HERITAGE STATUS IN TORONTO

By Helen Braithwaite and Pennie Mathers

Figuratively speaking, home is the family castle….even if it lacks a moat, drawbridge or crenellated towers, or, whether it be a modest cottage or elegant brownstone or impressive mansion….which we fuss over and lavish time and money on to keep up appearances.  And woe-betide disparaging outsiders who want to “improve” our street-scape; we will defend it, if not until death, but with writs galore!!

And, of course, the older the castle is, the mellower it is, and as time gracefully ages it, it acquires that patina knows as “Heritage”; a designation which now frequently envelops not only your castle, but the whole neighborhood!!  In time our civic worthies will have enshrined the neighborhood in legal documents calling it a Heritage District.

Did you know there are fourteen areas in Toronto which have “Heritage” status?  They are: Blythwood, Cabbagetown-Metcalfe, Cabbagetown-North, Cabbagetown South, Draper Street, East Annex, Fort York, Harbord Village, Lyall Avenue, North Rosedale, South Rosedale, Wychwood Park, Weston, Yorkville-Hazelton

The following areas are Heritage Conservation Districts Under Study:
Agincourt, Annex(Madison Avenue), Balmy Beach, Cabbagetown Northwest, Casa Loma, Harbord Village Phase 2, Liberty Village, Queen Street East, Queen Street West, Riverdale Area Phase 1, St. Lawrence Area, Phase 1, Summerhill, Toronto Islands, Union Station District, West Queen West, Weston Area Phase 2.

What does all that mean? Well, it means if you are a potential home- buyer and spot a potential fixer-upper in a designated area you would like to improve  with a few external embellishments of your own, you had better check it out with you lawyer before committing hard cash to the project.  ALL properties in the designated areas (not just homes] are hedged with a number of no-no’s in addition to the usual Ontario Building Code requirements.

(Note: Potential developers shouldn’t feel discriminated against: the Heritage rules also apply to existing property owners in these areas as well.)

To take one area as an example: The North Rosedale Conservation District was created on September 2005.  (The North Rosedale Ratepayers’ Association has a link:  www.northrosedale.ca/heritage.asp to the Heritage Study showing each home in the neighborhood, its rating and location.)

The study shows that 51% of homes in North Rosedale have been given Heritage status. Six are “A” rated; 43 “B” rated and 418 are “C” rated out of 919 homes in the area.

“A” and “B” rated homes are considered to be landmarks of significant merit and stand on their own. (A prominent architect is usually associated with these properties.)  The “C” rated homes are included to aid the preservation of the overall Heritage character of the district.

Owners and would-be owners of ALL properties within Toronto who want to renovate must first acquire a permit from City Hall before building any structure, addition or undertake any renovations. A building permit generally will be approved if the renovation complies with the Ontario Building Code, local zoning by-laws and other applicable laws and regulations. In such cases the approval will generally be granted by the City’s Building Division staff.   But note: the property owner is still responsible for complying with all requirements.

Owners of properties in the preservation districts which have been rated “A”, “B” or “C” must ALSO acquire additional approvals from the City’s Heritage Preservation Services Section if they are planning any renovations that involve exterior work or demolition.

The Heritage Board wants to help homeowners who wish to update their older homes, but it also wants to ensure that the neighborhood’s historical integrity is maintained, particularly the home’s appearance from the street.

Heritage Permits are NOT required for interior alterations or landscaping, including: plantings, walkways and driveways; or an alteration that is NOT visible from the street.

In general, City Council does not require owners to get Heritage Permits for routine maintenance like painting of wood, stucco or metal finishes; repair (using the same materials) of existing features, including roofs, wall-cladding, dormers, cresting, cupolas, cornices, balustrades, porches and steps, entrances, windows, foundations and decorative wood, metal, stone or terra cotta.  In addition, Heritage Permits are not required to install eaves-troughs; weather proofing, including the installation of removable storm windows and doors or exterior lights.

So, it you have designs on gussying-up your castle in a Heritage Preservation District be sure to seek legal advice first.  The Heritage Board doesn’t want to be obstructive: it wants to ensure the historical integrity of the neighborhood is maintained.

For more information on Heritage preservation and properties please visit the following City of Toronto link:
http://www.toronto.ca/heritage-preservation/heritage_questions.htm

Helen Braithwaite and Pennie Mathers are both Sales Representative With Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd./JOHNSTON AND DANIEL DIVISION, Brokerage.  Helen and Pennie are regular contributors to the Muddy York blog.  Their website is located at www.twoperspectives.ca

The photgraph is provided courtesy of Glenn Brown Photography.