River's Edge Development Area Policies

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Parkland County is modernizing its approach to Area Structure Plans (ASP) to help make planning documents more consistent, flexible, and user-friendly for residents, landowners, businesses and applicants.

The River’s Edge Development Area Policies and Woodbend-Graminia Area Structure Plan project includes adopting new River’s Edge Development Area Policies and rescinding the Woodbend-Graminia ASP.

The goals of the project are to:

1. Align ASP policies to the County’s plans and initiatives;

2. Streamline services to reduce overall red tape;

3. Make ASPs living documents that are flexible and adaptable; and

4. Create policies and plans that are user friendly.

To get notifications about the project, subscribe using the 'Follow Project' box (right side of the page). For any questions about the project, email BuildingParkland@parklandcounty.com.

Parkland County is modernizing its approach to Area Structure Plans (ASP) to help make planning documents more consistent, flexible, and user-friendly for residents, landowners, businesses and applicants.

The River’s Edge Development Area Policies and Woodbend-Graminia Area Structure Plan project includes adopting new River’s Edge Development Area Policies and rescinding the Woodbend-Graminia ASP.

The goals of the project are to:

1. Align ASP policies to the County’s plans and initiatives;

2. Streamline services to reduce overall red tape;

3. Make ASPs living documents that are flexible and adaptable; and

4. Create policies and plans that are user friendly.

To get notifications about the project, subscribe using the 'Follow Project' box (right side of the page). For any questions about the project, email BuildingParkland@parklandcounty.com.

Ask a Question!

Ask away! The Project Team is happy to answer questions you may have. Questions and Answers that may be helpful to others may be posted publicly on the webpage. Questions and answers regarding personal or identifiable information will be kept private.

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  • Share Given that the River's Edge Development Area Policies are expected to increase density in this area, can the County clarify: -Has a servicing capacity assessment been done for roads, water/wastewater, and electrical infrastructure to confirm they can support the increased density these policies would allow? -If upgrades to that infrastructure are required, who bears the cost — is it fully covered by developer levies/off-site levies, or will it also be funded through general property taxes? -Is there a projected tax impact (increase or otherwise) for existing residents in the area as a result of this plan, and if so, has that analysis been shared publicly? -Ongoing maintenance costs (road maintenance, utility upkeep) tend to fall to the municipality long-term — has the County modeled what the increased long-term maintenance burden looks like, and how it will be funded? on Facebook Share Given that the River's Edge Development Area Policies are expected to increase density in this area, can the County clarify: -Has a servicing capacity assessment been done for roads, water/wastewater, and electrical infrastructure to confirm they can support the increased density these policies would allow? -If upgrades to that infrastructure are required, who bears the cost — is it fully covered by developer levies/off-site levies, or will it also be funded through general property taxes? -Is there a projected tax impact (increase or otherwise) for existing residents in the area as a result of this plan, and if so, has that analysis been shared publicly? -Ongoing maintenance costs (road maintenance, utility upkeep) tend to fall to the municipality long-term — has the County modeled what the increased long-term maintenance burden looks like, and how it will be funded? on X (formerly Twitter) Share Given that the River's Edge Development Area Policies are expected to increase density in this area, can the County clarify: -Has a servicing capacity assessment been done for roads, water/wastewater, and electrical infrastructure to confirm they can support the increased density these policies would allow? -If upgrades to that infrastructure are required, who bears the cost — is it fully covered by developer levies/off-site levies, or will it also be funded through general property taxes? -Is there a projected tax impact (increase or otherwise) for existing residents in the area as a result of this plan, and if so, has that analysis been shared publicly? -Ongoing maintenance costs (road maintenance, utility upkeep) tend to fall to the municipality long-term — has the County modeled what the increased long-term maintenance burden looks like, and how it will be funded? on Linkedin Email Given that the River's Edge Development Area Policies are expected to increase density in this area, can the County clarify: -Has a servicing capacity assessment been done for roads, water/wastewater, and electrical infrastructure to confirm they can support the increased density these policies would allow? -If upgrades to that infrastructure are required, who bears the cost — is it fully covered by developer levies/off-site levies, or will it also be funded through general property taxes? -Is there a projected tax impact (increase or otherwise) for existing residents in the area as a result of this plan, and if so, has that analysis been shared publicly? -Ongoing maintenance costs (road maintenance, utility upkeep) tend to fall to the municipality long-term — has the County modeled what the increased long-term maintenance burden looks like, and how it will be funded? link

    Given that the River's Edge Development Area Policies are expected to increase density in this area, can the County clarify: -Has a servicing capacity assessment been done for roads, water/wastewater, and electrical infrastructure to confirm they can support the increased density these policies would allow? -If upgrades to that infrastructure are required, who bears the cost — is it fully covered by developer levies/off-site levies, or will it also be funded through general property taxes? -Is there a projected tax impact (increase or otherwise) for existing residents in the area as a result of this plan, and if so, has that analysis been shared publicly? -Ongoing maintenance costs (road maintenance, utility upkeep) tend to fall to the municipality long-term — has the County modeled what the increased long-term maintenance burden looks like, and how it will be funded?

    ytulpar asked about 21 hours ago

    Thank you for the questions! 

    The intent of the River's Edge Development Area Policies is to support compatible land uses. New residential development lot sizes and densities will not change from the existing 1.0 acre minimum and 50 lot per quarter section maximum that is allowed in the current Woodbend-Graminia Area Structure Plan and the County's Municipal Development Plan.

    The County has not undertaken specific servicing capacity studies for River's Edge as water, sewer, and stormwater services in the area are privately provided. For roadways, development proposals are required to follow the County's Transportation Master Plan which identifies future road layouts and upgrades.

    Any new development in River's Edge will be required to provide the appropriate servicing studies for utilities (water, stormwater, and sewer), and roadways. For instance, a new multi-parcel country residential subdivision would be required to show through technical reports that the land the development is proposed for has the capacity for private water and sewer servicing for each lot, that stormwater can be successfully retained and slowly released to not impact neighbouring properties or County drainages, and that expected traffic flows do not exceed roadway network capacity.

    Applications are referred to relevant agencies, including electrical and natural gas providers, to identify any concerns with tying into a provider's system. The County's internal departments including engineering, public works, fire services, and agricultural and environment services teams will also provide feedback on technical reports and identify any concerns. The development applicant is required to address those concerns and pay for any required upgrades to County infrastructure through a Development Agreement. 

    County maintenance requirements are routinely reviewed and assessed to ensure an efficient delivery of County services. Changes or increases to the level of service are addressed through the County budget process, including the four year operating budget creation and yearly adjustments.

    The proposed River's Edge Development Area Policies do not have an estimated tax impact as they do not approve new development. The pace of development in the River's Edge area is landowner driven, and any tax considerations as a result of new development would be general to the whole County as a part of County's yearly Tax Rate Bylaw process.

  • Share ​Mayor Shaigec ran on a clear promise: protect our farmland, stop rural sprawl, and defend sensitive areas like the river valley. ​Replacing our binding Woodbend-Graminia plan with "flexible policies" opens the door to higher density, extra traffic on our rural roads, and more land fragmentation. "Flexible" for developers usually means loss of control for local residents. ​How can Administration justify watering down strict land-use rules in our area when it directly conflicts with Mayor Shaigec’s pledge to protect Parkland County’s rural character and farmland? on Facebook Share ​Mayor Shaigec ran on a clear promise: protect our farmland, stop rural sprawl, and defend sensitive areas like the river valley. ​Replacing our binding Woodbend-Graminia plan with "flexible policies" opens the door to higher density, extra traffic on our rural roads, and more land fragmentation. "Flexible" for developers usually means loss of control for local residents. ​How can Administration justify watering down strict land-use rules in our area when it directly conflicts with Mayor Shaigec’s pledge to protect Parkland County’s rural character and farmland? on X (formerly Twitter) Share ​Mayor Shaigec ran on a clear promise: protect our farmland, stop rural sprawl, and defend sensitive areas like the river valley. ​Replacing our binding Woodbend-Graminia plan with "flexible policies" opens the door to higher density, extra traffic on our rural roads, and more land fragmentation. "Flexible" for developers usually means loss of control for local residents. ​How can Administration justify watering down strict land-use rules in our area when it directly conflicts with Mayor Shaigec’s pledge to protect Parkland County’s rural character and farmland? on Linkedin Email ​Mayor Shaigec ran on a clear promise: protect our farmland, stop rural sprawl, and defend sensitive areas like the river valley. ​Replacing our binding Woodbend-Graminia plan with "flexible policies" opens the door to higher density, extra traffic on our rural roads, and more land fragmentation. "Flexible" for developers usually means loss of control for local residents. ​How can Administration justify watering down strict land-use rules in our area when it directly conflicts with Mayor Shaigec’s pledge to protect Parkland County’s rural character and farmland? link

    ​Mayor Shaigec ran on a clear promise: protect our farmland, stop rural sprawl, and defend sensitive areas like the river valley. ​Replacing our binding Woodbend-Graminia plan with "flexible policies" opens the door to higher density, extra traffic on our rural roads, and more land fragmentation. "Flexible" for developers usually means loss of control for local residents. ​How can Administration justify watering down strict land-use rules in our area when it directly conflicts with Mayor Shaigec’s pledge to protect Parkland County’s rural character and farmland?

    Jesse asked 2 days ago

    Thank you for the question! Your feedback will be summarized in the Stage 2 Engagement What We Heard Report and will be considered when finalizing the draft River’s Edge Development Area Policies. Please see below for more information:

    The proposed River’s Edge Development Area Policies are an amendment to the County’s Municipal Development Plan. The Municipal Development Plan is statutory, meaning that the policies must be followed when proposing a new development. The draft policies set clearer and more specific requirements for when Area Structure Plans and Conceptual Schemes are required so that future development occurs responsibly and in a predictable way for residents and developers. Public engagement and landowner notification requirements for future development remain the same. Any amendment to the River’s Edge Development Area Policies, creation of an Area Structure Plan or Conceptual Scheme, or amendment to the County’s Land Use Bylaw will require public engagement and landowner notification as per Council’s Public Engagement Policy C-AD51.

    The proposed policies continue to support rural residential living by maintaining residential density limits and retaining the County's current agricultural and environmental policies. Densities for residential development are proposed to remain the same as they are now under the Woodbend-Graminia Area Structure Plan, with a minimum allowable lot size of 1 acre. Policies and regulations for lands districted as agricultural in the County’s Land Use Bylaw and Environmentally Significant or High-Priority Landscapes identified in the County’s Municipal Development Plan will also stay the same. 

  • Share Will this create higher density and traffic in the area? Street noise is already high and a detriment to the residing area on Facebook Share Will this create higher density and traffic in the area? Street noise is already high and a detriment to the residing area on X (formerly Twitter) Share Will this create higher density and traffic in the area? Street noise is already high and a detriment to the residing area on Linkedin Email Will this create higher density and traffic in the area? Street noise is already high and a detriment to the residing area link

    Will this create higher density and traffic in the area? Street noise is already high and a detriment to the residing area

    Jesse asked 3 days ago

    Thank you for the question Jesse! 

    The intent of the River's Edge Development Area Policies is to support compatible land uses and place any new development where there are the services and infrastructure to support it. New residential development lot sizes will not change from the existing 1.0 acre minimum that is allowed in the current Woodbend-Graminia Area Structure Plan. 

    The County's Land Use Bylaw does have tools to address and regulate traffic and noise concerns for any proposed development, including Traffic Impact Assessments and Noise Impact Assessments. 

    If you have a concern about current street noise, please feel free to submit a concern through our online reporting tool or call the County front desk at 780-968-8888.

    Cheers!

  • Share What measures will the new ASP have in place to conserve native habitat, considering that most of the land in the area is identified as Environmentally Significant and High Priority Landscape in the Parkland County MDP? on Facebook Share What measures will the new ASP have in place to conserve native habitat, considering that most of the land in the area is identified as Environmentally Significant and High Priority Landscape in the Parkland County MDP? on X (formerly Twitter) Share What measures will the new ASP have in place to conserve native habitat, considering that most of the land in the area is identified as Environmentally Significant and High Priority Landscape in the Parkland County MDP? on Linkedin Email What measures will the new ASP have in place to conserve native habitat, considering that most of the land in the area is identified as Environmentally Significant and High Priority Landscape in the Parkland County MDP? link

    What measures will the new ASP have in place to conserve native habitat, considering that most of the land in the area is identified as Environmentally Significant and High Priority Landscape in the Parkland County MDP?

    Rebecca asked 4 months ago

    Hi Rebecca,

    Great Question! 

    Parkland County is proposing to rescind the Woodbend-Graminia Area Structure Plan and create Development Area Policies (DAP) within the Municipal Development Plan (MDP) in the Area Structure Plan’s place. The MDP contains policies regarding the protection of Environmentally Significant Areas (ESAs) and High Priority Landscapes (HPLs), including requirements for:

    • Protecting and enhancing natural features and their functions;
    • Completing a Biophysical Impact Assessment for proposed development within or adjacent to ESAs or HPLs; and
    • Maintaining landscape connectivity and wildlife corridors as identified by the County.

     

    The MDP also includes policies around the dedication of environmental reserve and related easements, setbacks from sensitive habitat, and conservation by design practices. Sections 3.3 and 4.2 provide further information on development policies and County initiatives for protecting natural functions.

     

    No additional environmental policies are currently being proposed as a part of the River’s Edge Development Area Policies, but the Project Team is happy to take any suggestions or feedback you may have for consideration when drafting the policies. Draft policies will be shared with the public during Stage 2 engagement in late summer or early fall of 2026.


    Please feel free to Email the project team anytime at buildingparkland@parklandcounty.com. 

  • Share Are the draft River’s Edge Development Area Policies available online? on Facebook Share Are the draft River’s Edge Development Area Policies available online? on X (formerly Twitter) Share Are the draft River’s Edge Development Area Policies available online? on Linkedin Email Are the draft River’s Edge Development Area Policies available online? link

    Are the draft River’s Edge Development Area Policies available online?

    Rebecca asked 4 months ago

    Hi Rebecca,

    Great question! Our team is pre-emptively engaging with residents prior to drafting what those policies could be. We want to ensure everyone has a chance to include their feedback and would love to have you join us at our open house at Clymont Community Hall on June 8th. Drop in anytime between 4:00 – 7:00 pm to let us know what you’d like to see included and ask our team any questions about the project and future growth plans in the County.

     

Page last updated: 23 Sep 2026, 10:57 AM