Proposed General Changes

Article #1: General Changes to the Land Use Bylaw

What are “General Changes”?

General changes impact the administrative section of the Land Use Bylaw, which includes:

• Who can approve developments in the County
• General rules for development within the County (i.e. site suitability, brownfield developments, minimum distance separations)
• Rules and procedures for development permit applications (i.e. information requirements on an application, processing requirements, applications for similar uses or a change of use and notifications)
• Rules around the validity of a permit
• Rules on the appeal process
• Bylaw enforcement
• Rules on amending the Land Use Bylaw (i.e. rezoning) and subdivisions

What General Changes are proposed in the Land Use Bylaw?

The following changes are being proposed, with most aiming to clarify existing guidelines, streamline the development process or allow for more time for permit holders to complete development:

1. Removing the “developments not requiring a permit” section and adding it as its own distinct section of the Land Use Bylaw. This will make it easier for users to find what developments do or do not require a permit.
2. Removing the requirement for solar collectors mounted on roofs or walls to have a development permit. This change will streamline the process for residents and businesses looking to install solar panels on their home or business.
3. Relocating the section on the number of dwellings allowed on a parcel to be included with each individual land use district. This will provide clarity within each district on the number of dwellings that are permitted.
4. Aligning language to provincial requirements with regard to incomplete applications.
5. Adding a section to clarify requirements when applying for a development that is a change of use (i.e. where no new building is being constructed)
6. Expanding the validity period of a development permit from 12 months to 24 months. This would apply to most of the development permits within the County, as we recognize that developments are taking longer for permit holders to complete.
7. Expanding the validity period of a development permit for large-scale industrial and commercial renewable energy projects from 12 months to 48 months. This would apply to a small number of development permits but allows industry and renewable energy projects more time to complete without having to reapply for a new development permit.
8. Adding a new section outlining the process for withdrawing a development permit. The c Land Use Bylaw does not currently have a process for withdrawal and there is a lack of clarity on how a permit holder can do so.
9. Adding a new section for some variances (i.e. changes) to an issued development permit. This would allow for minor siting changes without requiring a new development permit application.

Questions? Thoughts?

Use the tabs in the menu to ask administration a question or share your feedback.