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 person 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.

How to Apply for an Amendment

NEW: The City has implemented the Collaborative Application Process (CAP) (Staff Report SRPI.23.059), a revised development application review and approval process. Pursuant to  Planning Act requirements, a Pre-Submission Meeting with Planning staff is still required and this constitutes part of Phase 1 of the City’s CAP process. 

225 East Beaver Creek Road, 4th Floor
Richmond Hill, ON L4B 3P4