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.

Why Update the Zoning By-law?

Since 2003, the Town has passed approximately 220 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 municipalities to bring their zoning by-laws into conformity with its Official Plan. Updating the Zoning By-law to align with the Official Plan can introduce ‘as-of-right’ land use permissions, while introducing associated standards to ensure that urban design policies are adhered to and the natural environment is protected.

Phase 1: Comprehensive Zoning By-law Review

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 and Draft Zoning By-law

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 includes the release of eight Technical Reports that general align with the Discussion Papers from Phase 1. The Technical Reports provide an assessment that examines applicable policies, best practices, and options to address issues. The Technical Reports also recommend amendments to the Zoning By-law. A draft Zoning By-law that illustrates all proposed amendments is also available for review. The public, agencies, and stakeholders are invited to review the technical reports and draft by-law, participate in open houses and activities, and provide comments and questions to staff.

View the Draft By-law Amendment

	Strong Neighbourhoods Technical Report
	Transportation Requirements Technical Report
	Intensification Areas Technical Report
	Employment Areas Technical Report
	Sustainability Elements Technical Report
	Pickering Village Technical Report
	Greenlands System Technical Report
	General Review and Housekeeping Amendments Technical Report

Visit the Online MapViewer

An online MapViewer is available to review the proposed mapping changes and provide comments.

Visit the Online MapViewer

Notice of Statutory Public Meeting

Monday October 7, 2024 1:00 p.m. | Town Hall (Hybrid Meeting)

Take notice that a Statutory Public Meeting on the proposed Zoning By-law and Official Plan Amendment (OPA24-A4) will be held on Monday, October 7, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. Residents, landowners, agencies, and stakeholders are invited to attend or submit written and oral submissions prior to and during the Statutory Public Meeting.

The draft Zoning By-law and proposed Official Plan Amendment are available on this webpage.

The agenda will be posted by end of day Tuesday, October 1, 2024 at ajax.ca/meetings. Alternative formats of documents and materials can be made available upon request in order to assist those who require accessibility accommodations.

How to Participate

This public meeting is being held in-person in Council Chambers, located at Ajax Town Hall, 65 Harwood Avenue South, Ajax, Ontario, L1S 2H9, and will be live-streamed for public viewing at ajax.ca/live. Those wishing to make oral submissions can attend in-person and will have 5 minutes to address Council; pre-registration is not required for in-person attendance. If you are unable to attend in-person, electronic remote participation via the Town’s Hybrid Conference System is available as an option and can be arranged by contacting clerks@ajax.ca no later than 12:00 p.m. (noon) on Friday, October 4, 2024.

Written submissions may be provided for Council’s consideration before the meeting. Please submit your written comments before 12:00 p.m. (noon) on Friday, October 4, 2024, by e-mail to ZoningOurFuture@ajax.ca and clerks@ajax.ca.

Planning Act Requirements

If a specified person or public body would otherwise have the ability to appeal the decision of the Council of the Town of Ajax to the Ontario Land Tribunal but the specified person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to the Town of Ajax before the proposed official plan amendment and zoning by-law amendment is adopted or before the by-law is passed, the specified person or public body is not entitled to appeal the decision.

If a specified person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to the Town of Ajax before the proposed official plan amendment and zoning by-law amendment is adopted or before the by-law is passed, the specified person or public body may not be added as a party to the hearing of an appeal before the Ontario Land Tribunal unless, in the opinion of the Tribunal, there are reasonable grounds to add the specified person or public body as a party.

Please note that only a registered owner of land to which the by-law applies, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, or a specified person or public body, as per the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.13, as amended, may appeal Council’s decision to the Ontario Land Tribunal.

If you wish to be notified of Council’s decision on the implementing by-laws, you must make a written request to the attention of the Clerk of the Town of Ajax, at 65 Harwood Avenue South, Ajax, Ontario, L1S 2H9 or by e-mail to clerks@ajax.ca.

Stay Connected

For those wishing to obtain future updates on the project and/or to submit written comments via email, please contact ZoningOurFuture@Ajax.ca