Meaford is Updating the Zoning By-law!

We are updating the Zoning By-law to reflect changes to the Ontario Planning Act and the Meaford Official Plan (updated in 2023), as well as some minor housekeeping updates. 

It's a big job, but we are breaking off this project into manageable parts - the first part was updating the rules for "Additional Residential Units". 

Additional Residential Units

Additional Residential Units are also known as “ARUs” or “ADUs”.  An ARU is a separate residential unit that may be inside a single detached dwelling, semi-detached dwelling or townhouse dwelling (sometimes through a basement apartment), or, may be detached as a separate building (for example behind the house or above a garage).

Through the Province of Ontario's Bill 23, More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022, urban residential parcels of land containing a single detached, semi-detached or townhouse dwelling are permitted to have up to 3 residential units (1 main unit and 2 additional units). 

Source: Halton Hills https://letstalkhaltonhills.ca/additional-residential-units

Some other names used to describe an ARU are basement apartment, second unit, granny flat, laneway house, garden suite, in-law suite, or even tiny home. 

These units are now permitted "as of right" and therefore Meaford's Zoning By-law implements the provincial changes along with some specific regulations, such as setbacks and height. 

Council Decision

A public meeting was held on March 4, 2024. Comments received were in support of the proposed changes. 

Council approved the final draft and passed an amending by-law on April 29, 2024. See Notice of Decision in the below documents. 

For more information contact Denise McCarl, Manager of Planning Services during regular office hours by phone at 519-538-1060 extension 1120, by email to planning@meaford.ca.