541 Essa Road

Please note that applications are classified as approved on this website once they have received all necessary Planning approvals in accordance with final plans and the associated by-law, if applicable, has been passed. Once approved developments have received final site inspection they are removed from this website.

Neighbourhood Meeting

Informal meeting hosted by the City at a venue in close proximity to the application location. The applicant presents the proposed development and attendees have the opportunity to ask questions. City staff provide information on application processing and timing. No decisions are made at this meeting. Notice of a Neighbourhood Meeting is mailed to property owners within 240m from the subject lands boundary, e-mailed to ward residents, and posted on Facebook & X (formerly Twitter). Signage is posted on the subject lands.

Public Meeting

A public meeting is a formal meeting of the Affordability Committee where the applicant makes presentation re the proposed development. The public has the opportunity to speak and ask questions. No decisions are made at this meeting. Notice of the Public Meeting is mailed to property owners within 120m from the subject lands boundary & contained in the local newspaper. Signage is posted on the subject lands. 

Planning Committee Meeting

Between 2020 and 2022, Planning Committee would meet to consider a staff report regarding the application that made recommendations on the matter for Council consideration. Previous to the Planning Committee being established in 2020, this was a meeting of General Committee. The Planning Committee was dissolved in December 2022.

General Committee Meeting

General Committee meets to consider a staff report regarding the application that makes recommendations on the matter for Council consideration. 

Council Meeting

At a City Council meeting, councillors make a decision on the application. There is an appeal period, in accordance with the Planning Act, following the Public Notice of the decision. Appeals are made to the City Clerk’s office. 

Subdivision Approval

Subdivision approval occurs when a parcel of land is subdivided into various lots and/or blocks, where each lot or block is developed individually. Subdivision approval is delegated to Planning Staff. No Council decision is made on the matter.

Site Plan Control

When a residential medium or high density, industrial, institutional or commercial property is located within a Site Plan Control area, development of the site requires approval from the City of Barrie. Site Plan approval is delegated to the Planning & Building Services Department. Signage is posted on the subject lands to inform the public that an application has been filed. No Public Meeting is held, no approval is required by Council, and the decision cannot be appealed by the general public.

Rezoning

A Rezoning application is required to revise or change the lands use or density of a property as recognized by the City’s comprehensive Zoning By-law.

Official Plan Amendment

An Official Plan Amendment is required to revise or change the land use of a property as recognized by the City’s Official Plan.  For example, change the land use from Commercial uses to Residential uses.

Community Infrastructure and Housing Accelerator (CIHA)

A tool from the Province of Ontario that allows municipalities to specifically request that the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing issue a zoning order. A CIHA can be used to regulate the use of land and the location, use, height, size and spacing of buildings and structures to permit certain types of development. Learn about the CIHA.