Planning and Development

Looking for a re-zoning? Need to schedule a meeting about a development application?

We've got you covered! 

Pre-Consultation meetings and Applications made under the Planning Act are going online to promote physical distancing.

Pre-Consultation Meetings with Planning staff for larger scale development proposals will continue to be scheduled on the second and fourth Thursday mornings of the month, and will be conducted utilizing video and/or teleconferencing technology.  

Please contact planning@brant.ca for further assistance. 

Planning Act Applications can now be sent to planning@brant.ca for consideration.

The Planning Department will contact applicants and consultants to let them know if any further documentation is required and/or that the application is deemed complete.  Staff will also confirm fees and describe methods of payment (which now include an option to pay on-line or through the drop box) individually and prior to statutory public meeting.  

If you cannot electronically submit your application please use the drop box located outside the front door at 66 Grand River St. N., Paris. Please be advised that paper copy submissions will be subject to a 2 day 'quarantine' period before staff are able to review the submission. 

If you have any questions, they can be directed to our Planning Staff at 519.44BRANT (442.7268) or planning@brant.ca

The County of Brant will continue to adjust its operations according to the recommendation of Health Authorities. Any further changes or updates will be provided through the County of Brant’s website (www.brant.ca/news) and social media accounts @BrantCommunity on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The County of Brant would like to thank-you for your patience and understanding during this time as we recognize that these decisions and changes are disruptive and may have impacts on those we serve. The safety and well-being of residents, staff and community at large is our top priority.

Where do I start if I'd like to build or renovate something?

The best thing to do is to contact the Development Services Department in order to find out what is required to get your project started.

For basic projects, check out the Building and Renovating webpage for some further information about building permit requirements, the preliminary review process, fees, and contact information, or contact us at planning@brant.ca for further assistance.

For larger scale proposals involving commercial, industrial, or high density residential uses, there may be requirements for Site Plan Control on the property. Visit our Site Plan Control page for more information on this particular process. 

Further contact information for the Planning Division can be found at the bottom of this page. 

Where can I request a Building and Planning Compliance Certificate?

If you're looking for information regarding Planning Policy or Building Code compliance, generally requested during the due-diligence process for a purchase and sale agreement, this request can be made online at the Request a Building and Planning Compliance Certificate link. Requests and further questions can be directed by email to planning@brant.ca.

Please be sure to include an up-to-date survey if compliance information regarding a specific structure is being sought.

A link to the full building and planning certificate for printing purposes can be found here. The current 2020 fee for this request is $257.00, taxes exempt. 

For compliance information regarding a specific land-use related to this request, please specify the use in question and provide legal paperwork showing the date of establishment of the particular use. Otherwise, please contact planning@brant.ca for information on how to request a Third Party Compliance letter. 

Where can I find more information about the developments happening in the County of Brant?

 The Planning Division has an 'Active Applications' page with further information on applications for development within the County. This page includes information about ongoing and approved Subdivision developments and Condominium developments, as well as information about requested changes and amendments to the County's Zoning By-Law and Official Plan, and Applications that have been Appealed to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT). Applications that go before the Committee of Adjustment, including severances and minor variances, can also be found on the 'Active Applications' Page. Click on the link to the general 'active applications' page below, or on one of the specific categories, to be taken to the applicable information.   

• Active Development Applications
• Committee of Adjustment
• Plans of Subdivision
• Plans of Condominium
• LPAT / OMB Appeals

Is the County of Brant updating its Official Plan?

 Yes ! The Government of Ontario has requirements for municipalities to update their planning policies within a certain timeframe, and the time has come for the County of Brant to update its Official Plan.

The process to create #ASimplyGrandPlan is underway, and more information can be found on the New Official Plan page. 

If you'd like to see what the current Official Plan says about land use planning in the County of Brant, check out the webpage for the County's current Official Plan, passed by Council in 2012. 

The Official Plan is the policy document that outlines the County's general land use planning policies. Further to the OP, other policies and studies are undertaken in order to compliment and further implement the requirements of the County's Official Plan. To find out more about studies that are underway for large scale development proposals, visit the Area Studies webpage for more information. 

What am I allowed to do on my property?

 Many of the permissions for buildings and land use on particular properties are determined by the Zoning By-Law. The County's current Zoning By-Law 61-16 has requirements for such things as parking, lot coverage, setbacks from property lines, and requirements in naturally sensitive areas of the County. 

If you'd like to find out the zoning of a property, please visit our Zoning By-Law webpage or contact staff at zoning@brant.ca for further assistance.

The Schedule 'A' mapping of the document will show you the specific zone categories as they apply to the properties within the County of Brant. The text of the Zoning By-Law has further information on the permissions and requirements of each zone category, as well as general requirements for certain uses and structures. 

If you have further questions about this information, do not hesitate to contact Planning Staff for further assistance. 

What is the Ontario Heritage Act and how can it help us protect our built heritage?

 The Ontario Heritage Act was enacted by the Province to give municipalities the power to designate, preserve, and protect the cultural and built heritage of Ontario. There are a number of tools available to a municipality that can be used to work with property owners to preserve significant features.

The County of Brant has a Heritage Committee that works to promote and preserve the built and cultural heritage of the County of Brant, as well as advise Council on Heritage related matters.

Further information on Heritage Preservation in the County can be found by visiting our Heritage Planning & Preservation webpage, or contacting staff at planning@brant.ca. 

A housekeeping amendment is just as it implies; it's a clean-up of the document done from time to time that helps address inconsistencies, errors and/or omissions. The housekeeping amendment is compiled by staff to help keep the zoning by-law up-to-date with our Official Plan and any updates that may be required because of changes in Provincial Legislation. Staff also keeps track of what is and isn't working well with the implementation of the By-Law to propose changes that will assist with how people use land in the County. 

The County's next Housekeeping Amendment to Zoning By-Law 61-16 was brought forward to Council for information and feedback on July 7 2020. This information meeting will be held virtually and can be viewed on the County's Youtube page at this link. After a commenting period, the proposed changes will be brought forward with a recommendation to Council at the upcoming August 4th, 2020 meeting. 

To read the information report to Council (July 7, 20202), please follow this link.

To view the list of proposed updates and changes to the By-Law, please follow this link. 

To view the dedicated webpage for the ARU project, please follow this link or visit www.brant.ca/ARU. 

Currently residents wishing to establish an additional residential dwelling unit are required to be within the fully municipally serviced areas of the County of Brant, subject to meeting all requirements of the Zoning By-Law and Ontario Building Code.

The Province of Ontario passed legislation in 2019 through the passing of Bill 108 which provides for a maximum of two additional residential dwelling units, in addition to an existing principle dwelling, in an effort to provide flexible housing options. Bill 108 allows for one additional residential dwelling unit within the existing principle dwelling and one additional residential dwelling unit external to the principle dwelling, in accordance with the municipal regulations and Ontario Building Code.

As a result of the provincial updates, and the desire of County residents to have more options for housing available, Staff have initiated a project to consider how to change our housing policies related to ARUs. This project was introduced to Council and initiated at the Public Meeting held on July 7, 2020. This information meeting was held virtually and can be viewed on the County's Youtube page at this link. To read the information report to Council, please follow this link. 

Trees are an important part of our Natural Heritage for many reasons.

One of the County's strategic priorities is for sustainable and managed growth, and tree conservation is an integral part of promoting sustainable and managed growth patterns.

Did you know the County of Brant has a Tree Conservation By-Law that regulates the damage and removal of trees in the County? The current By-Law was passed in 2007 and the time has come to review the document and make some changes.

Please follow this link to the project page with dedicated information about the By-Law review process. Please do not hesitate to contact Environmental Planner, Michelle Schaefle, to see how you can get involved with the Trees Conservation By-Law review and more.