Site Plan Control

All lands within the City limits of St. Catharines are defined by the Site Plan Control within the Official Plan. The Site Plan Control By-law identifies the certain land uses that will be within the Site Plan Control.

How does a Site Plan Control work?

A Site Plan Control is implemented in one of two ways:

• Having plans approved
• Having plans and an agreement approved

The method you will use for your development depends on:

• The extent of the development
• The effect of the development will have on adjacent land uses
• The need for provision of primary services (i.e. internal road systems, emergency accesses, sewer and water facilities)

Process for adjusting the Site Plan Control

If you are developing land within the City but your plans do not comply with the Site Plan Control, you must request to make changes by:

1. Set up a consultation with our City's Planning Services and complete the Pre-Consultation Application
2. Sign the Site Control Plan Agreement for the City to approve your plans
3. Complete the Site Plan Control Drawings Application

Please note, the process to complete the agreement can take up to four months.

What lands comply with the Site Plan Control?

The City lands that must comply with the Site Plan Control include:

• All lands used, zoned or to be zoned for residential purposes that have more than ten dwelling units
• All lands used, zoned or to be zoned for commercial purposes
• All lands used, zoned or to be zoned for industrial purposes where the lands abut a residential zone or front onto a street opposite a residential zone
• All lands used, zoned or to be zoned for institutional purposes
• All lands within the "Agricultural area" except residence

What does development mean?

Development is defined as "the construction, erection or placing of one or more buildings or structures on land or the making of an addition or alteration to a building or structure that has the effect of substantially increasing the size or usability thereof, or the layout and establishment of a commercial parking lot, or of sites for the location of three or more trailers as defined in the Municipal Act or of sites for the location of three or more mobile homes as in the Planning Act.”