| I want to add an Additional Dwelling Unit on my property, where can I find more information, including grant programs? |
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Refer to the City’s Guide to Creating Additional Dwelling Units.
For more information on the County of Simcoe's Secondary Suites grant Program, click here.
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| I’d like to legalize an existing illegal dwelling unit in the City, what is the process? |
| Please visit the City's Legalization of Existing Dwelling Units webpage for information regarding legalizing existing units, including an information guide which sets out what is required. |
| How can I find out if an existing apartment in a home is legal? |
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If you don't know if the Dwelling Units in your building are legal or if you want the City to search our records for any evidence indicating existing Dwelling Units, you can submit the Multiple Unit Inquiry Form and pay the associated fee. The City will search its records and provide you with a letter.
More information regarding legalizing existing dwelling units can be found on the City’s Website at this link.
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| I want to build a fence on my property, what are the rules? |
- The maximum height of a fence that is permitted in the City is 2.0 m (6’ 6”). This height excludes caps on top of posts provided they do not extend more than 0.2 m (about 7.5 inches ) above the top of the fence.
- Please review sections 5.8 and 5.37 “Sight Triangles” of the City of Orillia’s Zoning By-law 2014-44, as well as an illustration at the end of the By-law (Illustration A1.16 - Sight Triangles). If a fence is located in a Sight Triangle, the fence must be of open construction (you can see through it) or it must be 1.0 m or less in height. Sight Triangles are 3.0 m adjacent to driveway entrances and 7.5 m where streets intersect (see diagram below)
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The following are suggestions that should also be considered prior to erecting a fence. Please note that the City does not prescribe were a fence must be located nor inspect recently erected fences with the exception of swimming pool fences (please review the Swimming Pool Fence By-law for more information). As such, it is important that the property owner carefully consider the specific location in which the fence is to be installed. Assumptions between adjacent property owners as to where the property boundaries are, or the improper placement of a fence could result in conflict between property owners. The City does not intervene in such disputes. Where conflict does arise, the property owners would need to retain independent legal representation to resolve the dispute.
- Fences should be located wholly within the property owner’s lot boundary or in a location mutually agreed upon with the adjacent property owner.
- As it is the responsibility of those erecting the fence to determine the property’s boundary, a valid survey should be used to determine the location of the property line. If a survey is not available, an Ontario Land Surveyor should be retained to properly locate the property line. The edge of roadways, sidewalks, existing fences or hedges etc. should never be used as a reference point to determine the start of a property line.
- Once the property boundaries have been properly established, you may want to consider placing the fence within your property to ensure no mistakes are made resulting in unintended encroachments onto an adjacent property. This may help avoid costly modifications if property lines are misjudged.
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| I plan to install a Swimming Pool on my property, what are the rules? |
| A swimming pool may be located in the back yard of a residential property. The pool must be at least 1.5 m/4.9 ft from any lot line. If the property is a waterfront property, the pool can be in the front (water) yard provided that it is located at least 10.0 m/32.8 ft from the average high water mark. Pools are required to be fenced and pool fences require a permit. More information regarding pool fences can be found on the City’s website. |
| I want to build a Shed, Detached Garage or other Detached Structure. What are the rules? |
| Sheds or Detached Structures that are under 15 m2/161 ft2 |
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A shed or other Detached Structure that is under 15 m2/161 ft2 does not require a Building Permit but must comply with the requirements of the Zoning By-law. Sheds under 15 m2/161 ft2 must be set back at least 0.5 m/1.6 ft from a side property line and at least 0.5 m/1.6 ft from a rear property line. These setbacks are measured from the outside of the eave overhang of the shed. The maximum height of a shed is 5.0 m/16.4 ft measured to the mid-point of a sloped roof or to the top of a flat roof. See also General Information - Sheds or Detached Structures, below.
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| Sheds or Detached Structures (including Detached Garages) that are over 15 m2 /161 ft2 |
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A shed or other Detached Structure (including a Detached Garage) over 15 m2/161 ft2 does require a Building Permit. Please refer to the City’s website for more information on Building Permits. Sheds larger than 15 m2/161 ft2 must comply with the side yard requirement for the Zone (generally 1.2 m/3.9 ft in Residential Zones), must be set back at least 1.5m/4.9 ft from a rear property line and cannot exceed 5.0 m/16.4 ft in height. These structures must be set back at least 6.0 m/19.68 ft from the front lot line. See also General Information - Sheds or Detached Structures, below.
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| General Information - Sheds or Detached Structures |
| Note that a maximum of three (3) Accessory Structures (including sheds) is permitted on a residential property and that the maximum lot coverage cannot be exceeded (generally 45% in Residential Zones). |
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| Can I place a Shipping Container on my property? |
| A Shipping Container may be placed on a residential property only if the roof is finished with shingles, tiles or other suitable roofing material and if the exterior walls are cladded. The placement of Shipping Containers must be in accordance with the rules for sheds/Accessory Structures as outlined in the preceding section regarding sheds and a Building Permit is typically required. |
| How can I locate my property boundaries? |
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The City does not locate property boundaries, and we may or may not have a survey showing your property boundaries in our files. You should contact an Ontario Land Surveyor or search the website at landsurveyrecords.com to see if a survey of your property exists.
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How can I find the zoning on a property?
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| Step 1: The first step to finding the zoning is to refer to Schedule “A” to the Zoning By-law to determine in which Zone category the property is located. The key map contains 40 rectangles, each representing a zoning schedule map for part of the City. Clicking on the rectangle will take you to the zone schedule for that part of the City. The Zone category will be indicated on the schedule by a symbol or abbreviation. For example, you may see a symbol such as “R2” beside the property. This would indicate that the property is within the “Residential Two” Zone.
Step 2: The next step to finding the zoning is to determine what uses are permitted on the property. Subsection 3 in Sections 7 to 13 of the Zoning By-law identifies the Permitted Uses and Zone Provisions for each Zone in the City. Where the permitted use is followed by the symbol ‘i’, that use is only permitted in Zones with the corresponding ‘i’ symbol on the Schedules to the By-law, which indicate that the area is a planned Intensification Area.
The definitions in Section 4 can clarify the nature of a permitted use or how it has been defined for the purposes of this By-law. Uses which are not identified as permitted uses within a particular Zone are not permitted in that Zone.
You have now identified the Zone in which the property is located and have identified what uses are permitted on the property. The next step is to determine what standards apply to the uses on the property. Subsection 4 in Sections 7 to 13 of the By-law identifies the Zone Provisions for each of the Zone categories in the City.
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| I’m interested in opening a Cannabis Retail Store in the City, where can I find more information? |
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Please see this link for more information.
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I’d like to apply for a Minor Variance, where can I find more information?
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The City’s Minor Variance Information Guide contains an explanation of the process.
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I’m interested in applying to sever a property in the City, where can I find more information?
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| The City’s Consent Information Guide contains an explanation of the process. |
| I need to hire a consultant to help with my Planning Application, do you have a list? |
| Yes. Refer to the City’s Consultant List. |
