Official Plan Amendments

What is an Official Plan?

Created with input from the public, the Official Plan sets out policies to guide the future development and growth of the City.

Richmond Hill's Official Plan:

• Establishes Richmond Hill's general land use policies;
• Ensures growth is coordinated and meets the community's needs;
• Helps members of the community to understand how their land can be used;
• Determines where services such as roads, watermains, and parks will go;
• Provides a framework for setting community standards; and,
• Provides a way to evaluate and settle conflicts over land uses.

If a landowner wants to develop a property differently than Richmond Hill's Official Plan or a related Secondary Plan, an Official Plan Amendment application must be submitted. Amendments to the Official Plan must take into consideration land use policy documents, such as the:

• Provincial Policy Statement;
• Greenbelt Plan;
• Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe;
• Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan; and,
• Region of York Official Plan.

The City of Richmond Hill is currently updating its Official Plan. For more information, please visit the Official Plan Update webpage.  

How to Apply 

A Pre-Submission Meeting with Planning staff is encouraged prior to submitting a development application. The purpose of this meeting is for the applicant to present a development proposal on a preliminary basis to confirm the approvals required for the development of a site, identify the studies and technical requirements and to provide feedback and collaboratively discuss the development proposal.

225 East Beaver Creek Road, Ground Floor
Richmond Hill, ON L4B 3P4