Related documents
Cape Town
South Africa
South Africa
Municipal Planning By-law, 2015
- Published in Western Cape Provincial Gazette 7414 on 29 June 2015
- Assented to on 25 March 2015
- Commenced on 1 July 2015 by Municipal Planning: Commencement
- [This is the version of this document from 3 February 2020 and includes any amendments published up to 7 March 2025.]
- [Amended by Municipal Planning By-law: Amendment on 1 July 2016]
- [Amended by Municipal Planning By-law: Second Amendment on 18 November 2016]
- [Amended by Municipal Planning By-law: Amendment on 12 May 2017]
- [Amended by Municipal Planning By-law: Amendment on 3 February 2020]
Preamble
WHEREAS section 156(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 confers on municipalities the executive authority and right to administer local government matters set out in (Act 16 of 2013) and the Western Cape Provincial Legislature has enacted the Land Use Planning Part B of Schedule 4 and Part B of Schedule 5 to the Constitution;WHEREAS Part B of Schedule 4 to the Constitution lists municipal planning as a local government matter;WHEREAS section 156(2) of the Constitution empowers municipalities to make and administer laws for the effective administration of matters that it has the right to administer;WHEREAS Parliament has enacted the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act, 2013 (Act 16 of 2013) and the Western Cape Provincial Legislature has enacted the Land Use Planning Act (Act 3 of 2014), which among other things set out development principles which apply to all organs of state responsible for the implementation of legislation regulating the use and development of land;WHEREAS section 2(2) of the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (Act 16 of 2013) permits other legislation to prescribe an alternative or parallel mechanism, measure, institution or system on spatial planning, land use, land use management and land development in a manner consistent with the provisions of that Act, and the City intends through this By-Law to prescribe such a mechanism, measure, institution and system;WHEREAS the City intends to regulate and control municipal planning matters within the geographical area of the City.AND NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED by the Council of the City of Cape Town as follows:Chapter 1
Definitions
1. Definitions
In this By-Law, unless the context indicates otherwise –"adopt", in relation to a spatial development framework, development management scheme, policy or strategy, means the approval thereof by the City;"advisory panel" means the advisory panel contemplated in section 121;"appeal authority" means the appeal authority contemplated in section 114(3);"applicant" means a person contemplated in section 40;"approval" means permission granted in terms of this By-Law and includes the conditions of approval;"authorised official" means an employee of the City responsible for carrying out any duty or function or exercising any power in terms of this By-Law and includes an employee delegated or designated to carry out or exercise such duty, function or power;"base zoning" means the zoning before the application of any overlay zoning and may include a subzoning as contemplated in the development management scheme;"certificate of registered title" has the meaning contemplated in the Deeds Registries Act No. 47 of 1937;[definition of "certificate of registered title" inserted by section 1(a) of the Amendment By-law, 2019]"City" means the municipality of the City of Cape Town established by Government Notice No 479 of 2000 issued in terms of section 12 the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 (Act 117 of 1998), and where the context so requires, includes –(a)the Municipal Council;(b)another political structure or a political office bearer of the City, authorised or delegated to perform a function or exercise a power in terms of this By-Law;(c)the Municipal Planning Tribunal authorised or delegated to perform a function or exercise a power in terms of this By-Law;(d)the City Manager; and(e)an authorised official;"City Manager" means the person appointed as the accounting officer of the City in terms of section 54A of the Municipal Systems Act;"commencement of construction" means to have begun a continuous programme of physical, on-site construction in accordance with building plans approved in terms of the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act, 1977, and which has gone beyond site clearing, excavation or digging trenches in preparation for foundations;"community facilities" includes play equipment, street furniture, crèches, clinics, sports fields, indoor sports facilities and community halls;"consent use" means a land use permitted in terms of a particular zoning with the approval of the City;"councillor" means a member of the Municipal Council;"date of notification" means the date contemplated in section 111(6);"Deeds Registries Act" means the Deeds Registries Act, 1937 (Act 47 of 1937);"Department" means the directorate of the City responsible for spatial planning, land use management and building development management;"departure" means a permanent departure or a temporary departure;"determination" includes any conditions associated with the determination;"development charge" means a once-off charge imposed by the City on a developer as a condition of approval of a land development application in order to cover the cost of municipal engineering services required as a result of an intensification of land use;"development edge line" means a demarcated edge line as depicted in the municipal spatial development framework;"development management scheme" means the development management scheme contemplated in section 26(2);"development rule" means a provision, restriction or condition in the development management scheme that sets out the permissible extent of the land use in terms of a zoning;"deviation" in relation to a spatial development framework, means(a)an approval which departs from the provisions of the municipal spatial development framework contemplated in section 22(2) of SPLUMA;(b)a deviation from the provisions of the municipal spatial development framework authorised by section 9(1) of this By-Law; or(c)a deviation from the provisions of a district spatial development framework or local spatial development framework authorised by section 16(2)(b) of this By-Law;and "deviate" has a corresponding meaning;"diagram" means a diagram as defined in section 1 of the Land Survey Act;"district spatial development framework" means a district spatial development framework contemplated in section 11;"effective date of decision" means the date contemplated in section 105(2);"engineering service" means a system for the provision of water, electricity, gas, roads or storm water drainage, or collection and removal of solid waste or sewerage, required for the purpose of land development;"engineering services agreement" means an agreement between an applicant and the City in cases where an applicant constructs or installs external engineering services in lieu of the payment in full or in part of a development charge and in which the parties agree on their respective roles in the construction, installation and financing of infrastructure, including their respective responsibilities for maintenance and upkeep of infrastructure from the date of installation to the date of transfer of the land;"general plan" means a general plan as defined in section 1 of the Land Survey Act;"Integrated Development Plan" means the plan envisaged in section 25 of the Municipal Systems Act;"land development" means the erection of a building or structure on land or the change in use of land, including township establishment, the rezoning, the subdivision or consolidation of land or any deviation from the land use or use permitted in terms of the development management scheme, and "development of "land" and "develop land" have corresponding meanings;"land" means any land unit or any portion of a land unit, and includes any improvement or building on the land and any real right in land;"land unit" means a portion of land registered or capable of being registered in a deeds registry and may include a portion of land to which a registered servitude right or registered lease relates;[definition of "land unit" substituted by section 1(b) of the Amendment By-law, 2019]"land use" means the purpose for which land is or may be used lawfully in terms of the development management scheme;"Land Use Planning Act" means the Western Cape Land Use Planning Act (Act 3 of 2014);"Land Survey Act" means the Land Survey Act, 1997 (Act 8 of 1997);"local spatial development framework" means a local spatial development framework contemplated in section 12;"Mayor" means the Executive Mayor of the City;"Municipal Council" means the Municipal Council of the City;"Municipal Planning Tribunal" means the Municipal Planning Tribunal referred to in section 114;"municipal spatial development framework" means the municipal spatial development framework adopted by the City in terms of Chapter 5 of the Municipal Systems Act;"Municipal Systems Act" means the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, 2000 (32 of 2000);"National Building Act" means the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act, 1977 (Act 103 of 1977);"notification" has the meaning contemplated in section 111 and includes the method by which the City may "call for" or "require" a person to do something, and "notice" and "notify" have corresponding meanings;"Ordinance" means the Land Use Planning Ordinance, 1985 (Cape) (Ordinance 15 of 1985);"organ of state" means an organ of state as defined in section 239 of the Constitution;"overlay zoning" means a zoning, in addition to the base zoning, stipulating the purposes for which land may be used and the development rule which may be more or less restrictive than the base zoning;"owner" includes their successor-in-title and means –(a)the person whose name is registered in a deeds registry as the owner of land;(b)the beneficial owner of land in law;(c)the owner of land by virtue of vesting in terms of this By-Law or another law; and(d)the legal representative of the owner or their estate where the registered owner lacks legal capacity for any reason including age, mental health, mental disability, death or insolvency;"owners" association" means an owners" association established or deemed to have been established in terms of section 61;"permanent departure" means right to use land otherwise than in accordance with the development rules of the zoning applicable to the property;"person" means a natural or juristic person and includes the state;"planning law" means the Townships Ordinance no 33 of 1934 or the Ordinance, whichever is applicable."prescribe" includes prescribe by procedure, standard, requirement or rule;"previous zoning scheme" means –(a)a town planning scheme;(b)a town planning scheme in the course of preparation; or(c)zoning scheme regulations in operation in the geographic area of the City at any time before the commencement of this By-Law;"private street" means privately owned land which provides vehicle access to a separate land unit or land units and which is designated as private road or private street on an approved general plan, diagram or approved plan of subdivision; it may include ancillary access control infrastructure such as a gatehouse, guardhouse, refuse room and utility room, but does not include a driveway on a property or a servitude;"Province" means the Province of the Western Cape;"Provincial Government" means the provincial government of the Province;"Provincial Minister" means the member of the Executive Council in the Provincial Government responsible for land use planning;"public place" means any open or enclosed place, park, public street or thoroughfare or other similar area of land shown on a general plan or diagram that is for use by the general public and is owned by, or vests in the ownership of, the City, and includes a public open space and a servitude for any similar purpose in favour of the general public;"public road" means any highway, thoroughfare, lane, footpath, sidewalk, alley, passage, bridge or any other place of a similar nature or any portion thereof serving as a public right of way, whether for vehicles or pedestrians, established or proclaimed in terms of the former Municipal Ordinance, 1974 (Ordinance 20 of 1974) or any equivalent current municipal by-law and/or national legislation and includes a public street;"public street" means any land indicated on an approved general plan, diagram or map as having been set aside as a public right of way, whether for vehicles or pedestrians or public or urban squares, of which the ownership is registered in favour of or vests in the City in terms of this ByLaw or any other law;"registered planner" means a professional or technical planner registered in terms of the Planning Profession Act, 2002 (Act 36 of 2002), unless the South African Council for Planners has reserved the work to be performed by a registered planner in terms of this Act for a particular category of registered persons in terms of section 16(2) of the Planning Profession Act, 2002, in which case a registered planner means the category of registered persons for whom the work has been reserved;"Registrar of Deeds" means the Registrar of Deeds as defined in the Deeds Registries Act;"restrictive condition" means any condition registered against the title deed of land restricting the use, development or subdivision of land concerned;[definition of "restrictive condition" substituted by section 1(c) of the Amendment By-law, 2019]"rezoning" means the change of zoning in relation to a particular land unit or units in terms of this By-Law;"road" includes a public street, a public road and a private street;"road reserve" means a designated area of land that contains or is able to contain a public street or public road, including the road and associated verge, which land may or may not be defined by cadastral boundaries;"Sectional Titles Act" means the Sectional Titles Act, 1986 (Act 95 of 1986);"sectoral plan" means any written strategy or plan which deals mainly with one of the sectors or elements or particular subjects that form part of an integrated development plan and which may be an economic, land reform, environmental, housing, water, service or transport plan;"service master plan" means a high level infrastructure plan prepared by the City to cater for future development and includes an Integrated Transport Plan, Electricity Business Plan, Bulk Water and Sanitation Master Plan, Storm Water Master Plan and Integrated Waste Management Plan;"spatial development framework" means a national spatial development framework, regional spatial development framework (approved by either national or provincial government), provincial spatial development framework, municipal spatial development framework, district spatial development framework or local spatial development framework;"SPLUMA" means the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act, 2013 (Act 16 of 2013) and regulations promulgated in terms of thereof;"state" includes an organ of state as defined in section 239 of the Constitution and a state-owned enterprise listed as a public entity in Schedule 2 or 3 to the Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act 1 of 1999);"street" means "public street" or "private street";"structure plan" means a structure plan approved in terms of section 4(6) or 4(10) of the Ordinance;"subdivision plan" means a plan which depicts the relative location of newly proposed land units on a land unit that is to be subdivided;"subdivision", in relation to land, means the division of a land unit into more land units and includes any physical activity on the land to prepare the land for subdivision but does not include the surveying of land for the preparation of a subdivision plan and "subdivide" has the same meaning;"subdivisional area" when referring to a zoning, means the subdivisional overlay zoning permitting subdivision provided for in the development management scheme; and when referring to land, means land zoned with a subdivisional overlay zoning;"substitution scheme" means a zoning map or development rules which replaces, in terms of planning law, any other zoning map or portion thereof;"Surveyor-General" means the Surveyor-General as defined in the Land Survey Act;"temporary departure" means the right to use land on a temporary basis for a purpose for which no provision is made in the zoning applicable to the property;"this By-Law" includes the development management scheme and the other schedules to this ByLaw;"title deed" means any deed registered in a deeds registry recording the ownership of land or a real right in land;"urban edge line" means a development edge line to demarcate the appropriate geographic limit to urban growth or to protect natural resources;"use" means the use of land for a purpose or the improvement of land;"use right", in relation to land, means the right to use that land in accordance with its zoning, a departure, consent use, condition of approval or any other approval granted in respect of the rights to use the land;"zone" when used as a verb in relation to land, means to designate land for a particular zoning;"zoning" includes base zoning and overlay zoning and means a land use category prescribed by the development management scheme regulating the use of and development of land and setting out –(a)the purposes for which land may be used; and(b)the development rules applicable to that land use category;"zoning map" means the map of the zoning scheme contemplated in section 29(1);"zoning register" means the zoning register of the zoning scheme contemplated in section 32; and"zoning scheme" means the zoning scheme contemplated in section 25(1).Chapter 2
Application of this by-law and conflict of laws
2. Application of this By-Law and conflict of laws
Chapter 3
Spatial planning
Part 1 – Introductory provisions concerning spatial development frameworks
3. Spatial development frameworks
Part 2 – The municipal spatial development framework
4. Process for drafting the municipal spatial development framework
5. Process for amending the municipal spatial development framework
6. Decision on the adoption or amendment of the municipal spatial development framework
The Municipal Council may –7. Submission of municipal spatial development framework to Provincial Minister
Within 10 days of the Municipal Council adopting the municipal spatial development framework or an amendment thereof, the City Manager must submit the following to the Provincial Minister responsible for local government –8. Publication of the adopted or amended municipal spatial development framework
Within 14 days of the Municipal Council adopting the municipal spatial development framework or an amendment thereof, the City Manager must –9. Status of the municipal spatial development framework
10. Review of the municipal spatial development framework
Part 3 – District spatial development frameworks and local spatial development frameworks
11. District spatial development frameworks
12. Local spatial development frameworks
13. Process for drafting or amending a district spatial development framework or a local spatial development framework
14. Decision on the adoption or amendment of a district spatial development framework or a local spatial development framework
The Municipal Council may –15. Publication of the adopted or amended district spatial development framework or local spatial development framework
Within 30 days of adopting or amending a district spatial development framework or a local spatial development framework, the City must publish the adopted or amended district spatial development framework or local spatial development framework on the City's website.16. Status of a district spatial development framework and a local spatial development framework
17. Review of a district spatial development framework or a local spatial development framework
18. Withdrawal of a district spatial development framework or a local spatial development framework
Part 4 – General provisions concerning spatial planning
19. Record of and access to spatial development frameworks
20. Structure plans
21. Policies to guide decision making
22. Record of deviations from spatial development frameworks
23. Spatial development frameworks applicable to land incorporated into the geographic area of the City
When land situated in the geographic area of another municipality is incorporated into the geographic area of the City, any spatial development framework applicable to that area or to part of that area remains in force until the City reviews or amends it in terms of the provisions of this ByLaw.Chapter 4
Development management
Part 1 – Zoning scheme
24. Zoning
25. Zoning scheme
26. Development management scheme
27. Review of development management scheme
28. Zoning map
29. Adoption, amendment and substitution of zoning map
30. Error in zoning map
31. Status of zoning map and exemption of City from liability for any error
32. Zoning register
33. Access to the zoning map and zoning register
34. Continuation of zoning schemes
If the geographic area of the City is expanded to incorporate land from another municipality then the zoning scheme applicable to that land remains in force until the City amends, repeals or replaces it.Part 2 – Use right and non-conforming use
35. Use right
36. Determination of zoning
37. Non-conforming use
Part 3 – General lapsing provision
38. General lapsing provision
Chapter 5
General requirements for an application
39. Applications
40. Persons who may make application in terms of this By-Law
41. Continuation of application by new owner
If land that is the subject of an application in terms of this By-Law is transferred to a new owner, the new owner may continue with the application as the successor-in-title to the previous owner and the new owner will be regarded the applicant for the purposes of this By-Law.42. Types of applications
A person may make application for the following in terms of this By-Law –43. Provisions which govern an application
Chapter 6
Special provisions for certain applications
Part 1 – Rezoning, departure and consent use
44. Rezoning
45. Departure
46. Consent use
A consent use may be granted for a specified period of time or permanently.47. Lapsing of rezoning, consent use or departure
Part 2 – Restrictive conditions
48. Removal, suspension or amendment of restrictive conditions
49. Endorsements in connection with alterations, suspensions or removals of restrictions or obligations
49A. Application for the use or development of land that would conflict with a restrictive condition or a servitude
Part 3 – Consolidation
50. Consolidation and construction of buildings
51. Lapsing of consolidation
Part 4 – Subdivision
52. Approval of subdivision
53. Approval of general plan or diagram by Surveyor General
54. Transfer of land unit arising out of approved subdivision
55. Confirmation of subdivision
56. Lapsing of subdivision and extension of validity periods
57. Land for public places and other uses
58. Ownership of public places and land required for municipal engineering services and community facilities
59. Servitude in respect of services arising from subdivision
The owner of any land unit arising from a subdivision must, after the confirmation of a subdivision –60. Amendment or cancellation of plan or subdivision
Part 5 – Owners’ association
61. Establishment and operation of an owners’ association
62. Constitution of an owners’ association
63. Owners’ association which fails to meet an obligation or ceases to function
Part 6 – Engineering services
64. Definitions in this Part
In this Part, unless the context indicates otherwise –"bulk engineering service" means an engineering service required to provide an engineering service to multiple users in the municipal area and includes the land required for the bulk engineering service;"external engineering service" means a municipal engineering service situated outside the boundaries of a land area required to serve the use and development of the land area and is either a bulk engineering service or a link engineering service;"internal engineering service" means an engineering service situated within the boundaries of a land area required for the use and development of the land area and which is to be owned and operated by the City or a service provider or an owners’ association and may include a bulk engineering service or a link engineering service; and"link engineering service" means an engineering service required to connect an engineering service situated within the boundaries of a land area to a bulk engineering service and includes the land required for the link engineering service.65. Responsibility for engineering services
66. Development charge
Part 7 – Exemption of certain subdivisions and consolidations from the need for approval
67. Exemption of certain subdivisions and consolidations from the need for approval
Part 8 – Emergency housing and urgent housing
68. Emergency housing
69. Urgent housing
Chapter 7
General procedures for all applications
Part 1 – Making an application
70. Pre-application consultation
71. Information required
72. Application fee
73. Refusal to accept an application
74. Acceptance of application and call for additional information
If the City accepts the application, the City Manager must –75. Additional information
76. Complete application
77. Withdrawal of application
78. Duties of an applicant
Part 2 – Notice and comment
79. Notice of application
80. Content of notice
81. Notice in the media
82. Notice to a person
83. Notice to a representative
The City Manager may prescribe a category of application contemplated in section 42 which must be served on –84. Notice of no objection
85. Deemed notice to owners in a sectional title development
86. Notice to the Provincial Government
87. Notice to an organ of state other than the Provincial Government
88. Internal circulation
89. Intervener
90. Objection to an application
91. Petition
92. Response from the applicant
93. Amendment of application before decision
94. Further notice
95. Access to information about an application
Part 3 – Process and criteria for deciding application
96. Power to conduct inspection
97. Assessment of application
98. Determination of application
The City may in respect of an application –99. Criteria for deciding application
100. Conditions of approval
101. Further conditions and amendment of conditions
The City may amend or remove a condition imposed or deemed to have been imposed in terms of this By-Law, or impose a condition –102. Timeframe for making a decision
103. Failure to decide timeously
If the decision maker fails to decide on an application within the period referred to in section 102, then the applicant may exercise a right of appeal and the appeal authority must decide on the application.Part 4 – Decision
104. Requirement for writing and notification of decision
105. Effective date of decision
106. Errors and omissions
Part 5 – Extension of validity of an approval
107. Extension of validity of an approval
Part 6 – Appeal
108. Appeal
109. Procedure for appeal
Part 7 – Prescribed requirements and notification
110. Prescribed requirements for applications
111. Method and date of notification
111A. Further notifications
If a person submits an objection, comment or representation to an application advertised in terms of this By-law by email, the City will deem the use of email to be consent to being notified by email at that email address as provided for in section 111(3).[section 111A inserted by section 19 of the Amendment By-law, 2019]112. Costs of notification
The City may, as part of its tariff structure, adopt a tariff for the costs involved in issuing and serving a notification, notice and directive.Part 8 – Integrated decisions
113. Notice in terms of integrated procedure
Chapter 8
Decision-makers
114. Decision-makers
115. Establishment of Municipal Planning Tribunal
116. Term of office for members of the Municipal Planning Tribunal
117. Conditions of service and Code of Conduct of the Municipal Planning Tribunal.
118. Indemnity and Legal Representation
119. Vacancy or removal of a member
120. Functioning of Municipal Planning Tribunal
121. Advisory panel
122. Technical adviser
The appeal authority may appoint a technical adviser to advise or assist it with regard to a matter forming part of the appeal.Chapter 9
Enforcement
Part 1 – Introductory provisions for this Chapter
123. Definitions in this Chapter
In this Chapter, unless the context indicates otherwise – ‘contravention’ includes a failure to comply with a duty or requirement; and ‘owner’, in addition to the definition in section 1, is deemed to also include –124. Choice of enforcement measure
The City may take any one or more of the enforcement measures contemplated in this Chapter, and may take them in any order or combination or with one as an alternative to another in the event of a failure to comply, or sequentially.Part 2 – Complaint
125. Complaint
Part 3 – Civil enforcement
126. Compliance notice
127. Withdrawal of approval
128. Directive
129. Administrative penalty
130. Rectification of contravention
131. Enforcement litigation
Notwithstanding that this Chapter may give the City an alternative remedy, the City may apply to the High Court for appropriate relief, including orders compelling the owner or other person to –132. Urgent matter
If the City believes that urgent action is required to cease or modify conduct in contravention of this By-Law, to comply with this By-Law, or to address an impact of the contravention, the City may –Part 4 – Criminal enforcement
133. Offences and penalties
134. Prosecution of corporate body and partnership
A person is personally guilty of an offence contemplated in terms of this By-Law if –Part 5 – Enforcement and investigative powers of an investigator
135. Powers and functions of an investigator
Chapter 10
Naming and numbering of streets
136. Naming and numbering of streets
Chapter 11
Transfer certificate
137. Transfer certificate
Chapter 12
General administrative provisions
138. Policies, procedures, prescriptions, standards, requirements and guidelines
139. Delegations
140. Exemption
141. Liability of the City
The City is not liable for any loss sustained by or damage caused to any person as a result of any act or omission in good faith relating to the performance of any duty under this By-Law, unless gross negligence is proved.142. Savings and transitional provisions
143. Short title and commencement
History of this document
03 February 2020 this version
Amended by
Municipal Planning By-law: Amendment
12 May 2017
18 November 2016
01 July 2016
01 July 2015
Commenced by
Municipal Planning: Commencement
25 March 2015
Assented to