How to Draw a Site Plan for a Building Permit in Whitby

If you are preparing a residential building permit application in Town of Whitby, the site plan is the drawing that shows the Town where the work will sit on your property. Town of Whitby's residential permit documentation asks for site plans for projects such as detached additional dwelling units, accessory structures, detached garages, attached garages, carports, decks, ramps, and porches.

This guide explains how to draw a site plan for a residential building permit in Town of Whitby, what the drawing should show for common homeowner projects, and when it is better to start from a property survey instead of an approximate sketch.

New to site plans?

If this is your first one, read what a site plan is and why you need one in Ontario first. It covers how a site plan differs from a survey, a floor plan and an elevation, what setbacks and easements actually mean, and why municipalities ask for the drawing at all. Then come back here for what Town of Whitby expects on top of that.

Do you need a site plan?

You usually need a site plan when your Town of Whitby project changes the outside of the property or adds something with a specific location on the lot. Town of Whitby's e-portal documentation requirements (PDF) list site plans for detached additional dwelling units, accessory structures, detached and attached garages, carports, decks, ramps, and porches. For a pool, see the pool enclosure permit application guide (PDF).

For those projects, the site plan should make the lot layout easy to review. Show the property lines, the existing structures, the proposed work, and the setback dimensions. For a detached additional dwelling unit, also show the location and dimensions of parking spaces.

If your project is a pool enclosure or another exterior project, check the Town of Whitby permit guide for that project before submitting. The same site plan basics still help: show where the work is going, what is already nearby, and the measurements that matter.

Create a site plan for free using HomeCat that gets your residential building permit approved in Town of Whitby. Get started

Site plan requirements for residential building permits in Town of Whitby

Town of Whitby's listed residential site plan requirements are concise, so the safest approach is to make the drawing clear and measured. For the covered project types, include:

• All property lines
• Existing structures on the property
• The proposed deck, ramp, porch, garage, carport, accessory structure, or detached additional dwelling unit
• The dimensions of the proposed work
• Setback dimensions from the proposed work to the property lines
• Parking space locations and parking space dimensions for a detached additional dwelling unit
• Street name, driveway location, and north arrow when they help orient the drawing
• Any nearby existing structure that affects the project location

Use the Town of Whitby instructions for your permit type first. If the checklist only says that a site plan is required, make the site plan answer the basic review questions: where is the work, how large is it, what is already on the lot, and how far is the work from the property lines?

Decks, ramps, and porches

For a deck, ramp, or porch, show the existing house and the side of the house where the work will attach or sit. Draw the proposed deck, ramp, or porch, label it as proposed, and write the size of the work directly on the plan.

Add setback dimensions from the proposed work to the closest property lines. If the deck, ramp, or porch is near an existing driveway, garage, shed, fence, or other structure, show that nearby item so the reviewer can understand the project area.

Accessory structures, detached garages, attached garages, and carports

For an accessory structure, detached garage, attached garage, or carport, the site plan should clearly show all property lines, existing structures, and the proposed structure. Add the proposed structure dimensions and the setback dimensions to the property lines.

Detached structures need especially clear placement because the reviewer has to understand how the new building sits in the yard. Attached garages and carports should show the relationship to the existing house, driveway, and property lines.

Detached additional dwelling units

For a detached additional dwelling unit, Town of Whitby's documentation asks for a site plan that clearly indicates all property lines, existing structures, setback dimensions, and the location and dimensions of parking spaces.

Make the detached unit easy to find on the drawing, then show how it relates to the existing house, driveway, parking area, and property lines. Label each parking space and write its dimensions on the plan.

How to draw your Town of Whitby site plan

The quickest route is to create a site plan with HomeCat — walk your property with your phone and get a permit-ready drawing back, free.

If you would rather draw it yourself, our DIY guide to drawing a site plan in Ontario covers all three methods step by step: from a survey, from a Google Maps screenshot, or by hand.

Town of Whitby does not require a survey-based drawing for every residential permit, so a Google Maps screenshot or a hand-drawn plan is usually enough for a straightforward deck, ramp, porch, or accessory structure — just label approximate lines as approximate. Because the Town asks you to clearly indicate all property lines and setback dimensions, use the survey method when the work sits close to a lot line or the lot shape is uncertain. Google Maps does not show legal property lines, so it cannot support an exact setback.

If you do not have a survey, start with your closing documents, then ask your real estate lawyer, closing agent, or mortgage company. You can also submit a Freedom of Information request to Town of Whitby. Before paying for a new survey, read our guide to getting a property survey in Ontario.

Whichever method you use, show the street name and the driveway so the reviewer can orient the lot, and give the setback that remains after the work is built rather than only the existing one — if the rear wall of the house is 10 metres from the rear property line and you add a 3 metre deep deck, write the resulting 7 metre rear setback on the plan. For a detached additional dwelling unit, draw each parking space, label it, and write its dimensions.

Create a site plan for free using HomeCat that gets your residential building permit approved in Town of Whitby. Get started

Common site plan mistakes that delay your residential building permit in Town of Whitby

Most site plan delays come from leaving out the information the reviewer needs to locate the work on the property. Before submitting, check that the drawing answers the basic Town of Whitby site plan requirements.

Missing property lines

Town of Whitby's site plan instructions ask applicants to clearly indicate all property lines. Do not show only the proposed work area. Draw the full lot outline so the setbacks make sense.

Missing existing structures

Show the existing house and other existing structures that affect the project, such as garages, sheds, decks, porches, carports, and driveways. A proposed structure without the existing context is harder to review.

Missing setback dimensions

Write the setback dimensions from the proposed work to the property lines. If the project is close to a lot line, use a survey or another reliable source so the measurement is not just a guess.

Leaving out parking spaces for a detached additional dwelling unit

For a detached additional dwelling unit, Town of Whitby's site plan requirement includes the location and dimensions of parking spaces. Draw the spaces, label them, and write their dimensions on the plan.

Not labelling the proposed work

Label the proposed item clearly. The reviewer should not have to guess whether a rectangle is a deck, ramp, porch, garage, carport, accessory structure, or detached additional dwelling unit.

Frequently asked questions about site plans

Can homeowners prepare and submit their own drawings in Town of Whitby?

Yes. In Ontario, homeowners can generally prepare drawings for a house they own because the Ontario Building Code exempts design work for "a house owned by the person" from the usual designer qualification requirements under Division C, Article 3.2.5.1.(3)(b)(i). Town of Whitby can still require drawings that are complete, dimensioned, and clear enough for permit review.

What if Town of Whitby asks me to fill out Schedule 1: Designer Information?

For the design activities section, select House and describe the project, such as "deck," "porch," "garage," "carport," or "accessory structure."

Under the designer declaration, choose The design work is exempt from the registration and qualification requirements of the Building Code. For the basis of exemption, enter Homeowner.

Where can I get a legal property survey in Town of Whitby?

Start with your closing documents, then ask your real estate lawyer, closing agent, or mortgage company. If you still cannot find a survey, submit a Freedom of Information request to Town of Whitby.

Read our Ontario ultimate guide for getting a property survey before paying for a new survey.

Does my survey need to be recent?

An older survey prepared by a licensed Ontario Land Surveyor can still be useful if it shows the property lines and existing conditions accurately enough for your project. Update the site plan so it reflects current structures, driveways, parking spaces, and the proposed work. If the lot or building layout has changed a lot, confirm with Town of Whitby before relying on the old survey.

Can I use Google Maps for my Town of Whitby site plan?

Use Google Maps only as a starting point when the Town has not required a survey-based drawing and the project is not close to a property line. Google Maps does not show legal property lines, so it is not a reliable source for exact setbacks.

What if Town of Whitby rejects my site plan?

Read the review comments and revise the drawing to answer each item directly. Common fixes include adding missing property lines, existing structures, setback dimensions, proposed work dimensions, or parking space dimensions for a detached additional dwelling unit.

How can I verify the site plan is correct?

Compare your drawing against the Town of Whitby permit instructions for your project type. Make sure the site plan clearly indicates all property lines, existing structures, proposed work, and setback dimensions. For a detached additional dwelling unit, also confirm that parking space locations and dimensions are shown.

You can also contact Town of Whitby before submitting and ask whether your drawing includes enough information for review.

When do I need a survey or professional drawing?

Use a survey when the proposed work is close to a property line, when the lot shape is unclear, when you need reliable setback dimensions, or when Town of Whitby asks for one. You may need a professional drawing when the project is complex, structural, engineered, or outside the usual homeowner-prepared drawing scope.

Conclusion

A good beginner site plan for Town of Whitby does not need to be complicated. It needs to show the property lines, existing structures, proposed work, and the setback dimensions that matter for your residential building permit. For detached additional dwelling units, add the parking space locations and dimensions so the site plan answers the local checklist clearly.

Create a site plan for free using HomeCat that gets your residential building permit approved in Town of Whitby. Get started