Proposed Changes to Land Use Districts

Article #2: Proposed Changes to Land Use Districts

As we continue our weekly articles on proposed changes and revisions to the Land Use Bylaw, we will take a look at Land Use Districts:

What Are Land Use Districts in Lethbridge County?

The Lethbridge County Land Use Bylaw includes a section on Land Use District that describes what uses are allowed (either as permitted or discretionary uses) or prohibited in each. Over time different uses are created and existing uses change. For the Land Use Bylaw to remain relevant, it must address those changes to reflect current trends and the goals and objectives of the County.

Permitted Use: uses for which a development permit shall be issued with or without conditions by the Development Authority upon application having been made to the Development Authority if the proposed use conforms to the Land Use Bylaw.

Discretionary Use: uses for which a development permit may be issued with or without conditions by the Development Authority at its discretion upon application having been made to the development authority if the proposed use conforms with the Land Use Bylaw.

Each land use district also includes standards of development (i.e. setbacks, size, and height requirements) that ensure there is consistency in development throughout a specific land use district and that development is compatible with adjacent landowners. It is proposed that some standards be changed to reflect current trends and the needs of county residents and landowners.

Land Use District Review

A review of the land use districts was completed, and some changes are proposed including:

• Combining the Lethbridge Urban Fringe and Rural Urban Fringe District into one Urban Fringe District
• Removing the Hamlet Manufactured Home District which is currently only in place in the Hamlet of Monarch
• Removing the Rural Heavy Industrial District which has never been applied to any parcel within the County. The uses that are specific to this district can be relocated as a discretionary use in the Rural General Industrial District
• Rural Recreation District
  1. Move the following uses from discretionary to permitted uses:
     • Club house
     • Boat docks
     • Marinas
     • Recreation minor
     • Retail (associated with a permitted use)
     • Riding academies/equestrian facilities
  2. Add residences as a permitted use (singular residence only)
  3. Add additional/multiple residences as a discretionary use
• Rural Agricultural District
  1. Add Abattoir as a discretionary use
  2. Add Short Term Rentals as a discretionary use
  3. Add Cryptocurrency as a discretionary use
• Grouped Country Residential District
  1. Add shipping containers as a discretionary use
• Business Light Industrial District
  1. Add Farmer’s Markets as a discretionary use
• Hamlet Residential District
  1. Remove Garden Suites

Other Proposed Changes:

• Include industrial developments to the definition of mixed-use developments. This would address parcels that have multiple industrial land uses.
• Include language regarding stand-alone personal workshops to clarify that this use is specific to parcels where there is not a residence on the property within the Urban Fringe and Agricultural Districts.
• Include conditions for Solar Collector Facilities (i.e. Solar Farms) that address soil erosion and weed control.

Changes to Development and Use Standards:

The following changes are proposed to the section on Development and Use Standards:

Grouped Country Residential District:

• Increase the size of accessory buildings (the total size for all accessory buildings on a parcel) on parcel:
  1. less than 0.8 hectares (2 acres) from 167.22 m2 (1800sq.ft.) to 222.96 m2 (2400 sq.ft.)
  2. more than 0.8 hectares (2 acres) from 278.7m2 (3000 sq.ft.) to 371.61 m2 (4000 sq.ft.)
• Increase the height of accessory buildings from 6.1 meter (20 feet) to 8.54 metres (28 feet).

Hamlet Residential District:

• Increase the height of accessory buildings to 5.49 meters (18 feet).

All Land Use Districts:

• Remove the specific setback to irrigation canals (in the current Land Use Bylaw the setback is 30.48 metres (100 feet)), the proposed setback would be the standard setback of 6.1 meters (20 feet) to a side or rear property line.

Signage

• Allow for signage to be within the development setback to a road or property line.

Allow for up to 5 fascia signs on a building within a commercial or industrially zoned property.

Home Occupations:

• Expanding Home Occupation Criteria to allow for larger home-based businesses within County:

Existing Home Occupation Standards:

Proposed Home Occupation Standards:

Click to view more details:

• Urban Fringe Districts (Current & Proposed)
• Proposed Rural General industrial District