Site Plans

Site Plan Control is a planning tool under the Planning Act used to manage development and evaluate site elements, such as building massing and location, loading and parking facilities, accessibility, grading and servicing. It ensures that development meets City and other applicable agency requirements and standards.

On this page

1. Site Plan Approval Application and Forms
2. Exemptions from Site Plan Approval
3. Types of Site Plan Applications
4. Resources and Related Links

Site Plan Approval Application and Forms

A pre-consultation meeting with City Staff is required prior to the submission of a development application for site plan approval.

Please also review Site Plan Approval Application Submission Requirements and applicable urban design guidelines (i.e., Central Area Urban Design Guidelines or Mixed-Use Corridors Urban Design Guidelines).

• Corporate Owner Authorization Form (required only if property is under corporate ownership)
• Individual Owner Authorization Form (required if the property is not in corporate ownership and the applicant is not the owner or sole owner of the property)

Exemptions from Site Plan Approval

Unless otherwise described in By-law Number 11-081, the following classes of development are exempt from Site Plan Control:

• Any residential development on a parcel of land containing a total of 10 residential units or less;
• Any non-residential development, including any accessory building, with a building floor area less than 100 square metres;
• Any industrial development, which consists of an expansion of an industrial building by up to 10% of the existing building floor area, to a maximum of 500 square metres, where the existing industrial building, prior to expansion, has a building floor area of greater than 1000 square metres; and,
• Any agricultural development, including farm-related buildings or structures that are utilized in active farm operations.

Types of Site Plan Applications

There are two types of Site Plan applications in Peterborough:

• Requires the review of up to three updated or new technical studies/reports;
• Requires standard circulation to commenting agencies and departments;
• Relatively straight-forward development proposal, where the size and site development issues are considered to be less complex;
• Involves amendments to approved site plans with site alterations;
• Involves a building addition, parking lot expansion or creation of a commercial parking lot; and/or,
• Applies to a temporary use.

• Requires the review of four or more updated or new technical studies/reports;
• Requires greater technical review cycles (i.e., three or more cycles);
• Large-scale and/or multi-phase developments with complex site development issues;
• Involves a new build or significant building addition with impacts to existing site development;
• Involves major amendments to approved site plans with significant site alterations;
• Associated with another Planning Act application;
• Requires coordination of external agency approvals; and/or,
• Involves complex legal issues (e.g., right-of-way dedications, easements).