Compliance Letters

COMPLIANCE LETTERS & OTHER INFORMATION REQUESTS

A Compliance Letter is a document from planning and building divisions describing compliance (or non-compliance) with certain regulations, policies, codes or agreements.  The following types of compliance requests can be submitted through the City's On-Line Application Portal: 

• Zoning Compliance, including Committee of Adjustment decisions 
• Official Plan Designation Compliance
• Site Plan Agreement Compliance
• Subdivision Agreement Compliance
• Heritage Act Designation Compliance
• Building Records & Code Compliance

An Information Request can also be made through the City's On-line Application Portal for the following: 

• Historical Development Charge Records Request

Visit the online application system now

Disclaimers: 

• A Compliance Letter does not include copies of documents/records.   If you require copies of documents/records, visit the City's Access and Privacy webpage, to submit either an Freedom of Information Request Form or a Routine Disclosure Form for Building, Planning and Engineering Information, depending on the nature of the request.  Consult with Staff if clarification is required.  Routine Disclosure Forms are submitted to filerequests@cambridge.ca. 
• Information regarding easements is not provided through a Compliance Letter or Information Request.  This information may be available through the Ontario Land Registry website OnLand.  

LEGAL NON-CONFORMING USE VERIFICATION APPLICATION

Before applying for a building permit for any proposed work to a non-complying building it is strongly recommended that you apply for legal non-conforming status through a Legal Non-conforming Use Verification Application.   Upon completion of this application form, and gathering the supporting documents, submit the form and documents to planning@cambridge.ca.  Administrative Staff will contact you to arrange payment and complete the application in-take process.  Planning Staff will review your application, contact you with any questions, and send a Final Compliance Letter to conclude the process.   

The following information further explains Legal Non-Conforming Use Status and the Verification Process: 

•  The current City of Cambridge Zoning By-law #150-85 came into full force and effect on October 27^th, 1986. 

• Properties which contain a use that does not comply with the current permitted uses outlined in Zoning By-law #150-85 may be considered to be legal non-conforming if the use can be verified to have existed legally and continuously before the passing of the current Zoning By-law until present day. 

• The Applicant must submit satisfactory information to confirm the use and dates it has existed, along with supplementary information which helps verify the use and that it was legally established. Examples can be found in the checkboxes on the application form. The information must prove that the use has continuously existed from prior  to October 27, 1986 through to present day. 

• Development Planning staff will review the application and supplementary information supplied upon receipt of a complete application and fee. Written response will be provided to the applicant following the review process. 

• If a use cannot be confirmed to have consistently been in place since it was legally established through to present day, or if it is confirmed that the use stopped at some time, legal non-conforming status cannot be confirmed.

APPLICATION FEES 

• Base Fees (per property):
  • For Regular Letters of Compliance / Information Requests / Legal Non-Conforming Use Verification (up to 4 requests):  $290.   10-15 business days. 
  • For Rushed Letters of Compliance / Information Requests / Legal Non-Conforming Use Verification (up to 4 requests):  $550.   Up to 5 business days. 
• Additional Fees over and above Base Fees (per property): 
  • $165 for Ontario Heritage Act Designation Compliance Letter 
  • $165 for Official Plan Designation Compliance Letter
  • $378 for Agreement Compliance Letter