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Zoning By-law Amendment

Submission requirements

Revised October 31, 2016.

The applicant must provide appropriate answers to all questions on the application form. The application will not be circulated for review if all of the information is not provided. The completed application should be submitted with the required fees and the following:

  1. A plan based upon an actual property survey by an Ontario land surveyor. The plan must include:
    • Total land holdings of the applicant(s) in the area, with the property proposed for rezoning outlined in red and other holdings suitably indicated.
    • The boundaries and dimensions of the subject land.
    • The approximate location of all natural and artificial features on the subject land and on adjacent lands that the applicant believes may affect the application (for example, buildings, railways, roads, watercourses, drainage ditches, river/stream banks, wetlands, wooded areas, wells, septic tanks, etc.).
    • The current uses on adjacent lands.
    • The location, width, and name of any roads, unopened road allowances, private roads, or right-of-way which are within or abut the subject land.
    • The location and nature of any easement affecting the subject land.
    • Location, size, type, and use of any existing buildings or structures on the subject land, including the distance of the buildings or structures from the front, rear, and side lot lines.
    • Existing and proposed servicing (for example, water, storm, and sanitary sewers).
  2. Plans must be drawn to a usable metric scale (for example, 1:100, 1:300, 1:500). One legible copy of the draft plan reduced to 21.6 centimetres x 35.6 centimetres (8.5 inches x 14 inches) must be submitted with the application. Depending on the scope of the application, additional copies of the draft plan may be required. Please contact planning division staff for advice on your submission.
  3. A Phase I Environmental Audit Report for lands included in the application.
  4. A preliminary study to determine the location and status of any gas wells located on the subject land.
  5. An environmental impact study (EIS) will be submitted with the application if it is determined, through pre-consultation with the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) and/or Niagara Region planning and development staff, that such a study is required.
  6. A registered deed must be provided, including a full legal description of the subject land, and a copy of the current parcel register PIN sheet from the Land Registry Office.
  7. The City and Region application fees. Separate cheques should be made payable to the City of Welland and the Regional Municipality of Niagara. All cheques should be forwarded to the City with the application. City staff will screen the application and advise if the NPCA plan review fee is applicable; if required, the NPCA fee should be included.
  8. For larger projects, an electronic version of the reference plan in AutoCAD (dwg) format, version 14 or higher, with the following spatial characteristics:
    Map projection: Universal Transverse Mercator
    Horizontal datum: NAD83 Zone 17 north
    Horizontal units: Metres
    The graphics in the drawing must be geographically positioned to third-order accuracy. The City’s horizontal control network (UTM NAD83) may be used as a control reference and can be accessed on the City’s map server.
  9. Information addressing the applicable issues as set out in the Provincial Policy Statement, 2005 as provided by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. If a proposal is affected by a policy statement which would require qualifying or mitigating studies (for example, Policy 2.3.1b), then a study will be required to be submitted at the time of the application. Failure to do so may delay the City’s decision-making process or could result in a decision to deny the application as premature with insufficient information due to the implementation of a timeframe for decision-making under the Planning Act, as amended. The application will state that the plan is consistent with policy statements issued under Section 3.1 of the Planning Act. Copies of the policy statements are available from the Publications Ontario Bookstore at 1-800-668-9938.
  10. The attached environmental site screening questionnaire completed by the applicant is required.

Application process

All applicants are required to discuss the proposal with City staff at a pre-consultation meeting, free of charge, prior to any formal submission. As part of the applicant’s due diligence, it is advised they consult with any affected provincial ministries and agencies as well. A list of some of these public bodies can be found on the planning application contacts list.

Sign requirements for Official Plan Amendment and Rezoning applications

  • Before a proposed Official Plan and/or Zoning By-law amendment is circulated by the City of Welland, the owner/developer/applicant is required to erect at least one sign to inform that an application has been filed for the subject property.
  • The sign must be 1.2 m high and 2.4 m wide on posts 1.2 m above grade with maximum visibility to the street.
  • The sign will have the following components:
    • City of Welland identification.
    • The words "Public Notice" in bold lettering.
    • The words "A change is proposed for this site”.
    • The subject property outlined in bold and dimensioned (in metric); coloured and showing the distance from nearest intersection; nearby street names; north arrow; location of access proposed; pedestrian access; prominent natural features; and a legend.
    • "The City has received an application to amend the Official Plan/and or Zoning By-law to allow (describe application details).
    • At the bottom of the sign, the following must be included:
      For more information about this application or to tell us what you think, contact Planning and Development Services - Planning Division, City of Welland, 60 East Main Street, Welland, Ontario L3B 3X4 905-735-1700 x2251.
  • The sign must be dated prominently. The date to be used should be on or about the date of posting. Revised signs must include a revision date. The Public Meeting information must be posted on this sign when it becomes available. The following colour scheme should be used on all signs:
    Residential
    Single-family detached - yellow
    Semi-detached - orange
    Townhouses - dark orange
    Apartments - brown
    Commercial - red
    Industrial - purple
    Park-open space - green
    Institutional - blue
  • The sign must be prominently displayed on the property and legible from abutting roadways. If the property abuts more than one major roadway and the subdivision is of substantial size, a sign will be required for each frontage on a major roadway.
    • Planning division staff will assist in choosing a suitable location or locations if requested.
  • Before the proposed plan is circulated, the planning division must be in possession of a coloured photograph showing the sign(s) on the property.

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