Community Planning

Public Consultation Session

Second / Accessory Dwelling Unit Policy Review

Wednesday May 29, 2013

6:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Talbot Garden Multi-Purpose Room, Simcoe

In 2011, the Province of Ontario introduced changes to the Planning Act through Bill 140: Strong Communities through Affordable Housing Act, 2011, requiring municipalities to implement policies in their Official Plans and provisions in their Zoning By-law to permit second / accessory dwelling units in single-detached, semi-detached, and townhouse dwellings in appropriate locations of a municipality.

Norfolk County is therefore reviewing its planning policies to allow for second / accessory dwelling units within designated urban areas of the municipality.

The County is holding a public consultation session to present findings of a “Second / Accessory Residential Unit Policy Review and Options Report” prepared to summarise information about this issue. The session will include a presentation outlining the background of this issue, a summary of key findings, a discussion from the Manager of Social Housing in relation to different types of housing, and a summary of proposed official plan and zoning by-law amendment content. There will be time for questions and discussion following the presentation. No decisions will be made at this session.

We want to hear from you. We welcome your comments and questions regarding the establishment of second / accessory dwelling unit policy and encourage interested community members to attend the open house and/or submit written comments and direct questions through the contact information listed below.

Contact Information:
Tricia Givens, M.Sc.(Pl), MCIP, RPP, Senior Planner
Community Planning Services, 60 Colborne St. S., Simcoe, Ontario, N3Y 4H3
tricia.givens@norfolkcounty.ca
519.426.5870 / 519.875.4485 / 519.582.2100 at Ext. 1834

Norfolk County’s Official Plan

What is an Official Plan?

An Official Plan is a municipal policy document adopted under the Planning Act. It provides direction for the planning and development of the County for the next 20 years, and establishes the community’s vision, goals and objective for future development to manage and direct physical change and the effects on the social, economic and natural environment.

To view the details of the Official Plan, please visit the official website at www.norfolkofficialplan.ca.

Norfolk County’s New Zoning By-Law

Norfolk County Community Planning Services has started the Zoning By-Law project. A new comprehensive Zoning By-law for Norfolk County has been recognized as being necessary due to municipal restructuring and to incorporate the policy direction of the Norfolk County Official Plan that was adopted by Council on May 9, 2006 and approved by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing on December 23, 2008.

Click here for more details on the Zoning By-Law.

Drinking Water Source Protection

The Clean Water Act was passed in 2006 by the Ontario legislature in response to the Walkerton Inquiry. Municipal drinking water sources are to be protected throughout Ontario. Drinking water source protection will allow for the identification of threats to municipal water quality and water supplies, and the creation of a plan to reduce the risk posed by those threats. The task of developing source protection plans is being guided by the Lake Erie Region Source Protection Committee. Committee members include representatives of municipalities, farmers, businesses, industry, residents and others. During the past two years information on the sources of municipal drinking water and potential threats to water quality have been identified. In the Long Point Region Assessment Report, the vulnerable areas around the wells and surface water intakes have been identified, as well as significant threats – the human activities with the greatest potential to cause harm to the water sources.

The Source Protection Plan contains the policies and programs that will be needed to reduce the risk posed by the identified activities. The Lake Erie Region Source Protection Committee and source protection staff are working closely with municipalities to identify the best collection of policies and programs to protect drinking water sources.

The Proposed Source Protection Plan for the Long Point Region watershed is now awaiting approval of the Ministry of Environment. The entire Plan and further information is available from the Lake Erie Region Source Protection Committee at www.sourcewater.ca. Printed copies are available at the Langton, Delhi and Simcoe County Administration offices.

Servicing Monitoring Norfolk County

The purpose of the Servicing Monitoring report is to provide Norfolk County Council and interested parties with information on the state of municipal water and sewerage capacities for each of the six urban areas, and St. Williams. Particularly, this report provides historic, current, and forecasted data related to urban service capacities; the status of available water and sewerage capacity for future development; and land development activity occurring within the urban areas. Regular reports of this kind are important to ensure that the provision of water and sewerage services in the urban areas keep up with the demand.

Click here to view the 2009 2010 Servicing Monitoring Report 

Development Applications

Please click on the links below for our brochures with further information about how you can apply for an Amendment to the Zoning By-Laws

Official Plan and Zoning By-Law Amendments
Site Plan Control
Draft Plan of Subdivision/Condominium

Norfolk County Mapping

To view different types of Norfolk County Maps please go to this page.