Custom homes in Aurora
A town with established neighbourhoods, a heritage district and its own rules for new houses on older streets.
Building in Aurora: who decides what
- Zoning
- Town of Aurora Comprehensive Zoning By-law 6000-17.
- Stable Neighbourhoods
- Added limits on the height and size of new houses in Aurora Heights, Regency Acres, Temperance Street and Town Park.
- Heritage
- Northeast Old Aurora Heritage Conservation District, designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act.
- Conservation authority
- Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority for most of the town.
- Minor variances
- Town of Aurora Committee of Adjustment.
What building in Aurora involves
In 2019 Aurora amended its zoning by-law for four older neighbourhoods: Aurora Heights, Regency Acres, Temperance Street and Town Park. The amendment limits the height and size of new houses there, and the Town has design guidelines for the same streets. A replacement house in one of these areas is designed to those limits from the start.
Northeast Old Aurora is a heritage conservation district. Owners there need approval for new construction, exterior alterations and demolition.
Part of the town is on the Oak Ridges Moraine, and lots near the creeks and valleys are regulated by the conservation authority. Both are checked in the zoning review.
What the zoning by-law controls
The standards differ by zone and by municipality. The questions are the same on every lot.
- Lot frontage and areaSet which zone standards apply.
- Front yardMinimum distance from the street line.
- Side yardsMinimum distance to each side lot line.
- Rear yardMinimum distance to the back lot line.
- Lot coverageShare of the lot that buildings may cover.
- Driveway and landscapingDriveway width and soft landscaping in the front yard.
- Building heightMeasured from established grade as the by-law defines.
What we build in Aurora
- Custom homesNew houses on lots in Aurora, from zoning review to occupancy.Details
- Renovations and additionsRear, side and second-storey additions and full-house renovations.Details
- Interiors and millworkKitchens, panelling, closets and built-ins.Details
- Landscaping and outdoor livingGrading, planting, terraces, pools, pool houses and loggias.Details
Aurora questions
Is my street in a Stable Neighbourhood?
The Town’s zoning maps show the four areas. We confirm it for your lot before design starts.
Do the Stable Neighbourhoods rules stop me from rebuilding?
No. They limit the height and size of a new house and how it sits on the lot. We design to those limits, and where a design needs relief the Committee of Adjustment can consider a minor variance.
Do you work in Newmarket and Stouffville?
Yes. We take projects across York Region.
Sources
- Town of Aurora, Comprehensive Zoning By-law 6000-17 and its 2019 Stable Neighbourhoods amendment
- Town of Aurora, Northeast Old Aurora Heritage Conservation District
- Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority
Checked against these sources on . This page is general information about building in Ontario. It is not legal advice, and the rules change, so confirm the current requirement for your project.
