Development Permits

Helpful brochures:

Parkland County's Land Use By-Law requires development permit approval prior to the commencement of many types of building construction and land use development in the County. Please refer to the following check lists to ensure the correct supporting documentation is provided for your project. You may also contact the Planning & Development Services 780-968-8443 to determine whether or not a Development Permit will be required prior to commencement of any land use development or building construction you may be considering.

Some important development and building regulations to be aware of:

Residential and Accessory Building Setbacks.
Minimum Residential Floor Areas.
Accessory Buildings.
Single wide mobile homes
Home Based Businesses - Levels 1, 2 & 3.
Garden Suites.
Dwelling Units on a Parcel
Unregistered Vehicles.
Development Permits
Development Permit Application form(pdf)
Form A: Residential Development Permit Check List (pdf)
Form B: Accessory Building Development Permit Check List (pdf)
Form C: Home Based Business Development Permit Check List (pdf)
Form D: Industrial/Commercial Development Permit Check List (pdf)
Form E: Natural Resource Extraction Application Check List (pdf)
Sample of Site Plan required with each Development Permit application submitted

When Do You Need A Development Permit?

The County's Land Use By-law requires development permit approval prior to the commencement of many types of building construction and land use developments in the County. Please contact the County's Planning Services Department at 968-8443 to determine whether or not a Development Permit will be required prior to commencement of any land use development or building construction you may be considering.

Please note that obtaining a development permit does not relieve the permit holder from complying with:

the requirements of the Alberta Safety Codes Act;
Parkland County Building Permit or Business License By-law;
the requirements of any other appropriate federal, provincial or municipal legislation;
the conditions of any caveat, covenant, easement or other instrument affecting a building or land.
Development permit fees vary dependent upon the type of development proposed.

Please contact the Planning Services Department at 780-968-8443 for a current listing of fees.

REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES FOR THE SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT PERMITS

All development of structures over 10 sq m (108 sq ft) and any other development on lands (ie Home Based Business, Level 2 and Level 3, Natural Resource Extraction and Industrial/Commercial development) will require a Development Permit. Please refer to the above noted check lists to ensure that all necessary supporting documentation is submitted with the development permit application to ensure the application can be processed in a timely manner. Any further question can be directed to the Planning & Development Department at the County Office at 780-968-8443.

NOTE:
This is only a summary of the procedures involved in obtaining a Development Permit. A full outline is contained within the Land Use By-law.

If any discrepancies arise between this and the Land Use By-law, the Land Use By-law will prevail.

Part I

The Permit Process

The applicant submits an application to the Development Officer, being the secretary of the Development Authority, along with all required information.
The Development Authority then considers the application at the earliest date. Should the applicant wish to address the Development Authority a request for an appointment must be made prior to the day of the meeting.
The Authority then decides on an application which it may:
- approve without conditions; or
- approve with conditions; or
  refuse; or
- table pending further investigation or information.

NOTE: Under Section 684 of the Municipal Government Amendment Act, 1995, "An application for a Development Permit is, at the option of the applicant, deemed to be refused if the decision of a development authority is not made within 40 days of receipt of the application, unless the applicant has entered into an agreement with the development authority to extend the 40 day period."

If an application is refused by the Development Authority the applicant may appeal to the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board as outlined in Steps 1 to 5 under appeals.
If an application is approved with or without conditions, the County must:

a. publish a notice of the decision in a newspaper circulating in the municipality stating:

i. a description of the land for which the development proposed is approved,

ii. the nature of the development proposed, and

iii. the procedure for any appeals, and

b. if the development is located within a multi-parcel residential subdivision, all registered owners within the subdivision shall be notified in writing of the decision. If the development is located on the periphery of the said subdivision, adjacent landowners shall also be notified in writing; or

i. if the development is not located within a multi-parcel residential subdivision, adjacent landowners shall be notified in writing, and

c. Notify in writing any other person the Development Authority considers may be affected by the issuance of the permit.

NOTE: A Development Permit does not become effective until the "Commencement Date" indicated on the permit and only if there is no appeal filed. For the purpose of this section, the registered owner shall be that which appears on the County tax record on file in the County Offices.

PART II

Development Permit Information Required

An application for a development permit shall be made to the Development Officer in writing on the attached form and shall be accompanied by the following information:

The legal description of the subject property;
A statement of the intended uses of the proposed development;
The application must be signed by the applicant (registered owner of the land or his representative or agent certified as such) accompanied with a copy of the Certificate of Title of the land, certified not more than 14 days prior to the date on which the application is made.
A statement of the estimated commencement and completion dates;
A non-refundable application fee as per the attached schedule;
A site plan for the land to be developed, in duplicate, drawn to scale of 1:2000, or such other scale as the Authority or Development Officer may require showing such information deemed necessary by the Authority or the Development Officer which may include any or all the following:
- legal description of the subject property, with legal description of all abutting properties;
- identification of all abutting roads, highways and frontage roads and any existing and/or proposed access to the development;
  identification of all rights-of-way and easements within or abutting the subject property;
- identification of all drainage courses;
- the location of any proposed development on the site;
- location and dimensions of existing and/or proposed buildings including front, rear and side yard setbacks, if any;
- existing and proposed services;
- proposed off-street parking and loading facilities, showing location and dimensions of all aisles, stalls, the number of stalls, typical stall dimensions and location of any lighting standards and curbing;
- landscape information, including detailed planting plan with general type, size, spacing and height of plantings;
- location and access to garbage pick-up;
- sign location and details;
- the design and location of sidewalks, patios, playgrounds, and other similar features;
- north arrow, scale, and date of drawing, schedule showing area of site, building area, number of units, parking and loading spaces, and a calculation of site coverage and floor space ratio.
When required by the Authority or the Development Officer, floor plans and elevations of the proposed development, in duplicate drawn to a scale of 1:1000 or such other scale as the Authority or Development Officer may require.
Such additional information as the Authority or the Development Officer deems necessary.