Community Planning Permit System

About the Community Planning Permit System

A Community Planning Permit System is an innovative land use planning tool designed to support affordable housing and help housing reach the market more quickly.

It combines zoning bylaw amendments, minor variances and site plan approvals into a single, more efficient approvals process.

It also addresses local needs—such as affordable housing, diverse housing types, public facilities, parks and open spaces—to support our growing city.

The Community Planning Permit System is one of the many ways that we’re helping make housing more affordable in Guelph. It is one of the actions in our Housing Affordability Strategy and is funded by the federal government’s Housing Accelerator Fund, which aims to boost local housing supply.

Where does it apply

The Community Planning Permit Bylaw applies to the Stone Road and Edinburgh Road modified Strategic Growth Area outlined in the map below:

Benefits

Here are some of the benefits you can expect under the Community Planning Permit Bylaw:

1. Streamlined approvals for development projects: The new bylaw combines zoning bylaw amendments, minor variances and site plan approvals into a single, more efficient approvals process. This will help streamline the review process from about 180 days down to about 45 days.
2. Taller buildings with added community benefits:
   • Under the previous zoning bylaw, buildings could be:
     • Up to six storeys in mixed use areas
     • Up to 10 storeys in high-density residential areas
   • Under the Community Planning Permit bylaw, buildings can be:
     • Up to 18 storeys in mixed use areas
     • Up to 14 storeys in high-density residential areas

To build at these new heights, builders must include affordable housing or other needs identified by the City as part of the project.

Steps to complete a development application

Here are the steps to complete a development application under the Community Planning Permit Bylaw.

Note: Steps may vary, depending on the class and variation of your project.

1. Attend pre-consultation with the City.
2. Submit complete Community Planning Permit application.
3. Wait for City to review and issue decision on application. ~45 days
4. Apply for building permit. ~10-30 days
5. Start building.

Types of applications

There are three classes of applications under the Community Planning Permit (CPP) Bylaw. All applications are subject to the 45-day decision period.

Note: Class 2 and 3 applications will be required to address variation criteria and will be subject to alignment with the Official Plan, as amended, provincial policy and other applicable legislation.

Class 1:

• Meets all development standards of the bylaw.
• No variation is required.
• Includes permitted use.

Class 2:

• Application generally meets the intent, standards and provisions of the bylaw, but requires a staff variation.
• The variation should:
  • Be within established threshold for development standards outlined in Section 6 of the CPP bylaw.
  • Include a listed discretionary use (Table 6.1 of the bylaw).
  • Be a variation to standard in Section 4: General provisions, Section 5: Parking, Section 6: Development Standards, or Section 7: Site-specific in the CPP bylaw.

Class 3:

• Application generally meets the intent, standards and provisions of the bylaw but requires a Council variation:
  • Beyond established threshold for development standards outlined in Section 6 of the CPP bylaw; and/or
  • Proposes an alternative facilities, services or matters contribution (see Section 1.4.6 of the bylaw).

Community Planning Permit Bylaw

Read the full Community Planning Permit Bylaw.

Contact

Questions? Please reach out to:

Dawson McKenzie, Planner II, Community and Affordable Housing
Strategic Initiatives and Intergovernmental Services
City of Guelph
519-822-1260
[email protected]