Public Notice signs are a call for feedback on a proposed development

Municipalities are required by the Planning Act to notify the public that a development application requesting changes to the municipal Zoning Bylaw and/or Official Plan has been received and to provide information about an upcoming public meeting that gives residents an opportunity to submit their input.

One of ways a municipality can provide notice is to post a Public Notice sign on the property and send a notice in the mail to all land owners within 120 m:

A Notice of Complete Application or Notice of Public Meeting sign must include at a minimum:

1. The date, time and location of the public meeting or open house.

2. An explanation of the purpose and effect of the proposed by-law.

3. Where and when additional information and material about the proposed by-law will be available to the public for inspection.

4. The following statement:

For more information about this matter, including information about appeal rights, contact (address, email address, website or other location or means by which information may be obtained from the municipality or planning board).

Section 5 (12) of O. Reg 545/06

Instead of posting a sign and mailing nearby owners, municipalities can choose to provide notice in a newspaper with sufficient circulation (S. 5 (7)) or on a website (S. 5 (7.1)). Many provide notice to the public using more than one method. Municipalities are required to have a Public Notice Policy formalizing when they will notice to the public and, if notice is to be provided, the form, manner and times notice shall be given.

Development application review process

1. Municipality must notify the public within 15 days of a complete application and 20 days before the public meeting to ensure the public has adequate time to review the proposal and provide input.
2. All comments received are analyzed by Planning Department staff.
3. Staff write a recommendation report and submit it to the committee for consideration.
4. The municipality’s Planning Advisory Committee reviews the report in a meeting that must be open to the public and makes a recommendation to Council.
5. Council decides to approve or deny the application.

Public meeting requirements don’t apply to subdivisions or condos

In November 2022, the provincial government passed Bill 23 – More Homes Built Faster Act, which eliminated the requirement for municipalities to hold a public meeting for:

• Draft Plan of Subdivision
• Draft Plan of Condominium

While the public meeting requirement is gone, municipalities are still required to issue a Notice of Complete Application within 15 days of the application being completed and provide notice with a sign and mail, or the alternative methods.

Development application documentation

Documents detailing the proposed development application may include the following:

• Staff Recommendation Report For Proposed Amendments to Belleville’s Loyalist Secondary Plan and Zoning Bylaws 2076-80 and 10245
• Location and Existing Zoning Map
• Proposed Zoning Map
• Draft Plan of Subdivision
• Development Site Plan
• Planning Justification Report
• Draft Loyalist Secondary Plan Amendment Schedules
• Loyalist Secondary Plan Designation Map
• Proposed Zoning Provisions
• Staff Site Visit Pictures
• Proposed Draft Plan Conditions

How to add your input

Attending the public meeting, speaking before council and submitting written feedback on the proposed development are ways that you can have your voice heard.

Public meetings for development applications often hear more from local residents who oppose the development, don’t want it to proceed and don’t want it near them or in their community (NIMBYism) than those who support the development (YIMBYism).

In addition, Municipal Official Plans and Zoning Bylaws regulate the use of the land and the location and use of buildings in the municipality. Changes can greatly increase the owner’s property value (or “land lift”) if the land is zoned to allow a more valuable use case, known as “upzoning”.

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Every person and public body that has given the clerk of the municipality or the secretary-treasurer of the planning board a written request for a notice to which this section applies (including the person’s or public body’s address, fax number or email address) shall be given notice by personal service, ordinary mail, fax or email.

To be notified of council’s decision on the application, include the following line in a written request. Doing so requires the municipality to notify you within 15 days of the decision, giving you time to appeal the decision if necessary:

I request to be notified of the decision of this application, whether it is approved or refused.

Every meeting attendee must be given the opportunitiy to speak

Every person who attends the meeting must be given the opportunity to speak:

(14.2) Every person who attends a public meeting required under subclause (12) (a) (ii) shall be given an opportunity to make representations in respect of the proposed by-law.  2006, c. 23, s. 15 (6).

Section 34 (14.2) of the Planning Act