A buyer wants to know how close to the front lot line an addition to a house in an Ontario suburb can be built. Where would the minimum front-yard setback be found?
Correct Answer
D) In the municipality's zoning by-law
Front-yard setbacks are set by each municipality's zoning by-law. Planning Act s. 34(1), paragraph 4, lets councils pass zoning by-laws regulating the height, bulk, location, size, spacing and use of buildings, which is where setback requirements come from. There is no province-wide standard setback, so the figure varies by municipality and zone.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
This is correct because setback requirements are created by municipal zoning by-laws passed under s. 34(1) of the Planning Act, which authorizes regulating the location of buildings on a lot. The buyer needs the zoning by-law provisions for the property's zone.
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