Planning & Development
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Planning and Development Services manage the growth and physical form of the Township. We maintain this through the land use planning process and by establishing goals for future growth and development. The Planning department is responsible for the review, processing and approval of all planning applications under the Planning Act, as amended.
Land use planning means managing our land and resources. It helps each community to set goals about how it will grow and develop. It helps to reach those goals while keeping in mind important social, economic and environmental concerns. It balances the interests of individual property owners with the wider interest and goals of the community.
Our Role
Planning is guided by the Planning Act, the Provincial Policy Statement, the County Official Plan and the Township's Official Plans and Zoning By-Laws. The Planning department's role is to:
Review/approve both long-range policy planning (Official Plan and Secondary Plans).
Review/approve current development proposals (Zoning By-Law, Plan of Subdivision, Site Plan Control, Minor Variance and Consent).
Review, develop and apply land use policies and land use By-Laws.
Provide planning advice to Council, residents and landowners.
Balance the interests of people, the environment and the local economy to create a great place to live.
Create policies that support effective land use strategies that increase quality of life for residents.
Land use in the Township is also regulated by A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe and a portion of the Township is regulated by the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan.
Our Services
The main services provided by the Planning Department are:
Policy Planning
Development Proposal review
Zoning By-law and Official Plan Interpretation
Our Responsibilities
Planning staff are responsible for the following:
Consent/Severances
Planning Applications and Special Projects
Minor Variances
Official Plan and Official Plan Amendments
Planning Application Forms
Planning Fees
Site Plan Control
Subdivisions
Rezoning and Zoning By-law Amendments
Property Inquiries
Please fill out our property inquiries form if you are interested in learning more about a property within the Township.
Consents and Severances
Section 50 of the Planning Act sets our specific circumstances where land can be subdivided or by which an interest in land can be conveyed to another person.
The Consent process, under Section 53 of the Act, is typically used to provide for the creation of a new lot; the enlargement of a lot/alteration to existing lot boundaries; or the creation of a right-of-way or easement that extends beyond 21 years in duration.
The Township of Alnwick/Haldimand's Council has the authority to make decisions on applications for consent. All decisions of Council must conform to applicable Official Plans and must be consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement.
Should you be interested in pursuing an application for consent, staff highly recommend that you participate in a pre-submission consultation. At this meeting, we will review the applicable policy, discuss the procedure and requirements, and help you to determine the costs and timeframes involved with completing your consent transaction.
For more information on severances, please visit the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housings Citizen's Guide #5 – Land Severances.
Minor Variance Applications
A minor variance is a special permission that may be granted to a property owner upon application to the Township. A variance, in effect, excuses a land owner from a specific requirement of the Zoning By-law.
Section 45(1) of the Planning Act states that the Committee of Adjustment (Council) may authorize a minor variance from the provisions of the Zoning By-law. This authorization can occur “in respect of the land, building or structure or the use thereof, as in its opinion is desirable for the appropriate development or use of the land, building or structure, if in the opinion of the committee the general intent and purpose of the By-law and of the official plan, if any, are maintained.”
In accordance with the Planning Act, when evaluating an application for minor variance, Staff and the Committee of Adjustment (Council) must consider how the proposal meets the ‘four tests' of a minor variance. Each test must be met in order for the Committee of Adjustment (Council) to approve an application.
Should you be interested in submitting an application for Minor Variance, you are highly encouraged to pre-consult with planning staff.
A minor variance application seeks permission to vary from the requirements of the Zoning By-law. Common variance applications seek minor relief from a side yard or front yard requirements. The Planning Act establishes four tests that the Committee must consider when arriving at a decision.
Four Tests
The variance must be minor.
The variance must be desirable for the appropriate development or use of the land, building or structure.
The general intent and purpose of the Zoning By-law must be maintained.
The general intent and purpose of the Official Plan must be maintained.
Minor Variance Procedures
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Be sure everything is complete and check the Official Plan designation and Zoning policies.
Review with the Planner and Chief Building Official.
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2023 Fees
Please note that the following fees must be submitted with the application:
Tonwship of Alnwick/Haldimand: $1,000.00
County of Northumberland - Septic Inspection: $500.00 (1 application), $1,000.00 (2 applications), $1,500.00 (3 applications)
County of Northumberland - Planning Comments: $350.00
Lower Trent Conservation Authority: $440.00 (1 application), $660.00 (2 or 3 applications)
OR
Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority: $1,000.00
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A Public Meeting is to be scheduled no sooner than ten (10) days and the Notice of Decision is to be circulated to the following:
Owner of property
Property owners within 200 feet (approximately 60 metres) of the subject lands
Affected agencies
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If the Committee of Adjustment (Council) approves the Minor Variance, the Notice of Decision is to be sent within ten (10) days to the following:
Owner of property
Any person or agency who requested, in writing, to be notified of the decision.
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There is a 20-day appeal period from the date of the decision made by Council.
Site Plans
The Site Plan and Development Review process has been established by the Township to ensure development applications are comprehensively reviewed by the Planning department.
A Site Plan is a drawing which illustrates the placement of the existing building, site services and the proposed addition. Site Plans must illustrate:
Location of existing and proposed buildings and structures on the property and neighbouring land.
For commercial, industrial, institutional and multi-unit residential development of 25 units or more:
Massing, and conceptual design of the proposed building.
Relationship of building to the street and public access areas.
The boundaries and measurements of the lot in metric.
Setback of any buildings from the lot lines.
Facilities to provide access to and from the land such as ramps, curbings and traffic direction signs.
Off-street vehicular loading, parking areas, bike lanes, bike stalls, access driveways, including driveways for emergency vehicles, and the type of surfacing.
The location, amount and dimension of parking spaces, including barrier free spaces.
Walkways and means of pedestrian access which offer safe access to and from site, facilities designed for persons with disabilities and type of surfacing.
Walls, fences, hedges, trees, shrubs or other groundcover or facilities for the landscaping of the lands or the protection of adjoining lands.
The type and location of lighting (must be dark sky friendly).
Existing municipal infrastructure and connections (ex. Municipal water, gas lines , stormwater catchment and fire hydrants).
Location and design of facilities and enclosures for the storage of garbage.
Metric Scale.
Site Plan Requirements
Survey/Reference Plan.
Site Plan – 7 full size copies and 1 reduced sized for the municipality plus a digital copy in a PDF format.
Specifics – scale (metric only please) and dimensions (when applicable) of:
Abutting streets and buildings
North arrow
Parking
Snow storage
Driveways
Sidewalks
Existing, adjacent and proposed buildings
Landscaping/buffer zone
Lot grading
Garbage facilities
Lighting
Fences
Closest existing or proposed fire hydrant
Front, side, and rear yard dimensions
Storm water management plan
Drawings for exterior design (character, scale, design features) when applicable.
Site Plan Development Review
Site plan development review may be undertaken for:
Multi-unit residential, institutional, industrial and commercial development.
Other types of development specified by the Site Plan Control By-Law.
If you wish to pursue an Application for Site Plan or Development, you should pre-consult with the Planning department prior to submitting an application.
Subdivisions
Division of Land
The division of land can occur in two ways:
By consent to severance.
By Plan of Subdivision. Plans of Subdivisions are regulated by Section 51 of the Ontario Planning Act.
Subdivision Approval
Subdivision approval ensures the following:
The land is suitable for its proposed new use.
The proposed use conforms to the Official Plan and applicable Zoning By-law.
Impact on surrounding properties and land owners is positive.
The new development does not put any strain on existing services or facilities.
Any new subdivision must have a “registered plan of subdivision”. This is a legal document that details the exact surveyed boundaries and dimensions of lots, the placement of streets, and the locations of any schools or parks. The plan does not need to show specific building locations or dimensions because the Site Plan approval process addresses them if necessary.
Subdivision Process
Pre-consultation meeting(s) with the Planning Department.
Submission of complete application with a draft Plan of Subdivision.
Review of application, draft plan and required studies and/or reports.
Circulation to municipal departments and local agencies.
Notice of Public meeting mailed to property owners within the circulation area (120 metres). Notice must advise of the date and time of the Council meeting.
Staff report is prepared following meetings with applicant and Planning department.
Notice of Decision issued and circulated.
If the Decision is to approve and no appeals are received, the process proceeds to registration of plan and sub dividers' agreement.
If the Decision is to deny, the developer has the option of appealing to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal, which may or may not support Council's decision.
Rezoning and Zoning
What is a Rezoning Application?
A rezoning application is a request to change the current Zoning By-law provisions as they apply to your property. It may be an application to change the land use, for example from a home to a business. It may also be an application to change the By-law requirements such as setbacks, height, parking spaces etc.
Pre-consultation
Before submitting an application, the owner/applicant should consult with the Planning Department.
How do I apply?
Rezoning application forms are available online or from the Planning Department. The completed application form must be submitted with the proposed plans and/or drawings, the appropriate application fee and all other requirements included on the form and discussed during the pre-consultation meeting. The drawings should detail the changes applied for and possibly include: building locations or expansions, road widening, entrances, loading and parking areas, landscape areas, building setbacks and lot coverage.
What happens next?
The Planner will review your application and circulate to other departments and agencies for comments.
A sign will be posted on the property advertising the rezoning application and the date of the scheduled Public Meeting.
The Municipality will mail notice of your proposal to all property owners within 120 metres (400 feet) of the property boundaries.
A staff report will be prepared and will generally be available in the Planning department on the Tuesday afternoon before the public meeting.
A public meeting will be held. This is an opportunity for anyone to make inquiries about the application or request additional information.
Following the Public Meeting, Council will generally refer the application back to staff for further review and to consider comments expressed at the Public Meeting. The applicant may also be asked to provide additional information or revised drawings to reflect comments from agencies or staff.
Typically, Council will consider the Planner's decision the following week at the Council meeting.
When all comments have been received and all concerns resolved, the Planning department will prepare a second report and make a recommendation to Council regarding the application.
The decision made by Council is subject to a twenty-day appeal period which begins the day the decision is mailed out by the Municipal Clerk. If no appeal is filed, the decision is final and binding and the new amending By-law is then in effect.
What are the fees?
How long does it take?
The rezoning procedure described above applies to most applications and takes approximately six months. The timeframe may vary depending on the complexity of the application. The timeframe is also affected by Council's schedule and the number of applicants being processed at any given time.
Can the decision be appealed?
If the Municipality fails to make a decision within a prescribed timeframe, or if an application is denied or conditionally approved, the applicant may appeal the decision of Council to the Local Planning Appeals Tribunal (LPAT). A landowner may also appeal an application if they have a valid reason for disagreeing with the decision of Council.
An appeal must include a completed LPAT Appeal Form and must be accompanied by a cheque made out to the Minister of Finance. All appeals and fees are submitted to the Municipal Clerk.
What is a Zoning By-Law?
A Zoning By-Law is an implementation and regulatory tool for the Official Plan. Using a series of land use zones and classifications, it generally spells out:
How land and buildings may be used.
Where buildings and other structures may be located.
A Zoning By-Law is a legally enforceable document meant to regulate land use and future development. Significant changes to land uses or zone regulations require a Zoning By-law Amendment and possibly an Official Plan Amendment. A minor variance may adapt small, technical adjustments to By-law provisions.
Zoning By-Law 19-2019
The Corporation of the Township of Alnwick/Haldimand updated their Comprehensive Zoning By-law pursuant to Section 34 of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, C.P. 13 as amended, and adopted By-law 19-2019 on November 28th, 2019. The appeal period for the new Comprehensive Zoning By-law 19-2019 ends January 2nd, 2020.
Schedules
Applying for a Zoning By-law Amendment
Before you apply for a zoning amendment, please book a consultation with our Manager of Planning and Economic Development. During this consultation, they will discuss your plans with you and provide guidance on the process.
You may want to request a Zoning By-law Amendment if the use you would like for your property does not meet the permissions or exact standards of the Zoning By-Law.
An amendment to the By-law will only be considered if your proposed use is permitted by the Official Plan.
Contact Us
Tracey Webster
Senior Planner
Township of Alnwick/Haldimand
10836 County Road 2, P.O. Box 70
Grafton, Ontario K0K 2G0
P: 905-349-2822 ext 23
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Alexandra Smith
Building and Planning Administrative Assistant
Township of Alnwick/Haldimand
Grafton Municipal Building
10836 County Road #2, Grafton
Ontario, Canada K0K 2G0
T. 1-905-349-2822 X29
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Nick Hoornweg
Chief Building Official
Township of Alnwick/Haldimand
Grafton Municipal Building
10836 County Road #2, Grafton
Ontario, Canada K0K 2G0
T. 1-905-349-2822 X27
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