Development and Building Permits

Are you looking to start a residential building or renovating project in Parkland County and not sure what permit requirements and regulations apply? We're here to help! 

Parkland County regulates residential building projects through development and building and trades permits. These permits ensure that projects are safe and compatible with neighboring land uses. 

Understanding the Permits and Approvals Process

Did you know that there are different kinds of permits that you may need before you begin your project? For most projects, you will require a development permit followed by building and trades permit(s).

Development Permits review the use, location, and size of a building based on the Land Use Bylaw regulations.

Building and Trades Permits review projects for conformance with the National Building Code of Canada: 2020, Canadian Electrical Code, Natural Gas and Propane Installation Code, National Plumbing Code of Canada: 2020 and the Alberta Private Sewage Systems Standard of Practice 2021.

Types of Building Projects

Most home building projects in Parkland County require the appropriate permits before you begin work. These may include any combination of:

View the information below to discover the checklists, processes and forms you will need to complete your PLANit Parkland application for your specific project.

Development Permits

A development permit is written approval from Parkland County that your plans meet the regulations in the Land Use Bylaw (LUB).

Learn more

Building & Trades Permits

Building and trades permits help ensure that work is completed safely and complies with the Alberta Safety Codes Act.

Learn more

Development Permit Approvals

See the list of Development Permit Decisions.

Learn more

Inspections

Learn how to book any necessary inspections with Parkland County for your building project. Inspections may be needed at various stages of your project and permit applications.

Learn more

Lot Grading Program

Under Parkland County’s Lot Grading Program applicants may be required to supply a Lot Grading Plan as part of any planning application submission to build or subdivide your property.

Learn more

Frequently Asked Questions

The location, size, and use of buildings and other factors are regulated in our Land Use Bylaw. Before determining what you can do on your property, you will need to determine your Land Use District.

Determine your Land Use District using Discover Parkland.

  1. With Discover Parkland, you can view an online, interactive map to learn more about your property's zoning information, possible land uses and legal descriptions, as well as County services, facilities, aerial imagery and how to build your own maps. See Discover Parkland user manual.
  2. Is my project listed in the District's Permitted or Discretionary uses in the Land Use Bylaw?
  3. Will the building meet the setbacks defined in the Land Use District?
  4. Are there other regulations, such as maximum building height, site coverage, or minimum or maximum floor area that will be applicable to my project?

Each Land Use District has a set of permitted and discretionary uses which can be found in our Land Use Bylaw. Permitted uses are those deemed suitable in the Land Use District. In residential districts, these often include Single Family Dwellings and Accessory Buildings (garages, shops, sheds). Discretionary uses ensure that the location of the use is compatible with adjacent parcels, as not all sites in the land use district may be suitable for this type of development (i.e. Secondary Suite, Home Based Business). Discretionary uses are also subject to a 21-day appeal period, during which neighbouring landowners have the right to appeal a decision.

All dwellings, secondary suites, accessory buildings (over 25 meters-squared) and renovations or additions that expand building footprint (decks over 0.6 m included) require a development permit.

The Alberta Safety Codes Act requires that all contractors and homeowners in Alberta get building and trades permits before starting work on buildings covered by the National Building Code – 2019 Alberta Edition, or work governed by the Canadian Electrical Code, Alberta Gas Code or National Plumbing Code of Canada. Your project may need development permit approval prior to getting a building and trades permit.

Benefits and Services
The major benefits of getting building and trades permits are:

  • Knowing that the installation will conform to the safety standards adopted under the Safety Codes Act and all other applicable regulations
    Knowing that safety codes officers will provide inspection(s) services

The services you can normally expect to receive with a building and trades permit are:

  • The permit itself
    Plans examination (if applicable)
    Inspection(s) by certified safety codes officers
    Site Inspection Report(s)
    Follow-up of deficiencies and/or unsafe conditions
    Technical advice
    Final report at the completion of the project

Learn how to book any necessary inspections with Parkland County for your building project. Inspections may be needed at various stages of your project and permit applications.

Application Forms and Guides

You can view available forms required for your PLANit Parkland applications, as well as checklists and other resources to help you prepare for your project. Explore Parkland County's Planning and Development Handbook, Application Guides and Checklists, and Video Walkthroughs to help you understand the planning process and prepare your application.  

Application requirements vary depending on your project. Our forms and guides outline the drawings, documents, studies, and information you need to submit.

With PLANit Help, you can find step-by-step instructions, videos and frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help you navigate PLANit Parkland.  

PLANit Application Forms & Guides

Have Questions or Want to Discuss a Project?

Our team is here to help. You can connect with a member of the Planning and Development team by:  

  • Sending us an email at planning@parklandcounty.com 
  • Calling us at 780-800-9300 
  • Visiting the Parkland County Centre during regular business hours 
  • Booking a 30-minute Chat with a Planner meeting (in-person or virtual). A Planning Advisor will contact you to confirm your appointment details 
  • If you are planning on developing a major project such as a large -scale commercial or industrial development, or relocating your business to Parkland County, book a pre-application discussion through the PLANit Application Portal 

Looking to Submit an Application?

PLANit is our online tool that allows you to manage all your applications for your home, your business and your land. Apply for building and development permits, check the status of your application, pay online, book inspections and more. 

PLANit

Applying Is Easy Following These Three Steps:

  1. Gather required documents for your application. (View available forms and checklists on PLANitForms)
  2. Create an Account on the PLANit portal. (You can find instructions on creating a portal account on the PLANit Help webpage including a YouTube how-to-video.)
  3. Apply for your permits on PLANit Parkland. (You can find instructions on how to submit an application on the PLANit Help webpage including a YouTube how-to-video.)
    • On the Portal Main Page, choose the area of application: Development, Building, Electrical, Gas, or Plumbing, & Private Sewage Permits.
    • Choose your project type, and then your permit type.
    • Answer all questions and upload your supporting documents.

Apply Now

Please Note: You cannot begin construction on your project until you have all your required approved Development and Safety Codes permits.

Permit processing times vary depending on the type of application, property district, complexity of the development, and other factors. Once a development permit is approved, you have 12 months to apply for your Safety Codes Permits.

 

Additional Information by Project Type

Residential dwellings (including manufactured homes) require:

Permit information and checklists - Dwelling

View the following resources to help you apply for a new single-detached dwelling (Dwelling, Single Detached) or manufactured home:

Development Permit Resources

Safety Codes Permit Resources

Permit information and checklists –
Dwelling (Single-Wide Mobile Home)

View the following resources to help you make an application for a new single-wide mobile (manufactured) home:


Development Permit Resources:


Safety Codes Permit Resources:

Residential structures exceeding 25 m2(269 sq. ft.) require:

Note: Buildings under 25 m2 (269 ft2) must still meet all Land Use Bylaw regulations (i.e. setbacks) and buildings exceeding 10 m2 (108 ft2) will still require a Building Permit.

Permit information and checklists - Accessory building (ex: garages, sheds, shops)

View the following resources to help you make an application for a new accessory building:

Development Permit Resources:

  • Under construction - coming soon!

Safety Codes Permit Resources:

View the following resources to help you make an application for a renovation to your home:

View the following resources to help you make an application for an addition to your home.

Development Permit Resources:

If you are expanding the footprint of your home, expanding the livable square footage (ex: converting garage space to bedroom), or creating a secondary suite, Development Permit approval is required. Finishing a basement does not require development permit approval if none of the above apply to your project.

Safety Codes Permit Resources:

Shingles, siding, windows and doors replacement

You do not need a permit to replace shingles, siding, windows and doors for your home. As long as you are not making structural changes (like increasing the size of openings), general maintenance of buildings (such as painting) does not require a permit.

Secondary Suites

An Accessory Suite (also known as a garden suite, in-law suite) and a Secondary Suite (basement suite) are permitted uses in the many districts of the Land Use Bylaw. You will need development permit and safety codes approval from the County. View our Secondary Suite Application Package for more information.

A Secondary Suite:

  • Must have its own entrance, kitchen, bathroom and living quarters; and,
  • Is limited to the following floor area:
    • Minimum: 30.0 m2 (323 ft2)
    • Maximum: 102.2 m2 (1100 ft2)

Types of Secondary Suites:

Type

Description

Garden Suite

  • Separate building from the existing dwelling

  • Also known as a Carriage Home, Granny Suite

Garage Suite

  • Suite traditionally located above a garage

Addition Suite

  • Suite located within an existing dwelling (not in basement)

Basement Suite

  • Located in the basement of an existing dwelling

An additional single-detached dwelling may be considered on agricultural parcels greater than 8.0 ha (not subject to floor area restrictions). The following application guides and information is applicable to applying for a second dwelling:

Development Permit Resources

Safety Codes Permit Resources

Deck information and checklists

View the following resources to help you make an application for a deck exceeding 2 feet height from average grade:

  • Safety codes permits are required for all decks exceeding 2 feet
  • Development permits are required for decks
    • greater than 0.6 m (2.0 ft) in height above grade

Fences

Fences built within the following parameters do not require development permit approval:

  • If your parcel of land is less than one acre in size, your fence can be no higher than 2.0 m (6.5 ft) for rear or side yards and no higher than 1.0 m (3.3 ft) for the front yard.
  • If your parcel is larger than one acre in size, your fence can be no higher than 2.0 m (6.5 ft) on all sides.

View the following resources to help you make an application for installing a hot tub, stove or solar system:

View the following resources to help you make an application for installing a new private sewage system:

You do not need approvals or permits from Parkland County to drill a well on your land. However, before drill a well, we suggest that you:

  • Research the costs of drilling a well versus other options (i.e., cistern).
  • Get a copy of your Land Title. It may have a restrictive covenant that limits if / where you can put a well on your land. Contact Service Alberta to find a local Registries office.
  • Use provincial groundwater information to find out if there are existing wells in your area.
  • Check with your local Alberta Health Unit about water quality. Alberta Health provides water sampling.

View the Government of Alberta's overview of working wells to learn more about how to care for wells. View the Working Well Fact Sheet: Drilling a New Well.

Farm or agricultural accessory buildings (i.e., a granary) may not require permits if the structure is:

  • directly and solely related to farming activity, as defined in the National Farm Building Code of Canada (Article 1.2.1.2) 
  • on a parcel of two acres or greater in size
  • Meets all applicable setback, height, and site coverage regulations in the Land Use Bylaw
  • not a detached garage

A development permit is not required for permitted farming activities.

Contact Us

Parkland County Centre
53109A HWY 779, Parkland County, AB T7Z 1R1

General Office: 780-968-8888
Toll Free: 1-888-880-0858
After hours: 780-968-8400
Email: hello@parklandcounty.com

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