Zoning

Most Building Permits require Zoning approval from the Planning Services Department before they can be processed by the Building Services Department. Once approved by the Planning Services Department, a Zoning Certificate will be issued for the proposed development. The fee for the review and issuance of a Zoning Certificate is outlined in the Town’s Composite Fees and Charges By-law that is in force at the time of the permit application.

Each Building Permit that requires Zoning approval will require a site plan of the property, in the form of a survey or sketch, indicating the location and size of the proposed structure.

Where an individual requires written confirmation from the Planning Services Department, a Zoning Compliance Letter can be requested. This letter will outline the property address, will identify the current zoning of the property, and will identify the permitted uses of that zone. The request should be sent by email to planning@midland.ca. The letter will not be issued until payment for this service is received as outlined in the Town’s Composite Fees and Charges By-law. Payment can be made in-person or by sending a cheque to the municipal office with the attention to the Planning Services Department.

A Zoning By-law can be amended to change either the zoning of the land or to add special provisions to the zoning designation for a specific property. This amending by-law can be as little as changing the zoning designation from one to another, adding a use, or changing a requirement of the Zoning By-law.

Application requirements will be outlined at the Pre-Consultation stage. Due to the complex nature of the Zoning By-law Amendment process, it is recommended you engage a private land use planner early in the process so that they can assist in drafting your proposal, participate in the Pre-Consultation, and guide you through the process. At a minimum, you will be required to retain the services of a private land use planner to prepare a Planning Justification Report.

Fore more information, please see the Zoning By-law Amendment Information Sheet.

If a property owner wishes to make a minor change to the Zoning By-law regulations that would differ only slightly from the provisions, the owner may apply to the Committee of Adjustment for a Minor Variance, rather than a Zoning By-law Amendment. You should discuss this alternative first with Planning staff.

Fore more information, please see the Committee of Adjustment page.

The Zoning Tool identifies the zoning on an individual property basis. By connecting the zoning to the parcel level, the zoning tool permits users to find zoning for a property with an address search or by using standard zoom and pan tools. This information is presented both in a list and on a map.

How to Find Your Zoning​

The following steps will lead you through the process for determining the zoning of your property. The full version of the Town of Midland Zoning By-law 2004-90 is made available on the Town website which can be accessed by clicking the “Zoning By-Law” button below the mapping window of the  Midland Online Zoning Tool  application. Please note that confirmation of the zoning of any property and the regulations and zoning provisions that apply should be sought through the Town’s Planning Department, by contacting ext. 2217 and asking for Zoning Information. A Planning First application for a Zoning Certificate can also be obtained, free of charge, to confirm that a proposed construction project will comply with the zoning for that property.​

To view the zoning for your property (Please read all instructions before going to the map):

• Enter the address of the property you want to know the zoning for in the Search bar and then select it from the drop-down list of results
• The app will navigate to the selected property in the mapping window and the zoning codes for the property will appear in the Zoning Information section along with the area of each zone
• Alternatively, you can pan and/or zoom within the map to find properties and zoning codes
• Once you have found the property, click on “Highlight” button in the Address Information section to confirm it is the correct property and record the zoning code for future reference
• If there are multiple zone types on a single property, you can highlight the individual zones by clicking “Highlight” beside the zone you wish to feature
• Click the “Zoning By-Law” button below the mapping window to open a copy of Zoning By-law 2004-90 which describes zones by each category (residential, commercial, etc.) in greater detail

Zone Codes – Explanation

Each property is designated by a zone code that is formed from one or more parts; usually a letter designating the major land use type (e.g. R for Residential) and a number to define a land use subtype (e.g. Industrial “M2”). Exceptions can also apply to specific properties (e.g. R2-18) with “18” being the exception that applies to a particular property or properties.  For a more in-depth explanation of the parts of the zone code, please refer to Section 3.1 of Zoning By-law 2004-90.

Zoning Maps

As an alternative to the zoning tool, the zoning on an individual property can also be found using the Zoning Maps. You can use the index to identify the map number for an individual property and then navigate to the map number to determine the property zone code. 

Zoning By-law Amendment Application 

Where the Town has provided comments to the Applicant/Agent on the first submission and revisions are required, please use the Formal Application Resubmission Form to resubmit the materials

Zoning By-law Amendment Information Sheet

Notice Signs Procedures and Protocols 

Sample Site Plan and Zoning Matrix

Citizen’s Guide to Land Use Planning for Zoning By-laws