The Province of Ontario has the final authority over many municipal planning activities, most notably through the Ministerial approval of Official Plans and Ontario Municipal Board decisions on appeals of zoning and subdivision decisions. Municipal staff provides guidance to property owners, developers and council to ensure that all the proper guidelines in the Planning act are followed.

The Chief Building Official will review all development proposals and processes various Planning Applications under the planning act.

Site Plan Approval
A site plan approval is a required process that you must follow that examines designs and technical aspects of a proposed development.

Zoning

The zoning by-law regulates the use of land within the municipality. It classifies each property within the municipality with a specific zone and outlines the zoning provisions permitted on the property.

Minor Variance

A minor variance allows for a minor change from the requirements of the zoning by-law. It is also required if you wish to expand or change a use that is considered “legal non-conforming”.

Consent Applications

Consent Application must be approved for either a parcel of land to be divided or a parcel of land to be severed. Controlling the division of land gives the Municipality of Wawa a way of ensuring that the creation of lots is consistent with the planning policies of the Municipality of Wawa Official Plan and Provincial planning documents.

Official Plan
The Official Plan is a planning policy document that establishes goals, objectives, land use designations and land use policies for those designations to manage and direct development and land uses throughout the Municipality

Committee of Adjustment

The Committee of Adjustment is a body which council can appoint to consider minor variances from the zoning by-law, land division (consent to sever) and consider alterations to legal non-conforming uses.

Applications to the Committee of Adjustment are processed in accordance with the requirements of the Planning Act, and applicable municipal policies.

The Committee of Adjustment is authorized by the Planning Act to consider applications for:

  • Minor variances from provisions of the Planning Act
  • Extensions, enlargements or variations of existing legal non-conforming uses under the zoning by-law
  • Land division (severing a new lot from an existing lot, adding land to an existing lot)
  • Determining whether a particular use conforms with the provisions of the zoning by-law where the uses of land, buildings or structures permitted in the by-law are defined in general terms

Downtown Community Improvement Plan 

The Municipality of Wawa is undertaking the preparation of a new Downtown Wawa Community Improvement Plan (CIP).  This project represents a renewed opportunity for the Municipality to develop a CIP that will encourage investment and community improvements in Downtown Wawa.

A CIP is a planning and economic development tool for municipalities to promote community revitalization  and often serves as a catalyst for achieving economic, community planning and urban development goals.  Municipalities use CIPs to enable a wide range of policies and financial incentive programs that encourage private investment, and to support strategic municipal initiatives, aimed at the revitalization of targeted  areas. A CIP identifies the local needs, priorities, and circumstances for designated CIP project areas (from large areas to specific streets and properties), which are usually in transition and in need of maintenance,
rehabilitation, development, and redevelopment. CIPs can provide several benefits for a community, such as:

  • Stimulating private sector investment in targeted areas through grants and loans provided by the Municipality;
  • Promoting revitalization and place-making to attract tourism, business investment, and economic development opportunities;
  • Developing affordable housing;
  • Promoting the cleanup and redevelopment of “brownfield sites”, which are former
  • industrial or commercial properties that are typically vacant or underutilized, and have
  • some form of environmental contamination that must be remediated prior to
  • redevelopment taking place;
  • Enhancing streetscapes, landscaping, building façades, signage, and accessibility;
  • Improving energy efficiency; and
  • Encouraging the effective use of community infrastructure.

You can view the complete Downtown Community Improvement Plan here. 

 

Comments are welcomed and may be sent to Ms. Maury O'Neill by January 15, 2024 by email or mailed to

Municipality of Wawa
CAO/Clerk Maury O'Neill
40 Broadway Avenue
P.O. Box 500
Wawa, ON P0S 1K0

A future public meeting will be held in January. 

The project is funded in part by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

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