Severances and Subdivisions

What is a land severance? A land severance is the authorized separation of a piece of land to form a new lot or a new parcel of land. This is commonly known as a consent. It is required, if you want to sell, mortgage, charge or enter into any agreement (at least 21 years) for a portion of your land. If a portion of property is being transferred between a property to an abutting property, a consent application is required for a lot addition. For a land severance or lot addition proposal to be approved, it must be consistent with the Provincial Planning Statement and conform to the Lanark County Sustainable Communities Official Plan and the Township Official Plan. Additionally, all severed and retained lots must adhere to the Township Zoning By-law Why do I need approval to sever my land? The indiscriminate division of land without anyone’s approval could have a long-term, negative impact on your community. For example, it could result in the over-extension of municipal services, such as snow plowing, school busing and garbage collection. Or it might result in damage to the natural environment because lots are too small to accommodate adequate sewage disposal systems. Official approval is required to ensure that: land severances are considered within an established community planning framework new lots and new land uses do not conflict with the overall future planning goals and policies of your community Consideration is given to the effects of the division of land on the site, on the neighbours and on the community as a whole. How do I apply for a severance? The County of Lanark was given approval authority for consents (severances) in June 1973. This task is handled by a Land Division Committee who meet monthly. Before you apply for a land severance, you must complete the pre-consultation with the Township’s Planner. They will be able to tell you how to apply, what supporting material you must submit (e.g. sketches, plans) if there are any special land severance requirements set out in the Official Plan and what other permits and approvals may be required. The Township’s pre-consultation fee is $400. The fee may be paid by cash, cheque, or debit. Cheques should be made payable to “Drummond/North Elmsley Twp” Further information and application forms are available on the Lanark County website. How is the severance application evaluated? In considering each application for land severance, the proposal is evaluated against criteria such as: conformity with the Official Plan and compatibility with adjacent uses of land compliance with local zoning by-laws suitability of the land for the proposed purpose, including the size and shape of the lot(s) being created adequacy of vehicular access, water supply, sewage disposal the need to ensure protection from potential flooding, etc. The application is reviewed by the Lanark County Land Division Committee with comments received from The Township of Drummond/North Elmsley, the applicable Conservation Authority, the Township’s Septic Department, and the public. What about conditions of severance approval? A severance approval may have certain conditions attached to it including requirements for road widening, parkland dedication, or a rezoning (or minor variance) to allow a new land use. In addition, the property owner may be required to enter into an agreement with the municipality to provide future services or facilities. Severance conditions must be met within two years. When all the conditions have been met by the applicant, a certificate is issued by Lanark County, and the severance goes into effect after it has been registered in the Land Registry Office. Additional Documents Lanark County Consent Application Lanark County Subdivision Application Form Citizen's Guide to Land Use Planning Minimum Distance Separation - Data Sheet

Severances and Subdivisions

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