Zoning By-law
About zoning by-laws
A zoning bylaw controls the use of land in your community. It states exactly:
- 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
- An official plan sets out your municipality’s general policies for future land use. Zoning bylaws put the plan into effect and provide for its day-to-day administration. They contain specific requirements that are legally enforceable. Construction or new development that doesn’t comply with a zoning bylaw is not allowed, and the municipality will refuse to issue a building permit.
Many municipalities have a comprehensive zoning bylaw that divides the municipality into different land use zones, with detailed maps. The bylaw specifies the permitted uses (for example, commercial or residential) and the required standards (for example, building size and location) in each zone.
Some rural municipalities may have a free-standing zoning bylaw that covers only a specific property that an owner proposes to develop.