Zoning
Zoning By-law 05-200
The City of Hamilton’s Comprehensive Zoning By-law No. 05-200 came into effect on May 25, 2005, and is being implemented in stages.
In July and October 2015, the City passed a series of zoning by-law amendments to add new zones for the rural area. The purpose of the Rural Zones is to implement the policies of the Rural Hamilton Official Plan and to create consistent zoning throughout the rural area.
In October 2016 and February 2018, the City passed a series of zoning by-law amendments to add new Transit Oriented Corridor (TOC) Zones. Furthermore, the City passed a zoning by-law amendment to add new Commercial and Mixed Use Zones (CMU) and an Utility Zone for the urban area in November 2017 but has been appealed to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT). The purpose of the new TOC and CMU zones is to implement the policies of the Urban Hamilton Official Plan to create consistent zoning within the urban area.
The current phase of Zoning By-law No. 05-200 is focused on Residential Zones.
Unless otherwise noted, Sections 1 to 6 inclusive, and those Schedules A, B, C D, E and F which incorporate boundaries for Downtown Hamilton were passed by City Council and became effective on May 25, 2005.
Comprehensive amendments to Section 6: Downtown Zones were passed by City Council (By-law 18-114).
Section 7 - New Open Space and Parks Zones for the urban area of Hamilton passed by City Council (By-law 06-166) and became effective on June 14, 2006. New Conservation/Hazard Land Zones for the rural area passed by City Council (By-law 15-173) and became effective on July 10, 2015.
Section 8 - New Institutional Zones for the urban area of Hamilton passed by City Council (By-law 07-101) and became effective on March 28, 2007.
Section 9 - New Industrial Zones for the urban area of Hamilton passed by City Council (By-law 10- 128) and became effective on June 28, 2011. New Industrial Zones for the Airport Employment Growth District were passed by City Council (By-law 10-288) and became effective on April 10, 2015. A new Extractive Industrial Zone was passed by City Council (By-law 15-173) and became effective on July 10, 2015.
Section 10 - New Commercial and Mixed Use Zones for the urban area of Hamilton passed by City Council (By-law 17-240) and became effective on November 8, 2017.
Section 11 - New Transit Oriented (By-law 16-265) and became effective on October 12, 2016, and Phase 2 passed by City Council (By-law 18-032) and became effective on February 14, 2018.
Section 12 - New Rural Zones for the rural area of Hamilton passed by City Council (By-law 15-173) and became effective on July 10, 2015.
Section 14 - New Waterfront Zones for the urban area of Hamilton passed by City Council (By-law 17-095) and became effective on May 24, 2017.
Section 15 - New Residential Zones for the urban area of Hamilton passed by City Council (By-law 22-197) and became effective on August 12, 2022.
You can use our interactive zoning map to search by address to determine the zoning of a specific property. The zone code can be used to find the list of permitted uses, regulations, and any special exceptions.
Here is an example. For this example, let's use Tim Hortons Field:
Look up the zoning for a property: Open the zoning mapping tool, and search the address "75 Balsam Avenue North". The mapping tool will zoom to the property and display the zoning on the map as City Wide Park (P3) Zone, with a Special Exception 42.
View the permitted uses & regulations: This page contains lists for each zone category. To find the permitted uses and regulations for the "P3" zone for Tim Hortons' Field, find the "Section 7: Open Space and Park Zones" and browse the list to find the zoning document titled "7.3 - City Wide (P3) Zone".
View the exceptions, provisions or figures: To find information on the Special Exception "42", find the “Schedules” list and browse for the "Schedule C - Special Exceptions". The Holding Provisions, Temporary Use Provisions, and Special Figures are also located in this section.
Consolidated as of November 2022
Zoning By-law 05-200
Zoning By-law No. 05-200 includes a number of sections, which include: definitions, general provisions, parking regulations as well as the various zones.
The zones are structured to identify permitted and prohibited uses as well as the regulations applicable to a permitted use(s) (i.e. minimum or maximum setbacks, maximum size, etc.)
Definitions, general provisions and parking regulations work in conjunction with the zones and need to be reviewed for all development applications to determine, for example, if a proposed use meets the definition associated with that use and that the minimum number of parking spaces required for a proposed permitted use are being provided.
Full list of By-law amendments passed by The City of Hamilton amending Zoning By-law 05-200
| By-law | Date | Zones | City Initiated Amendment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05-200 | 25-May-05 | Downtown (D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D6) | Implementation of D1, D2, D3, D4, D5 and D6 Zones |
| 06-038 | 1-Mar-06 | Adequate Services General Provision | |
| 06-166 | 14-Jun-06 | Open Space and Parks (P1, P2, P3, P4, P5) | Implementing P1, P2, P3, P4 and P5 Zone |
| 07-043 | 15-Feb-07 | Industrial (M1) | Implementing M1 Site specifics 6, 7 |
| 07-101 | 28-Mar-07 | Institutional (I1, I2, I3) | Implementing I1, I2, I3 Zones |
| 07-111 | 11-Apr-07 | Applicable Zones | |
| 07-233 | 8-Aug-07 | Cemetery Mapping (P4) | Implementing P4 for cemetery |
| 09-210 | 30-Sep-09 | General Provisions | Outdoor Commercial Patios amended for capacity, location and design |
| 10-037 | 24-Feb-10 | Parks P5 Zone | Hazard Land Zoning |
| 10-128 | 26-May-10 | New Industrial Zones (M2, M3, M4, M5, M6) | Implementation of new Industrial Zones |
| 10-288 (see 15-118) | 13-Oct-10 | Many | New Airport Related M7-M11 Zones |
| 14-163 | 25-Jun-14 | Housekeeping | Medical Marihuana |
| 15-107 | 22-Apr-15 | Urban Farmers Market | Definitions and regulations |
| 15-118 | 10-Apr-15 | Airport Employment Growth District | Implementation of M7, M8, M9, M10 and M11 Zones |
| 15-173 (portions still under appeal) | 10-Jul-15 | Rural Zones | Implementation of P6, P7, P8, M12, A1, A2, S1, S2, S3, E1 and E2 Zones |
| 15-237 | 14-Oct-15 | Rural Zones | Corrections to By-law No. 15-173 |
| 15-238 | 14-Oct-15 | Rural Zones | Additional Exception 253 lands (Rural Landscape Contractors) |
| 15-246 | 28-Oct-15 | Zones along LRT Corridor | Interim Control By-law for LRT Corridor |
| 16-265 (specific sites still under appeal) | 12-Oct-16 | New Transit Oriented Corridor Zones | Introduction of the TOC1, TOC2, TOC3 Zones |
| 17-083 | 10-May-17 | Entertainment on Outdoor Commercial Patios | Temporary Use By-law to allow entertainment on outdoor commercial patios |
| 17-095 (LPAT) | 24-May-17 | New Waterfront Zones for Pier 8 | Introduction of the WF1, WF2 and EF3 Zones |
| 17-240 (portions still under appeal) | 8-Nov-17 | New Commercial and Mixed Use Zones | Introduction of the C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C5a, C6, C7, and U3 Zones |
| 17-255 | 22-Nov-17 | Pilot Project for Entertainment on Outdoor Commercial Patios | Pilot Project for Entertainment on Outdoor Commercial Patios located along Upper James Street between Stone Church Road and Rymal Road, and lands generally located in Downtown Dundas |
| 18-032 | 14-Feb-18 | New TOC 4 Zone, TOC extension to Eastgate | Introduction of TOC4 Zone, additional lands to be added to the LRT Corridor |
| 18-092 | 11-Apr-18 | New M13 and M14 | Introduction of M13 & M14 Zones for the lands owned and operated by the Hamilton Port Authority |
| 18-093 | 11-Apr-18 | Urban Area Open Space (P4) Zone, Industrial (M6) Zone | Add certain lands to 05-200 and add special exceptions |
| 18-114 | 9-May-18 | Downtown Hamilton | Revisions to the Downtown Zones to reflect the Downtown Hamilton Secondary Plan revisions |
| 18-219 | 17-Aug-18 | Urban and Rural Areas | Updates to certain Definitions, General Provisions, Parking Regulations, Institutional Zones, Industrial Zones ,TOC Zones, Rural Zones, certain Special Exceptions, certain Holding Provisions, urban and rural mapping |
| 18-266 (LPAT May 29,2020) | 12-Sep-18 | Cannabis Growing and Harvesting Facilities | General and site specific text and mapping amendments on a City-wide basis respecting Cannabis Growing and Harvesting Facilities, Aquaponics, and Greenhouses |
| 19-062 | 27-Mar-19 | Urban and Rural Areas | Updates to certain Definitions, General Provisions, Parking Regulations, Open Space Zones, Industrial Zones, TOC Zones, Commercial and Mixed Use Zones, Rural Zones, certain Special Exceptions, certain Holding Provisions, urban and rural mapping |
| 19-066 | 10-Apr-19 | Production Student for Bay-Queen-Tiffany | Repealing and replacing Special Exception 442 to included amended uses and regulations to permit a Production Studio, limited commercial uses |
| 19-103 | 9-May-19 | Entertainment on Outdoor Commercial Patios | Temporary Use By-law extension to allow entertainment on outdoor commercial patios |
| 19-104 | 9-May-19 | Entertainment on Outdoor Commercial Patios | Temporary Use By-law extension to allow entertainment on outdoor commercial patios |
| 19-106 | 9-May-19 | Entertainment on Outdoor Commercial Patios | Temporary Use By-law extension to allow entertainment on outdoor commercial patios |
| 19-278 | 13-Nov-19 | Neighbourhood Commercial (C2) Zone | Adding a site specific exception relating to ground floor level above mean sea level |
| 20-144 | 17-Jul-20 | Neighbourhood Commercial (C1) Zone | Rezone lands to Neighbourhood Commercial (C1) Zone and amend certain zone regulations |
| 20-181 | 21-Aug-20 | Certain Commercial and Downtown Zones | Temporary Use By-law extension to allow entertainment on outdoor commercial patios |
| 20-214 | 14-Oct-20 | Certain Commercial and Downtown Zones | Temporary Use By-law extension to allow entertainment on outdoor commercial patios |
| 20-215 | 14-Oct-20 | Certain Commercial and Downtown Zones | Temporary Use By-law extension to allow entertainment on outdoor commercial patios |
| 20-070 | 12-May-21 | General Provisions - Accessory Buildings | Repeal and replace existing accessory building regulations |
| 21-071 | 12-May-21 | Secondary Dwelling Units | Add new Secondary Dwelling Unit regulations |
| 21-143 | 13-Aug-21 | Outdoor Commercial Patios and Tents | Temporary Use By-law for Outdoor Commercial Patios and an addition to and extension of the Temporary Use By-law for Temporary Tents |
| 21-167 | 29-Sep-21 | Secondary Dwelling Units - Housekeeping | Housekeeping Amendment for the Secondary Dwelling Units regulations |
| 21-189 | 13-Oct-21 | Urban and Rural Areas | City Initiated Amendment: Technical changes, updates to certain definitions, regulations, adding and amending certain Special Exceptions and Holding Provisions, urban and rural mapping |
| 21-231 | 15-Dec-21 | Various | Amend Zoning By-law No. 05-200 to add and apply zoning to lands generally bounded by Patterson Road to the north, Old Guelph Road and the Canadian National Rail Line to the south, Highway 6 to the east, and Valley Road/York Road to the west |
| 22-071 | 13-Apr-22 | Mixed Use Medium Density and Institutional Zones | Zone changes to implement the Waterdown Node Community Secondary Plan |
| 22-073 | 13-Apr-22 | Various | Temporary Use By-law to reinstate temporary permissions for outdoor commercial patios |
| 22-074 | 13-Apr-22 | Various | Temporary Use By-law to reinstate temporary permissions for temporary tents |
| 22-075 | 13-Apr-22 | Various | Delete regulation prohibiting commercial entertainment and recreation on outdoor commercial patios |
| 22-084 | 13-Apr-22 | Modifications and updates to various zones | Housekeeping modifications and updates |
| 22-132 | 8-Jun-22 | Various | Housekeeping amendments specifically for the Secondary Dwelling Units regulations. |
| 22-197 | 12- Aug- 22 | City-Wide | Creation of a Low Density Residential (R1) Zone and Low Density Residential - Small Lot (R1a) Zone. |
| 24-051 | 10-Apr-2024 | Residential | Amend the Low Density Residential (RI) Zone and Low Density Residential - Small Lot (Ria) Zone, Creation of the Low Density Residential - Large Lot (R2) Zone. |
| 24-052 | 10-Apr-24 | Various | Delete and replace Section 5: Parking, update Definitions and General Provisions. |
| 24-137 | 12-Jul-24 | Modifications and updates to various zones | Housekeeping modifications and updates. |
Section 6: Downtown Zones
Section 6.0 - Downtown Zones General Provisions Section 6.1 - Downtown Central Business District (D1) Zone Section 6.2 - Downtown Prime Retail Streets (D2) Zone Section 6.3 - Downtown Mixed Use (D3) Zone Section 6.4 - Downtown Local Commercial (D4) Zone Section 6.5 - Downtown Residential (D5) Zone Section 6.6 - Downtown Multiple Residential (D6) Zone
Section 7: Open Space and Park Zones
Section 7.1 - Neighbourhood Park (P1) Zone Section 7.2 - Community Park (P2) Zone Section: 7.3 - City Wide (P3) Zone Section: 7.4 - Open Space (P4) Zone Section: 7.5 - Conservation/Hazard Land (P5) Zone Section: 7.6 - Conservation/Hazard Land Rural (P6) Zone Section: 7.7 - Conservation/Hazard Land Rural (P7) Zone Section: 7.8 - Conservation/Hazard Land Rural (P8) Zone
Section 9: Industrial Zones
Section: 9.1 Research and Development (M1) Zone Section: 9.2 - General Business Park (M2) Zone Section: 9.3 - Prestige Business Park (M3) Zone Section: 9.4 - Business Park Support (M4) Zone Section: 9.5 - General Industrial (M5) Zone Section: 9.6 - Light Industrial (M6) Zone Section: 9.7 - Airside Industrial (M7) Zone Section: 9.8 - Airport Related Business (M8) Zone Section: 9.9 - Airport Reserve (M9) Zone Section: 9.10 - Airport Light Industrial (M10) Zone Section: 9.11 - Airport Prestige Business (M11) Zone Section: 9.12 - Extractive Industrial (M12) Zone Section: 9.13 - Shipping and Navigation (Port Lands) (M13) Zone Section: 9.14 - Shipping and Navigation (East Port) (M14) Zone
Section 10: Commercial and Mixed Use Zones
Section: 10.1 - Residential Character Commercial (C1) Zone Section: 10.2 - Neighbourhood Commercial (C2) Zone Section: 10.3 - Community Commercial (C3) Zone Section: 10.4 - Mixed Use High Density (C4) Zone Section: 10.5 - Mixed Use Medium Density (C5) Zone Section: 10.5a - Mixed Use Medium Density - Pedestrian Focus (C5a) Zone Section: 10.6 - District Commercial (C6) Zone Section: 10.7 - Arterial Commercial (C7) Zone
Section 11: Transit Oriented Corridor Zones
Section 12: Rural Zones
Section: 12.1 - Agriculture (A1) Zone Section: 12.2 - Rural (A2) Zone Section: 12.3 - Settlement Residential (S1) Zone Section: 12.4 - Settlement Commercial (S2) Zone Section: 12.5 - Settlement Institutional (S3) Zone Section: 12.6 - Existing Rural Commercial (E1) Zone Section: 12.7 - Existing Rural Industrial (E2) Zone
Section 13: Utility Zones
Zoning By-law 05-200
Contact Us
For Zoning Questions
Planning Division
City Hall, 5th Floor
Call 905-546-2424 Ext. 2719 or
Email [email protected]
For Building Permit Questions
Building Division
City Hall, 3rd Floor
Call 905-546-2720 or
Email [email protected]
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