Development Application Terms of Reference

Description

 An Affordable Housing Report examines the impact that a proposed development will have on the supply of affordable housing options in the Town. It will address the County and Town Official Plan policies that speak to the need for introducing affordable housing and providing opportunities for new affordable housing (regardless of tenure).

Who Should Prepare This

 A Registered Professional Planner (RPP) or other qualified professional. All reports and drawings must be stamped and/or signed and dated by a qualified professional, licensed in the Province of Ontario.

Required Content

• Description of proposal and concept plan
• Number of existing residential (including rental) units
• Number of residential units to be retained, added, or lost due to the proposed development
• Type and size of units to be retained, and whether the units are intended to be condominium registered
• Proposed rental or sales prices
• Any proposed phasing and the number of affordable housing being added or removed through each phase
• Site and contextual considerations
• Review of relevant Provincial Policy Statement, Growth Plan, and County and Town Official Plan policies
• Conclusions and recommendations demonstrating how the proposal is consistent with relevant policies and regulations

An Affordable Housing Report may be a standalone document or may be included in the Planning Justification Report.

Description

A technical document that provides detailed information about individual trees and associated significant vegetation (i.e., shrubs) on private and public lands (such as the boulevard) that are affected by an application. The report identifies tree care methodology and details specific treatments required to protect and to preserve trees before, during and after construction on a site (including, but not limited to, the provision of required space for tree roots and crowns to develop and grow to maturity).

The Arborist/Tree Preservation Report is required on private and public lands as affected by the proposal. A certified tree expert should prepare the report. A certified tree expert generally includes:

• An Arborist qualified by the Ontario Training and Adjustment Board (OTAB) or the Ministry of Colleges and Universities
• A Certified Arborist qualified by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA)
• A Consulting Arborist registered with the American Society of Consulting Arborists (ASCA)
• A Registered Professional Forester (RPF)

The Director of Infrastructure Services may approve other individuals with similar qualifications when requested.

Rationale

The Arborist/Tree Preservation Report guides the development of a Tree Preservation Plan which should be submitted concurrently with the Lot Grading Plan. 

Scale

• Must be drawn to a standard metric scale (i.e., 1:100, 1:200, 1:500, 1:1000) and preferably at the same scale as the Site Plan.

Required Contents

An Arborist/Tree Preservation Report must include the following basic information:

• The accurate location of all trees 10cm DBH and greater, including their driplines, that occur as isolated individuals, tree clusters or along woodland edges.  Also provide details of any associated significant vegetation worthy of protection.
• For Site Plans, the proposed building envelope and type of building must be accurately shown on each lot, including the entrance driveway and all required services.
• The Lot Grading Plan must identify the original surveyed grades and proposed future grades, cut and fill areas, future surface drainage and any potential disruption to groundwater.
• For trees that may potentially be impacted by proposed development, data must be recorded on the species, size and condition (e.g., good, fair, poor, dead) of each tree along with an appropriate tree management recommendation (e.g., retain, remove, prune, fertilize, transplant etc.).  Details of all required tree pruning (crown and roots) should be provided.  A Tree Preservation/Management Plan must be submitted with the Lot Grading Plan and where feasible it should be superimposed on the Grading Plan.  Depending upon the type of proposed development, the number of trees to be inventoried, the ecological sensitivity of affected treed areas and the presence of potential hazard trees, it may be necessary to attach numbered tree tags to trees located in potential impact areas.
• The species size and quantity of any compensatory plantings required along new woodland edges, as well as requirements for any further ecological enhancement work.
• The location and type of proposed tree protection measures must be identified on the Tree Preservation Plan including the need for any required setbacks from tree driplines, the installation of protective fencing (e.g., orange construction fence or paige wire farm fence with or without attached filter cloth), wooden hoarding or other erosion control measures (e.g., the use of straw bales, mulch mats etc.).
• After all approved tree removal and pruning work has been completed, all recommended tree protection measures are to be installed prior to the initiation of site grading.  The tree expert who is responsible for the supervision of the tree management work will be required to submit a Tree Maintenance Report to the Town that documents compliance with the approved Tree Preservation Plan and also identifies any deviations that occurred and the reasons for those changes. All tree protection measures are to be maintained in a functional condition until all construction activity is completed.
• The appraised value of Town owned trees that are affected by the application. This valuation is to be based on the current edition of the “Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers Guide to Plant Appraisal” as endorsed by the International Society of Arboriculture.

If trees on a neighbouring property are proposed for injury or removal due to construction activity, written consent from the neighbouring land-owner is required in order to permit these actions.

Description

An archaeological resource assessment identifies and evaluates the presence of archaeological resources also known as archaeological sites. Archaeological resources or sites include the physical remains and contextual setting of any structure, event, place, feature, or object which, because of the passage of time, is on or below the surface of the land or water, and is important to understanding the history of a people or place. All reports and drawings must be stamped and/or signed and dated by a qualified professional, licensed in the Province of Ontario.

Rationale

An archaeological assessment is required on lands that hold archaeological potential in order to ascertain the presence or absence of archaeological resources. If these resources are present, the archaeological assessment will evaluate the significance of these resources and outline measures to mitigate the impact of development on these resources. Mitigation measures include on-site preservation and avoidance of the archaeological site entirely, or alternatively the site is subject to full documentation and removal.

The archaeological assessment will inform the review of an application by Town Planning staff. The rationale for the requirement to provide an archaeological assessment is based the legislative authority stemming from: the Ontario Heritage Act, Section 2 (d) of the Planning Act, Section 2.6.3 of the Provincial Policy Statement (2005), the Environmental Assessment Act (1997), the Environmental Protection Act, O.Reg.359/09, the Aggregate Resources Act, and the Cemeteries Act.

Required Contents

An archaeological assessment is divided into stages 1-4, as per the Ministry of Tourism and Culture 2011 Standards and Guidelines for Consultant Archaeologists for land-based archaeology. The assessment must adhere to both the Standards and Guidelines for work conducted within lands which comprise the Town of Erin.

Stage 1

Background Study and Property Inspection – The consultant archaeologist reviews the geographical and historical information for lands which are part of the development proposal, and completes a detailed land use study. The land use study is to include a review of historical land use and ownership records (e.g. assessment rolls, census records, commercial directories).

Stage 2 

Property Assessment – A field examination takes place which may require either a surface or pedestrian survey or test pit surveys of the subject property. Special conditions such as brownfield properties or deeply buried urban contexts will require alternative strategies and should be discussed with Town staff in advance of work. If aboriginal archaeological sites may be encountered during Stage 2 work due to proximity to known archaeological sites in the area or local or oral history, First Nations engagement and consultation will be required at Stage 2 assessment. Special conditions should be discussed with HPS staff prior to the assessment being undertaken.

Stage 3

Site Specific Assessment – When potential archaeological sites are identified during the course of Stage 2 work, additional detailed information is obtained through a Stage 3 assessment. This will delineate and evaluate the significance of the site found and make recommendations for appropriate mitigation measures. For some sites, no further work will be recommended at the end of Stage 3. First Nations engagement and consultation will be required should aboriginal archaeological sites be discovered at Stage 3.

Stage 4

Mitigation of Development Impacts – Stage 4 includes implementing long-term protection strategies for archaeological sites to be impacted by the project. If after full consultation with the Town of Erin, the proponent, the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, and the consultant archaeologist, protection of the site cannot be achieved, the consultant archaeologist may excavate the site to fully document features and remove artifacts prior to further soil disturbance activities taking place on site.

Additional submission requirements:

Should the archaeological consultant recommendations include a program of archaeological monitoring during the construction process, an archaeological monitoring and mitigation strategy will be required as a condition of development approval.

Should the assessment result in the discovery of an archaeological site, or significant archaeological resources, the proponent will be required to prepare and implement a commemoration and interpretation strategy as a condition of the development approval.

Comments

Archaeological assessments are to be completed together with any associated mitigation well in advance of any soil disturbance. Archaeological assessments cannot be completed during certain times of the year (i.e. snow cover, frozen ground, excessive rain/wet conditions).

Description

Architectural Control Guidelines (“Guidelines”) are a written and graphic manual providing direction regarding the achievement of the built form and public realm policies contained in the County & Town Official Plans and Town of Erin Community & Architectural Design Guidelines (“Town Design Guidelines”). The Guidelines are a combination of text, plans, illustrative sketches and photos, sections and comparative models or examples that inform the proponent, public and Town about the built form, landscape and structures on private lands within new neighbourhoods.

A Town may choose to use a “Control Architect Process” to achieve the Towns built form objectives and control the quality of work in each phase, through conditions of Draft Plan Approval.

The Guidelines are written for the Control Architect to use in evaluating the design of buildings and associated landscapes within the area. The Control Architect Process and the use of the Architectural Control Guidelines is a standard process for the development industry.

Architectural Control Guidelines will likely be required for applications that take many years to complete, and incorporate large land areas with a number of parcels or phases within a development, including new streets and parks and sites of civic prominence. They address built form matters and may exceed the provisions of the Planning Act by addressing architectural matters such as materials, colours and detailing in addition to siting and building massing issues.

When administered properly, the Architectural Control Process can streamline future planning approvals by clarifying design expectations for development and minimizing Town staff involvement.

A “Control Architect” administers the Council approved Town Design Guidelines on behalf of the Town and the developer. The Control Architect is an independent professional responsible for conducting a comprehensive review of each lot to ensure that siting, built form, materials, colours and landscaping, among other things, are in compliance with the approved Guidelines. To avoid potential conflict of interest, it is important that the Control Architect and the Design Architect not be the same individual or firm.

The Guidelines will address the whole of the new neighbourhood or plan of subdivision. Specific types of development, development blocks and/or built form may be specifically omitted at the discretion of the Town. Where a contiguous tract of land is divided into several subdivisions or development sites, use of a comprehensive set of Guidelines will be encouraged to achieve architectural consistency within a larger neighbourhood.

The Guidelines will be flexible to accommodate change as it occurs while maintaining intact the essential urban design ideas.

Required Contents

Architectural Control Guidelines should be applied to development as a condition of subdivision or equivalent development approval process. The applicant should develop draft Architectural Control Guidelines as early as possible in the planning process with active participation by Town staff. The Architectural Control Guidelines may be attached to or referenced by the applicable subdivision/development agreement. Approval for minor revisions to the Guidelines may be delegated to staff. Where major revisions are needed, Council approval may be required.

Final Architectural Control Guidelines

Architectural Control Guidelines will form part of a subdivision agreement and will consist of the following components:

• Location Plan of the subject property.
• Structure Plan that identifies the approved lot and block plan lot and block numbers, the

visual public realm, priority sites and other lots deserving special/enhanced treatment to support the overall design concept and proposed character, such as: corner lots, T-lots, lots requiring enhanced rear or flanking façade treatment, corner lot fencing and rear lot fencing.

• Built form principles.
• Building siting and massing.
• Built form and siting relationships between different building forms and types (i.e., bungalows, townhouse blocks) and site conditions (i.e., park, reverse lots, public walkway).
• Implementation and approval process clearly identifying the roles of the Control Architect, the Town, the developer and the builder.
• Elevations: consistency, architectural style, coordination of models, colours and repetition, special elevations (gateway, corner lots, reverse lots, park lots, etc.
• Entry features (porches, porticos)
• Windows and doors
• Garages and driveways
• Roofs and chimneys
• Materials, architectural detail and colours of roofs, walls and foundations
• Utilities
• Fences and garden walls (visible to the public realm)
• Landscaping

Additional built form matters may be included to address contextual and site specific conditions. These matters may include, but are not limited to, cultural or natural heritage, noise attenuation, height restrictions and topographic conditions.

Description

To show the proposed ground floor and key elements of the site plan in context, with adjacent street(s) and properties, including site circulation for pedestrians and vehicles, conceptual grades, and proposed hard and soft landscaping on site and on the adjacent street(s) and properties. A streetscape and landscape concept for the space between the proposed building and the curb, on the site and adjacent site, may also be requested.

Scale

• Must be drawn to a standard metric scale (i.e. 1:100, 1:200, 1:500, 1:1000) and preferably at the same scale as the Survey

General Details

• Existing buildings shown in dashed line if demolished, and proposed development including the ground floor of the proposed building(s)
• Distinguish between parts (or all) of the existing building to be conserved, from new building elements in plan, if appropriate. Indicate with notes and graphics which parts are proposed to be conserved in place and which parts would be reconstructed
• All property lines, abutting streets and building footprints on adjacent properties
• All driveways and parking areas onsite and on adjacent properties
• Above grade structures and parts of the buildings which overhang the ground floor including cantilevers, canopies, balconies, etc.
• Existing/proposed underground structures and ramps
• Dimensioned relationships of the proposed buildings above and below grade to property lines
• General concept for grading including the existing/proposed elevations at property lines, along driveways (indicating slope), pedestrian sidewalks and walkways and building entrances
• Identify grades, as per applicable Zoning By-law definition

Easements, Reserves and Widenings

• Existing/proposed reserves, easements and/or road widenings
• Conservation authority limit, top of bank setback and location of trees to be retained, including the required setback or buffer area
• Location, dimensions and details of any watercourses and any significant features or delineation lines such as flood lines, fill lines, limits of buffer zones as they relate to natural heritage

Site Circulation – Pedestrian, Bicycle, Vehicular Driveways, Servicing and Parking

• General location and dimensions of existing/proposed pedestrian circulation in the street and boulevard and on site, including sidewalks, walkways, patios, stairs and ramps
• General location and dimensions of existing/proposed bicycle circulation, parking, and access to parking and storage (indoor and outdoor)
• General location and dimensions of publicly accessible areas on site and within the building, including parks and open spaces, walkways, mid-block connections, pedestrian mews, etc.
• General location and dimensions of existing/proposed vehicular circulation in the road allowances and on site including driveways, curb cuts, ramps, laneways, surface parking, loading and service areas
• Grading information for ramps and walkways, including AODA requirements

Waste Disposal Facilities

• General location and dimensions for all loading and service areas, including access to these areas
• General location and dimensions of facilities for at grade storing and handling of garbage, recyclable material and organic waste

Fire Code Requirements

• Location of existing/proposed fire hydrants located within the municipal boulevard and/or on the subject property, existing/proposed fire routes, servicing the hydrant and existing/proposed Siamese connection location(s), if required

Hard Landscape – Grading, Retaining Walls, Fences and Railings

• General location of landscape and architectural elements such as retaining walls, fencing and rails on site and in the public boulevard adjacent to the site
• General concept for grading including the existing/proposed elevations at property lines, along driveways (indicating slope), pedestrian sidewalks, walkways, ground floor and at building entrances, including the relationship of grades along the right-of way, from the property line to curb face
• Spot elevations, as appropriate

Soft Landscape and Planting

• General location of soft landscape and plantings on the site and on adjacent road allowance, including location of proposed street trees
• Location and identification of tree protections; including trees on adjacent properties
• Location of tree protection zones (where trees are being retained and protected)

Concept Streetscape Diagrams

• In plan and section, show the streetscape concept for the proposed site and adjacent sites, showing hard and soft landscape, between the ground floor of the building and the curb, including setbacks, and ground floor uses
• Location of all above and below grade utilities

The purpose of the Terms of Reference document is to provide guidance related to the preparation and review of Environmental Impact Assessments in support of planning and development applications. The Study is a planning tool that is used to design the development proposal or site alteration to demonstrate no negative environment impacts. The Study is also a decision-making tool that is needed in order for the municipality or the conservation authority to determine whether the proposal complies with the applicable plans, policies, and regulations. 

Description

An objective, science-based study, prepared by a qualified expert, of a proposed development’s potential impact on the natural system and ways to mitigate negative impacts, and/or improve the natural system.

Rationale

The authority to request this study is provided by the Planning Act and the 2020 Provincial Policy Statement (PPS).

The Provincial Policy Statement specifies that natural heritage features and areas shall be protected for the long term and that the diversity and connectivity of natural features and the long-term ecological function and biodiversity of natural systems should be maintained, restored or where possible, improved.

County and Town policies recognize the importance of protecting, restoring and enhancing the Greenlands System which includes the natural system. Development is generally not permitted in the Greenlands System. Where the underlying land use designation provides for development in or adjacent to the natural system, development will recognize natural heritage values and avoid potential impacts on the natural system while striving to minimize adverse impacts and, where possible, restore and enhance the natural system.

When Required

All proposed development in or adjacent to the natural system will be evaluated to determine the potential for the development to adversely impact the natural system.  If it is likely that the development will have negative impacts on the natural system then an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) may be required to assess these impacts and identify measures to mitigate impacts and/or improve the natural system.

An EIA is required in the following circumstances:

• for any proposed undertaking on lands within the natural system; and
• prior to permitting development in or on lands adjacent to all provincially significant natural features as defined by the PPS (e.g., woodlands, wetlands, areas of natural and scientific interest etc.).

Please note that development is not permitted in PSWs. Natural Hazards, include all wetlands, watercourses, floodplains, and steep slopes, are regulated by Conservation Authorities. Please contact the CA directly.

A EIA may be required for the following types of applications:

• Plans of Subdivision/Condominium
• Official Plan Amendment
• Zoning By-law Amendment
• Site Plan Control

The Town Planner will inform the applicant if an Environmental Impact Assessment is required. The applicant is to scope the Study with the Town Planner, County Planner and the conservation authority prior to the preparation of the Study. The applicant is responsible for the preparation and cost of the study.

Required Contents

Background/Context

The following information will be included in the study:

• Development site location/address/ownership;
• Description of the proposed development including location of existing and proposed buildings, structures, driveways, parking areas, landscaping, site grading and drainage, underground services and related easements, and other site alteration.
• Map(s) showing the location of the proposed development in relation to the Natural System as indicated below.

Identification of Natural Heritage Features and Functions 

The natural heritage and natural hazard issues to be addressed will be scoped in consultation with Town staff, County Staff, the conservation authority, consultants and through review of existing site specific information.

Where applicable, the following aspects of the natural system will be inventories and assessed using standardized and widely-accepted field protocols:

• terrestrial natural habitat features and functions including wetlands, woodlands and wildlife habitat (background studies, reports, online mapping and databases should be consulted for existing information);
• natural hazards;
• water resource system
• known watercourses and hydrologic features and functions, aquatic features and functions;
• “significant”[1] physical features and landforms;
• riparian zones or buffer areas and functions; and
• vegetation communities and species at risk[2].

Key natural heritage information will be shown on a map in relation to the proposed development including: 

• the limit of the natural heritage features and functions;
• the location of top-of-bank;
• the dripline of woodland vegetation;
• the wetland boundary;
• the location of any provincially or locally significant features such as wetlands, water courses, areas of natural and scientific interest (ANSI’s), significant wildlife habitat, habitat for species of risk, and other environmentally significant areas.

Information on flora and fauna may need to be collected over a three season period (spring, summer and fall) to properly detect all species that are expected to occur within a given area and effectively address potential impacts. Biological surveys shall be conducted in accordance with well-established field protocols (i.e. ELC, OBBA, MMP, OSAP, OBBN, etc.). Unevaluated wetlands should be evaluated in accordance with the current edition of the Ontario Wetland Evaluation System (revised December 2022). Significant wildlife habitat and species at risk should be screened in accordance with provincial standards. Annotated species lists and the tables detailing the results of SWH/SAR screenings should be appended to the EIA report.

In some areas, the location of the stable top-of-bank has already been determined by the conservation authority; in other areas its location must be determined/confirmed through site specific field investigation in consultation with the conservation authority, County staff and Town staff and may require the landowner/proponent to prepare surveys or geotechnical studies. A slope stability may be required to establish the stable top of bank in a confined system.

Natural heritage features and functions of interest may be located on or adjacent to the site. 

Impact Identification and Analysis

The potential impacts of the proposed development, both during construction and after completion, on the natural heritage features and functions will be identified and assessed.

Specific direct impacts may include the number and location of trees or amount of vegetation to be removed, grade changes, area of stream bed to be disturbed, changes to surface runoff and groundwater infiltration, amount of habitat removal/fragmentation/encroachment. Temporary impacts during construction may include habitat disruption, sediment transport and diversion of water flows.  Impacts associated with ongoing occupation of the development may include increased noise and lighting, dumping of organic waste.

Demonstrate maintenance of the feature-based water balance for all retained features and the natural system.  Refer to TRCA’s Wetland Water Balance Risk Evaluation (specifically Figure 3 on page 19) and CVC’s Stormwater Management Guideline (specifically Appendix B). The EIA should integrate and interpret water balance calculations provided in the SWM report. The need for a monthly water balance calculations should be determined early in the study process.

Responses to Impacts

The measures that will be taken to mitigate negative impacts, both during construction and after completion, on the natural heritage features and functions, and the effectiveness of these measures will be specified.  Where possible, adverse impacts will be avoided rather than mitigated.  Mitigation measures will be specific enough to allow evaluation of the effectiveness of the measures.

The EIA should provide clear rationale to support recommended development setbacks from natural heritage / natural hazard features.  Setbacks/buffers should be based on the significance/sensitivity of the feature and the nature of the development. MNRF recommends a 15 metre setback from warm water fish habitat and a 30 meter setback from cold water fish habitat. Recommended setbacks from wetlands can vary widely but are generally within the 15-50 meter range. The minimum recommended setback for a Provincially Significant Wetland (PSW) is typically 30 meters but this can increase to 50 meters or more to protect sensitive species.

Conservation Authorities should be consulted for development setbacks from natural hazards, which include but may not be limited to the following:

• the stable top-of-bank of valleys, ravines and bluffs;
• wetlands;
• other locations where slope instability, erosion, flooding or other physical conditions present a significant risk to life or property; and
• other locations near the watercourses which may be hazardous if developed because of flooding or erosion. Minor additions or alterations to existing development, replacement structures and accessory structures may be exempt from this requirement, to be confirmed by the Conservation Authority.

Avoiding impacts is preferred over mitigation.  In some cases, the development will need to be modified to avoid negative impacts.  Compliance and effectiveness monitoring may be required depending on the project. Contingency measures may also need to be identified/implemented to ensure proper adaptive management.

The study will recommend any restoration and/or enhancement measures that will improve natural heritage features and functions, including measures to compensate for lost features or functions.  As much as possible, improvements will be made to existing natural heritage features on-site before off-site locations are considered.  Plans for natural heritage improvement will be approved by the conservation authority, County and Town.

The study should include management recommendations that clearly demonstrate policy conformity, including mitigations and/or enhancements, such as inclusion of road ecology mitigations that reduce fragmentation of the natural system, compensation for unavoidable and permitted natural system loss (area and function), buffer width and management (i.e., establishment of a natural, self-sustaining vegetation protection zone), as well as the identification of areas that would benefit from connectivity or linkage to promote the preservation of a resilient natural system. Please refer to Credit Valley Conservation’s CVC’s Ecological Offsetting Guidelines.

Conclusions/Recommendations

Summarize the findings, identify residual impacts that cannot be avoided or fully mitigated.  Recommend conditions for development approval including monitoring, if appropriate.

[1] The significant and/or sensitivity of these features may not be known at the outset of the assessment.  This should be assessed as part of the EIA. Aquatic features should be defined at the outset of the study (e.g., fish and fish habitat, benthic macro invertebrates, aquatic macrophytes, etc.)

[2] DFO’s Aquatic Species At Risk Mapping and the Provincial Make-A-Map screening tool (both available online) should be consulted.

Description

To illustrate the layout of structures, entrances, rooms, windows and servicing elements on each floor of the proposed building, including the ground floor and below-grade floors.

Scale

Must be drawn to a standard metric scale (i.e. 1:100, 1:200, 1:500, 1:1000).

General Details

• All floor plans for typical and non-typical floors showing the layout of rooms, entrances, windows and servicing elements like elevators, stairs, service stacks, etc.
• Label floor(s) and provide the gross floor area (GFA) and gross construction area (GCA) for each floor
• Distinguish between parts (or all) of the existing building to be conserved from new building elements in all applicable floor plans, if appropriate. Indicate with notes and graphics which parts are proposed to be conserved in place and which parts would be reconstructed
• Show the location, dimensions and area (in m²) of indoor and outdoor private and shared amenity areas, including balconies, rooftop patios, and any other publicly-accessible areas, as well as how they are accessed and how indoor and outdoor areas are connected
• Provide the amenity area (in m²) of non-residential spaces on all applicable floor plans
• Label type of units within residential buildings (e.g. bachelor, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, etc.) and provide the area (in m²) for each unit
• Show location, size and configuration of both indoor and outdoor amenity spaces for children and families, such as children’s play areas
• Show location, size and configuration of pet-friendly facilities, such as dog washing and grooming stations
• All property lines and/or road widenings

Pedestrian and Bicycle Infrastructure

• Interior walkways and corridors, stairs, escalators, elevators, etc.
• Location and dimensions of indoor and outdoor bicycle parking and storage facilities, as well as shower and change facilities, where required
• Existing/proposed grades on floor plan(s) that include bicycle storage and circulation

Site Circulation – Driveways, Servicing and Parking

• Location, dimensions and details of existing/proposed vehicular circulation on site including driveways, ramps, laneways, parking, loading and service areas
• Location, dimensions and details regarding parking areas, including parking spaces, drive aisles, vehicular ramps, car share locations, electric vehicle charging stations, etc.
• Provide a breakdown of the existing/proposed total parking supply (e.g. residential, visitor)

Waste Disposal Facilities

• Location and dimensions of garbage/recycling/organics storage, sorting and compaction facilities including garbage chutes and tri-sorters

Fire Code Requirements

• Show fire control panel location/details

Public and Private Servicing

• Location, dimensions and details for all loading spaces on site
• Provide dimensions and layout of corridors for loading, moving or servicing, including circulation

Description

To provide information and details for the hard and soft landscaping on site and on adjacent streets and boulevards, using the Site Plan drawing as a base. This includes tree preservation plans, details and materials for paving, location, types, size and planting details for proposed trees, shrubs and other plants.  The Plan will show the materials, dimensions and construction details for hard and soft landscape elements including paving, furniture, seating, fences, rails, pergolas, retaining walls and other features and planting details.

Rationale

The intent is to improve the aesthetic quality and functions of a development while screening less attractive elements from view.  Landscaping may also be used in buffers to protect and enhance the quality of natural heritage features found on and adjacent to proposed development sites.

Scale

• Must be drawn to a standard metric scale (i.e. 1:100, 1:200, 1:500, 1:1000) and preferably at the same scale as the Site Plan

Required Contents

A Landscaping Plan must include the following basic information:

• Existing/proposed elevations at property lines, driveways and building entrances.
• Existing/proposed easements and encroachments.
• Indicate in plan and section, existing/proposed pedestrian clearway widths.
• Identify all improvements to adjacent public boulevards and sidewalks, including but not limited to: trees, shrubs, hedges, plantings or other ground cover, paving materials, street furniture, ramps, waste and recycling containers, lighting and bicycle parking facilities.
• Label all paving materials and provide design details for paving and other hard landscape elements on the site and in adjacent boulevard.
• Label materials and provide schematic construction details of significant hard landscaping elements, including furniture, seating, fences, railings, screen walls, living walls, green roofs, retaining walls, play equipment and weather protection elements.
• Plant lists keyed to locations on the site, including the species, quantities, size, height, and root condition of all trees (potted or bare root), shrubs and other plants.
• Planting details of proposed trees, shrubs and ground cover plants.
• Native trees and shrubs shall be used in landscape plantings, particularly where development is proposed in close proximity to woodlands and wetlands.  However, in urban areas and other difficult planting sites some non-native species that are not considered invasive may be utilized (e.g., Norway spruce, European larch, Austrian pine, mugo pine etc.).
• Minimum acceptable size for deciduous trees is 60mm, 3 to 3.5m in height and for coniferous trees 1.5m in height. However, for ecological restoration and/or enhancement  projects bare root tree seedlings that are 15 to 100 cm in height may also be utilized                           
• Minimum acceptable size for shrubs is 60 to 100cm in height. However, for ecological restoration and/or enhancement projects bare root shrub seedlings 20 to 60cm in height   may also be utilized.
• Where native soil materials are unfavourable to tree/shrub survival and growth (e.g. heavily compacted clay, infertile sand/gravel etc.) imported topsoil should be applied to planting holes and any excess waste soil removed from the site.

Description

A Market Study is used to examine the market demand and potential impacts of the proposed development. All reports and drawings must be stamped and/or signed and dated by a qualified market consultant, licensed in the Province of Ontario.

Rationale

To demonstrate the demand for a proposed commercial and/or industrial development & to evaluate its anticipated impact on existing or planned commercial areas.

• An introduction of the study approach and methods, with a review of background, issues, objectives, assumptions and rationale
• A review of the trade area and surroundings, evaluation of the site location, size and use, and determination of the study area and its form and function and assess the market competition
• An inventory of retail space and site suitability, with a customer and/or license plate survey (if the vehicles cross municipal boundaries) and an inventory of competitive space
• A forecast of population levels across the municipality
• An analysis of the feasibility for additional retail/commercial space, the competition, with a projection of the market growth and potential
• A demonstration of market demand and impact
• Study conclusions and recommendations

Description

The Planning Justification/Rationale Report provides an overall planning framework for understanding the proposal from the applicant’s point of view. This document is intended to help the applicant organize and substantiate the application and to assist staff in the review of the proposal to expedite the Towns responses.

Depending on the complexity of the application, the information requirements can be addressed in a letter of several pages or a longer report, completed by a Qualified Professional Planner.

A Covering Letter is required for all Planning Act applications.

The Planning Justification/Rationale Report is required to:

• Provide a clear understanding of the proposal;
• Provide an opportunity at the outset to establish why the proposal should be considered and approved;
• Highlight information specific or particular to the proposal (i.e., special history, different circumstances); and
• Assist staff in undertaking their analysis and preparing reports on the application.

Required Contents

• Description of the proposal, overview, major statistics (i.e., height, density, parking), relevant phasing issues, site and contextual considerations.
• Process steps/approvals required (i.e., Official Plan, Zoning, Site Plan Control, Land Division, Condominium).
• Context – proposed built form and land use
• Site description
• Site’s planning history such as previous approvals, legislative references, relevant authorities (i.e., Site Plan Control Agreements, site specific By-law) with copies of relevant documents.
• Planning Justification/Rationale Report should address relevant Provincial Policies and Planning Act considerations; relevant Official Plan policies including information/rationale as to how and why Official Plan policy is being addressed by the proposal; with relevant Zoning By-law information, areas of compliance and noncompliance and why.
• Analysis and opinion as to why the proposal is good planning, including issues of impact.
• Draft By-law.
• Summary and conclusions.

In addition, the Covering Letter for Plan of Condominium applications should provide a description and background on the type of application (i.e., leasehold, common elements, phased, vacant land, standard) and any related planning approval process or any unusual circumstances (i.e., strata plan). The letter should identify whether the application is the same as the approved Site Plan and if there have been any changes, what those changes are and why. If there was no previous planning process including Site Plan Control approval, the letter should explain the circumstances (i.e., conversion of rental).

Description

The Public Consultation Strategy Report is a complete application submission requirement brought about by amendments to the Planning Act on July 1^st, 2016. The requirement is referenced in Planning Act Regulations 178/16, 179/16 and 180/16. This statutory requirement is intended to “get the applicant thinking” in a pro-active manner about:

• How to build “trust” in the area impacted by the proposal;
• Who the audience or “public” is who will be impacted by the proposal; and
• Ensuring that the public’s voice is heard, evaluated and recorded as part of the Development Application review process.

The public consultation strategy proposed should be reflective of the location, complexity, scale and nature of the proposal and may be prepared by the owner, the agent, the applicant, or a member of the consulting team. 

Municipal Record

The Public Consultation Strategy Report needs to be deemed complete by the municipality within 30 days of receipt of the application. Even after the Report is deemed complete however, applicants are encouraged to view the Report as a “living document” that may need to be updated and revised in collaboration with planning staff, at a later time in the Development Application review process, in order to stay relevant during the entire process.

All public consultation outcomes, whether initiated by the applicant or the Town, will be documented and become part of the municipal (Council) record that informed Council in making the decision to approve or refuse the application.

Planning staff will hold the Statutory Public Meeting.  The need for any additional community consultation shall be the responsibility of the applicant. County and Town staff will be invited and may be in attendance.

Report Requirements

The Public Consultation Strategy Report will include the following:

Purpose of Consultation

What the applicant wishes to accomplish in engaging and consulting with the public with regard to the proposal.

Key Messages

Key messages the applicant would like conveyed to the public during the consultation process with regard to the proposal.

Desired Outcome(s)

What the applicant hopes to achieve or accomplish by the end of the consultation period with regard to the proposal.

Scope of Consultation – Area(s) of Impact

The applicant will identify the proposal’s geographic area of impact and explain why this area of impact was chosen. The geographic area of impact can be both local and Town wide, depending on the proposal. Direct and indirect impacts will be considered in determining the area(s) of impact.

Audience

The applicant will provide a demographic profile of the geographic area of impact and identify the target audience(s) potentially impacted by the proposal to be consulted throughout the consultation period, including groups that may be more difficult to engage and/or who may not be familiar with the Town’s public consultation processes, such as youth, segments of the senior’s population or recent immigrant groups to the Town.

List of Matters to be addressed

The applicant will identify a list of matters to be brought forward for discussion and consultation, propose a communication strategy for updating the list and reporting out on matters requiring follow-up and/or further resolution.

Communication & Consultation Strategy – Tools, Methods and Techniques

The applicant will prepare Communication and Consultation Strategies for contacting and engaging the audience(s) including how the public consultation(s) will be advertised.

The applicant may choose to communicate through in-house publications; on-line information (website, emails, social networks, open data, digital engagement); open houses; stakeholder working groups (including residents, local business associations, special interest associations); workshops; focus group interviews; store fronts; surveys; questionnaires; on-line comments such as blogs, forums etc. The Communications Strategy will outline how the public will be informed with regard to major milestones (such as major revisions) related to the proposal.

Evaluation – Feedback and Next Steps

The applicant will provide an evaluation of the public consultation held and make this evaluation available to the public consultation process participants at the conclusion of the public consultation period, prior to the Development Application proceeding to Council for approval or refusal.

Notification Instructions

1. Town and County Planning staff and Council will be invited to all public consultation meetings/events/activities held by the applicant.
2. Town and County Planning staff and Council will be made aware of all applicant initiated on-line and social media public consultation efforts as well as traditional face to face, voice to ear and print interactions.
3. Town and County Planning staff will inform the applicant as to whether they will attend the applicant’s public consultation meeting/event/activity and, if so, will identify themselves at the start of the activity as observers, participants, or co-presenters or facilitators.
4. Town and County Planning staff, Council and the public will be notified of any public consultation meetings/events a minimum of 20 days prior to the commencement of the activity.

Note Taking Instructions

1. Meeting/event notes for all applicant-led public consultation meetings/events that occur will be provided to Town and County Planning staff within one week of the date of the activity/meeting.
2. Meeting/event notes should include contact information for attendees/participants representing any associations; community network groups; agencies; special interest groups etc.
3. Meeting/event notes should identify the number of participants, the nature and type of meeting/event, the location/type of platform (physical space and/or on-line) where the meeting/event took place and a brief summary of meeting/event outcomes.

AODA Compliance

Public consultation meetings/activities will be aligned with the requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Towns commitment to creating an accessible Town.

Description

To show the building’s exterior massing, design features, scale and materials in relationship to the site and context. The Site and Building elevations should include a complete set of dimensioned elevations for the proposal that provide the necessary information to site the building in its context, with the massing and outline of the building(s) and grading of adjacent developments shown as context.

Scale

 Must be drawn to a standard metric scale, legible at 1:100 or 1:200 scale

General Details

• All property lines
• Names of adjacent right-of-way(s)
• Heights of the proposed buildings and rooftop structures, including floor levels on each storey, in both metres and storeys, including the grading as defined by the Zoning By-law
• Identify existing zoning permissions for height(s), as per Zoning by-laws or other applicable policies and/or guidelines
• Labels for exterior building design features and materials, including walls, columns, window types, entrances, canopies, balconies, cornices, arcades, roof line and rooftop equipment, etc.
• Distinguish between parts of any existing building to be conserved, from new building elements in plan, if appropriate. Indicate with notes and graphics which parts are proposed be conserved in place and which parts would be reconstructed

Landscaping, Grading and Retaining Walls 

• Spot elevations (Canadian Geodetic Datum) for all significant natural and artificial features and along the boundary of the site and adjacent streets and boulevards
• Proposed grading information, including the site and adjacent properties and right-of- way(s); and existing grades, shown with a dashed line
• Proposed grading of the site between the property line and the building(s), including the location of all landscape features including retaining walls, stairs, ramps and other grade changes; include elevations of driveways, parking, walkways, trails, sidewalks and landscape structures and furniture on the site and adjacent streets and boulevards
• Location of all natural heritage features; including vegetation, canopy edge, open spaces, watercourses, flood lines, fill lines, physical top-of-bank and buffer zones on the site and adjacent streets and boulevards
• Location of all artificial features; including municipal appurtenances, lighting, retaining walls (top and bottom of wall), stairs (top and bottom of stairs), ramps and other grade change features, driveways, parking lots, walkways, trails and sidewalks and landscape structures and furnishings on the site and adjacent streets and boulevards
• Location of all existing/proposed trees including trees on adjacent properties within six metres of the subject property lines

Description

To show the relationship between interior and exterior spaces, as well as the relationship between these spaces and the site, including grading and landscape features. Sections should also demonstrate the relationship between the proposed building(s) and the context of adjacent streets, boulevards and properties.

Scale

Must be drawn to a standard metric scale, legible at 1:100 or 1:200 scale 

General Details

For sites with simple building(s) and relatively flat grading, two section drawings, in opposite directions through the building and site, will likely be adequate. For larger sites and/or sites with complex grading, additional Section drawings to demonstrate the context may be required.

Section drawings should include:

• All property lines
• Names of adjacent right-of-way(s)
• Building floors, exterior walls with windows and openings, balconies and other projections both above and below grade
• Distinguish between parts (or all) of the existing building to be conserved, from new building elements in plan, if appropriate. Indicate with notes and graphics which parts are proposed be conserved in place and which parts would be reconstructed
• Heights of the proposed buildings and penthouses in both metres and storeys including grades as defined in the Zoning By-law
• Existing grades, shown with a dashed line
• Street right-of-way and adjacent properties, showing above and below grade conditions

Landscaping, Grading and Retaining Walls

• Spot elevations (Canadian Geodetic Datum) along the boundary of the site and adjacent streets, boulevards and all significant natural and artificial features
• The profile of the site above and below grade, including locations and relative heights of building(s) and site edges
• Existing/proposed above and below grade utilities, including hydro poles and street lighting, as well as other streetscape elements including street trees, trees, furniture, etc.
• Location of all natural heritage features; including vegetation, canopy edge, open spaces, watercourses, flood lines, fill lines, physical top-of-bank and buffer zones on the site and adjacent streets and boulevards
• Location of all artificial features; including municipal appurtenances, lighting, retaining walls (top and bottom of wall), stairs (top and bottom of stairs), ramps and other grade change features, driveways, parking lots, walkways, trails and sidewalks and landscape structures and furnishings on the site and adjacent streets and boulevards
• Location of all existing/proposed trees including trees on adjacent properties within six metres of the subject property lines

Description

To show the proposed ground floor and key elements of the site, including pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular circulation, hard and soft landscaping, and grading, on site and in context with adjacent streets, boulevards and properties.

The Site Plan includes a significant amount of information and detail and will be reviewed together with other, more detailed drawings. The Site Plan is to be used as the base for other drawing submissions, including the Site Grading Plan, Landscape and Planting Plan and Lighting Plan, with detail removed as appropriate. For small and simple sites, the information and detail of these other drawings can be integrated with the Site Plan Drawing (to be discussed during pre-consultation meeting).

Scale

• Must be drawn to a standard metric scale (i.e. 1:100, 1:200, 1:500, 1:1000) and preferably at the same scale as the Survey

General Details

• Site and project statistics
• Delineated natural hazards and associated buffers or setbacks
• Existing buildings shown in dashed line if demolished, and proposed development including the ground floor of the proposed building(s)
• Distinguish between parts (or all) of the existing building to be conserved, from new building elements in plan, if appropriate. Indicate with notes and graphics which parts are proposed be conserved in place and which parts would be reconstructed
• All property lines, abutting streets and boulevards and building footprints on adjacent properties
• All driveways and parking areas on site and on adjacent properties
• Above grade structures and parts of the buildings which overhang the ground floor including cantilevers, canopies, balconies, etc.
• Existing/proposed underground structures and ramps
• Dimensioned relationships of the proposed buildings above and below grade to property lines
• Identify grades, as per applicable Zoning By-law definition

Easements, Reserves and Widenings

• Existing/proposed reserves, easements and/or road widenings
• Natural heritage limit, top of bank setback and location of trees to be retained. Include any requires/proposed setback or buffer area.
• Location, dimensions and details of any watercourses and any significant feature or delineation lines such as flood lines, fill lines, limits of buffer zones as they relate to natural heritage

Site Circulation – Pedestrian and Bicycle

• Location, dimensions and details of existing/proposed pedestrian circulation in the road allowance and on site, including sidewalks, walkways, patios, stairs and ramps
• Indicate in plan and section, existing/proposed pedestrian clearway width
• Location, dimensions and details of existing/proposed bicycle circulation, parking, and access to parking and storage (indoor and outdoor)
• Location, dimensions and details of publicly accessible areas on site and within the building, including parks and open spaces, walkways, mid-block connections, etc.
• Grading information for ramps and walkways, including AODA requirements

Site Circulation – Driveways, Servicing and Parking

• Location, dimensions and details (e.g. curb cuts, grading, turning radii, traffic signs) of existing/proposed vehicular circulation in the road allowances and on site including driveways, ramps, laneways, surface parking, loading and service areas
• Location, dimensions and details for parking areas, including tree planting, screening, car share locations, electric vehicle charging
• Location of driveways to adjacent properties abutting and/or across from the subject site

Waste Disposal Facilities

• Location, dimensions and details for all loading and service areas, including access to these areas
• Location, dimensions and details of facilities for at grade storing and handling of garbage, recyclable material and organic waste

Fire Code Requirements

• Location of existing/proposed fire hydrants located within the municipal boulevard and/or on the subject property, routing of the underground watermains, existing/proposed fire routes, and existing/proposed Siamese connection location(s), if required

Hard Landscape – Grading, Retaining Walls, Fences and Railings

• Location, dimensions and details of existing/proposed landscape and architectural elements such as retaining walls and fencing on site and adjacent streets and boulevards
• Location, dimensions and details for grading including the existing/proposed elevations at property lines, along driveways (indicating slope), sidewalks and walkways, publicly accessible spaces, amenity space, the ground floor and at building entrances

Soft Landscape and Planting

• Location, dimensions and details of soft landscape and plantings on the site and on adjacent streets and boulevards; include location of proposed street trees
• Location and identification of trees including trees on adjacent properties, streets and boulevards within 6 metres of the subject site
• Location of tree protection zones (where trees are being retained and protected)
• Further details to be provided in Landscape and Planting Plan

Public and Private Utilities

• Existing/proposed above and below grade utilities including sanitary and stormwater and combined sewers, drains, catch basins, underground manufactured treatment devices, manholes, valves, and clean-outs, Siamese connections and curbing, sanitary/stormwater/water service connections, hydrants, hydro poles, pad mount transformers, light standards and on-site traffic or way-finding signage proposed lateral connections, on site and in the right-of-way
• Existing/proposed underground structures on site and in the right-of-way including, transformer vaults, access ramps, vents and stairs, and underground tanks

Streetscape Plan and Section

• Both plan(s) and in section(s), demonstrating the relationship between existing/proposed utilities and street(s) and setback(s)
• All property lines, abutting streets and building footprints on adjacent properties
• Ground floor of the proposed building adjacent to the street (depth of ground floor plan shown as appropriate to illustrate relationship with public)
• Location and dimension of existing/proposed pedestrian clearway width
• Horizontal and vertical location of all existing/proposed above and below grade utilities
• Location and dimension of existing/proposed sidewalks and other paving elements
• Existing/proposed trees, plantings, ground cover, paving, and other hard and soft landscape elements
• Provide planting details of proposed trees, shrubs and other plants
• All site furnishings, seating, waste receptacles, etc.

Topographic Survey and Boundary Plan of Survey can be merged on to one plan or shown on separate plans. It must be recent and accurately reflecting the existing property.

Scale

• Metric Scale
• Must be drawn to a standard scale (i.e. 1:100, 1:200, 1:500, 1:1000) and preferably at the same scale as the Site Plan Drawing

General Details

• The survey is to be signed and sealed by a qualified professional (OLS or P.Eng).
• Location of all vegetation, watercourses, natural features, artificial features; including municipal appurtenances and paved areas on or adjacent to the site
• Municipal address of buildings on or adjacent to the site
• Contour lines showing variations of 300 mm in ground elevations
• Spot elevations (Canadian Geodetic Datum) for significant features and along the boundary of the site and in adjacent public boulevards
• Location of existing above and below grade utilities within the adjacent street boulevard (Site Plan Control Applications only)
• Location and grade of existing trees to be preserved (if appropriate) (Site Plan Control Applications only)
• Location of all at grade, aerial and underground utilities including distribution lines and lateral service connections, on the public road allowances adjacent to the property
• Location of existing easements and encroachments
• The exact vertical and horizontal datum the data is presented in is to be identified on the survey.
• For the 30 cm contour lines, it may be easier to use an integer division of 100. CVC recommends 25 cm for ease of interpretation between 50 cm intervals.

Note: CA staked features (e.g., top of bank, wetland, etc) and other hazard to be delineated (e.g., floodplain, etc) can be shown on the survey as well. However, these must be shown on the Grading/Site Plan, so do not necessarily need to be shown on the topographic survey unless the survey is being used as the Grading/Site Plan.

Description

An Urban Design Report (“Report”) is a written and graphic document that describes/illustrates how the streets, parks, open space, buildings, built form and landscape elements of a new development will work together to create a new neighbourhood and/or complement the existing neighbourhood, supporting the overall goals defined by the County and Town Official Plans and Town of Erin Community & Architectural Design Guidelines (“Town Design Guidelines”).

The Report outlines and illustrates how the Town’s policies and guidelines related to the public realm and built form will be achieved within the specific site and its relationships to the surrounding area. They will also provide specific, actionable and measurable directions for development to achieve these goals.

The Report addresses the whole of the new neighbourhood, including abutting streets, parks and open space. The Report is a combination of text, plans, illustrative sketch diagrams and photos, street and block sections, and massing models or examples that inform the proponent, public and Town about the physical form, layout and design of the new neighbourhood. The Report will be flexible to accommodate change as it occurs while maintaining intact the essential urban ideas.

The requirement for, and scope of, the Report should be discussed with the Planner in the pre- consultation meeting. The Report will likely be required for applications incorporating a number of parcels or phases within a development, new streets, parks and sites of civic prominence.

Rationale

To achieve the goals of the County and Town Official Plan Policies and the Town of Erin Community & Architectural Design Guidelines.

Required Contents

Urban Design Guidelines will consist of the following:

Introduction & Background

• Study Area and Context: site location, size, existing conditions, heritage considerations and other planning considerations that have significant influence on the site layout and development should be inventoried, illustrated and acknowledged.
• Design Vision and Principles: An overall vision statement and images that describe the physical character of the new  neighbourhood in terms that address the policies and guidelines. The urban ideas critical to the shaping of the new neighbourhood’s physical form (guiding principles)

Community Design Plan

• Describe the structuring elements of the site plan and development
• a plan that describes the public realm of the new neighbourhood including the street layout, special streetscapes, open space network (public and private), possible building edges, special built form (i.e., built form for noise attenuation), heritage, landmark and civic building sites including community services, important views and vistas and gateway sites.

Streetscape and Open Space

• describes the structure of the streetscape and its related elements, as well as open space features within the community
• a plan that describes pedestrian, transit and different types of vehicular linkages through the site and to adjacent areas (private and public).

Residential Built Form

• describes the residential built form vision, accompanied with corresponding guidelines
• identify appropriate locations for different building types and provide general direction for building siting, organization and heights on development blocks. The location of private open space on the block should be included in these diagrams as well as the relationships of buildings to each other on a block and to adjacent streets and parks, to parking and servicing and to the concepts of the other plans. Include a set of street sections describing the relationship of buildings to the street.

Non-Residential Built Form

• describe the non-residential built form, vision, accompanied with corresponding guidelines

Sustainability

• Summarize implementable sustainable features within the community

Comments

The applicant should develop Urban Design Guidelines as early as possible in the planning process with active participation by Town staff. Urban Design Principles and a Community Structure Plan should be established in tandem with the subdivision plan and development layout. The diagrams, photographs, sections and sketches that accompany the guidelines contribute further to understanding what is to be accomplished through urban design.

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