Zoning · Toronto · Open space

ON zone, Toronto: Open Space - Natural Zone

Chapter 90, Section 90.20 of the City of Toronto Zoning By-law 569-2013, as amended by 103-2016, 1031-2014.

A natural open space zone for parks, farming and public services, where any building must be small (up to 500 square metres), set back 3 metres from every lot line and no taller than 15 metres unless the height overlay map says otherwise.

Is a property in the ON zone? Enter its address and the lookup returns the zone and these standards, including any site-specific exception.

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What the ON zone permits

  • Ambulance Depot
  • Agricultural Use
  • Fire Hall
  • Park
  • Police Station
  • Public Utility
  • Transportation Use
  • Club (with conditions, 90.20.20.100(1))
  • Cogeneration Energy (with conditions, 90.20.20.100(2))
  • Education Use (with conditions, 90.20.20.100(1))
  • Entertainment Place of Assembly (with conditions, 90.20.20.100(1))
  • Place of Assembly (with conditions, 90.20.20.100(1))
  • Recreation Use (with conditions, 90.20.20.100(1))
  • Renewable Energy (with conditions, 90.20.20.100(2))
  • Retail Store (with conditions, 90.20.20.100(3))
  • Stable (with conditions, 90.20.20.100(4))

Standards

RequirementBy-law
Minimum front yard3 m90.20.40.70(1): 3.0 m building setback from front lot line. Does not apply to a transportation use along Eglinton Ave W/E provided setbacks are between 0 and 15 m (90.20.40.71).
Minimum interior side yard3 m90.20.40.70(1): 3.0 m building setback from a side lot line (no interior/exterior distinction). Eglinton Ave W/E transportation use exemption (0-15 m) per 90.20.40.71.
Minimum exterior side yard3 m90.20.40.70(1): 3.0 m building setback from a side lot line (no interior/exterior distinction). Eglinton Ave W/E transportation use exemption (0-15 m) per 90.20.40.71.
Minimum rear yard3 m90.20.40.70(1): 3.0 m building setback from rear lot line. Eglinton Ave W/E transportation use exemption (0-15 m) per 90.20.40.71.
Maximum building height15 m90.20.40.10(1): the HT value in metres on the Height Overlay Map; if no HT value, 15.0 m. Does not apply to a transportation use along Eglinton Ave W/E if height is no greater than 10.5 m (90.20.40.11).
Maximum gross floor area50090.20.40.40(1): 500 m2 per building. Does not apply to a transportation use along Eglinton Ave W/E provided floor area is no greater than 2 times the lot area (90.20.40.41).

Other provisions in this section

  • 90.20.1.10(1): Section 90.20 applies to all lands, uses, buildings and structures in the ON zone; category-wide rules are in Section 90.5 and Chapter 5.
  • 90.20.40.1(1): The principal building requirements (height, floor area, setbacks) do not apply to conservation works, public utilities and transportation uses.
  • 90.20.20.100(1): A club, education use, entertainment place of assembly, place of assembly or recreation use must be combined with a park or an agricultural use and may not be in a wholly enclosed building.
  • 90.20.20.100(2): Cogeneration energy production or renewable energy production must be in combination with another permitted use on the lot and comply with all municipal, provincial and federal by-laws, statutes and regulations.
  • 90.20.20.100(3): A retail store must be associated with an agricultural use on the same lot and may not be in a wholly enclosed building.
  • 90.20.20.100(4): A stable must be in association with a park or an agricultural use.
  • 90.20.40.11(1): Height limit does not apply to a transportation use along Eglinton Avenue West and East provided the maximum building height is no greater than 10.5 m [103-2016] [By-law 1031-2014].
  • 90.20.40.41(1): 500 m2 floor area limit does not apply to a transportation use along Eglinton Avenue West and East provided the floor area is no greater than 2 times the lot area [103-2016] [By-law 1031-2014].
  • 90.20.40.71(1): 3.0 m setback does not apply to a transportation use along Eglinton Avenue West and East provided setbacks are between 0 and 15 m [103-2016] [By-law 1031-2014].
  • Lot frontage, lot area, FSI and unit-count values, where they exist, are carried as zone-label suffixes on the zoning map (f, a, d, u), not in the section text.

Source: Chapter 90, Section 90.20, By-law 569-2013 (City of Toronto), checked 2026-09-12. General provisions elsewhere in the by-law (parking, driveways, accessory buildings) also apply, and a numbered exception on the parcel can change any value here. Treat this as a pre-check, not a sign-off.

Other open space zones in Toronto: O, OC, OG, OM, OR