If you're a real estate developer in Toronto or anywhere in Ontario, you've likely encountered the dreaded Site Plan Approval (SPA) delay.

You submit your application thinking everything checks out. Zoning is met.Drawings are complete. But then the city pushes back with rounds of comments —or worse, an outright rejection.
Why does this happen so often?

Through my work with small to mid-size developers across the region, I’ve seen a consistent pattern. Here are the three most common reasons site plans get rejected — and how you can avoid them by thinking ahead during the schematic phase.

1. Assuming Zoning Compliance Means Approval

Zoning tells you what’s permitted. But planning departments evaluate more than just numbers. They look at the building’s context — height relative to neighbors, shadow impacts, transitions, massing character, and urban design guidelines. A proposal that technically meets zoning but lacks sensitivity to its surroundings may still be flagged.

In one recent project, I helped a client step back the upper storey and introduce more articulation. That minor massing tweak helped gain immediate support from planners.

2. Incomplete or Unclear Access and Circulation

Fire routes, waste pickup paths, parking strategies — these elements must be clearly illustrated. If your site plan shows a driveway and says 'garbage TBD,' expect delays. City reviewers need to visualize how your building actually works.

I once resolved a fire route issue for a developer by sketching a turn around loop within an existing easement — saving them a costly redesign.

3. Weak Public Realm or Street Interface

Especially in urban infill, planners want to see how your building supports walkability and human-scale design. A dead façade or blank wall at grade might comply with code, but it won’t pass the SPA filter without questions.

Even adding a low planter or recessed entry can go a long way in showing that your design respects the street.

The Solution: Zoning-Informed Feasibility Sketches

Before full design begins, I help developers create simple schematic sketches —showing massing, access, and constraints overlaid with real zoning metrics.

These aren’t pretty renderings. They’re fast, functional diagrams that anticipate problems *before* they become rejections.

If you'd like to see an example, I’ve created a one-page flyer showing how this early-phase work avoids delays. Send me a quick message and I’ll share it.

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Ready to reduce the risk of rejection and keep your project moving?

Schedule a free feasibility assessment>> press here‍