Land Use Bylaw ReDesign
Project Overview
As part of a regular and ongoing process, Parkland County is updating the County’s Land Use Bylaw (LUB) in an effort to streamline regulations and create clear and transparent decision-making processes for development in the county. The County’s LUB was last updated in 2017, with a previous update in 2009 and minor changes completed every few years. Now that the former Village of Wabamun is part of the County, it is desirable to ensure consistency throughout the County and integrate Wabamun into the LUB.
This project is a county-led initiative with a project team of County staff who have been working alongside community members for years on development permits ranging from building houses on family farms to building new warehouses in the Acheson Industrial Area. The LUB ReDesign will take into consideration the wide variety of current and potential uses by County businesses and County residents.
Round 3 Engagement is now complete!
The LUB Redesign would like to extend thanks to all of those who participated in the final round of engagement on the proposed draft of the Parkland County Land Use Bylaw!
During this engagement round, we have had:
- 3 Open Houses spread throughout the County
- 24 Chat with a Planner Sessions with County Residents, Developers, and Business Owners
- Nearly 7,000 views of the online draft
- 53 total comments of the online draft
- Numerous touchpoints to the Building Parkland email with suggestions and feedback
Over the project's lifespan we have had:
- 18 open houses, spanning across all divisions
- 485 unique interactions with the public
- 10 meetings with Council Committees
- 4 focus group sessions with local development, environmental, and agricultural advocates
- 90 survey responses
Draft Land Use Bylaw What We Heard Report
Thank you to everyone who provided feedback on our Draft Land Use Bylaw from November 2024 to January 2025. The What We Heard Report from the survey is available under the Project Documents tab on the right.
What’s next?
Stay Tuned!
Stay tuned for more opportunities to get involved and have your say!
To get notifications about the project, subscribe using the "Stay Informed" box (right side of the page). For any questions about the project, email BuildingParkland@parklandcounty.com(External link)
Review and Provide Feedback on the Draft Land Use Bylaw
Check out the Land Use Bylaw Text Draft and Maps below. You can provide feedback and comments directly on the document! You can also view the document here: https://buildingparkland.konveio.net/(External link)
What is a Land Use Bylaw?
The Land Use Bylaw regulates development within Parkland County with a goal of ensuring that neighboring land uses are compatible. The LUB is an important tool that the municipality has to ensure that local development aligns with the County’s vision. Land use regulations can help preserve prime agricultural lands, protect environmentally sensitive areas, support diverse economic growth and help families age in place within their community.
To learn more, check out the video below!
Municipal Development Plan and the Land Use Bylaw - Working Together
The province requires every municipality in Alberta to have both a Municipal Development Plan and a Land Use Bylaw. These requirements are laid out in the Municipal Government Act. The graphic below illustrates the hierarchy of plans and how they inform and interact with one another.
Municipal Development Plan
Parkland County’s Municipal Development Plan (MDP) is a high-level plan that establishes a vision and guides growth for the County over the next 30 years. To help foster effective and efficient growth within the County an MDP amendment is being completed with input from the public and stakeholders playing a key role through the entire process. The public will have multiple opportunities to engage with the work being completed. More information regarding engagement opportunities and overall project timelines will be available to the public shortly.
Land Use Bylaw
The Land Use Bylaw is an important tool that the municipality has to implement the vision, goals, and policies of the Municipal Development Plan. Regulations in the Land Use Bylaw are informed by Parkland County's MDP, Area Structure Plans, and Area Redevelopment Plans.
Working Together
Over the next two years, the LUB ReDesign will move forward alongside the MDP Amendment Project. The LUB ReDesign project team will conduct engagement in collaboration with the MDP project team to ensure that, as the projects work in tandem, the resulting policies and land use regulations and informed, shaped by, and aligned with on another.
Stay tuned for updates on the Municipal Development Plan Amendment on the Parkland County website. For any questions or comments related to both the MDP Amendment Project or the LUB ReDesign, you can email buildingparkland@parklandcounty.com(External link).buildingparkland@parklandcounty.com(External link)