The Province of Ontario's Planning Act grants the City of Kenora authority to determine what is and what isn't allowed to be built on properties within the City's boundaries through the City of Kenora Zoning By-law.
Zoning By-law
All zoning regulations are detailed in the Zoning By-law 101-2015, which allows land to be used for agricultural, residential, industrial, commercial, and other uses. It also includes specific regulations that shape development by setting limits, such as:
- The location of the building on the property
- The height of the building
- The number of parking spaces required
The Zoning By-law does not:
- regulate who lives in the building
- determine if the building is owner-occupied or rented
The following document comprises an Office Consolidation of By-law 101-2015 as amended up to and including December 31, 2022. This is prepared for purposes of convenience only and for accurate reference recourse should be had to By-law 101-2015 as enacted on December 15, 2015 and all subsequent amending by-laws.
Zoning maps
View zoning maps for the City of Kenora to help learn about the specific zoning use for your property.
Zoning by-law amendments
If your proposed development doesn't follow the Zoning By-law requirements, a zoning by-law amendment, also known as a rezoning, is required.
Zoning By-law Amendment Application
View the application fees.
Pre-consultation
Before filing an application, it is recommended that you contact the Planning team to set up a pre-consultation meeting. During the meeting, we will outline what you need to include in your application, including the planning rationale.
You will need a Zoning By-law amendment to:
- change land use (e.g. from residential to commercial to allow development with stores and restaurants, rather than residential homes)
- increase the maximum number of dwelling units allowed in a home
- increase height of a building
- decrease the number of parking spaces required
- change the minimum lot area
Each zoning by-law amendment proposal is different and you can apply for multiple changes under one zoning by-law amendment application.
If your proposed development does not conform to the Official Plan, you must also apply for a site-specific Official Plan amendment.
Approval process
Zoning by-law amendment applications typically take three to four months before final approval is given. This includes the timeframe for the:
- Planning Advisory Committee meeting
- public hearings
- Council meetings
- mandatory appeal period of 20 days after notice of Council's decision is given.
After you receive notice that no appeals have been submitted, you can apply for a building permit.
Technical review |
| Once we receive your application, it will go through a technical review process. Reviewing a zoning by-law amendment application involves many City departments, including: Engineering, Roads, Environmental Services, Building, Water and Wastewater, etc. Other external agencies are also involved. The Planning Act describes the rules on when consultation takes place, with whom, and to what degree. |
Public notice |
| As the applicant, you will be required to install a notification sign on the lands affected by the proposed zoning by-law amendment. We will provide you with the notification sign and set a hearing date. We will then notify relevant external agencies and all property owners within 120 m of the subject property of the application. |
Staff recommendations |
| The City Planner will provide a recommendation to the Planning Advisory Committee, during the Committee meeting. The Planning Advisory Committee considers the report and the opinion of public delegations and makes a recommendation to City Council. |
Council decision and appeal period |
| City Council then approves or refuses the zoning by-law amendment during the formal hearing date. |
Appeals |
| Under the Planning Act, only the applicant, the Minister, a specified person or public body who made submissions, and the property owner can appeal a Decision of Council to the Ontario Land Tribunal, which is the provincial tribunal that is the final decision-maker of any appealed planning decisions. |
Get involved |
| If you, as a member of the public would like to get involved in the approval process, you can:
You can also make a presentation when the proposed zoning by-law amendment is presented for review at the Planning Advisory Committee meeting and/or the formal hearing at City Hall. Be prepared to come with information about how you believe the proposal impacts you, such as:
Under the Planning Act, only the applicant, the Minister, a specified person or public body who made submissions, and the property owner can appeal Council’s decision to the Ontario Land Tribunal. |
Minor variance
If your proposed change does not conform exactly to the Zoning By-law, but follows its general intent, you can apply for a minor variance.
An example of a minor variance is when you want to locate a shed on your property but are unable to meet the minimum setback requirements because of the shape of your lot.
Additional resources
Check out these important resources:
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