Timetable for Adoption of New Urban By-Laws

Stage 1
May 27, 2026 | Special meeting – Tabling of new draft urban by-laws

Firstly, at the special meeting of May 27, 2026, the members of the municipal council will adopt six new draft urban by-laws and two repeal by-laws. These will replace the existing by-laws and will reflect, in standards and criteria, the new orientations and objectives of the Urban Plan in force since January.

No later than May 29, the eight draft by-laws listed below will be available for consultation on the Dream Sutton website, in the project entitled Urban Plan and By-Laws Revision Process, in the mauve “Documents” section:

• Draft by-law replacing the zoning by-law;
• Draft by-law replacing the subdivision by-law;
• Draft by-law replacing the by-law respecting the issuance of permits and certificates;
• Draft by-law replacing the building by-law;
• Draft by-law replacing the by-law concerning minor exemptions;
• Draft by-law replacing the by-law respecting specific construction, alteration or occupancy proposals for an immovable (PPCMOI);
• Draft by-law repealing the conditional use by-law;
• Draft by-law repealing the by-law on comprehensive development plans.

Please note that the revision of the Site and architectural integration plan By-Law (PIIA) has been postponed to fall 2026/winter 2027, so that the freeze on permit and certificate applications does not compromise or delay applications for construction projects in preparation, which are more numerous during the summer (see below: “Permit freeze”).

2nd stage
May 29 to June 18, 2026 | Public pre-consultation

From May 29 to June 18, the public will have the opportunity to communicate directly with the Urban and Land-Use Planning Department: after reading the draft by-laws posted online, you can submit your questions and comments by e-mail to [email protected], or request an appointment in person by calling 450 538-2290, option 1.

More detailed information on the pre-consultation process will be provided at the same time as the documents are put online.

Stage 3
June 25, 2026 | Official public consultation

As stipulated in the Act respecting land use planning and development (LAU), a public consultation meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 25, 2026, at 7 p.m., at the Town Hall, at which the eight draft urban by-laws will be presented.

Following the presentation, a question period will allow individuals or organizations to express their views publicly.

The session will be recorded and made available online on our YouTube channel.

Stage 4
June 30, 2026 | Special meeting – Notice of motion for new urban by-laws

Prior to the adoption of the final by-laws, the members of the municipal council will give, at the special meeting of June 30, 2026, a notice of motion for each of the new urban planning by-laws. These notices of motion will automatically freeze the issuance of permits and certificates.

Under normal circumstances, notices of motion would have been given at the same time as adoption of the draft by-laws, i.e. on May 27. They are given one month later, on June 30, in order to limit the effects of the freeze to just two months (see “Permit freeze” below).

Step 5
July 8, 2026 | Regular meeting – Adoption of urban by-laws

At the end of the official public consultation, and after considering the comments made by citizens, the eight draft by-laws will be adopted at the regular council meeting of July 8, 2026. They will then come into force as soon as they have been approved by the Brome-Missisquoi RCM, towards the end of August.

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Permit freeze as of June 30: What you need to know

In accordance with the Act respecting land use planning and development, the revision of the urban by-laws will result in an automatic and mandatory freeze on certain permit and certificate applications as of June 30, 2026, the date on which notices of motion are given, indicating the municipal council’s intention to adopt the by-laws. This freeze will be maintained until the by-laws come into force in the end of August. The Town has no discretionary power in this regard.

Freezing effects apply as follows:

• Zoning:

Everything that will be prohibited in the future zoning by-law will be frozen from June 30 until the by-law comes into force.

However, for the duration of the freeze, regular permit applications that comply with existing bylaws (e.g. construction, renovation, subdivision, etc.) will be analyzed in light of both the current by-law and the draft by-law. If the draft by-law prohibits what is requested, the freeze will automatically apply (article 114, LAU).

• Subdivision:

As with the zoning by-law, any cadastral operation prohibited in the future by-law will be subject to a freeze (article 117, LAU). Applications will be analyzed in parallel according to both the current and draft by-laws.

Submit your permits in advance to avoid the freezing period!
Depending on the nature of the requests, the Town of Sutton recommends that citizens submit their documents as soon as possible, before the above deadlines. Complete and compliant permit applications submitted before June 30 can be processed according to the usual deadlines.

If you have any further questions, please contact the Urban and Land-Use Planning Department by e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone at 450 538-2290, option 1.