Hi,
I have been investigating properties with land available in Ontario. I would like to possibly run a commercial business from the property, as well as living there, but when I look at some of the properties available, they are classed with a "Residential Zoning". Does anyone have any idea if this means that I would be unable to run a commercial business from this property? If so, how would I go about applying for permission to use a property in this way? Has anyone out there done anything similar?

thanks

To the best of my knowledge, you will need a permit from the local town offices. Depending on your business idea, they may well turn you down. Some neighbours of mine in a residential part of the city told me that if you get caught without a permit, you really get hammered. Have a look at the provincial government site for your chosen area, they ma well have a contact you could email. Alternatively, your realtor should be able to point you in the right direction.

thanks smokey - I'll bear that in mind,

sorry i dont have any experience of the canadian system but i am chartered uk planner. when you say run a commercial operation from a residential property, what exactly do you mean. i know in england you can operate a business from a house as long as the activities of the business are ancillary to the main use of the building as a dwelling i.e. it doenst preven you having a study that you work from but that the study is still not the main use. if you are proposing to have huge articualted lorries visiting the house then you would need a permit to change the zoning that exists. again depending on what the future intended use will determine what the likely chances of being successful are. sorry that probably isnt much help.

Well, without being too specific, I was thinking of something along the lines of a retail/cafe type business.

Have a look here

http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/userfiles/H..._1_8522_1.html

the mah site is quite comprehensive but I couldn't find the zoning definitions. I have found them once a number of months ago....somewhere

Sadly here you need a permit for everything and anything you can think of...of course theres a charge with each permit issued. Any work you do inside a house like replacing the kitchen or electrical work...permit. New deck...permit. Got a cold?...permit. So once you have your permit and the works completed, the local planning officer (or whatever they're called) visits and puts up your property tax. I can't remember the details but a man built a house on the Saskatchewan River but he built it on the flood line and had to remove the building. Yup just like England but with more permits :scared: