Get into the Zone
Township of King Planning Areas Map
The zoning of every property in King is determined by the Township's Zoning By-laws. The Zoning By-laws regulate the use of land and the location, height, massing and character of buildings & structures. In all cases, prior to acquiring or modifying a property, it is important to understand the zoning, which will also determine permitted uses for the property.
View All Township Zoning By-Laws
The Planning Division is responsible for developing policy and zoning regulations for the Township as a whole and its settlement areas of King City, Nobleton and Schomberg.
Any property owner has the right to request a modification to their property’s zoning or permitted use. For a minor variance, this will be reviewed by the Committee of Adjustment. For more substantial changes that may require an official plan amendment or a zoning amendment, the applicant may be required to undergo the Township's Collaborative Application Preparation Process.
Fees associated with development applications can be found in the Fees & Charges By-law.
Book an Appointment with Planning Staff
In all cases your best first step is to make a preliminary inquiry.
Thinking About a Home Based Business?
King Township has many of home based businesses. Permitted uses for properties zoned as residential vary depending if they are in a village core, in a village settlement area, or outside of a settlement area. Prior to starting a home-based business, make a preliminary inquiry to determine if your business concept aligns with the permitted use for your residence.
Thinking About a Business in the Core of King City, Nobleton or Schomberg?
Core areas are pre-zoned to encourage business intensification. If you own a residential property in the core, and want to open up a business, and not expanding your footprint, you may only require a minor variance. Make a preliminary inquiry to Economic Development.
Thinking About a Business in an Area Zoned as Commercial or Industrial?
There are 4 different types of commercial zoning in King Township, and different commercial zones have different permitted uses. Consult page 112 of the Nobleton Zoning Bylaw to review the permitted uses for each type of commercial zone. These permitted uses will also apply to lands in King City and Schomberg.
The Ins & Outs of Permitted Use
While zoning indicates that a certain use is permitted for the property in question, you must also check the permitted use from a building code perspective.
For example, if you are looking at converting a property that was previously a florist into a bakery, you will need to secure a change to the building code to allow food preparation and gatherings.
Legal Non Conforming Use
Some businesses that were already in operation when the zoning and Oak Ridges Moraine bylaws were enacted were grandfathered into the plan and are permitted to operate as legal non conforming use, so it is not safe to assume that, since there is a commercial business next door, the property you are considering is zoned commercial.
Employment Lands
There are 2 different types of employment zoning in King Township, and like commercial zones, different employment zones have different permitted uses. Consult page 124 of the Nobleton Zoning Bylaw to review the permitted uses for each type of commercial zone. These permitted uses will also apply to lands in King City and Schomberg.
