Zoning Certificate
Zoning Certificate Approval Process
The Town's Planning Services department evaluates all Zoning Certificate applications and provides a detailed review of the project's proposed site plan and drawings to confirm zoning and compliance with applicable law. Please contact Planning directly if you have any questions about Zoning Certificates. When you have obtained the required Zoning Certificate, 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 certificate is not required for any project that was the subject of a Planning Act application and development review.
- All zoning certificates expire one year from the date they are issued.
- To find zoning information for a specific property, use our interactive zoning map.
- 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 sheets, drawn to scale, fully dimensioned, signed and dated.
- All required documentation shall be submitted in PDF format through the Public 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 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, fully dimensioned indicating 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 shall be $40.00 or 25% of the building permit fee - whichever is lower.
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
- Please register for a Public Portal account.
- Apply for a Zoning Certificate through the Public Portal.
- Follow each step when completing your Zoning Certificate application.
- Credit card payment is required to pay the fee.
- When your application is successfully submitted through the Public 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 Public Portal.
- A notice is provided by email when the Zoning Certificate has been issued.
- Contact Planning Services if you have any questions about obtaining a Zoning Certificate.
2. Building Permit Submission
- Submit a complete building permit application via your Portal account for the proposed project including all required applicable forms, documents, drawings, layouts, schedules, engineered lot grading plans, the issued Zoning Certificate, copies of all applicable approvals from outside authorities or agencies such as the Ministry of Transportation, County of Simcoe, Conservation Authorities (NVCA and/or GSCA), etc.
You can avoid delays by ensuring all required documentation is submitted with your application. - Follow each step when completing your Building Permit application.
- Credit card payment is required to pay applicable fees.
- When your application is successfully submitted through the Public Portal, the responsible Building staff will review your application and provide a status update within the mandated timeframes.
- You may also view the status under "My Items" on the Public Portal.
- Application review comments are provided during review to identify other items that may be required in order to complete a Ontario Building Code (OBC) review.
- Contact Building Services if you have any questions about the building permit application process.