‘Greening’ Surface Parking Lots

The Design Guidelines for ‘Greening’ Surface Parking Lots provide specific strategies and measures which developers, designers and reviewers of surface parking lots can apply to help meet Official Plan policies and environmental performance targets of the Toronto Green Standard.

• For a copy of the Design Guidelines for ‘Greening’ Surface Parking Lots please contact Sustainable City.
• View the Council Report

The Guidelines are designed to deal with common urban design and environmental challenges found within and around surface parking lots.

‘Greening’ the surface parking lot involves:

• planting trees;
• providing good quality soil and generous landscaped areas;
• enhancing pedestrian and cycling infrastructure;
• managing stormwater on-site;
• reducing the urban heat island effect; and
• using sustainable materials and technologies.

The Guidelines were approved for public release by Council in 2007 and minor updates were completed in January 2013 to make the Guidelines consistent with the requirements of the Toronto Green Standard.