Mayor Marolyn Morrison — It’s easy to learn about the Town of Caledon’s various bylaws

May 29, 2014 · 0 Comments

A bylaw is a rule or law approved by municipal council to regulate matters that are within the Town’s legislative power.
A municipal bylaw is no different than any other law; it can be enforced with penalties, challenged in court and it must comply with other laws as laid out by provincial and federal legislation. Municipal bylaws are often enforceable through the public justice system, and offenders can be charged with a criminal offence for breaking a bylaw. Council gets its power to pass bylaws from the Municipal Act and other provincial legislation that specifies what things the Town can regulate — bylaws therefore are a form of delegated authority.
Common bylaws in Caledon regulate vehicle parking and stopping on roadways and other areas, animal control, building and construction, licensing, noise, zoning and business regulation. The range of bylaws in our community is very large and navigating through them can be very confusing at times. The Town website has a handy reference for you to review the most common ones. Simply go to the Town’s web page (www.caledon.ca) and type “bylaws” into the search field on the top right of the page, click on the first search result and it will take you directly to the list of Town bylaws.
The bylaws posted on the Town of Caledon web site are for reference purposes only, to obtain true and certified copies of any of the bylaws on the page, you should contact Legislative Services at 905-584-2272, ext. 2366.
Caledon’s Property Standards officers monitor properties and respond to complaints relating to maintenance and safety standards, sign regulations, building code violations, placement and removal of fill, management of woodlots and other Town bylaws. For enforcement-related enquiries, call 905-584-2272, ext. 3462 or visit the Regulatory and Inspection Services section for additional information (www.caledon.ca/en/townhall/enforcementcomplaints.asp).
Caledon’s Zoning Bylaw implements the policies set out in the Town’s Official Plan and divides the municipality into several land use zones. The Zoning Bylaw specifies the uses permitted (such as residential, commercial, industrial, etc.) and the development standards (such as building size, location, height, etc.) within each zone. The Town of Caledon has two Zoning Bylaws available on the Town’s website, as well as in compact disc and hard copy versions available at Town Hall. You can learn more about Caledon’s Zoning Bylaw by visiting the following webpage: http://caledon.ca/en/townhall/zoning.asp. General Zoning Bylaw inquiries can be made by calling the Town at 905-584-2272, ext. 4104.
Of course, Town Hall staff are available and delighted to help explain or guide you through these sometimes puzzling pieces of municipal legislation. I hope you take the time to explore these important documents; they exist to help deliver a prosperous future for our community and to safeguard our residents’ quality of life.