
Introduction
The Town is updating Zoning By-law No. 500 to bring it into conformity with the Official Plan. This will involve a review of the existing zoning by-law regulations and mapping against the policies and land use designations in the Official Plan. The project is currently in Phase I of II. Phase 1 deals with the zoning for lands located in the Countryside Area of the Town.
Project update
A Public Open House and Statutory Public Meeting are scheduled for April 18, 2023 to present the Proposed Countryside Zoning By-law (March 2023) and receive feedback from the public and Council. See the Notice for additional details respecting both events, including how to participate and provide comment.
A Proposed Amendment to Zoning By-law 500 amends the Town’s existing comprehensive Zoning By-law, Zoning By-law 500, to remove the “Countryside Area” together with related zoning provisions and mapping.
A Proposed Amendment to Zoning By-law (March 2023) establishes a new “free standing” zoning by-law for the “Countryside Areas”. The Countryside Area is the area of lands being removed from Zoning By-law 500 by the Proposed Amendment to Zoning By-law 500.
An Official Plan Amendment is proposed that would amend Section 8.1.12 of the Town Official Plan to permit an additional residential unit in a detached building on the same lot as a single detached dwelling, irrespective of whether the single detached dwelling already contains an additional dwelling unit (i.e. up to two additional dwelling units on lots containing a single detached dwelling).
Proposed Countryside Zoning By-law (March 2023)
Proposed Countryside Zoning By-law Schedules
Proposed Countryside Zoning By-law Appendices
Proposed Countryside Zoning By-law (September 2022)
Proposed Countryside Zoning By-law Schedules
Schedule A - Context Map
Schedule B - B1
Schedule B - B2
Schedule B - B3
Schedule B - B4
Schedule B - B5
Schedule B - B6
Schedule B - B7
Schedule B - B8
Schedule B - B9
Schedule B - B10
Schedule B - B11
Schedule B - B12
Schedule B - B13
Schedule B - B14
Schedule B - B15
Schedule B - B16
Schedule B - B17
Schedule B - B18
Schedule B - B19
Schedule B - B20
Schedule B - B21
Schedule B - B22
Schedule B - B23
Schedule B - B24
Schedule B - B25
Schedule C - Detailed Illustrations Table of Concordance
Schedule C - Detailed Illustrations
Schedule D - Source Water Protection Areas
Proposed Countryside Zoning By-law Appendices
Project Description
Description of project
Phase I will update the zoning of lands within the Town’s Countryside Area as shown on Schedule A1 of the Official Plan. The focus of Phase I will be to carry forward the policies and land use designations of the Environmental Protection Area, Agricultural Protection Area and Rural Area as shown on Schedule A2 of the Official Plan into zoning provisions and mapping. A video has been created to help explain the first phase of the process.
Phase II will address the zoning of the remaining lands in Town that are within settlement areas as well as the general provisions for all zones. Settlement areas are shown on Schedule A1 of the Official Plan and include the Urban Area (Keswick), Towns and Villages (Sutton/Jackson’s Point and Pefferlaw), Hamlet, and the Lakeshore Residential Area. Phase II is proposed to begin in 2023.
Site-specific zoning summaries
Site-specific Zoning Summaries
To view the site-specific zoning review summary sheet related to your property, follow the below steps:
- Find your roll number. A roll number is a 15-digit number specific to your property and can be found on your tax bill (e.g. 197000012560300). If you need assistance finding your roll number please contact Service Georgina at 905-476-4301.
- Use your role number to locate the summary sheet associated with you property. You will only need digits 8 to 13 of your roll number to search for your summary sheet (e.g. 197000012560300). You can also find the summary sheet related to your property if you know the site-specific zoning of your property (e.g. M1-4).
- The summary sheets are organized into 4 separate files, grouped by roll numbers in ascending order.
- Click on the PDF file that your roll number falls within.
- Use the search function in your PDF reader (in windows Ctrl+F, for Mac Command+F) to search for your property.
- Enter your 6-digit roll number or site-specific zoning in the search bar and press enter to search.
If you need assistance finding your roll number please contact Service Georgina at 905-476-4301.
Summary sheets for roll numbers 010015 to 024273
Summary sheets for roll numbers 024274 to 108605
Summary sheets for roll numbers 108610 to 117946
Summary sheets for roll numbers 117960 to 139870
Phase 1 study
Public and stakeholder engagement opportunities
Engagement opportunities
The Town understands the importance of public and stakeholder engagement in the planning process and encourages feedback and comments.
A Public Engagement and Communications Plan for Phase I outlines the project team’s approach to how and when engagement and communications with landowners, residents and businesses within the study area will occur.
Current and upcoming public engagement opportunities include:
- The Town is requesting written comments on the Proposed Countryside Zoning By-law and associated zoning by-law and official plan amendments.
- A Statutory Public Meeting will be scheduled in the first quarter of 2023 for staff to present the Proposed Countryside Zoning By-law to Council and the public. Once scheduled, notice will be provided in accordance with the Planning Act and to all registered interested parties.
Refer to "How can I stay informed and provide my comments?" in the FAQs section of this webpage to learn how you can provide your comments outside of formal engagement opportunities.
Staff reports to Council
Council reports
- March 30, 2022 – Draft Countryside Zoning By-law (Report DS-2022-0022)
- Dec. 8, 2021 – Phase I Update and Discussion Paper (Report DS-2021-0110)
- Aug. 18, 2021 –Phase I Public Engagement and Communications Plan (Report DS-2021-0078)
- June 23, 2021 – Phase I Update Report (Report DS-2021-0060)
- Sept. 9, 2020 –Zoning By-law No. 500 Conformity Exercise Introduction Report (Report DS-2020-0068)
Additional project information
Technical working group
Technical working group information
A technical working group has been established to provide technical expertise at key milestones or as the need arises during the project. The working group includes representation from the Development Services Department, York Region Community Planning Branch and the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority.
Draft Countryside Zoning By-law (March 2022)
Draft Zoning By-law Sections
Cover Page
Table of Contents
Section 1 - Title, Area Covered and Application
Section 2 - Definitions
Section 3 - Zone Classification and Schedules
Section 4 - Interpretation
Section 5 - General Provisions
Section 6 - Residential Uses
Section 7 - Rural Countryside Zone (RU-C)
Section 8 - Agricultural Protection Zone (AP)
Section 9 - Environmental Protection Zone (AP)
Section 10 - Residential Zone (R)
Section 11 - Commercial Recreation Zone (CR)
Section 12 - Rural Commercial Zone (RC)
Section 13 - Restricted Industrial Zone (M1)
Section 14 - General Industrial Zone (M2)
Section 15 - Extractive Industrial Zone (M3)
Section 16 - Storage INdustrial Zone (M4)
Section 17 - Disposal Industrial (M5)
Section 18 - Airfield Zone (A)
Section 19 - Open Space (OS)
Section 20 - Institutional (I)
Section 21 - Other Zone Requirements for Commercial Uses
Section 22 - Administration
Schedule A to By-law in Section 1
Frequently asked questions
What is a zoning by-law?
Zoning by-laws are the principal regulatory tool municipalities use to implement the policies of an official plan. Zoning by-laws control the use of land in a community by stating exactly:
- How land may be used
- Where buildings and other structures can be located
- The types of buildings permitted and how they may be used
- The lot sizes and dimensions, parking requirements, building heights and densities (the number of people, jobs and building floor area per hectare), and setbacks from the street and other property lines
Compliance with the zoning by-law is required to receive a building permit.
To learn more about zoning by-laws, check out the Citizen’s guide to land use planning – zoning by-laws.
Does the Town currently have a zoning by-law?
Yes. Zoning By-law No. 500 is the Town’s comprehensive zoning by-law. This means all properties within the Town are assigned a zone category with specific permitted uses and regulations.
How can I find out the zoning of my property?
Follow the How to Find Zoning By-law Provisions for a Property step-by-step guide to locate the zoning of your property.
What is happening?
The Town is undertaking a statutory planning exercise to update Zoning By-law No. 500 to bring it into conformity with the Official Plan.
Who is updating the zoning by-law?
Development Services staff will complete the majority of the work with assistance from the Information Technology Services Division, the Communications Division and the Town’s retained consultant, Hardy Stevenson Associates Ltd.
A technical working group has been established which also includes representatives from the York Region Community Planning Branch and the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority.
When is this project taking place?
The review and update is scheduled to take place between May 2021 and May 2022. See the Project Gantt Chart (Project Timeline with Tasks) for more details.
Where does this zoning update fit into the bigger planning picture?
Since compliance with a zoning by-law is required by law to receive a building permit, zoning by-laws are generally the planning document that connects members of the public to the larger Ontario planning system.
Land use planning in Ontario takes place within a hierarchy as shown in the diagram below. The hierarchy ranges from the Ontario Planning Act at one end to the zoning by-law at the opposite end.
Local official plans and secondary plans must comply with the upper-tier policy documents of the Region and the Province, while providing a local vision for how the community will evolve over time.
Zoning by-laws are the primary tool used to implement the policies, permitted uses and land use designations contained in local official plans and secondary plans.
To learn more about the components of the Ontario planning system that apply to land use planning and development in Georgina, visit the Policy Planning webpage.

Figure: Ontario planning system hierarchy
Where in Town is the zoning being updated?
The study area for Phase I includes all lands within the rural countryside area of the Town as shown on the Key Map provided below.

Why is the Town updating the zoning by-law?
The Town is fulfilling its statutory requirement in accordance with Section 26(9) of the Planning Act to ensure the zoning by-law conforms to its Official Plan. This section states that within three years after a revision to an official plan comes into effect, the Town is required to amend all zoning by-laws in effect in the municipality to ensure they conform with the policies and land use designations of its official plan.
The Town’s Official Plan came into force and effect on Nov. 23, 2016, following a review and update of the 2002 Official Plan. The Official Plan establishes an updated vision, policies and land use designation in mapping to guide growth and development while protecting the Town’s natural resources.
What could this mean for my property?
If your property is located within the study area, there is a good chance it will be rezoned in some way. This may affect the uses that are permitted on your property, and where buildings and structures for permitted uses may be located.
How can I stay informed and provide my comments?
Updates and information related to the project will be posted on this webpage.
Notices of upcoming public engagement events will be advertised on this webpage, in the Georgina Advocate and through the Town’s social media platforms.
To be put on the project mailing list to receive updates and notifications or to share your thoughts and comments, email ZoningBylawUpdate@georgina.ca.
To speak with someone at the Town regarding this project, contact:
Tolek Makarewicz, MCIP, RPP
Senior Policy Planner
Planning Policy Division
Development Services Department
Town of Georgina
905-476-4301 ext. 2297