Comprehensive Zoning By-Law Amendment Review

The Town is completing a comprehensive review of its Zoning By-law to ensure that it aligns with the Town’s Official Plan and other best practices from across Ontario.

What is a Zoning By-law?

Section 34 of the Planning Act specifies the scope and authority of Zoning By-laws. A zoning by-law is a tool that controls the use of land and buildings. A Zoning By-law identifies:

• How land and buildings may or may not be used.
• The size and location of buildings and structures.
• Required lot sizes and dimensions.
• Minimum or maximum parking space and loading space requirements.
• Minimum and maximum building heights and densities.

A Zoning By-law cannot regulate matters such as colour, architectural theme or aesthetics of a building. Further, a Zoning By-law cannot regulate the people who may occupy a building, nor the relationship between the occupants.

The current, in-effect Zoning By-law for the Town of Ajax is Zoning By-law No. 95-2003 as amended, which was adopted by Ajax Council on July 14, 2003, and has been amended many times since it was first adopted.

Why Update the Zoning By-law?

Since 2003, the Town has passed approximately 250 Zoning By-law Amendments stemming from development applications and Town-initiated studies. During that same time, approximately 1,250 Minor Variance applications have been processed by the Committee of Adjustment.

The Planning Act requires a municipality to bring its Zoning By-laws into conformity with its Official Plan. Updating the Zoning By-law to align with the Official Plan can implement ‘as-of-right’ land use permissions, while introducing associated standards to ensure good urban design and the protection of the natural environment.

Town of Ajax Comprehensive Zoning By-law Review

Phase 1: Discussion Papers

In 2015, the Town launched the ‘Zoning Our Future’ Comprehensive Zoning By-law Review. A series of eight discussion papers were published with opportunities for the public to review and comment.

Phase 1 Discussion Papers can be viewed in the Important Documents folder.

Phase 2: Technical Reports

On June 17, 2024, Council endorsed staff report PDS-2024-15 to mark the start of Phase 2 of the Comprehensive Zoning By-law Review. Phase 2 initiated the release of eight (8) Technical Reports that included an assessment of applicable policies and best practices, and resulted in recommended amendments to the Zoning By-law. In addition, a draft of the proposed amendments to the Zoning By-law and Zoning Schedule Maps were released for review.

The Phase 2 Technical Reports can be viewed in the Important Documents folder.

Phase 3: Approvals Phase

Additional Dwelling Unit Amendments– Approved March 2025

On March 3, 2025, the Town’s Community Affairs and Planning (CAP) Committee endorsed staff report PDS-2025-06. Staff proposed a phased approval approach for the Comprehensive Zoning By-law Review and brought forward an initial set of amendments related to Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), including permissions for up to four (4) dwelling units on most properties containing a detached, semi‑detached, or townhouse dwelling.

This initial set of amendments was implemented via the following Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments:

• Official Plan Amendment No. 83 (By‑law No. 22‑2025); and
• Zoning By‑law Amendment Z2/25 (By‑law No. 23‑2025).

Council also provided direction to staff on various matters that had been raised previously by Council and/or by other stakeholders, to were to be addressed in the forthcoming Zoning By-law Amendments.

Final Amendments – Statutory Public Meeting June 1, 2026

Following Council’s approval of the initial amendments relating to ADUs, staff continued to review and address all the remaining comments related to the Comprehensive Zoning By‑law Review.

The Zoning Our Future: Comprehensive Zoning By-law Final Amendments bring forward the remaining zoning changes within ten (10) separate Zoning By-law Amendments organized by Zoning By‑law section. This also includes the updated Zoning Schedule Maps and can be reviewed below.

• Explanatory Notes - Final Zoning By-law Amendment
• Section 1 and 2 - Preamble, Interpreation and Administration, and Estanblishment of Zones - Final Zoning By-law Amendment - Final Zoning By-law Amendment
• Section 3 - Definitions - Final Zoning By-law Amendment
• Section 4 - General Provisions - Final Zoning By-law Amendment
• Section 5 - Parking, Loading, and Queing Requirements - Final Zoning By-law Amendment
• Section 6 - Zone Provisions - Final Zoning By-law Amendment
• Section 7 - Exceptions - Final Zoning By-law Amendment
• Section 8 - Special Schedules - Final Zoning By-law Amendment
• Section 9 - Holding Provisions, Temporary Use By-laws, and Interim Control Zones - Final Zoning By-law Amendment
• Zoning and Exceptions Schedule Maps - Final Zoning By-law Amendment
• Zoning Schedule Maps

Previously, staff had proposed to present the final amendments in the following phases:

• Phase 2: Strong Neighbourhoods, Transportation, Greenlands System, Pickering Village, and Housekeeping Amendments
• Phase 3: Employment Areas and Intensification Areas Amendments

However, following a review of the new Provincial Planning Statement, 2024, most Employment Area amendments previously proposed are not planned to move forward until the Town’s ongoing Official Plan Review is completed. Further, approvals of amendments related to the GO Station Secondary Plan will be sought separately under that project. As a result, due to the complex and integrated nature of the Zoning By-law, all remaining amendments proposed through this Comprehensive Zoning By-law Review are being presented together. No further amendments as part of the Zoning Our Future: Comprehensive Zoning By-law Review are planned at this time.

Stay Connected

For those wishing to obtain updates on the project please contact ZoningOurFuture@Ajax.ca.