Zoning Certificate Permit
Zoning Certificate Permit Process
The Town's Planning Services department evaluates all Zoning Permit applications and provides a detailed review of the project's proposal and uses an appropriate site plan and description to confirm compliance with the Town of Collingwood Zoning By-Law. You must provide a site plan (plot plan of your proposal). A Zoning Permit cannot be applied for until you have received an Exemption from the Water Interim Control By-Law. When you have obtained the required Zoning Permit, it forms part of the required supporting documentation for a complete building permit application and is to be included with your permit application.
- A zoning permit is not required for any project that was the subject of a Planning Act application and development review.
- All zoning permits expire one year from the date they are issued.
- To find zoning information for a specific property, use our interactive zoning map.
- Register, Accept, and, apply, for your Zoning Certificate from the Secure Cityview Portal.
Contact Planning directly if you have any questions about a Zoning Certificate Permit.
Your drawings must clearly show what is existing and the changes you’re proposing. Drawings must be to scale, and should use metric measurements. We may request additional information when your application is reviewed.
The site plan must include the following:
- Scale (metric only)
- Direction (North arrow)
- Municipal (civic) address
- Existing buildings and accessory structures labelled “existing”
- Proposed construction ( label “Proposed” )
- Dimensioned property lines
- Overall building dimensions
- Height of new buildings or structures
- Rights-of-way and easements
- Landscaped areas and hard surfaces such as driveways and walkways
- Setbacks from all property lines to all new structures
- Lot area
- Lot frontage
- Lot coverage (meters squared and percent)
- Description or breakdown of what is included in coverage
- Driveway width
- Driveway setback to adjacent property line(s)
- Driveway surface treatment
- Dimension of any walkway attachment width to driveway
Example of a simple site plan.
- Provides a detailed review of a proposal intended for a future building permit application in order to confirm compliance with zoning and other applicable law.
- All drawings are to be drawn on standard-sized, drawn to-scale, fully dimensioned, signed, and dated.
- All required documentation shall be submitted in PDF format through the Secure and Registered Cityview Portal. Please name the submitted files appropriately as to their content, for examples:
"123 Any Street - Site Plan"; "123 Any Street - Elevation Drawing"
Survey
Please provide a survey, if available.
Site Plan
A detailed site plan, fully dimensioned, and showing setbacks from all property lines to the proposed project, including setbacks from other structures on the property. The Site Plan must include the calculations for the area and percentage of proposed Lot Coverage and Landscaped Open Space. Please refer to the Zoning By-law for zone provisions for your specific property and project.
Floor Plans
Floor plans are fully dimensioned indicating the uses of all spaces.
Elevations and Cross-Sections
Applicable elevations and cross-sections, including proposed height. Note "height" is defined in the Zoning By-Law as: "The vertical distance of a building measured from grade, and 1) in the case of a flat roof, the highest point of the roof deck surface, and 2) in the case of a gable, hip, gambrel, or mansard roof, the highest point of any roof ridge." Please refer to the Zoning By-law for the applicable height provisions for your specific zone designation and project.
See sample drawings.
The fee for a Zoning Certificate Permit shall be $40.00 (2023)
Building permits and other approvals may still be required.
- Foundation repairs
- Solid Fuel Burning Woodstoves and Fireplaces including chimney repairs
- Septic System Tank Replacement
- Repair to Retaining Wall
- Plumbing
- Electrical
- Back Flow Prevention Devices
- Roof Top Solar Panels
- Interior renovation unless related to Change of Use or Accessory Apartment
- Fire/Smoke Alarms
- Roof Repairs unless change in height
- Window Replacement
- Water Meter Installation
- Pergola
- Projects that were the subject of a Planning Act application and development review
The following is the submission sequence:
1. Zoning Certificate Permit (administered by Planning Services)
- Please register, accept, and apply using your Secure CityView Portal account.
- Apply for a Zoning Certificate through the Public Portal after you have accepted confirmation and using the same email address you used to register for the Secure Cityview Portal.
- Follow each step when completing your Zoning Certificate Permit.
- Credit card payment is required to pay the fee.
- When your application is successfully submitted through the Secure CityView Portal, the responsible Planning Technician will review your application.
- Application review comments are provided during review to identify other information that may be required, including applicable law approval requirements and approvals such as the Ministry of Transportation, County of Simcoe, or Conservation Authorities. You can avoid delays by ensuring all required documentation is submitted with your application.
- You may also view the status under "My Items" on the Portal.
- A notice is provided by email when the Zoning Certificate Permit has been issued.
- Contact Planning Services if you have any questions about obtaining a Zoning Certificate Permit.
Building Permit Submission Is a Permitting Function Administered by Building Services
- Submit a complete building permit application via your Secure CityView Portal account.