Planning and Development

The purpose of a minor variance application is to request relief from specific provisions or requirements of the Zoning By-law, such as setback requirements, parking requirements or lot dimensions. Minor variance applications are evaluated against the four tests outlined in the Planning Act: is the application minor in nature; is it desirable development or use; and does it maintain the intent and purpose of the Zoning By-law and the Official Plan. Local municipalities through the Committee of Adjustment have the decision-making authority for Minor Variances.

Additional Resources:

• Huron County Minor Variance Resources 

Zoning By-law Amendment

If a proposal does not meet the requirements of the Zoning By-law or is not a permitted use in the applicable zone, a Zoning By-law amendment (‘re-zoning’) may be requested. A Zoning By-law Amendment application may also be submitted to request a temporary use by-law, or to apply or remove a holding symbol. If a proposed re-zoning does not conform to the applicable Official Plan, an Official Plan amendment application may also be required. North Huron Council is the decision-making authority.

Additional Resources: 

• Huron County Zoning By-law Amendment Resources 

Site Plan Control is a planning tool used to evaluate and manage site level elements of a development including drainage, access for pedestrians and vehicles, walkways, lighting, waste facilities, landscaping, and building orientation. All lands within the boundaries of the Township of North Huron are subject to site plan control pursuant to subsection 41(12) of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.P.13, as amended. 

Additional Resources: 

• North Huron Site Plan Control Resources

North Huron’s Official Plan describes the goals, objectives, and policies for long and short-term development within its community. If you want to use your property or develop it in a way that conflicts with the local municipal Official Plan, you will need an Official Plan amendment. The local Official Plan Amendment application may request to create or change a policy or land use designation in the North Huron Official Plan. The County of Huron is the approval authority for local Official Plan Amendments. 

Additional Resources:

• Huron County Official Plan Amendment Resources

A consent application is required to create a new lot or parcel of land. This is commonly known as a severance and may request the authorized separation of land. A consent is also required for lot additions, boundary adjustments, easements, right-of-ways, validation certificates, or the re-creation of original lots.

Consents are first considered by the local municipality, before proceeding to the County of Huron for a decision.

Additional Resources:

• Huron County Consent / Severances Recourses  

A Plan of Subdivision application requests the division of land into multiple conveyable parcels. Plan of Subdivision applications are often required to create multiple new lots or if the proposal involves the creation of a municipal street. If a Plan of Subdivision application is granted draft approval, further applications for any amendments, extensions or final approval may be required. Please refer to the Applicant’s Guide to Subdivisions and Condominiums for a detailed summary of the process in Huron County. County Council is the decision-making authority of Plan of Subdivision applications, after consideration by North Huron Council.

Additional Resources:

• Huron County Subdivision and Condominium Resources

The following applications are accepted through the Cloudpermit program for submission to the Township of North Huron:

• Minor Variances;
• Zoning By-law Amendments;
• Official Plan Amendments;
• Site Plan Approvals; and 
• Part Lot Control

All other applications are to be submitted to the County of Huron via the County's Cloudpermit program.

 To begin the application process with the Cloudpermit program, you will first need to Create an Account. 

*Note: You will need an email address to use the system. 

1. Go to the Cloudpermit website
2. Click on the "Create Now" found under the Register for an account column.
3. Provide your email address.
4. Cloudpermit will send an email to the address you have provided.
5. Open the email and complete the registration process.
   *Note: this email is only valid for 24 hours.
6. The next time you visit the site, you’ll login using your email and password.

Register for your Cloudpermit Account here

Login to Cloudpermit.

1. Click Create a New Application in your Dashboard.
2. Give a name to your application and click Next
3. Select Province and Municipality from the drop-down menus in Location for the application section
4. Enter the property's address or a roll number to find your property. You can also click and drag with a mouse on the interactive map with GIS to search for the property on the map.
5. Select Planning Approval for the application type.
6. Select Project Type. 
7. Select Category, Scope, and Proposed Use. Some applications may not include the selection of scope and proposed use.
8. Approval applications usually require a pre-consultation before submitting the approval. Your municipality planning authority will inform you with the following notification at the bottom of this view.
9. Click Next.
10. In the Summary, click Finish & Create.
11. The pre-consultation workspace opens. Follow the instructions to fill out our pre-consultation request, if required

 Resources: Cloudpermit: Planning - Pre-consultation 

1. You have now provided the required application data. The Required Tasks progress bar shows that all requirements are met in the approval.
2. Click Sign Off Application.
3. In the Sign Off view, scroll down to Affidavit and Signatures.
4. Check which roles must sign off on your application. Depending on your application's scope and proposed use, the declaration may require, for example, an Agent, or a Property Owner, to sign off on it.
5. If you have given yourself the required roles in the Parties to the Application section, click Sign Off on each section. Cloudpermit triggers the role from your party card.
6. If the sign-off form requires an affidavit, you must provide it.
7. Click Download Affidavit. Fill out the affidavit and click Upload Affidavit.
8. Next, click Submit Application.
9. To download the signed-off form, click Download Signed Form.
10. Save the file on your computer.
11. Click Submit Application to send it to the municipal planning authority.

Resources: 

How to complete approval application 

1. Cloudpermit sends an email notification regarding the status change of the approval automatically.
2. The email includes the invoice in PDF.
3. Log in to Cloudpermit. The outstanding bill's notification is in the Tasks and requests section of the Dashboard.
4. Click the arrow to enter the Application workspace.
5. Scroll down to Fees & Payments.
6. Pay online by Visa, MasterCard, or Visa Debit. Visit OptionPay-North Huron to make your payment. Under comments, please add your application number. 
7. If you pay prefer to pay using other payment methods than online, you can download the invoice by clicking Download Invoice.
8. After the Authority has acknowledged the received payment, the receipt is generated automatically in the Fees & Payments section. 
9. Click Download Receipt to download the PDF.

Resources: Cloudpermit: How to pay approval application fee 

The Township of North Huron accepts payments for planning application fees in person at the North Huron Municipal Office by way of cash, cheque, debit, or credit card.

The Township of North Huron also accepts payments by way of Mastercard, VISA, and debit online through OptionPay. Through OptionPay, for a nominal processing fee, you can make payment through our website using the the link below, on your smart phone by scanning the QR Code, via phone to the finance group or in our municipal office. All processing fees are charged by OptionPay and are not received by the Municipality.

OptionPay Online Payment Link: https://payment.optionpay.ca/the-corporation-of-the-township-of-north-huron/index.php 

1. In the Dashboard, click Create a New Application.
2. Select Create a New Project.
3. Type a name for the application.
4. Click Next.
5. To fill out the rest of the pre-consultation request, see the instructions in the article How to start creating approval application.
6. In the Pre-Consultation request, invite parties to collaborate and add all necessary attachments.
7. Once the request is completed, click Request Pre-Consultation.
8. You have requested pre-consultation from your municipal planning authority. Cloudpermit will notify you by email after your municipal planning authority starts processing your pre-consultation request.

Resources: Cloudpermit: How to create a pre-consultation request

• Cloudpermit Training - How to send a message through the Cloudpermit platform
• Cloudpermit Training - What are the Planning Application process phases and steps? 
• Cloudpermit Training - How to complete required application data in your draft approval application
• Cloudpermit Training - How to know and check if your application has been appealed