New Zoning By-law

An Information Previously Distributed (IPD) document was released today and will be listed on the September 3 Planning and Housing Committee and September 4 Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee agendas. The IPD provides an update on the status of the final draft of the new Zoning By-law, which will be released for public comment on Monday, September 8. The update includes a summary of changes made between Draft 2 and the final draft, details about upcoming public engagement opportunities, and an overview of the Committee and Council process leading to final approval of the Zoning By-law. It also includes a summary of comments received during consultations on Draft 2.

The changes made since Draft 2 was released in March 2025 address direction provided by Council as well as public input received on Draft 2. The memo outlines the most significant changes made between Draft 2 and the final draft, including proposed provisions for maximum building heights in N1 and N2 zones and the height transition strategy from mixed-use zones to low-rise residential zones.

The statutory open house for the draft By-law will take place on Tuesday, September 23 at the EY Centre, with two virtual open houses planned on Wednesday, September 17 and Thursday, September 25.

Youth Ottawa Workshop

On Saturday, April 26, members of the Zoning team will attend a Youth Ottawa workshop to discuss the basics of urban planning and facilitate a hands-on zoning activity. All youth ages 15-25 are welcome to attend this event. Registration to attend the in-person workshop is available here.

Youth Engagement and Grade 9 Curriculum Competition

Additionally, we are excited to announce a Grade 9 curriculum competition! Classes are encouraged to utilize curriculum activities created by the Zoning By-law team and submit their projects for a chance to win a pizza party. This competition aims to engage students in urban planning and zoning concepts, fostering a deeper understanding of how these processes shape our city. The curriculum materials can be found on the Project’s engagement page under Resources for Schools & Educators.

Motions

Three motions and three directions were approved at the Joint Planning and Housing and Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committees meeting on March 31. Two motions and two directions were approved at the Council meeting on April 16.

These items include direction to staff to review and consider various topics while preparing Draft 3 of the new Zoning By-law. As directed by the Joint Committee and Council, staff will be:

• Performing a review of Neighbourhood zoning in Stittsville to explore converting properties zoned N1E to N1D
• Considering the outcome of the Heritage Conservation District Feasibility Assessment in the Beaverbrook neighbourhood when preparing Draft 3.
• Examining the feasibility of a requirement for permeable surface materials for all new front yard parking and communal parking areas.
• Considering parking solutions for new development in Villages, such as communal parking or a parking permit system.
• Evaluating the impact of introducing a minimum parking rate higher than one space per dwelling unit in new ground-oriented subdivision developments in Villages.
• On Issue 1: Minimum Parking Rates for Villages, implementing Option 3 to introduce parking minimums in Village Residential Zones 1-3 in Draft 3, to be released in September.

Staff will also consult on various items during the upcoming engagement events this spring on several new options for the key issues identified in Document 3 of the Draft 2 staff report.

• On Issue 2: Maximum Building Height in N1 and N2 – Neighbourhood Zones, an additional Option 4 will be developed to permit 11 metre heights in N1 and N2 zones and delete height suffixes for heights lower than 11 metres, except where specified in a Secondary Plan.
• On Issue 3: Conversion of the R4 zone to N4 zone in the draft Zoning By-law, an additional Option 3 will be developed by modifying Option 2 to remove the first bullet which maintains a maximum height of 11 metres for buildings that are currently zoned R4 with this height limit.
• On Issue 4: Building Height Transition Framework, Option 4 will be developed to introduce limits on as-of-right maximum building heights based on distance from rapid transit stations in the suburban Transect. These limits would be below the 90 metres, or 27 storeys, proposed by staff.
• On Issue 4: Building Height Transition Framework, Option 5 will introduce an as-of-right maximum building height of 30 storeys plus investigation on lowering the transition area below the 30 metres proposed by staff.
• On Issue 5: Communal Parking Lot Permissions in Neighbourhood (N1-N6) Zones, staff will be consulting on a transect-based approach for communal parking permissions.

These additional options on the key issues presented in Document 3 will be consulted on during the in-person and virtual consultation this spring, and a survey to be released in the coming months.

The New Zoning By-law – Draft 2 staff report and supporting documents are now available on the City’s meeting agenda page. The report will be considered at a Joint Planning and Housing and Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee meeting on Monday, March 31. Members of the public can provide written comments or register to speak at Joint Committee by contacting the Committee Coordinator, listed on the committee agenda.

Draft 1 of the new Zoning By-law was presented in April 2024, followed by virtual and in-person consultation events through the summer and fall of 2024. This feedback informed the updated Zoning By-law provisions presented in the Draft 2 report and the revised zoning map.

If you have any questions or comments on Draft 2, please contact the new Zoning By-law project team via NewZoning@ottawa.ca. Public engagement on Draft 2 will occur this spring, including virtual and in-person consultation events. Stay tuned for more information on these opportunities!

The final version of the new Zoning By-law, Draft 3, will be presented later this year for Council approval.

New Zoning By-law – Draft 1

Explore the New Zoning By-law:

• The Story Behind the Review - Ottawa is Ready for a New Zoning By-law: Learn about the draft Zoning By-law and the new Neighbourhood Zone replacing Residential Zones

• DRAFT 1 - NEW ZONING BY-LAW TEXT

  • Draft 1 of the proposed New Zoning By-law was released to the public on April 29, 2024. To read or download the draft Zoning By-law click here.

Maps:

• 3D Digital Twin Map: Visualize and interact with the proposed zoning in your neighborhood in a 3D built environment.
  • Video Tutorial of the Interactive Zoning Tool and Neighbourhood Zones Overview: Watch the instruction video to learn how to use the map and understand Neighbourhood Zones.
• Consultation on Draft 1 of the new Zoning By-law:
  • As-We-Heard-It report – June Open House
  • As-We-Heard-It report– July to September Correspondence
  • City-Wide Open House Presentation
  • Ward-Specific Virtual Open House Presentations

The staff report to Council on the first draft of the zoning can be found here. Included attachments:

• Land Use and Density Strategy Map
• Height Strategy Map
• Primary Zones Map
• Statement of Ottawa Public Health
• On-Site Stormwater Management for Infill Development
• Review of Parking Rate Ratios
• Neighbourhood zones
• Engagement Strategy
• 2023 As We Heard It Report

Comments on the proposed Draft 1 Zoning By-law can be made directly using the public comment form, or by emailing the project email address newzoning@ottawa.ca.

Resources for Schools:

• Classroom activities proposal
• Classroom activities proposal summary
• Empathy Mapping and Role-playing Session Plan
• Reflection Activity
• Future Neighbourhood Plan Session Plan
• Guided Walking Tour Session Plan
• Residential Lot Pressures Activity
• Visioning Exercise Session Plan

The City of Ottawa new Zoning By-law project team is pleased to announce that there will be a Joint Committee meeting of the Planning and Housing Committee and the Agricultural and Rural Affairs Committee on March 31, 2025. This meeting represents a significant step in developing our new zoning by-law, which aims to shape our city's future growth and development.

The staff report and the second draft of the proposed new zoning by-law will be made available to the public on the City of Ottawa’s committee and Council eScribe on March 20, 2025. We encourage all residents, stakeholders, and interested parties to review these documents in preparation for the upcoming discussions.

The new Zoning By-law review project is submitting an IPD to the December 04, 2024 Planning and Housing Committee. The IPD provides updates on key issues identified during public consultations on the draft Zoning By-law and presents options to address them. Staff have developed several options that could help resolve each key issue identified. Further details concerning the issues and associated options will be formally presented to Council as part of the release of the second draft of the new Zoning By-law in March 2025. The six key issues identified to-date include concerns about:

• removing minimum parking rates in villages
• carrying forward maximum driveway width provisions in the rural transect
• setting an 8.5-metre building height in all N1 and N2 zones in all transects
• converting the R4 zone to N4 zone and the potential for unanticipated density increases
• determining proposed zoning based on existing zoning without enough consideration for Official Plan policies
• achieving appropriate building-height transitions

The memo also summarizes comments received during the virtual open houses conducted in August and September, as well as outlines next steps for the project.