Planning and Zoning
Under the Community and Development Services Department, Planning Services provides municipal planning services and is involved in all Planning Act applications, long-range planning policy development, the implementation of upper tier legislation and policies, and all other planning matters related to the comprehensive, orderly development within the Municipality of Lakeshore.
Planning Services is responsible for preparing and maintaining municipal planning documents including the Official Plan, Zoning By-law, Secondary Plans, and Community Improvement Plans. These documents are used to implement legislation and perform a variety of services for ratepayers, developers, internal departments and upper tier governments.
Planning processes all applications legislated under the Planning Act. This includes:
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Official Plan Amendments, Zoning By-law Amendments, Site Plan Approvals, Minor Variances, Consents, Draft Plan of Subdivisions or Condominiums, Planning Inquiry, Part Lot Control Application, Telecom Towers, and Community Improvement Grant.
Submit Your Planning Application Online
The Municipality of Lakeshore is pleased to offer community members Cloudpermit – an online application system to apply for and track your planning applications.
The Cloudpermit application system allows you to apply for and to see the status of your application anywhere, any time. You can start an application and finish it later and receive email updates on the status of your permit application. Once your application has been assigned to a planner, you can even send messages through this online application system and have direct contact with your planner.
Please note: The Municipality of Lakeshore cannot view your application as draft. Only applications with the status: "SUBMITTED" will be reviewed. Upon successful submission, we will message you through Cloudpermit within two business days notifying you of successful receipt. If you do not receive communication from us on Cloudpermit within two business days of submission, please reach out to the public service unit at 519-728-2700 or email us directly at planning@lakeshore.ca.
Don’t worry about not knowing what type of application you need, pick the one closest to what you think it might be and your assigned planner will review it with you. To get started, click the button below:
Planning Application Fees
The Planning Application User Fees are subject to the cost referenced in the Pre-Consultation, which are the current user fees as approved by Council. If the full application is submitted after an updated User Fee Schedule, updated fees will apply. Please refer to the current Municipality of Lakeshore's User Fee By-law for applicable planning application fees.
Please note: a processing fee of 2.5% of your invoice will be charged when using a credit card for online payments through Cloudpermit. To avoid this processing charge, you can pay in-person at the Planning Department at 419 Notre Dame St, Belle River, ON, N8L 0P8. At our office we accept: Debit, Cash, and Cheques payable to the Municipality of Lakeshore.
Need help with applying through Cloudpermit?
Learn how to log in to Cloudpermit as a registered user, or check Cloudpermit Support for a quick tutorial on the basics. These support documents and videos may also help you navigate the system:
- What are the Planning application process phases and steps?
- How to submit an application: Cloudpermit. This Video is the base for also creating a land use application.
- How to Send a Message on Cloudpermit - video
- How to create a Zoning permit application
- More support options
Timelines
Planning applications take time to process and complete. Processing timelines commence once all required information is received.
*Please note: Timelines may vary based on your application submission as well as documentation submission and review by internal and external agencies.
All planning applications will now require a pre-consultation to determine eligibility and next steps.
| Application Type | Expected Timeline |
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| Pre-Consultations | 30 days* |
| Site Plans | 90 Days* |
| Zoning | 90 Days* |
| Consents | 90 Days* |
| Minor Variances | 90 Days* |
What are the types of Planning Applications?
Please note when applying for a specific application, a pre-consultation with a planning consultant from Planning Services is required. The pre-consultation will help guide you and ensure you are submitting the correct application for your specific case, as well as provide you with a list of required documentation for your application.
Effective pre-consultation at the outset of the review process supports mutual outcomes in several ways, including:
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Supporting collaborative and productive working relationships between the applicant and Municipality staff
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Improving application quality
- Reducing overall time to decision on an application
Unsure about the best application for your needs? Refer to the following for guidance and apply through Cloudpermit.
Concerned about making the right choice? Rest assured, we provide assistance in pre-consultations. Pre-consultations are mandatory prior to application progression. Our planning staff will gladly assist you in selecting the appropriate application.
Types of Applications
| Official Plan Amendment |
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If you wish to use, alter or develop your property in a way that does not conform with the Official Plan, you must apply for an Official Plan Amendment. Any change to the Official Plan requires an Official Plan Amendment application. Application through Cloudpermit |
| Zoning By-law Amendment |
| If you wish to use, alter or develop your property in a way that does not conform with the Zoning By-law, you must apply for an amendment to the Zoning By-law. You can do this through a Zoning By-law Amendment application.
Application through Cloudpermit |
| Site Plan Approval/Site Plan Amendment |
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This is a development review process that evaluates the layout of site features like buildings, parking areas and landscaping but not the interior spaces of the proposed structures. It reviews the impact of development on municipal services as well as ensures development occurs in a responsible manner. It occurs prior to the building permit process. As a condition of Site Plan Approval, the land is required to be developed in accordance with the approved plans, which many include access to the site, building location, parking, loading bays, protection of adjoining properties, to name a few. A security deposit or letter of credit is required to ensure all work is carried out in accordance to approved plans. These requirements are outlined in the site plan agreement registered on title. Application through Cloudpermit |
| Minor Variance Application |
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A Minor Variance Application seeks permission to differ from the requirements of the Zoning By-law and to allow enlargements and extensions of non-conforming uses. Common variances include the reduction of a required setback from a property line, a reduction to the required lot area or frontage or an increase to the maximum permitted height of a building. Each application must be shown to meet the following four tests:
Application through Cloudpermit |
| Consent Application |
| Consent Application is used where land division by Plan of Subdivision is not required, the Planning Act allows the granting of consents.
There are three types of consents:
The Committee of Adjustment may also grant consents for other reasons:
The Committee of Adjustment usually imposes conditions on the approval of a consent application. The owner has one year to fulfill the conditions, or the application is denied. Examples of conditions: taxes must be up to date; lot consolidation must take place; mutual drain agreement. Application through Cloudpermit |
| Plan of Subdivisions and Condominiums |
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A draft plan of subdivision is required to create more than four (4) lots on a single property; and to create lots that require the extension of municipal services and/or the construction of roads. A draft plan of condominium is required for the following:
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| Part Lot Control Application |
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This application is for approved plans and subdivisions. Part Lot Control exemptions allow for the subdivision of land with a survey to register part interest in what is considered one piece of property. This process is necessary to allow semi-detached and townhouses to sell as two separate units, despite existing on a single lot. Application through Cloudpermit |
| Removal of Hold (h) Symbol |
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A Removal of Hold application is required when the Zoning By-law contains a holding symbol “H” on the subject property. The “H” restricts future uses and development on the property until conditions for removing the “H” are met. A Zoning By-law amendment through a Removal of Hold application is required to remove the “H.” Application through Cloudpermit |
Submission Process
A pre-consultation is required for all planning applications.
Apply on Cloudpermit
- If you do not have an account set-up, then you will need to create one. Click here to go to the help section.
- Cloudpermit will send you an activation email.
- Create your first application. (Note: once you start your application it automatically saves. No need to look for a save button.)
- After you provide basic information regarding your property, a planning consultant will set a date to conduct a pre-consultation.
- Pre-consultation (mandatory for all applications):
- Discussion of proposal
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Review of municipal requirements, including determining applicable application stream
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Review of required background information (traffic, environmental, archaeological etc.)
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Review of applicable provincial, county, and municipal policies
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Outline applicable fees.
- Completing and submitting the application:
- Please answer all of the questions within the application form
- Please provide all required background information, outlined during pre-consultation, including (if applicable):
- draft survey sketch (prepared by an Ontario Land Surveyor)
- site plan drawings
- studies (traffic, servicing, environmental assessment, etc.)
- supporting documents
- or other documents as indicated in your pre-consultation meeting
- Submit any necessary application fees to the Municipality of Lakeshore either online through our secure payment portal or in person at the Planning Department at the Municipality of Lakeshore at 419 Notre Dame, Belle River, Ontario, Canada, N8L 0P8. All cheques should be made payable to the Municipality of Lakeshore. Note: Credit card payments will be subject to a 2.5% processing fee.
- During this process you can add your documents;
- All documents and studies to be uploaded onto Cloudpermit.
- Plans/Drawings with multiple pages and sets must be combined into a single PDF file;
- Each PDF file must be properly labelled. PDF file names should have an abbreviated description of the document (see naming conventions below);
- Each information/study must be submitted as a separate PDF file, including the Project Data Sheet;
- Each PDF file must be submitted without a password and/or restrictions;
- Each PDF file must be flattened (i.e. no layers);
- Naming Conventions
- PDF file names must use underscores and abbreviations that reference the subject property address and describe the digital file.
- ADDRESS__FILE_NAME.pdf
| Naming Examples |
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Planning FAQs
| What is the purpose of Planning? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Land use planning helps each community to set development goals while keeping social, economic and environmental factors in mind. You may be surprised to learn that everything we do locally must be consistent with provincial policy. That means, if the province permits land use, such as secondary dwelling units, we are mandated to allow those uses at the municipal level. What we can regulate municipally are things like: size, numbers of bedrooms, parking spaces, and which areas in our Municipality can support the use, etc. Want to learn more about Land Use Planning? Check out the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing for their Citizens Guide to Land Use Planning. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| What is the Official Plan? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Official Plan is a statement of goals, objectives and policies intended to guide future land use, physical development, and growth within the Municipality of Lakeshore. The policies of the Plan are designed to promote public interest in the future development of the Municipality, reduce uncertainty relating to future development, and to provide a basis for the Zoning By-law and other land use control. The Official Plan is reviewed every five years. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| What is a Zoning By-law? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The current Municipality of Lakeshore Zoning By-law implements the objectives and policies of our Municipalities official plan and provides a legal and precise way of managing land use and future development. In addition to the official plan, our zoning by-law protects the community from conflicting and possibly incompatible land uses. The Zoning By-law states how land may be used, where buildings and other structures can be located, the types of buildings that are permitted and how they may be used, the lot sizes and dimensions, parking requirements, building heights and densities (the number of people, jobs and building floor area per hectare), and setbacks from the street. Zoning Maps | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| What is the difference between the Official Plan and the Zoning By-law? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Official Plan is a high-level document that brings the Municipality’s general land use planning policies together in a single plan, whereas the Zoning By-law is much more specific. The Zoning By-law is what regulates what you can build, where you can build, how high you can build, etc. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| How do I find out the Zoning of a property? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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How to use interactive mapping:
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| I have filed an application for Consent and Minor Variance, and it is now with the Committee of Adjustment, what does the Committee of Adjustment do? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Committee of Adjustment is the approval body for minor variance and consent applications under the Planning Act. The Committee hears submissions, discusses concerns, and makes a decision. The Committee evaluates the merits of each proposal with consideration of the following documents:
The Committee is administered by Planning Services through monthly meetings and is a volunteer committee comprised of the public and appointed by Council. The Public is welcome to attend the Committee of Adjustment meetings. Click here for the Committee of Adjustment schedule. |
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| What is a Site Plan Control? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Site Plan Control is used by the Municipality of Lakeshore to ensure the construction of safe, functional, and well-designed developments. It ensures development meets the requirements of legislation, including the Official Plan, Zoning By-law and Ontario Building Code. Site Plan Control allows the Municipality to review development proposals for various items, including:
Every area of Lakeshore is under Site Plan Control. Site Plan Control applies to every type of development except where development consists of: single detached dwellings, duplexes or semi-detached dwellings, farm operations, farm buildings and/or the residence of the farm operator. Site Plan Control can still apply to these developments where specifically required by the Official Plan, such as in cases where development is proposed on hazard land. Under Section 41 of the Planning Act, the Municipality of Lakeshore has the ability to create areas throughout the municipality where Site Plan Control is required. At this time, all commercial, industrial, greenhouse and multi-unit residential developments (over 10 units) are subject to Site Plan Control. If a development proposal requires Site Plan Control, it will proceed through a formal process of review and approval. This involves circulation of the proposal to relevant internal departments and external agencies, including conservation authorities, provincial bodies, utility companies, school boards, etc. |
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| What is a Compliance Letter? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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A Compliance Letter is a document from planning and building divisions describing compliance (or non-compliance) with certain regulations, policies, codes or agreements. The following types of compliance requests can be submitted through the Municipality's On-Line Application Portal:
A compliance letter can be requested by submitting a Planning Inquiry on Cloudpermit with the request outlined there. |
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| How can I find out if my application will be approved before I make an application? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The approval body (Committee of Adjustment, Planning Committee or Council depending on the application) is the only body that can give an approval of an application. Staff are available to review the application prior to the submission of an application. Staff will provide as much guidance as possible based on their knowledge of the Municipality’s planning documents, the history of Committee decisions on similar applications, and the circumstances of the individual property. Applicants should be advised that while staff have a good understanding of the Municipality’s regulations and policies and how the approval bodies have reviewed similar applications in the past, it is not always possible or advisable for staff to be absolutely confident of how successful an application will ultimately be. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| How do I save my application progress in Cloudpermit? |
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Your application is automatically saved. If you need to change something just press “back” and it will take you to the previous page. |
| How do I see my application and workspace? |
| Once you have completed your application, click the “Back to Workspace” on the top left and it will take you to your application dashboard. |
| How do I apply for a Temporary Patio Application? |
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Please submit a Planning Inquiry on Cloudpermit In the inquiry box, please provide the following information:
Upload all docs listed here by clicking and dragging into the attachments box. If alcohol is being served on the Temporary Patio, please upload a copy of the establishment’s valid liquor license (To be uploaded on Cloudpermit) Please provide proof of insurance for the establishment (To be uploaded on Cloudpermit) Drawings (Professional or handwritten) or proposed patio considering the requirements above (To be uploaded through Cloudpermit) Ensure that all documents are named appropriately. For example: EstablishentName_ProofOfInsurance A planner will then invoice you for your application and fees must be paid prior to review. |
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