Rocky View County Council has adopted a new Land Use Bylaw that streamlines and clarifies how lands can be used and developed in the County.
“Our old Land Use Bylaw was created in 1998, and underwent numerous piecemeal amendments over the years. It became outdated, hard to understand, easy to misinterpret, and challenging to implement and enforce,” says Reeve Greg Boehlke.
The new Land Use Bylaw sees a 70 percent reduction in the number of pages, and a 35 percent reduction in the number of Land Use Districts.
“It has taken nearly four years of careful effort, but we have redrafted and consolidated the Bylaw to reduce confusion and cut out pointless red tape regulations. Just as importantly, we’ve maintained appropriate controls over land use to ensure well-planned development in Rocky View County,” Reeve Boehlke says. “The new Bylaw reflects modern development approaches and better aligns with Provincial regulations.”
Each parcel of land in Rocky View County has a Land Use District, sometimes called zoning. The different district designations regulate the size and use of land and buildings, the development standards, and the permitted as well as discretionary uses for the property.
The new Land Use Bylaw does not change how a property owner currently uses their land. However, any landowner who wants to develop on their property or make changes to the use of the property will have to follow any new or updated regulations that may apply for their new Land Use District.
Rocky View County’s new Land Use Bylaw comes into effect on September 8, 2020.