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Land Use & Development

Land Use Planning Framework

Planning and development involves balancing competing (and at times conflicting) needs and limited resources to ensure orderly, economical and beneficial development within a Municipality. Its primary objective is to maintain and improve the quality of the natural and built environment through a land use planning framework.

the Town of Castor derives its land use planning authority from the Province of Alberta, through provincial legislation, regulations and policies that include, but are not limited to:

Municipal Government Act (MGA),

Alberta Land Stewardship Act (ALSA), and

Matters Related to Subdivision and Development Regulation.

The Municipality's delegated authority, allows it to develop, implement and enforce statutory plans, bylaws and policies to govern land use planning within its boundaries.

Together, the Provincial and Municipal legislation, regulations, policies and plans comprise the land use planning framework, which serves as a guide for planning, development and subdivision within the Town of Castor.

The hierarchy of documents within the Town of Castor land use planning framework is established by the MGA. The MGA requires that each level is consistent with the level above and below it, and that the policies or regulations within planning document(s) at each level may be implemented by those below them in the decision-making process. The MGA provides the legislative authority for municipal land use planning and decision-making, while the ALSA regional plan (or Land Use Policies in their absence) provides broad-based policy directions and principles for municipal land use planning, which are effected through statutory plans and bylaws. The statutory plans provide future direction for the development and use of lands at the fringe areas of the Town of Castor boundaries (IDPs), or within the whole Town of Castor (MDP), or small areas of the Town of Castor in greater detail (ASPs). The LUB regulates the use and development of land based on the policy directions of statutory plans, while the Subdivision and Development Regulation regulates subdivision planning in conjunction with the MGA, applicable statutory plans, and the Land Use Bylaw. The polices, other bylaws and documents contain additional or specific requirements outside statutory plans and the LUB documents for reviewing and making decisions on applications for development permit and subdivision, either in general or for certain types of developments and subdivisions, or for developments and subdivisions at certain locations. Where there is a conflict or inconsistency between a higher-level planning document and a lower-level planning document, the higher-level planning document prevails to the extent of the conflict or inconsistency.

Municipal Government Act (MGA)

The Municipal Government Act (MGA) is the key provincial legislation from which the The Town of Castor derives its authority to undertake planning and development. The MGA establishes the powers and responsibilities of Council and administration with respect to creating policies, plans and bylaws to govern land use and development within their municipality.

Specifically, the MGA allows a municipality to create four (4) types of statutory plans (Municipal Development Plan, Intermunicipal Development Plan, Area Structure Plan, and Area Redevelopment Plan) and the Land Use Bylaw. These provide a framework for coordinated planning and decision-making with regards to land use. Importantly, municipalities are also provided with enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance with the land use planning framework.

Alberta Land Stewardship Act (ALSA)

The Alberta Land Stewardship Act (ALSA) establishes a regional approach to land use planning through the implementation of the Alberta Land-Use Framework (LUF). It aims to achieve Alberta’s long-term economic, social and environmental goals through the efficient management of public and private lands and natural resources. The ALSA divides the province into seven “land-use regions,” and contemplates a regional plan for each region.

Provincial Land Use Policies

The Province of Alberta's Land Use Policies were created in 1996 under the Municipal Government Act to guide municipalities in harmonizing provincial and municipal policy initiatives at the local land use planning level. The Land Use Policies establish high-level principles for better land use planning and will be replaced by regional plans once in effect.

The Matters Related to Subdivision and Development Regulation outlines a number of requirements, procedures and guidelines for the referral and decision-making process on subdivision applications in Alberta, in addition to the requirements of the Municipal Government Act.

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Intermunicipal Development Plan (IDP)

An IDP is a statutory planning document which is prepared by neighbouring municipalities to ensure that development within two or more municipalities reflects the common interests of all the municipalities involved, and sets out a joint vision for future development and land use issues.

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IDP County of Paintearth

Intermunicipal Development Plan

Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework (ICF)

An IDP is a statutory planning document which is prepared by neighbouring municipalities to ensure that development within two or more municipalities reflects the common interests of all the municipalities involved, and sets out a joint vision for future development and land use issues.

ICF County of Paintearth

Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework

Land Use Bylaw No. 1093

Every municipality in Alberta is required to have a Land Use Bylaw as per the requirements in the Municipal Government Act. The Land Use Bylaw establishes rules and regulations for land development as well as the process of making decisions for development permit applications within the Town of Castor.

The Land Use Bylaw is a document created to regulate the use and development of land and buildings in the Town of Castor with the goal of achieving orderly and efficient development of land as well as:

To divide the Town of Castor into land use districts;
To prescribe and regulate for each land use district, the range of uses and the purpose for which land or buildings may be used;
To establish a method of making decisions on applications for Development Permits including the issuing of Development Permits, Sign Permits and Demolition Permits;
To prescribe the procedure to notify owners of land likely to be affected by the issuance of a Development Permit.

The Land Use Bylaw includes land use districts (zones) such as the R1 – Residential (Low Density) District, the C1 – Commercial (Central) District, or the I - Industrial District, in order to separate residential, commercial, and industrial land development and regulate specific land uses and buildings.

Each land use district (zone) has certain land uses that are permitted outright, others are conditional upon approval, and some are prohibited. Examples of land uses include a detached dwelling, merchandise sale, a restaurant or manufacturing.

A Land Use Bylaw is made up of text and maps; the text sets forth the regulations for each land use district (zone) and the maps show what land use district (zone) applies to each parcel of land.

The Town of Castor’s original Land Use Bylaw was adopted in March 1980 (No. 668). The bylaw has been amended several times over the years. The most current version of the Land Use Bylaw (No. 1093) is below and its amendments are available at www.castor.ca/bylaws under Land Use/Development.

Land Use Bylaw No. 1093