory structures with a focus on detached accessory structures associated with residential development. In the Zoning Code, detached accessory structures are divided into four types: detached covered accessory structures (e.g. garages, ADUs, greenhouses); detached … Read more