- What is planning?
- Why get involved?
- Why do plans change?
- The Burlington planning process in 10 steps
- How can you get involved?
- Guide to planning terms
What is planning?
Municipalities, like people, need to plan for the future. City planning is the management of land and resources that helps us ensure our city is a well-planned, vibrant community where people want to live, work and play.
Through various documents and bylaws, planning provides a framework for:
- smart development that meets the demands of our growing city;
- appropriate locations for buildings and structures like homes, shops, parks, offices, and factories;
- a network of infrastructure, including roads, water mains, sewers, and transit.
Successful planning protects the environment, conserves cultural heritage and contributes to a unique sense of place.
Planning in Ontario is governed by the provincial Planning Act. The Act sets out the steps that municipalities must follow during planning processes such as the requirement for public notice and ensures municipalities make decisions that align with provincial policies such as environmental protection and the preservation of farmland.
Why get involved?
Planning affects everyone. It determines where you will live, shop, gather, work or go to school. For example, changes made to the City’s Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw can impact the height and density of new development and design guidelines can impact the architecture and design elements you see on buildings and structures.
Because planning impacts what we see and the types of spaces we enjoy in our city, the planning process provides opportunities for public input. Under the Planning Act of Ontario, municipalities are required to notify the public, hold public meetings and request input on important planning decisions.
Why do plans change?
When a new development application is submitted to the City, applicants may propose buildings or land uses that do not meet the policies and requirements of the City’s Official Plan or Zoning Bylaw. These requested changes are called amendments to Burlington’s Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw. Proposed amendments are reviewed by City planners, along with appropriate technical studies that look at things like traffic, noise and shadow impacts. Public input is also gathered.
Within the City of Burlington, professional planners provide advice to Council. The job of the planner is to evaluate development applications using the senior level plans and policies as well as local Official Plan policies, community input and technical requirements. Professional planners formulate an independent opinion based on their understanding of the public interest. To understand the public interest, the planner needs to:
- Identify and address the underlying concerns behind what stakeholders say about an issue
- Include the interests of:
- Future generations
- The natural environment
- Social issues.
Based on all of the information collected, the City planner will recommend approval or refusal of the Official Plan and/or Zoning Bylaw amendment.
If approval is recommended and then approved by Burlington City Council, the amendment to the Official Plan and/or Zoning Bylaw is made to allow the development.
In some cases, after review, City staff and Council do not approve the changes requested by the applicant and the applicant may choose to appeal this decision to the provincial Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT).
Ontario's Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT)
Formerly known as the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB), LPAT is an independent tribunal whose members are appointed by the cabinet of Ontario to hear cases in relation to a range of municipal planning, financial and land matters. These include matters such as official plans, zoning bylaws, subdivision plans, consents and minor variances, and other issues assigned by numerous Ontario statutes.
If a member of the public believes that a planning decision should be re-examined, he or she can appeal the decision to the LPAT. The LPAT has the authority to refer a decision back to Council for reconsideration. If a subsequent appeal of the second Council decision is made, then the LPAT has the authority to approve, change or refuse the application and override the decision made by the municipal Council.
The Burlington planning process in 10 steps
| 1. Pre-consultation meeting |
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When the owner of a property in Burlington has an idea for a proposed new development, they first meet with staff from the City of Burlington and Halton Region at a pre-consultation meeting. At this meeting, City staff will tell the owner what kind of planning applications will be required for the proposal (e.g. Official Plan or Zoning Bylaw amendment) and whether technical studies (such as environmental or traffic impacts) will be needed. |
| 2. Pre-Application Consultation Meeting hosted by property owner/developer |
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After meeting with City and Regional staff, the property owner/developer will host a consultation meeting for residents and businesses within 120 metres of the proposed development location (300 metres in the rural area). Notices with details about the meeting are prepared by the property owner and sent by Canada Post in advance of the meeting date. At the consultation meeting, the property owner will share the proposed plans with the community and gather their input and feedback to make any adjustments to the proposal before a development application is submitted to the City. |
| 3. Development application is submitted |
| The property owner/developer, or “applicant”, submits an application to Burlington’s Department of City Building, along with the required fees and background studies. Once the application is reviewed by the City and determined to be complete, the property owner/developer must post a sign on the property describing the proposed development and listing a phone number where members of the public can call for more information. |
| 4. Notification to neighbouring property owners |
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Once a development application is received by the City, the assigned planner will create a notification letter to be sent to all owners of property located within 120 metres of the proposed development property (300 metres in the rural area). The letter provides details about the development proposal and asks for written comments which may be sent to the City by mail, or email. Individuals interested in the proposed development may also choose to be added to a mailing list to be kept informed about the progress of the application. A web page is set up for each development application, and members of the public can select the “subscribe” button at the top of the web page to be notified when changes and updates are made to the application web page. |
| 5. Circulation of application to agencies |
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Information about the development application is sent to local external agencies including Conservation Halton, and internal City departments such as Transportation by the City planner assigned to the application. These agencies are asked to share comments and identify conditions the proposed development is required to meet. Technical studies submitted with the application are reviewed and additional information may be requested from the applicant. |
| 6. Preparation of information report for members of City Council |
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After reviewing the application, area planning policies, technical studies, and comments submitted by agencies and the public, the City planner prepares an information report summarizing all of the information received. Letters from the public are directly attached to the information report which is presented at the Planning and Development Committee, a standing committee of Burlington City Council. The presentation of the information report is called the “statutory public meeting.” |
| 7. Statutory public meeting |
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Prior to a statutory public meeting, property owners within 120 metres of the proposed development (300 metres in rural areas) and people on the application mailing list, will receive a notification letter by mail with an invitation to attend the statutory public meeting at the Planning and Development Committee. The letter explains how members of the public can register to speak at the meeting, this is called a “delegation.” Delegates have up to 10 minutes to speak. No recommendation or decision about the development application is made at the statutory public meeting. At the meeting, City staff will describe the development application and the issues raised by the public and technical agencies. Following the presentation, members of the public may delegate and share their concerns or support for the application. |
| 8. Preparation of recommendation report to approve, modify or refuse the development application |
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Following the statutory public meeting, further refinements to the development application may be made in response to the public and technical comments. Planners will meet with the applicant to suggest changes that may correct technical issues or mitigate public concerns. The applicant may submit a revised proposal to address these concerns and technical issues. If the revisions are significant, then another notification letter may be sent or an additional neighbourhood meeting may be held. There may be more than one set of revisions as the applicant and City staff continue to assess the proposal. The planner listens to public comments and addresses every land use impact issue through changes to the plan, discussion in the report and recommendations to Council. Once review of the application is complete, the City planner will prepare a recommendation report to be presented at a second Planning and Development Committee meeting. This report contains a professional planning opinion about whether to approve, modify, or refuse the development application. Prior to the second Planning and Development Committee meeting, property owners within 120 metres of the proposed development (300 metres in rural areas), and people on the application mailing list, will receive a notification letter by mail with information about the application and an invitation to delegate at the meeting. Members of the public must pre-register to speak at this meeting if they wish to make a presentation about their concerns or support for the application. Registration information to delegate is available at www.burlington.ca/delegate. |
| 9. Recommendation report to Planning and Development Committee and City Council decision |
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At the second Planning and Development Committee meeting, Council members will consider the City staff recommendation in the report and the input from the public. They will then vote on a decision to approve, refuse or modify the development application. The decision of the Planning and Development Committee to approve, modify or refuse the application is then reviewed by City Council at the next meeting of Burlington City Council and a decision is made. |
| 10. Notice of Council decision/appeal period |
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Once Burlington City Council has made the decision to approve, modify or refuse a development application, all individuals who have submitted comments, delegated, or asked to be added to a mailing list to receive updates about the development application, will receive a letter by mail notifying them of Council’s decision. The letter includes information on how to appeal the decision to LPAT. An applicant or an individual may appeal the decision of Council related to a development application. The LPAT has the authority to refer a decision back to Council for reconsideration. If a subsequent appeal of the second Council decision is made, then the LPAT has the authority to approve, change or refuse the application and override the decision made by the municipal Council. All decisions of LPAT must be upheld by the City of Burlington. |
How can you get involved?
| Contact the Department of City Building’s Planning Section |
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If you receive a notice about a proposed development in your neighbourhood, call or email the planner who sent the notice and ask for more information. If you see a sign in your neighbourhood describing a proposed development, make a note of the telephone number, the file number, and the address of the property. Call the planner assigned to the file and ask to be be put on a contact mailing list to be kept informed about the application. |
| Talk to your neighbours |
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| Put your opinion in writing |
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Tell the City what you think:
Department of City Building / Planning Section
All written comments will be included in the staff report shared with City Council. |
| Read staff reports |
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Planning reports related to development applications are available one week before the Planning and Development Committee meeting. Get a copy of the planning report online at www.burlington.ca/calendar or in-person at the City Clerk’s Department on the main floor of City Hall at 426 Brant St. |
| Attend meetings |
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In addition to the Planning and Development Committee meeting, there may be a pre-application consultation meeting to discuss a proposal. At these consultation meetings, you can ask questions and find out more about what is proposed. The pre-application consultation meeting is also an excellent opportunity to express your views directly to the property owner/developer. Individuals who register to speak at a Planning and Development Committee meeting have 10 minutes to present your thoughts. Joint presentations with other speakers are permitted, provided that each speaker does not re-state the same points.
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Guide to planning terms
| Official Plan | |
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The Official Plan is a municipality’s blueprint for the future. It contains a wide variety of policies that guide municipal planning decisions and maps that identify residential, commercial, recreational, and industrial development areas. It also contains information on the future expansion of the city’s network of roads, transit system and utilities. Official Plans evolve as cities do and are subject to regular reviews and updates. Read more about an upcoming review of Burlington's Official Plan. |
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| Zoning Bylaw | |
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The Zoning Bylaw contains detailed information on the land and building forms that are allowed on each property in the city. Detailed zoning regulations include requirements such as permitted building types, maximum height, the distance a building must be set back from the street, as well as parking and landscaping requirements. Zoning Bylaws are legally enforceable decisions of Council. Proposed developments that do not fit the bylaw requirements are not allowed to proceed without further planning approvals. |
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| Plans of subdivision | |
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