The Town of Sutton Adopts Its New Urban By-Laws
At the special meeting held on July 16, the Town council unanimously adopted its new Urban By-Laws. This major milestone marks the culmination of an extensive revision process, which began two and a half years ago, aimed at providing Sutton with a modernized regulatory framework that is consistent and adapted to both today’s realities and tomorrow’s challenges.
These regulations put into practice the guidelines of the new Urban Plan, which took effect last January, in order to guide decisions regarding land use, development, and protection for the coming years.
A rigorous and participatory process
The project was the subject of a preliminary public consultation, an official public consultation, and several working sessions of the Town council and administration, in collaboration with the RCM. The feedback received led to several adjustments to the draft by-laws prior to their final adoption, demonstrating the Town’s commitment to improving its regulations by taking into account the concerns expressed by residents.
“We are proud to have successfully completed this important process,” said Mayor Robert Benoît. “I would like to thank everyone who took the time to participate in the consultations and contribute to this collective effort. The adoption of these by-laws, which reflect the vision for the future set out in our Urban Plan, will enable us to guide the development of our territory in a structured and sustainable manner.”
The mayor also made a point of highlighting the tremendous work carried out by municipal staff to bring this major project to completion—notably Claude Théberge, Senior Urban Planner, and Harry Pressoir, Urban Adviser and Interim Director of Urban and Land-Use Planning Department, as well as Geneviève Bonnichon, Clerk and Director of Legal Affairs, and Caroline Cusson, Assistant Director General. Their dedication, thoroughness, and collaboration made it possible to coordinate the many legal, administrative, and technical steps leading to the adoption of these regulations.
Regulations Set to Change
However, it was noted that these new regulations are not set in stone. Like any regulatory framework, they will evolve as they are implemented, in response to needs observed in the field and emerging issues.
In particular, the Town will need to align its regulations with the Brome-Missisquoi RCM’s future revised Land Use and Development Plan once it takes effect. Adjustments and improvements may also be made over the next few years to ensure the continuous improvement of urban planning tools.
Next Steps
Subject to a moratorium until the MRC adopts the regulations, applications for permits and certificates of authorization must currently be reviewed based on the criteria of both the old and new regulations in question, depending on the circumstances. However, the issuance of permits has not been suspended.
The RCM is scheduled to adopt the new regulations at the Mayors’ Council meeting on August 25. Following that, the RCM will issue certificates of compliance that will formalize the entry into force of the new urban by-laws. As of the effective date, applications for permits and certificates of authorization will be governed exclusively by these new regulations.
In September, the Town is set to adopt the last two draft urban by-laws—namely, those repealing the regulations on conditional uses and comprehensive development plans (CDPs)—which were not adopted at the July 16 meeting. Their adoption was deliberately delayed so as not to hinder the issuance of permits during the moratorium period.
A New impulse for the Urban and Land-Use Planning Department
The Town is eagerly awaiting the arrival, on August 5, of its new Director of the Urban and Land-Use Planning Department, Charlotte Gagnon-Ferembach, whose appointment was announced at the July 8 municipal council meeting.
Her arrival will strengthen the team and allow us to continue our efforts to provide high-quality support to residents at a time when the department has been under significant strain in recent months, particularly due to the revision of the urban plan and regulations, and significant pressure regarding permit and certificate applications.
With this new resource and the upcoming implementation of the new urban regulations, the Town is embarking on a new phase that will facilitate a gradual return to a level of service that meets residents’ expectations.
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Here are the new municipal Urban By-Laws adopted on July 16, 2026, pending adoption by the RCM (documents are in French only):
- No. 358 – DRAFT – Zoning By-Law and its Appendices (replacing By-Law No. 115)
- No. 359 – DRAFT – Subdivision By-Law (replacing By-Law No. 116)
- No 360 – DRAFT – Building By-Law (Replacing By-Law No. 117)
- No 361 – DRAFT – By-Law Concerning Minor Exemptions (Replacing By-Law No. 119)
- No 362 – DRAFT – By-Law on Specific Projects Involving the Construction, Modification, or Occupancy of a Building (PPCMOI) (Replacing By-Law No. 220)
- No. 363 – DRAFT – By-Law on Permits and Certificates (Replacing By-Law No. 251)
All documents related to the reviewing process, public consultations, and presentations are available on the Dream Sutton platform.