Severances, second units and variances in Oro-Medonte

Severing a lot or adding a second dwelling in Oro-Medonte is possible in some cases, but the township's Official Plan sets firm limits, and the zoning by-law has not yet caught up with the plan. On land designated Rural, you can create at most one new lot from a parcel that existed on October 5, 2022, generally up to about 1 hectare. On Agricultural land, new residential lots are essentially limited to surplus farm dwellings. For second units, the plan allows up to three units on eligible lots, but today's zoning permits only one small apartment inside the house, and a township-wide update was still a draft in November 2026. Here is how each piece works, what it costs and how to approach it.

Start with the designation

Every answer depends on how your land is designated on Schedule A of the Official Plan. The plan was adopted by Council on October 5, 2022, approved by Simcoe County on November 14, 2023, and is consolidated as of July 2026. The zoning by-law (97-95, dating to 1997) is being rewritten to implement it, and until that is done both documents apply. Ask the Planning Division (705-487-2171, planning@oro-medonte.ca) to confirm the designation and zone of your property before you spend money on drawings or surveys.

Can I sever a lot in Oro-Medonte?

Rural designation

A limited number of new residential lots can be created on Rural land if every one of these conditions is met:

• No more than one lot is created from a lot that existed on the date the plan was adopted.
• The new lot is kept small (the plan says approximately 1.0 hectare maximum) to conserve larger blocks for farming or the environment, unless environmental constraints or design call for a larger lot.
• The lot meets the Minimum Distance Separation formulae and will not affect neighbouring farmers' ability to expand.
• It is not strip development.
• Residential infilling is allowed between two existing homes on the same side of the road that are 100 metres (328 feet) or less apart, if it is not strip development.
• Both the severed and retained parcels can be provided with water and sanitary services to the township's satisfaction.

Rural land within one kilometre of the Barrie or Orillia city boundary is treated under the Agricultural policies instead.

Agricultural designation

The plan discourages lot creation on prime farmland. It is only permitted for:

1. Agricultural uses, where the severed and retained lots are each at least 40.0 hectares.
2. Agriculture-related uses, on the smallest lot needed for the use and its services.
3. A residence that is surplus to a farming operation after a farm consolidation. The dwelling must have existed when the plan was adopted, be habitable and sit on a parcel that is actively farmed. The new lot is kept to the minimum size for the house and services, and the remaining farmland is rezoned to prohibit a new home.
4. Infrastructure that cannot use an easement or right-of-way.

Rural Residential, Settlement Areas and Rural Settlements

Lot creation is not permitted in the Rural Residential designation, which covers existing estate and country subdivisions. In Horseshoe Valley's Low Density Residential areas, new lots by consent are possible where a plan of subdivision is not needed. In Rural Settlements such as Shanty Bay, Hawkestone or Warminster, development is generally limited to infilling and minor extensions of existing neighbourhoods.

Tests that apply to every new lot

Before granting provisional consent, the township must be satisfied that both the severed and retained lots:

• Front on, and are accessed directly from, a public road maintained year-round.
• Do not take direct access to a provincial highway or County road unless that authority supports it.
• Have enough size and frontage under the zoning by-law, and can be serviced with water and sewage disposal.
• Will not harm drainage, groundwater, or ecological features (studies may be required).

New lots must be created outside natural hazards, including wetlands, and lots cannot be created on private roads, unopened road allowances, unassumed roads or roads maintained only part of the year. The township may require cash-in-lieu of parkland (its preferred option), road widenings and a development agreement registered on title. A plan of subdivision, rather than a consent, is generally required if a new road is needed or more than five lots (including the retained land) would be created.

Other kinds of consent

Consents can also be granted for easements, deed corrections, minor boundary adjustments and farm consolidations, as long as no new lot results. A boundary adjustment cannot create a building lot except where it gives a landlocked parcel frontage on a year-round maintained road. If two lots merged on title by accident, a "technical severance" can sometimes recreate the original lot, but not on Agricultural land, and only if it fronts a year-round public road and can be serviced.

Can I add a second dwelling or garage suite?

What the Official Plan allows

The Official Plan lists additional residential units (ARUs) as a permitted use in the Agricultural, Rural, Rural Residential and Horseshoe Valley Low Density Residential designations, among others, and Section 4.9 sets the rules. Where they are permitted:

• Up to two ARUs are allowed within a single detached, semi-detached or row house, and up to one in an accessory building, for a maximum of three units including the main dwelling.
• On Agricultural or Rural land, ARUs must be within the existing cluster of buildings and must meet Minimum Distance Separation.
• The lot needs adequate potable water and sewage disposal acceptable to the township, and frontage with an entrance onto a publicly maintained road.
• ARUs are not permitted in hazardous lands regulated by the conservation authority, including basements or accessory buildings on those lands.
• An ARU cannot be severed later, and surplus farm dwelling policies cannot be used to create a lot for one.
• The township may require the unit to be registered.

What today's zoning allows

Zoning By-law 97-95 has not caught up. Section 5.4 allows one apartment dwelling unit inside a single detached house in the Residential One (R1), Rural Residential One and Two (RUR1, RUR2) and Agricultural/Rural (A/RU) zones, if:

Requirement	Standard
Main house size	More than 110 m² (1,184 sq. ft.) gross floor area, not counting the apartment
Apartment size	At least 50 m² (538 sq. ft.) and no more than 70 m² (753.5 sq. ft.)
Entrance	Its own means of egress to the outside
Window	An above-grade window opening of at least 0.30 m²
Parking	One space per accessory apartment

The by-law does not provide for units in detached buildings, so owners have been applying for site-specific zoning amendments. One 2024 application, for example, sought to convert a temporary garden suite into an apartment in an oversized detached accessory building, with 87.6 m² of floor area where the standard is 70 m².

The proposed update (November 2026)

The township's zoning review put accessory residential units first on its priority list. A draft general amendment went to a public meeting on November 4, 2026. As drafted, it would:

• Allow up to two apartments in the main house, or one apartment plus one detached accessory dwelling unit, in the RUR1, RUR2 and A/RU zones (and in an R1 exception zone).
• Allow one apartment in a house in the R1, R2, Shoreline Residential, Residential Limited Service, Private Recreation and Institutional zones.
• Set minimum lot sizes of 0.18 hectares for an apartment and 0.32 hectares for a detached unit on private services, and 0.05 hectares on communal services.
• Require verification of septic capacity before a building permit on lots not on communal services.
• Cap units at 50% of the main dwelling's floor area or 110 m², whichever is greater, and limit detached units to 4.0 metres high (single storey) or 5.0 metres above another accessory use.
• Require the unit to share the main driveway, sit within 50 metres of the main house, and have one parking space.
• Permit mobile and modular homes, but not park model trailers, as detached units.

Council does not decide at a public meeting, and the draft may change. Check the township's Zoning By-law Review page or ask Planning whether the amendment has been passed before you plan around it.

Does the provincial three-unit rule apply?

Probably not on rural land. The Bill 23 changes that took effect November 28, 2022 allow up to three units per lot where residential uses are permitted in settlement areas with full municipal water and sewage services, overriding local rules there. Most rural Oro-Medonte properties have a private well and septic, so the township's own rules above govern.

Garden suites

A garden suite (a "granny flat") is a portable, detached unit with a kitchen and bathroom, and the Official Plan treats it as temporary, not as an ARU. It needs a site-specific temporary use by-law and an agreement with the township covering installation, removal, maintenance and securities. It can be approved for up to 20 years, with extensions of up to three years at a time. It cannot be rented for profit, is generally discouraged on Shoreline lots, is not allowed in hazardous lands, and may not be permitted if the lot already has an ARU. Garden suites also require site plan approval.

When do I need a minor variance instead?

If what you want is close to the zoning rules but not within them (a bigger garage than the 100 m² cap in the A/RU zone, a reduced setback, a slightly larger apartment), a minor variance may be the route. The Development Services Committee, acting as the committee of adjustment, can only grant a variance it finds is minor, desirable for the appropriate use of the land, and in keeping with the general intent of both the zoning by-law and the Official Plan. It can attach conditions, such as a development agreement or keeping existing trees. A change of use or something well outside the rules usually needs a zoning by-law amendment instead.

How the application process works

Timelines vary with the season, the hearing calendar and whether studies are needed. Ask Planning for current hearing dates when you file.

If you are buying a lot that depends on a severance or variance that has not been finalized, do not assume it will go through on schedule. Ask your lawyer how to structure the offer, for example making it conditional on the consent certificate being issued, and build a generous buffer into your closing date so a delayed hearing or an appeal does not leave you scrambling.

What does it cost in 2026?

Township fees from Schedule E of the Fees and Charges By-law (2025-129). Fees include applicable taxes.

Application	2026 fee
Pre-consultation (credited if you apply)	$770
Provisional consent	$2,567
Certificate of consent (retained lands) or cancellation	$257
Amendment to conditions of provisional consent	$1,027
Minor variance, minor	$1,027
Minor variance, major	$2,567
Zoning by-law amendment, minor	$4,107
Zoning by-law amendment, major	$7,458
Zoning by-law amendment as a condition of consent	$615
Temporary use by-law (for example, a garden suite)	$4,621
Development agreement	$2,050
Zoning certificate	$257

The township also requires refundable deposits of $2,500 for minor applications, $10,000 for major ones and $25,000 for combined applications. Budget separately for a surveyor, any planning consultant, studies, conservation authority review fees, parkland cash-in-lieu, and your lawyer.

How Jordan can help

Whether you are buying land with severance or second-unit potential, or selling a property where those rights affect value, the details above change the price. Jordan Rossman, a REALTOR® with Real Broker Ontario Ltd., Brokerage, can help you confirm a property's designation and zoning, connect you with planners and surveyors, and structure conditions so you are not paying for potential that may not be approved. Call 705-345-0797 to book a consultation.