Planning and Land Use

What is an Official Plan, and what is it used for?

• The County of Renfrew Official Plan guides the use of land and physical change across the County. It interprets provincial legislation at a regional level through general policies that apply to all of the County, as well as land use designations that apply to only specific areas. Generally, the Official Plan addresses questions such as:
  • Where growth should be directed?
  • What natural features and resources should be protected - such as agricultural lands, wetlands, and mineral aggregate resources - and how?
  • What level of services are needed to support development, such as roads, water, and sewer systems?
• All planning applications should conform to the Official Plan.
  • The following municipalities in Renfrew County have their own Official Plans, which can be found on their websites:
    • The Town of Arnprior
    • The Town of Deep River
    • The Township of Laurentian Valley
    • The Town of Petawawa
    • The Town of Renfrew
  • All other municipalities use the County Official Plan.

What is a Zoning By-law, and what is it used for?

• Zoning By-laws are used by local municipalities to implement the rules set out in the County’s Official Plan. They use zones to identify where certain land uses are or can be located, and to help separate incompatible uses (e.g. residential and industrial). Zones are also used to:
  • Protect natural features and resources, or indicate a hazard is present (e.g. the Environmental Protection (EP) Zone can mean wetlands are present)
  • Indicate the type of servicing available (e.g. the Rural Residential (RR) Zone can indicate only private well and septic services are available)
  • Identify areas intended for future growth (e.g. Development (D) Zone)
• Each zone has its own list of permitted uses (e.g. single detached dwelling), and development standards (e.g. building setbacks from lot lines) that are specific to that zone. In contrast, the general provisions of a Zoning By-law contain provisions that apply to the whole municipality. This includes setbacks from certain land uses, resources, and natural features, which is intended to help reduce issues between incompatible uses (e.g. an aggregate pit and a house).
• Every local municipality in the County has its own Zoning By-law. A copy of your municipality’s Zoning By-law can be found on their website, or by reaching out to their municipal office.

This by-law lists the required County fees for different planning applications and services. Please contact your local municipality to find out what additional municipal fees may apply.

• By-law Tariff of Fees - Planning

• What is an inquiry, and why is it important?
  • If you’re thinking about submitting a planning application or have a development proposal in mind, we suggest starting with a General Inquiry. This process will provide you with a detailed planning response that provides guidance and possible next steps for your proposal.
  • General Inquiry Form

• Use this form if you are looking to apply for:
  • Severance for a new lot
  • Lot addition or lot line adjustment
  • An easement
  • Define lands for mortgage, charge, or lease purposes
  • Validation of Title
• If you have not already, we suggest completing a General Inquiry before submitting a consent application.
  • Consent Form

• This form is used to create a larger number of lots or to establish a condominium.
  • Subdivision/Condominium Application Form

• Use this form if your development proposal does not conform to one or more policies of the County’s Official Plan. If you have not already, we suggest completing a General Inquiry before submitting an application.
  • Official Plan Amendment Form

• This form helps to assess your property’s vulnerability to wildfire. This is commonly required as part of a planning application.
  • Wildland Fire Risk and Hazzard Assessment Form
  • Mitigating Wildland Fire Hazards Guide

• The Minimum Distance Separation form is used to assess the minimum distance needed to prevent conflicts between livestock facilities (i.e. barns and manure storages) and sensitive uses, especially housing. This is a common form required for planning applications.
  
  • MDS Form

The Residential Housing New Builds Dashboard

provides an interactive overview of new residential construction across the County. The dashboard includes:

• A map displaying housing numbers for new residential builds
• Graphs and pie charts that illustrate:
  • the number of units by year built with the ability to filter by a selected municipality;
  • the number of housing units by housing type and year built for the County as a whole;
  • the total number of units by housing type for all years across the County; and
  • the distribution of housing types for the County for all years.
• Highlights on the total number of units for the County, as well as the total number of units for a selected municipality.