Case Study: The Committee Approves a Fourplex in Willowdale
Daniel Du, Development Analytics
Generated 2026-09-22

== Method ==
We measure every low-rise residential lot within 500 m from parcel geometry in EPSG:2952. Frontage is the street-facing edge of the lot along its addressed street. The subject is a corner lot. It fronts Ancona St and a second named street. We measure its frontage along Ancona St, the addressed street, and we take its area from the whole parcel. We keep corner lots in the cohort for this study, because a fourplex depends on lot size and not on mid-block position.

We compare each lot with the subject on two measures. A lot 'matches or exceeds' the subject when its area is at least the subject's measured area and its frontage is at least the subject's measured frontage. We allow a tolerance of 0.5 m² and 0.05 m. The softer screen tests each lot against the mapped 550 m² and 15.0 m minimums. We also test each lot against the 'a' and 'f' values of its own zone label, the method used in the delivered Willowdale study. The subject sits in RD (f15.0; a550) (x5), the same zone as the Willowdale demonstration site.

Precedent comes from Committee of Adjustment records. We geolocate each record to the parcel fabric and keep files received in 2015 or later. A file counts as unit-adding when its description mentions a fourplex, multiplex, triplex, duplex or added dwelling units. The search is case-insensitive. The counts are small, so Exhibit 2 shows them against all files on the record rather than as a stacked bar on their own.

The decision record gives the proposal, the decision and the objection field. It does not publish the variances sought or the approved plans. We state what the record says and no more.

== Sources ==
- City of Toronto Open Data: Committee of Adjustment Applications (decision record), accessed September 2026.
- City of Toronto Open Data: Municipal Parcels, Street Centrelines, Zoning By-law 569-2013 layers.

This is a retrospective demonstration on a decided public application. The Committee of Adjustment already decided this file, and it is a public record. Daniel Du was not retained on the matter. We prepared this analysis after the decision, as a work sample. It states no planning opinion.
