Agri-Tourism and On-Farm Diversified Use Planning in Simcoe County
If you want to add a brewery, cidery, event venue or other agri-tourism business to your farm, you’ll likely need planning approvals before you can open. Morgan Planning & Development guides Simcoe County farm owners through those approvals, from the first conversation with municipal staff to approval. We’ve done this for Quayle’s Brewery in Simcoe County and Spy Cider House & Distillery in The Blue Mountains, and both are now operating as approved agri-tourism destinations.
What do we do for agri-tourism and on-farm projects?
We handle the planning side of adding a new use to a farm property. That includes:
- Zoning By-law Amendments. A ZBA changes the uses permitted on a property, or the standards that apply to it, such as setbacks or lot coverage. It must conform to the municipality’s official plan.
- Site plans. A site plan drawing shows the existing and proposed layout of your property: building placement, access, parking, landscaping, grading, servicing and stormwater management. Preparing a thorough site plan is an important first step in the approval process.
- Planning Justification Reports. A PJR explains why your proposal makes sense. It shows how the proposal fits provincial policy, the official plan and the zoning by-law, and gives a professional opinion that it represents good land use planning.
- Development feasibility analysis. Before you commit, we can assess the opportunities and constraints of your idea and its economic, environmental and planning context.
- Project management. We coordinate the other consultants an application may need, such as surveyors, civil engineers, architects, landscape architects, archaeologists and ecologists.
Why does an agri-tourism business need planning approval?
A farm property is zoned for agriculture, and a business that brings visitors onto the farm is a different use. Quayle’s Brewery needed a Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan Control approval before it could operate as an approved on-farm diversified use. Spy Cider House needed the same two approvals to add an event venue alongside its farm, cidery and distillery.
Every property and municipality is different. That’s why each project starts by confirming exactly which approvals apply.
How does the approval process work?
Here’s how we take an on-farm project from idea to approval.
- Discuss your project. Tell us what you want to build, your timeline and your budget.
- Pre-consultation. We set up and attend a pre-consultation meeting with municipal staff to confirm which applications and studies are needed. We also prepare the meeting minutes.
- Assemble the team. We bring in the surveyors, engineers, ecologists and other consultants your application needs, and manage their work.
- Prepare and file the applications. This usually means a Zoning By-law Amendment, a site plan and a Planning Justification Report, each written to the policies your municipality must apply.
- Public meetings and council. We present your proposal at public information meetings, council meetings and public hearings. If an application has to go to the Ontario Land Tribunal, our planners have presented independent professional opinions there as expert witnesses.
Planning an agri-tourism business on your farm? Tell us your timeline and budget.
Which on-farm projects have we worked on?
Quayle’s Brewery, Simcoe County. We worked with the owner of Quayle’s Brewery to secure approval of a Zoning By-law Amendment and a Site Plan Control application. The approvals established Quayle’s as an approved on-farm diversified use, allowing it to operate as a destination agri-tourism facility. Planning was led by Principal Planner Josh Morgan, MCIP, RPP.
Spy Cider House & Distillery, Township of The Blue Mountains. We acted as planning consultant and project manager to secure approval of a Zoning By-law Amendment and a Site Plan Control application. The amendment permitted an event venue designed to complement the existing farm operations, cidery and distillery. Planning was led by Senior Planner Vanessa Simpson, MCIP, RPP.
Who will work on your project?
Morgan Planning & Development is a land use planning firm based in Orillia. Joshua Morgan, RPP, MCIP, founded it in 2009. Our team of 10 includes several Registered Professional Planners. Senior Planner Jonathan Pauk, RPP, MCIP, holds a Master of Science in Rural Planning and Development from the University of Guelph and leads land development projects in urban and rural settings, working closely with municipalities and conservation authorities.
Frequently asked questions
What approvals do I need to open a brewery or event venue on my farm?
That depends on your property and your municipality’s official plan and zoning by-law. In both of our on-farm projects, the business needed a Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan Control approval. A pre-consultation meeting with municipal staff confirms what your project needs.
What is a zoning by-law amendment?
A zoning by-law amendment is a planning approval that changes the uses permitted on a property, or the standards that apply to it. It must conform to the municipality’s official plan.
What is a site plan?
A site plan is a drawing that shows the existing and proposed layout of a property, including buildings, access, parking, landscaping, grading, servicing and stormwater management.
Can you tell me whether my idea is worth pursuing before I apply?
Yes. A development feasibility analysis summarizes the opportunities and constraints of your idea so you can decide before committing to applications.
Do you work outside Simcoe County?
Yes. We work with clients across Ontario, including Muskoka, the Blue Mountains and the GTA.
Can I also sever part of my farm?
We handle lot severances, including surplus farm dwelling severances. See our lot severance services page.
Call 705-327-1873, email mcooper@morganplanning.ca, or tell us your timeline and budget online.
