Site Plan ControlSite Plan Control

The Site Plan Control process is a tool used by Cities and Municipalities to ensure that land development is designed judiciously, is safe and functional, and minimizes potential impacts on surrounding land uses. It also helps to ensure that developments are consistent with the City or Municipality’s land use standards set out in its Official Plans.

To make the process more effective and efficient, municipalities may want to consider using LEAN/Six Sigma or other process improvement methodologies. This will help to eliminate unnecessary steps and to shorten the review time.

Understanding Site Plan Control: What Developers Need to Know

In addition, a good site plan will show the property boundaries as well as any easements (areas that are reserved for other users such as sidewalks, paths, roads, or water lines). A site plan must also show how the site functions in relation to neighbouring properties. This means that it will indicate the exact location of driveways and parking spaces as well as how the site is positioned relative to surrounding streets, including their dimensions. The site plan will also indicate if the property is close to or far from fire hydrants, depending on local rules.

Developers should be aware that the requirements for a site plan can vary greatly from one municipality to another. Therefore, they should consult their Municipality’s site plan approval by-laws and other related documents thoroughly to determine whether they are required to submit a site plan for their proposed land development project. If they are required to provide a site plan, it will need to be approved prior to the issuance of a building permit.