Our zoning by-law sets the rules for what types of housing can be built in different parts of the Township. We are currently reviewing it to make sure it matches the goals of our updated Official Plan which governs land use within this Township under the Ontario Planning Act.

As part of this review, we are looking at ways to allow more housing on a single lot, especially in areas that have traditionally been lower density. This includes:

• Promoting "missing middle" housing, such as duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes
• Considering low-rise apartment buildings or stacked townhomes
• Identifying areas where these types of homes could be a good fit.

A detailed land review is underway to help us determine the most appropriate places for this type of housing.

We are working closely with both the public and the development community. Your feedback is important.

A Zoning By-Law Comprehensive Review engagement page will soon be published where you can learn more and share your input.

We expect to complete this review by the end of 2025.

We are working to speed up the planning application process and make it more efficient for everyone involved.

This initiative includes several improvements:

• New online portal — we are introducing an electronic system to let you submit planning applications online, making the process faster and more convenient.
• Staff training — Our team is receiving additional training so we can complete more technical reviews in-house for simpler applications. This will help reduce the need for external peer reviews.
• More staff support — We are hiring a new approvals planner and an engineering technician to help with development review services.

This work is already underway and is expected to by finished by late summer 2025.

When a developer submits a plan, our planning team shares it with several Township departments — like Engineering and Environment, Public Works, and Emergency Services — as well as external agencies. These groups review the plan and send their comments back.

The developer and their design engineer then update the plan based on this feedback. They may submit a revised version to meet Township requirements.

This process can repeat several times to ensure compliance with all applicable policies, by-laws and regulations as they relate to land-use, water and roads, health and safety as examples. Each round of comments and revisions adds time before the plan can receive final approval.

If you are planning a development in Loyalist Township, it is important to understand what is expected from the start. This includes:

• Planning requirements
• Engineering design standards
• Supporting studies
• Any peer reviews the Township may conduct

To make this easier, we are preparing a Design Guideline Manual that will bring all these expectations into one clear document. The manual will include:

• Planning and Engineering requirements
• Terms of Reference for required studies
• Guidance on preparing submissions that meet our standards

These guidelines are being created to help reduce the number of revisions needed during the review process and to speed up overall timelines.

A draft of the Engineering Design Guidelines has been shared with the development community for feedback.

We expect to present the Township's full Design Guideline Manual to the Committee of the Whole in spring 2025.

We are working on new and updated policies for how we allocate water and sewer services, manage development securities, and prepare Township land for future housing projects.

Our new water and sewer capacity allocation policy was adopted by Council in December 2024. This policy helps guide how water and sewer capacity is assigned to development projects so that infrastructure is used responsibly and efficiently.

We are currently reviewing the Township's Development Securities Policy which outlines how financial securities are collected and managed during development.

• Public and developer engagement will take place in May and June 2025
• A revised policy is expected to be recommended for Council adoption by late spring 2025

Work on updating the Front-Ending Policy will continue into summer 2025. This policy governs how developers may pay for infrastructure up front and recover costs later, where appropriate.

All of these initiatives are expected to be completed by late summer 2025.

We are reviewing all Township owned lands to identify underused or vacant properties that could be used for housing and housing supportive uses, such as childcare centres or schools.

If land is found suitable, staff will recommend that Council declare it surplus. Surplus land may then be made available for sale to support new housing or community infrastructure.

We are also looking into pre-zoning these properties to speed up the development process — if it is financially viable.

This is expected to be finished by late summer 2025.

A Community Improvement Plan (CIP) is a planning tool that municipalities can use to support specific types of growth or revitalization. CIPs often include financial incentives — such as grants, loans, or rebates — to encourage development that meets community goals.

With funding support from the Housing Accelerator Fund, Loyalist Township is creating a new CIP. This plan will offer incentives to encourage the construction of:

• Affordable housing units
• Purpose-built rental housing

These incentives are designed to help address local housing needs and make it easier for developers and other property owners to build housing that is accessible and affordable for more people.

Residents, builders, and other stakeholders will be invited to provide feedback on the CIP incentives being considered.

The final CIP will be presented to Council for adoption in June/July 2025.

As part of our review of Township-owned surplus lands, we are looking at options to support more affordable housing in Loyalist Township.

We are currently exploring the possibility of donating about 2 acres of Township land to the County of Lennox and Addington. If approved, the County would use this land to build a new affordable housing project.

This project would help increase access to:

• Affordable housing units
• Missing middle housing, such as duplexes, townhouses, or small apartment buildings

This initiative would make better use of underutilized Township land and help meet the growing demand for a mix of housing types that are accessible to more people in our community.

Loyalist Township is working on a zoning change that would make it easier to build more homes in our community.

We are proposing a Zoning By-Law Amendment and a related Official Plan Amendment that would allow up to four residential units on a single lot — but only in urban areas that are connected to municipal water and sewer services.

This change is part of our effort to:

• Add more housing options
• Support "missing middle" housing types like accessory apartments
• Help meet local housing demand faster

Allowing more units on a single lot can:

• Make better use of serviced land
• Offer more affordable housing choices
• Support a greater mix of housing types in established neighbourhoods

We will be asking for public feedback in Spring 2025. Your input will help shape how these changes are implemented.

We expect this initiative to be completed by late Spring 2025.