BECAUSE WE CAN’T AFFORD NOT TO!

W HAT IS
A P LAN ?
A method for achieving an end
A scheme of action or procedure
A project or definite purpose
A detailed formulation of a program of action
An orderly arrangement of parts of an overall design or objective
Planning is all about…
MAKING PLACES BETTER
It accomplishes this by:
 The orderly, economical and beneficial development of land and resources
 Establishing a rational means by which the community’s goals can be met through land use management

W HY P LAN ?
T O C OMPLY
WITH
P ROVINCIAL
R EGULATIONS
 Every municipality must adopt a land use bylaw which prohibits, regulates, and controls land use within corporate limits as mandated by the
Municipal Government Act
 Every municipality with a population of 3,500 or more must adopt a municipal development plan to serve as a framework for future development within the municipality

W HY P LAN ?
Deciding on the community’s desired direction and figuring out how to get there
P ROACTIVE
P LANNING
This means:
 Building on strengths
 Acknowledging limitations
 Considering cumulative impacts
 Minimizing negative externalities

R EASONS
TO E NGAGE
IN L AND
U SE
P LANNING
Public Good & Efficiency
• Protect public health, safety & welfare
• Promote efficiency in delivery and use of infrastructure
• Protect public investments
Fairness, Equity, Rationality
• Provide equal opportunity in development process
• Ensure a democratic process including mechanisms for dispute resolution
• Create stable, predictable environment within which development can flourish
• Concern for future generations

R EASONS
TO E NGAGE
IN L AND
U SE
P LANNING
- continued
Beauty & Orderliness
• Help promote, maintain, and create a community’s unique identity
• Maintain neighbourhood integrity
• Prevent premature land fragmentation
Legal
• Provide basis for land use decisions and foundation for other plans and bylaws
• Protect property rights and values
Environmental Protection &
Resource Management
• Help maintain, protect, and manage resources
(natural, physical, social, cultural, economic, etc.)
• Minimize negative impacts and ensure hazard mitigation

L AND U SE
P LANNING
IN A LBERTA
Land use planning in Alberta is governed by a number of instruments and authorities including:
 Municipal Government Act
 Subdivision and Development
Regulation
 Provincial Land Use Policies
 Other Provincial documents
 e.g. Airport Vicinity Protection Area, the
Water Act

P
L
Municipal Affairs
NRCB, ERCB, AUC
Municipal Government Board
L
L
Municipal Council
Development Authority
Subdivision Authority
Subdivision and Development
Appeal Board

S TATUTORY
P LANNING
I NSTRUMENTS
Municipal Government Act
Edmonton and Calgary
International Airports
Vicinity Protection Area
Regs.
Subdivision and
Development Reg.
Land Use Policies
Intermunicipal Development Plans
General Airport Vicinity
Protection Area Regs.
Municipal Development Plans
Area Structure Plans Area Redevelopment Plans
Land Use Bylaws
Subdivision Approval Process
Development Permit Approval
Process

 Governed by the MGA (s. 622)
 Policies replaced the Regional Plan
 A guide to more specific municipal policy
 Public policy rather than law
 Seek to provide a blueprint for land use planning
 Current policies adopted in November 1996
 Upcoming ‘Land Use Framework’ will replace

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For the consideration of development and subdivision applications, the hierarchy of documents are as follows:
Inter-Municipal Development Plans (IMDP)
Municipal Development Plan (MDP)
Area Structure Plan (ASP)
Area Redevelopment Plans (ARP)
Land Use Bylaw (LUB)
Each is required to be adopted by Bylaw. These bylaws provide policy and regulate the uses of land and the standards that will be applied for development
Each requires three readings and a public hearing
Each requires public involvement
Municipal
Development Plan
Land Use Bylaw

 Provincial & Federal Legislation
 Local municipal plans and policies
 Planning/land considerations - suitability
 Development services/utilities required
 Meets professional planning goals
 Environmental (i.e water, soil), protect agricultural land, community goals, health objectives, compatible uses/development, sustainable growth

 Protect good quality agricultural land
 Prevent premature urban growth/sprawl
 Development not conflict with irrigation/AG operations
 Prevent land use conflicts – direct non-agricultural
 (Confined feeding operations, oil & gas, noxious industry, etc.)
 Prevent fragmentation of land
 Protect water sources/resources
 Contribute to efficient use of non-renewable resources
 Direct development to not constrain natural resources

Who does a Land Use Planner work for?
 The “Community”

P LANNING AND D EVELOPMENT
 The MGA is the document that sets out the legislative framework for planning in Alberta
 Places the authority for land use decision-making at the local level
 Empowers council with the authority to establish:




Statutory plans – ASP, MDP,s, IMDPs
Various planning approval committees
Enforcement mechanisms
Public participation process

P LANNING AND D EVELOPMENT
 Concerned with planning for and regulating the development of land in Alberta
 Provides framework for the public authorities, the instruments, and the tasks necessary for effective planning for municipalities
 Does not prescribe rules for when, where or how development may occur – local bylaws prescribe

Carpenters Tools & Parameters Development
 Part 17 gives the local planning authority (‘carpenter’) the tools (plans, bylaws) and sets the parameters that it can use to build a community (development)

Must operate within the legislative authority of Part 17 of the Municipal Government Act
 Required to establish a process for approvals - land use bylaw
 Must create decision-making authorities – Council, Dev Officer
 Must create appeal authorities - SDAB
 Must adopt a land use bylaw (land regulations)
 Municipalities over 3,500 must adopt a municipal development plan (long range growth & development plan)
 Must ensure all land use bylaws and statutory plans are consistent with Provincial Land Use Policies

C OUNCIL ’ S R OLE IN P LANNING – MGA Part 17
 Establish Planning Authorities through bylaw
 Adopt Municipal Development Plan (MDP)
 Adopt Land Use Bylaw (LUB)
 Adopt other Statutory Plans
 Amend and update plans and bylaws
 Enter into Development Agreements
 Create Intermunicipal Agreements

C OUNCIL ’ S R OLE
 Council creates and adopts land use policies and guides development and growth
 Establishes criteria in Land Use Bylaw
 Zoning



Parcel Size
Density/Maximum # of Parcels
Etc.
 Often acts as the Subdivision Authority (makes decision)
 May negotiate Service (development) Agreements

CRITERIA
The land use is suitable for the purpose of the subdivision
Water is available in accordance with the Water Act
The proposed subdivision complies with the MGA and the
Subdivision and Development
Regulation
The proposed subdivision conforms to any statutory plans and the land use bylaw
 Use and zoning MUST conform

• Council adopts policies in MDP and land use bylaw to guide development
• Council may negotiate provision of services with developers (roads, utilities)
• May act as the development approval authority
(discretionary permit uses)
• Council may act/promote local/regional economic development

• T H E P R O P O S A L M E E T S O V E R A L L C O U N C I L O B J E C T I V E S
A N D G O A L S ( C O N F O R M I T Y T O P L A N S , T H E M D P, E T C . )
• V I A B I L I T Y O F P R O J E C T/ P R O P O S A L ? H O W L I K E LY T O
S U C C E E D ?
• FA I R A N D L E V E L P L AY I N G F I E L D
• C O N S I D E R AT I O N O F A F F E C T E D O R A D JA C E N T
L A N D O W N E R S
• T H E P R O P O S A L M E E T S /A D H E R E S T O M U N I C I PA L A N D
P R O V I N C I A L R E G U L AT I O N S
• S U I TA B I L I T Y O F T H E L A N D F O R T H E P R O P O S A L

• C R E AT E A L E V E L P L AY I N G F I E L D ( P O L I C I E S A N D S TA N DA R D S )
• C O O R D I N AT E D E V E L O P M E N T/ P R O V I D E D E S I G N F R A M E W O R K
• P R O V I D E I N F R A S T R U C T U R E ( WAT E R , R O A D S , D R A I N A G E , E T C . )
• E M B R A C E / E N C O U R A G E PA R T N E R S H I P S - I N T E R - M U N I C I PA L ,
P R O V I N C I A L , E C O N O M I C
• P R O V I D E R E S O U R C E S / P E O P L E / I N F O R M AT I O N
• J O I N R E G I O N A L E C O N O M I C I N I T I AT I V E S ( I . E . S O U T H G R O W )
• C R E AT E - O V E R A L L , AT T R A C T I V E , H E A LT H Y L O C A L E C O N O M Y
A N D Q U A L I T Y O F L I F E ( TA X E S , S E R V I C E S , R E C R E AT I O N , E T C )

• P L A N N E D, E F F I C I E N T A N D E C O N O M I C A L LY V I A B L E G R O W T H
- services and infrastructure available/affordable
• D E V E L O P M E N T T H AT M E E T S M U N I C I PA L G O A L S
- i.e. agri-business, value added processing, sustainable, protect agricultural land/operations, green energy developments
• D E V E L O P M E N T T H AT M E E T S E N V I R O N M E N TA L S TA N DA R D S /
O B J E C T I V E S
• D E V E L O P M E N T T H AT F I T S W I T H C O U N C I L M A N DAT E
- protection, of high quality agricultural land