Planning Studies

Downtown Grimsby Master Plan

A Land Use Planning Study was completed within the Grimsby Beach area, as a result of the Study, the following documents were prepared in support of the Grimsby Beach Secondary Plan and site-specific zoning was implemented. 

• Grimsby Beach Land Use Study Report
• Grimsby Beach Urban Design and Heritage Guidelines
• Grimsby Beach Tree Strategy

Previous Grimsby Beach Studies

Conservation Management Plan for Grimsby Beach, October 2017 (Completed by students at Willowbank School of Restoration)

The Town of Grimsby, in association with SGL Planning & Design Inc., is currently undertaking a study to examine opportunities for the Town to regulate cannabis production as a land use. This study may result in recommended amendments to the Town's Official Plan and/or Zoning By-law to address cannabis production and its associated land uses. Since the Town of Grimsby opted out of cannabis retail in January 2019, this study will not consider the sale of cannabis in retail stores.

More information about this study, including information on how you can participate, can be found on the study webpage.

At a meeting on February 4, 2019, Town of Grimsby Council considered and defeated the following resolution:

Resolved that the Council of the Town of Grimsby direct the consultant to continue with the WLMH Corridor Secondary Plan.

Therefore, work on the Hospital Corridor Secondary Plan and Urban Design Guidelines Study has been terminated.

On September 17, 2018, Council passed By-law 18-64. The purpose and effect of By-law 18-64 is to address the following housekeeping matters in the Town of Grimsby Zoning By-law (By-law 14-45, as amended):

• Mapping errors;
• Omissions of uses from certain zones;
• Previous site specific zoning permissions that were incorrectly transferred into the Zoning By-Law;
• Clarification of defined terms; and
• Clarification of existing regulations.

By-law 18-64 applies to all lands within the Town of Grimsby.

On May 3, 2018, Niagara Regional Council made a decision to modify and approve the Grimsby GO Transit Station Secondary Plan (Amendment No. 6 to the Town of Grimsby Official Plan). 

The Grimsby GO Transit Station Secondary Plan is now in effect and has been consolidated into the Town's Official Plan.

On July 16, 2018, Council adopted amendments to the Town of Grimsby Official Plan and Zoning By-law to provide the Town with new policy direction in regards to height and density bonus provisions regulated under Section 37 of the provincial Planning Act.

Section 37 of the Planning Act allows the council of a local municipality to permit an increase in the height and/or density of a proposed development above what is permitted in the Zoning By-law in exchange for the provision of facilities, services or community benefits. This process is often referred to as “height and density bonusing”. Although Section 37 applies to all Ontario municipalities, a municipality must include policies for Section 37 in their Official Plan in order to be able to use this authorization.

The Planning Act allows for applications to amend a municipal Official Plan and/or Zoning By-law to permit an increase in height and/or density regardless of whether a municipality has Section 37 height and density bonusing policies in their Official Plan.

Any increase in height and/or density that involves Section 37 height and density bonusing policies would likely still be achievable irrespective of whether or not Section 37 height and density bonusing policies are in place in the Town's Official Plan.

The objective of Section 37 is to provide municipalities with a planning tool to ensure that appropriate community facilities and benefits are provided in communities where development and intensification occurs.

Potential benefits that can be achieved under Section 37 include the following:

• Provision of new affordable housing in the form of land, residential units or cash contributions;
• Provision of or improvements to open space, parkland or community facilities (i.e. daycare, libraries, community centres, recreational facilities);
• Non-profit arts, cultural, community or institutional facilities;
• Public art;
• Provisions of streetscape improvements;
• Enhanced urban design and place making features;
• Provision for multi-modal transportation facilities;
• Enhanced public access to Natural Heritage Features, or trails and open spaces in the Niagara Escarpment;
• Conservation and preservation of cultural heritage resources;
• Land for municipal purposes, beyond that otherwise required under the Planning Act (i.e. through parkland dedication); and
• Enhanced environmental development performance standards or LEED certification that exceeds that required by the Official Plan.

A municipality cannot require a contribution of these benefits without Section 37 policies in place in its Official Plan.

In association with the amendments to the Town's Official Plan and Zoning By-law, Council also approved an implementation guideline document for future development applications involving the height and density bonus provisions in Section 37 of the Planning Act.

A transit investigation study was conducted by Dillon Consulting on behalf of the Town of Grimsby to determine the potential demand and feasibility of operating a local transit service within the Town, and if feasible, develop a transit service design, delivery structure, financial plan and implementation plan for the transit service.

A final report for the study was presented to Council in November 2017. At that time, Council resolved that initiating a 20-month one bus transit pilot program will be considered for inclusion in the 2019 consolidated budget.

In 2015, Council endorsed the findings of a staff-directed study which identified 39 potential cultural heritage landscapes within the Town of Grimsby.

A cultural heritage landscape is defined in the 2014 Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) as "a defined geographical area that may have been modified by human activity and is identified as having cultural heritage value or interest by a community, including an Aboriginal community. The area may involve features such as structures, spaces, archaeological sites or natural elements that are valued together for their interrelationship, meaning or association".

The purpose of the study was to provide a preliminary working inventory of the Town's cultural heritage landscapes. This would serve as a planning tool in the assessment and management of these resources as the community changes and evolves.

As stated in its introduction, it is intended that the study not be considered a "completed" product, but rather the beginning of an extended process whereby the findings of the study will guide future amendments to the Town's planning documents, including the Official Plan.

In February 2016, Council approved an Urban Design Manual for the Winston Road Neighbourhood. This document sets out further direction to guide this neighbourhood's built form and streetscapes, building on policies in the Town of Grimsby Official Plan Winston Road Neighbourhood Plan (Section 11) and the West End Waterfront Master Plan and Trail Design Study.

In April 2014, Council approved a waterfront trail design study and master plan for the west end area. The purpose of this plan was to assist the Town in the planning and design of the future lakefront trails system and urban development in this area.

In 2010, Council approved a Community Improvement Plan and Urban Design Guidelines for Downtown Grimsby. The purpose of these documents was to provide a cohesive vision for the future of Downtown Grimsby, and to establish municipal funding opportunities to acheive this vision. 

The overall purpose of this study is to develop a Transportation Plan for the Town of Grimsby. The product of this study will be a detailed Transportation Plan for the horizon year of 2011, and the devlopement of a short term plan to address existing and foreseeable deficiencies in the near future (next 5 years). Improvement priorities will be recommended with associated costs and implementation strategy.

Transportation Planning Study Part 1

Transportation Planning Study Part 2