Toronto city council, after a hotly contested debate on Wednesday, has decided to water down a proposal to legalize sixplex housing citywide — legalizing them instead in the old metropolitan Toronto and East York, plus one ward in Scarborough, while leaving an open door for other areas to later opt-in.

The concession came in the form of a motion from Coun. Gord Perks (Ward 4, Parkdale—High Park), who said it was necessary to move the dial on density.

“I’m moving this very reluctantly. I’ve spent a considerable amount of time and effort working with my colleagues on council to find majority support … but I’ve been unable to find that,” Perks said in council chambers around 5 p.m.

His motion proposed to limit sixplex permissions to old Toronto and East York, plus an area bound by Steeles Avenue, Midland Avenue, Highway 401 and the Rouge River where a pilot was already underway to study sixplex legalization.

It asked staff to ensure necessary community infrastructure such as street sweeping be available in the areas where more density will be allowed, and directed other councillors who want their wards to be included in the sixplex legalization change to reach out to Toronto’s chief planner, Jason Thorne.

“I’m heartbroken that this is the only way that I can get this approved here,” Perks said. The altered plan passed nearly two hours laterin an 18-to-6 vote.