Bayfield Settlement Area Secondary Plan

What is the Bayfield Secondary Plan?

The Bluewater Official Plan guides development in all areas of Bluewater. The Secondary Plan provides policies and details for development specific to the Bayfield community. The goal of the Secondary Plan is to help manage change and to respect the character of Bayfield. 

Implementing the Secondary Plan

An amendment to the official plan and zoning by-law is required to implement the document approved by Council. This is the process by which the Secondary Plan direction is formally adopted under the Planning Act through policy, zoning provisions and mapping.

The Secondary Plan was approved by Council as of February 6th, 2023, following public consultation and collaboration between Council, municipal and County staff, a citizen advisory committee and the community. On November 6th, 2023, Council passed By-law 105-2023 and By-law 106-2023 to bring into effect the changes to the Official Plan and Zoning By-law. The Secondary Plan as approved by Council in February 2023 has now been amended. The changes include:

• Remove proposed Core Commercial designations from 1 Jane Street and 11 Main Street South;
• Remove Holding Zone from Lot 1 of Plan 618 which now fronts onto Deer Ridge lane;
• Revisit proposed zoning for 2 Sarnia Street and 5 and 7 Mill Road, commercial storage units will be permitted on the property apart from along the most visible frontage (County Road 3/Mill Road). A 20 metre setback from the County Road will be required for the commercial storage use; other uses permitted within the C3 zone can utilize this frontage.

For the official plan amendment, changes are not formally approved until County Council makes a decision on December 6th, 2023. The County will issue a written notice of its decision to the Municipality of Bluewater and the prescribed person(s) or public bodies no later than 15-days after its decision. There is a 20-day appeal period. If no appeals are received within the appeal period, the by-laws will be in effect as of the date of passing.

Open house and public meeting

As part of the amendment process, an open house and public meeting was held. The proposed Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment were considered under Sections 17 and 34 of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, as amended, at the public meeting. This was followed by Council adopting the amended proposed by-laws for Official Plan OPA23 and Zoning By-law Z07-2023 on November 6th, 2023. Changes to the official plan amendment are not formally approved until County Council makes a decision on December 6th, 2023. There is a 20-day appeal period. If no appeals are received during the appeal period, the by-laws will be in effect as of the date of passing.

More information about the Secondary Plan can be found in these links:

• Notice of open house and public meeting
• Bayfield Secondary Plan (approved February 2023)
• Official plan amendment By-law 106-2023
• Zoning by-law amendment By-law 105-2023
• Planned Bayfield background report

If you would like additional information relating to the Secondary Plan, it is available for inspection during regular office hours at the municipal office, 14 Mill Avenue, Zurich and the Huron County Planning and Development Department, 57 Napier Street, 2nd floor, Goderich (1-888-524-8394 ext. 3).