Application Guidelines for a Garage, Accessory Building or Structure

General Provisions

An accessory structure may only be a single storey and cannot exceed 5.5 m in height from finished grade to peak. Any loft space can be used for storage however this area is included in the total square footage of the building. Human habitation of accessory structures is prohibited. Additional zone specific provisions can be found under Section 3.1 of our zoning by-law.

Application for Permit

To obtain a permit under Subsection 8(1) of the Act, an application can be made using our Cloudpermit electronic permitting service.

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Additional Permits

The following permits, where applicable, are required to accompany an application for building permit:

  1. Conservation Authority Approval: To be obtained from the Crowe Valley Conservation Authority.
  2. Other permits as may be required i.e. ESA, MNR etc.

Required Plans

Drawings, plans and specifications to accompany an application to permit include:

All drawings must be clear, legible, accurate, drawn to scale and conform to the Ontario Building Code.

Site Plan
  • Lot area and dimensioned property lines
  • Direction north indicated
  • Size and use of all existing and proposed structures including location of all structures with dimensions to property lines
  • Location of septic system/well including measurements to existing and proposed structures
  • Location of driveway and parking areas
  • Location of easements, right-of-ways, overhead power lines, etc.

Foundation Plan

Plans to be provided with a minimum scale where 3/16" equals 1' or 1:75 (metric)

  • Footings supporting walls, pilasters, columns and piers.
  • Foundation walls and supporting structure including construction types and material.
  • Building section and detail markers.

Floor Plans

Plans to be provided with a minimum scale where 3/16" equals 1' or 1:75 (metric)

  • Exterior and interior walls including construction type and material.
  • Wall openings including size and supporting structure.
  • Roof framing above including all proprietary layouts, details and specifications.
  • Building section and detail markers.

Building Elevations

Elevation drawings to be provided with a minimum scale where 1/8" equals 1' or 1:100 (metric)

  • All building profiles showing finishes, location of openings, etc.
  • Dimensioned floor to ceiling heights.
  • Dimensioned building height from finished ground level to peak of roof.
  • Roof pitch and finish.
  • Area of exposed building face, percentage of unprotected openings and limiting distance where applicable.

Sections and Details 

Submissions to be provided with a minimum scale where 1/4" equals 1' or 1:50 (metric)

  • Building section including specifications for foundations, wall, floors, roof assemblies, etc.
  • Dimensioned floor to ceiling heights.

Engineered Elements
  • Structural floor slabs exceeding 55m sq. (592 sq. ft.) shall bear the design engineer’s seal and signature and shall accompany the application for permit.
  • Truss drawings with layout shall accompany the application for permit.
  • Sealed and signed truss drawings with layout shall be submitted to the building department prior to booking framing inspection.
  • Engineered floor systems including joists, beams and lintels shall include layouts and member calculations and shall accompany the application for permit.
 

General Notes

  1. The permit application shall include 2 full size complete sets of prepared fully dimensioned construction drawings. A non-refundable application fee must accompany the application for permit.
  2. All drawings and specifications are to be project specific.
  3. Refer to our zoning by-law for setback information, restrictions to location, size, height, etc. (Also see general provisions a top of this page.)
  4. All drawings are to be drawn to scale. The scale shall be noted on the drawings.
  5. Do not include presentation graphics (furniture, vehicles, etc.) on construction drawings.
  6. Where the proposed building is to be constructed within 1 metre of a required setback or survey monuments are not visible, verification of setback must be provided by an Ontario Land Surveyor prior to footing inspection.
  7. Required inspections are noted on the Mandatory Inspection Report. Inspections will be conducted within 2 business days from receipt of notice. Inspections will only be conducted on the assigned days.
  8. Any changes to the approved plans must be reviewed by the Building Department prior to commencement of construction. There may be a fee for revisions.
  9. With some exceptions, accessory structures less than 10 m sq. may not require a building permit. It is the responsibility of the property owner to call the building department to confirm.

Sample Plans

All measurements must be accurate.

Sample Site Plan for a Garage
A photo representation of what should be included on a site plan.

Sample Garage Drawing: Sections and Floor Plan
A photo representation of what should be included on a floor plan. 

Sample Garage Drawing: Elevations and Foundation
A photo representation of what should be included on an elevation plan.