FAQs

A Municipal Plan sets out Council's policies for planning, use, and future development of land in the City of St. John's for a 10-year planning period. The Envision St. John's Municipal Plan planning period is 2021 to 2031. This includes private property and public property.

Development Regulations set out development standards and land-use zones. They implement the policies of the Municipal Plan and regulate the use of all land and property in the City of St. John’s -- both privately and publicly owned. The Envision St. John's Development Regulations can be found here.

Occasionally, a development may be proposed which does not meet the requirements of the City’s Municipal Plan or Development Regulations. Requests for changes to these documents are brought to Council for consideration and approval. Two types of amendments are recognized:

1. Map Amendment (Rezoning) - Changing the zoning (changing the Zoning Map), and in some cases, changing the Municipal Plan designation, to allow a proposed development which otherwise would have been turned down.

2. Text Amendment - Changing the text of the Development Regulations, and in some cases changing the Municipal Plan, to allow a proposed development which otherwise would have been turned down.