The Zoning By-law establishes and regulates the use of land by implementing the policies of the City’s Official Plan. It provides the City with a way to co-ordinate land uses, protect areas by preventing incompatible uses, and establish appropriate standards for development. The Zoning By-law contains specific legal regulations; for example: what uses are permitted, how high buildings can be built, how close buildings can be built to lot boundaries, the maximum number of residential units allowed, and the amount of off-street parking required.
The City is divided into “zones”, where different land uses are permitted. There are zones for example, which permit single detached dwellings, apartment buildings, shopping centres, industrial uses, or parks. In the older or developed areas of Sarnia most of the lands are zoned for specific uses or ranges of uses commonly found in an urban municipality. In undeveloped parts of the City, land is often in an interim use zone which does not allow urban development, unless an amendment to the Zoning By-law is approved.
Use the Zoning Map to find the zoning on a property, click the links to view related by-law sections.