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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Community Planning Permit By-law?
The Town of Huntsville's Zoning By-law was replaced with a Community Planning Permit By-law (CPP By-law) in July 2022 and it came into affect in January 2023. Similar to a Zoning By-law, the CPP By-law lays out the permitted uses and requirements for each lot within the Town. Instead of calling land use designations 'zones', they are now referred to as 'precincts'.

Learn more about these precincts and the By-law in general. 
How do I determine what precinct a property falls under?
To find what precinct your property falls under, please use the Town of Huntsville's mapping program.
  1. To do this, search for the property in question and then select it from the map.
  2. Select the CPP layer from the list.
  3. Once the CPP layer is on, clicking the property of interest will open an information box that will contain not only the CPP precinct but other information about the property as well.
  4. From here you can also click through to the appropriate section of the By-law and it will show the permitted uses.
How do I determine what a property is designated under the Official Plan (OP)? 
Official Plan (OP) designations can be identified using the Town of Huntsville Map by searching for the property of interest.
  • Properties are colour coded and can be compared to the legend for the Official Plan - 2019.
  • Both rural and waterfront designations do not have colours.
  • Waterfront is identified through a connection, either geographical or use, to the water.
  • If the property is grey and does not have this relationship with the water then it is designated Rural.
  • If you have any questions about identifying these designations please connect the Planning Department.

Additionally, if you click on the specific property, it will bring up an information window that contains a legal description, an OP designation and a Community Planning Permit precinct. From here you can click the link to the Official Plan in order to see what is allowed in that designation. From here please visit the Official Plan (Part C).
What is an Official Plan?
An Official Plan (OP) is a policy document that guides the short-term and long-term development in your community. It applies to all lands within the municipal boundary and the policies within it provide direction for the size and location of land uses, provisions for municipal services and facilities, protection of natural features, resources, and constraints, and preparation of regulatory by-laws to control the development and use of land.


Designations in the Official Plan classify land uses in certain areas of a municipality. To identify what designation your property falls under, you can find your property within the maps in Schedule A, B-1, or B-2. Learn more about the Official Plan Schedules.
How do I determine what is permitted on a property?
The first step is to identify which precinct the property falls under. This can be found on the Town of Huntsville's mapping system. From there proceed to the CPP By-Law Section 4- Precinct and Overlay Provisions to find the corresponding permitted uses.
What is a Woodland Retreat?
A Woodland Retreat is a building used for recreational activities such as hunting, which provides seasonal or temporary accommodation in a remote location where municipal or community services are usually not available. A woodland retreat does not include a dwelling or a commercial use. This use is sometimes referred to as a hunt camp.

The following Provisions apply to Woodland retreats:

  1. The minimum lot area shall be 4 hectares;
  2. The minimum setback from a watercourse shall be 30 m;

  3. The maximum floor area shall be 60 m²; and

  4. The property shall not have frontage on a year round municipally maintained road.
How do I determine the natural constraints on a property? 
On the Town of Huntsville’s Interactive Mapping (TOHM):
  1. Select "Official Plan - 2019".
  2. Then select the Schedule C - Natural Constraints layer.
  3. Within the Natural Constraints layer, it may be helpful to deselect some layers to show constraints hidden below. For example, deselecting the layer of “Cold Water Lake” would allow the mapping to show the “Fish Habitat” layer.
  4. Now refer to the Legend to identify the type of constraint.

Once a natural constraint has been identified, it is important to understand the related polices within the Official Plan and the CPP By-law when considering development on a lot. Natural constraints have been identified throughout the Municipality in the Official Plan. They are listed under Part B of the Official Plan and shown mapped on Schedule C.
Where do I find a property survey? 
The Town of Huntsville does not have surveys on file. Please contact a lawyer, mortgage company, or land surveyor to see if there is a copy available. If there is not then you will have to get a property survey yourself. If no survey is available, please contact an Ontario Land Surveyor.
What do I need to develop a property?
Development requirements vary based on the property and the proposal. Please review the following to determine if there are planning requirements for your property and the proposed development. 
  1. Review the online mapping to determine the Precinct.
  2. Review the Community Planning Permit (CPP) By-law to determine the permitted uses.

  3. Ensure all provisions will be met i.e. general provisions, parking requirements, lot requirements.

If development requires a CPP or other planning application, please request a pre-consultation or contact the Planning Department with any questions. 
How do I determine if a property has severance potential?
Both the new lot and the remaining property must meet the minimum lot requirements of their corresponding precinct(s) (frontage and area). They also both need to have frontage on and access to a year-round municipally maintained road.

This application needs a pre-consultation and Planning Staff will help identify what supporting materials you will to need to submit with the application.
How do I determine the municipal services available for a property?
Municipal services are under the jurisdiction of the District of Muskoka. Please contact the District for more information.
How do I submit a planning application?
Please complete a pre-consultation prior to any submission. This can be submitted through the online application forms or through the Cloud Permit portal when available. The application page provides general information and requirements regarding each application.
How do I find out more information about an easement or a rights of way?
Please contact a solicitor to discuss existing easements and/or rights of way.
How do I find previous files on a property?
Please submit a routine disclosure form with your detailed request.
What is an Original Shore Road Allowance and how do I purchase one?
An Original Shore Road Allowance (OSRA) is reserved along the shore of a navigable waterway by the Crown but not an allowance that has become a street. Purchasing an OSRA is often a condition of Planning approval. Learn more about our Original Shore Road Allowance process.
What is an Unopened Road Allowance and how do I purchase one?
An unopened road allowance is municipally owned land designated for public access but is not maintained or opened by the Town. Please contact the Legal and Agreements Coordinator for more information regarding the purchase of an unopened road allowance. Learn more about Road Allowances.
Can I build a tiny home?
The Huntsville CPP By-law does not have a minimum size requirement for dwellings, but the dwelling must comply with the Ontario Building Code and other provisions within the CPP By-law.
Can I park a trailer on vacant land?
Trailers are only permitted for temporary use when a building permit has been issued for construction and until the project is complete, or as temporary use for guest overflow on properties with an existing dwelling unit in Rural, Residential or Waterfront Residential precincts. Trailers cannot be parked on vacant land within the Town of Huntsville.
What is a title abstract?
A title abstract is also called a parcel register and can be obtained online from the Land Registry Office. It includes the legal description of the property, owner names, and a history of anything registered against the title of the property.
Is a secondary residential dwelling unit permitted on my property?
Identify property's precinct and refer to Section 4 "permitted accessory uses".
Can I run a short term rental accommodation (STRA) on my property?
Identify the property’s precinct and refer to Section 4 “permitted accessory uses”. An STRA is only permitted to operate from the principle dwelling structure on a property. STRAs cannot operate out of a secondary residential unit. Visit the Short Term Rental Accommodation Licensing webpage to learn more.
Where can I find the Property Standards Complaint form?
View the Property Standards Complaint form.
Where can I find the Compliance Report form?
View the Compliance Report form.
Cloudpermit FAQ and how to create a pre-consultation request.
All Planning applications in the Town of Huntsville will require pre-consultation prior to submission. The Town of Huntsville uses Cloudpermit for application submissions. To learn more, visit our Cloudpermit Guide & FAQ.
Are there any instructional videos on how to submit a planning application on Cloudpermit?

Yes, a Public Information Session was led by a Cloudpermit representative on June 5th, 2024 via Zoom. The Public Information Session includes details on how to submit planning pre-consultations, and applications. To watch the webinar, visit the Town of Huntsville YouTube Channel.