Do I Need a Wetland Permit?

If you are planning to work within 100 feet of a resource area, known as the Buffer Zone, or 200 feet of a river, stream, or vernal pool, known as the Riverfront Area, then you may need a permit to do any work. If you are within 25 feet of a resource area, then you should contact the Wetlands Administrator as this is a highly protected area called the No-Disturbance Zone.

If you are planning very minor alterations, light pruning of trees for example, you might not need a permit; but you should still contact the Wetlands Administrator before starting work. The committee is empowered to levy significant fines and request restorative work if un-permitted work is carried out.

What do I need a permit for:

Building
Dumping
Grading
Cutting
Tree removal
Excavation
Filling
Landscaping reconstruction
Making changes in stormwater discharge or drainage
Increasing impervious surface

Wetland Permit Options

  • Request for Determination of Applicability (RDA) – Request to determine whether the property or the project is subject to the Wetlands Protection Act or the Bylaw. For minor or emergency projects that will either have no effect or have a beneficial effect on the resource area.
  • Abbreviated Notice of Resource Area Delineation (ANRAD) – Requests that the Wetlands Protection Committee review and confirm the types/boundaries of Bylaw Resource Areas on a property. Committee only makes findings relative to the resources that the applicant sought confirmation for. Other types of resource areas may exist.
  • Notice of Intent (NOI) – Request for the Committee to review a proposed activity or project that is subject to the Wetlands Protection Act or Bylaw. For medium and large projects that will likely have an impact on the recourse area.
  • Certificate of Compliance (COC) – Closes out your order of conditions and removes the order from your deed. Must be filed for once the NOI project is complete.
  • Extension Permit – Allows for the extension of an Order of Conditions expiration date when a project cannot be completed in the given amount of time. Must be applied for at least 30 days prior to the expiration date.
  • Minor Plan Change – For changes in clerical errors only found in the Order of Conditions
  • Amended Order of Conditions (Amended OOC) – Allows for changes to an already approved project. Changes must result in either the same or less of an impact to the resource area(s).

Most Frequently Requested Permits