Land Use Bylaw

What is the Land Use Bylaw?

The Government of Alberta's Municipal Government Act requires municipalities to have a Land Use Bylaw. This bylaw is the governing document for land use in Parkland County and includes a wide range of regulations that affect properties such as:

The use and size of land and buildings
Categorizing land use districts (zones) and determining development standards for each
Appropriate permitted and discretionary uses for the land use districts

The Land Use Bylaw regulates development activities within Parkland County with the goal of ensuring that neighbouring land uses are compatible and that what one person does on their property does not negatively impact their neighbours.

Each parcel of land has an assigned land use district (also referred to as “zoning”) as outlined in the Land Use Bylaw. Parkland County's Land Use Bylaw includes a number of land use districts, ranging from agricultural and residential, to industrial and commercial. A land use district includes a set of regulations which outline the different land uses that can be considered on the parcel and development standards that must be followed. For example, the minimum distance a house can be from a property line (i.e. Setback Distance).

Land Use Bylaw 2017-18

View our current Land Use Bylaw here.

Note: Be sure to view the amendments listed below to learn more about amendments to the Land Use Bylaw that have been approved by Council.

Land Use Bylaw schedules

View the many schedules that are included in our Land Use Bylaw:

Schedule A – Land Use Maps, including:
Parkland County Land Use District Index Map
Map 1 – Magnolia and Northwest Area
Map 2 – Entwistle, Moon Lake and Seba Beach Area
Map 3 – Southwest Area
Map 4 – Tomahawk Area
Map 5 – Wabamun and Duffield Area
Map 6 – Keephills Area
Map 7 – West of Stony Plain Area
Map 8 – Southwest of Stony Plain Area
Map 9 – North and East of Spruce Grove Area
Map 9A – Acheson/Big Lake Area Zoomed-in
Map 10 – Woodbend and Graminia Area
Schedule B – Entwistle Urban Village Land Use District Map
Schedule C – Highvale Mine End Direct Control District Map
Schedule D – Whitewood Direct Control District Map
Schedule E – Keephills Power Plant Direct Control District Map
Schedule F – Acheson Industrial Area Overlay Map
Schedule G – Atim Creek/Big Lake Floodplain Overlay Map
Schedule H – Osprey Bay Direct Control District Map
Schedule I – Legend Estates Overlay Map
Schedule J – Arterial Roads Map
Schedule K – Collector Roads Map

Land Use Bylaw amendments

View a list of all adopted amendments to the Land Use Bylaw below. Amendments to the Land Use Bylaw are made through the creation of other bylaws.

Wabaman Land Use Bylaw

The Wabaman Land Use Bylaw governs land use for the former Village of Wabamun area. As part of the ongoing transition to integrate Wabamun into Parkland County, many bylaws must be repealed to ensure consistency throughout the County. This bylaw will be scheduled into this integration, but will remain in effect until appealed.

Find my land use district

To find your land use district and discover the development activities that can be considered on your property, view Discover Parkland, an online, interactive mapping tool that outlines each district's zoning information, possible land uses and legal descriptions, as well as County services, facilities and aerial imagery.

Our Land Use Bylaw Summary Table also outlines the permitted uses and discretionary uses for all types of districts in the County.

What is redistricting?

Redistricting (or “rezoning”) is a type of Land Use Bylaw amendment that allows for the district that applies to a parcel of land to change. Landowners, who wish to pursue activities on their land that are not permitted under current districting, may apply for land use redistricting before subdividing or further developing their land. Redistricting is typically a map change within the Land Use Bylaw.

Why choose to redistrict your land?

You may want to redistrict your land if you want to:

Develop or subdivide your land in a way that is not allowed under the current district
Subdivide your land into parcels used for a different purpose
Bring lands into alignment with an approved statutory plan

What is a Land Use Bylaw amendment?

Changes to the Land Use Bylaw are called “amendments.” As Parkland County Council is the approving authority for all amendments to the Land Use Bylaw, an amendment application must be presented to Council in a formal public hearing before the amendment can be approved. An amendment can propose to change any portion of the bylaw, including:

The district that applies to a specific property or area
Proposing a new district
Text changes to any of the districts or provisions within the bylaw

A proposed amendment may not be able to be supported by administration in all instances. Please discuss your proposal with us following the application process below for clarification on your specific project (see “Apply for Redistricting” below).

Apply for redistricting

View our Land Use Bylaw Amendment Application Package for more information on changing the land use district of a parcel of land. Ensure you follow our redistricting application process as noted below when applying for a rezoning of a property. You can also view our Amendment Approval Process for further information.

Step 1: Pre-application consultation meeting

You must first book a mandatory pre-application meeting with a Parkland County planner. During this meeting, we review application requirements and work to ensure a timely submission process.

To book your meeting, please email hello@parklandcounty.com. Please include the legal description of the subject property, any relevant drawings (if applicable) and provide a tentative agenda for the meeting (i.e. list the items you'd like to discuss and specific questions you may have).

Step 2: Submit your application with PLANit Parkland

Using our online planning application tool PLANit Parkland, submit your completed application with the necessary forms, fees and supporting documentation. Note: Land Use Bylaw Amendment applications are listed under “Apply for other Planning Services”.

Check out PLANit Parkland

You can view available forms required for your application, as well as checklists and other resources to help you prepare for your project. With PLANit Help, you can find step-by-step instructions, videos and frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help you navigate PLANit Parkland.

Step 3: Evaluation of application by staff

Planning and Development Services reviews the application to:

Check for any missing information
Assess the suitability of the site and the likely impact of the proposal on adjacent properties
Review any existing County policies and statutory documents that apply
Conduct a site visit

Proposed amendments to the Land Use Bylaw including text amendments and redistricting must reflect the policies of the Municipal Development Plan and any relevant Area Structure Plans. Following the evaluation process, a date is set for Council to consider the application (First Reading).

Step 4: Referral to agencies and landowners

We send information related to your application to various applicable agencies and adjacent landowners for their comments. Comments are then considered during evaluation of the application.

Step 5: Council evaluation and public input

Redistricting (or rezoning) land requires Council to give first, second and third reading to the redistricting application. A public hearing is scheduled between the first and second reading for public input.

During first reading – Council reviews the principle of the application and, if satisfied, will ask for a public hearing to be scheduled
During public hearing – Concerns related to the application are identified by the public and addressed by staff and the applicant prior to Council giving second reading
During second reading – Council reviews the results of the public hearing. If satisfied that all issues have been addressed, Council will give second reading
During third reading – Council is fully satisfied that all issues pertaining to the redistricting application have been addressed. The redistricting is complete with third reading of the bylaw

In many cases, development proposals involve amendments to other plans or the establishment of a conceptual scheme or subdivision. These applications can be processed and presented to Council together, if appropriate.

If you have any questions about the regulations or processes contained in the Land Use Bylaw, please contact us by phone at 780-968-8888 or by email at hello@parklandcounty.com, or visit us at Parkland County Centre.

Get involved with our Land Use Bylaw ReDesign and Municipal Development Plan Projects!

We want to hear from you! Our staff are asking the public to share what they think makes Parkland County unique and how development processes across the County can be improved with a new Land Use Bylaw. Stay informed and find opportunities to provide your feedback with our Land Use Bylaw Redesign Engagement Project. Be sure to subscribe to the project page on www.yourparkland.ca.

You can also stay informed and provide feedback with our Municipal Development Plan (MDP) Engagement Project. How do you see Parkland County growing over the next 30 years? Our MDP guides decisions related to land use and development, infrastructure and services.