The primary role of the Planning Department is to establish, co-ordinate and administer a comprehensive planning program in the Town of Hanover to ensure orderly, socially and economically beneficial physical expansion and development within the planning legislative framework. Planning and Development staff provide administrative support to the Planning Advisory Committee who is responsible for the preparation and recommendation to Council on applications to amend the Official Plan, and the Zoning By-Law as well as on applications to subdivide land or to approve site plans for individual parcels of land. The Department provides comments to government agencies and local politicians and responds to general enquiries related to land use in the Municipality as well as specific enquiries related to proposed development applications, plus prepares statistical information and mapping.
The purpose for Planning is to guide the physical development and redevelopment of the Municipality. Land use planning affects almost every aspect of life in the Town. It helps decide where in our community homes, shopping facilities and industrial development should be located; where parks and schools should be located; and where other essential services should be provided. Good planning encourages public participation and leads to orderly growth and the efficient provision of services and resources.
If an applicant wants to create new, separate parcels of land that can be legally used for the sale of lots they must apply for a Plan of Subdivision. A plan of subdivision must be approved by County of Grey (known as Draft Plan Approval) and registered in order for the lots and blocks to be legally sold or conveyed separately.
The Committee of Adjustment is an independent body appointed by Hanover Council and is legislated/ regulated under the Planning Act. The Committee of Adjustment considers minor variances to the Town’s zoning by-law and to the severance of properties within the Municipality and is administered by the Planning Department.
Consent (Land Division) Application
A land severance, also referred to as a consent, is the authorized separation of a piece of land to form two new properties. Consent to sever is required if a portion of land is to be sold, mortgaged, charged or is to form part of an agreement lasting more than 21 years. In addition to the division of land, the registration of rights-of-way, easements and any changes to existing property boundaries requires consent approval. Legislative provisions for consent applications are outlined in the Ontario Planning Act.
Zoning by-laws are a set of regulations governing land uses that implement the policies in the Official Plan. A Zoning by-law contains specific requirements that provide a way of managing land use and future development that is legally enforceable. It also protects property owners from conflicting land uses. Zoning by-laws cover such items as the use of land, where buildings and other structures may be located, the types of buildings that are permitted and how they may be used, lot sizes and dimensions, parking requirements, landscape and buffer requirements, building heights and setbacks from property lines. Zoning bylaws are regulated by the Ontario Planning Act.
Amendments to the Zoning By-law are common. Accordingly, all information contained in the link below should be confirmed with Town Staff.
The Official Plan sets goals about how the Town will grow and develop and reach these goals while keeping important social, economic and environmental concerns in mind. It balances the interests of individual property owners with the wider interests and objectives of the whole community, including the Provincial Policy Statement on numerous planning issues.
The current Official Plan provides land uses policies for the geographic area in Hanover.
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341 10th Street Andrew Wilken Jordan Whitmore Sandeep Kaur |
