Custom homes in Richmond Hill
A city partway through a change of zoning by-law, with the Oak Ridges Moraine across its north end.
Building in Richmond Hill: who decides what
- Zoning
- Comprehensive Zoning By-law 93-25, adopted by Council on September 24, 2025. It is the city’s first comprehensive zoning by-law.
- Status
- The Ontario Land Tribunal approved the by-law in part on July 2, 2026. The City’s appeal index lists the sections and lands still under appeal.
- Minor variances
- City of Richmond Hill Committee of Adjustment.
- Oak Ridges Moraine
- The north of the city is on the moraine, and the by-law zones moraine and Greenbelt lands for protection.
- Conservation authority
- Toronto and Region Conservation Authority for most of the city, for lots near valleys, streams and wetlands.
- Construction hours
- Not allowed from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Monday to Saturday, or at any time on Sundays and statutory holidays.
What building in Richmond Hill involves
Richmond Hill adopted its first comprehensive zoning by-law, By-law 93-25, in September 2025, to bring the many by-laws that applied to different parts of the city into one. It was appealed, and the Ontario Land Tribunal approved it in part on July 2, 2026.
That makes the first question on a Richmond Hill lot which rules apply to it. The City publishes an office consolidation of By-law 93-25 with an index of the sections and properties still under appeal, and we check the lot against both before design starts.
The north of the city lies on the Oak Ridges Moraine, and lots beside streams, valleys and wetlands are regulated by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. Both can limit where a house, a pool or an addition can go.
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 Richmond Hill
- Custom homesNew houses on lots in Richmond Hill, 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
Richmond Hill questions
Which zoning by-law applies to my lot in Richmond Hill?
By-law 93-25 for most of the city, except where a section or a property is still under appeal at the Ontario Land Tribunal. The City’s appeal index lists them, and the zoning review confirms the position for your lot.
Does the new by-law change what I can build?
It can, because it replaced the standards for the whole city. A lot that met the old standards may not meet every new one, and the other way round. The zoning review tells you which standards your lot is under now.
When can construction start in Richmond Hill?
At 7 a.m., Monday to Saturday, and it has to stop by 7 p.m. Construction noise is not allowed on Sundays or statutory holidays.
Sources
- City of Richmond Hill, Comprehensive Zoning By-law 93-25, appeal index (office consolidation of August 31, 2026)
- Ontario Construction News, Richmond Hill adopts first comprehensive zoning by-law
- City of Richmond Hill, Residential Project Guidelines (construction noise)
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.
