The City of Cold Lake has updated the city’s land use bylaw to try to address several issues city staff identified.
The revised LUB now takes into account the annexed lands, complies with the current MGA requirements, and modernizes the bylaw to account for new technologies and development trends.
The new LUB updates ongoing compliance issues including the language used in the bylaw and updates to land use classifications to better reflect their purpose. General regulations and requirements have also been defined more clearly, and other areas that have been touched on include increasing the time allotment for permit appeals.
Cold Lake Mayor Craig Copeland says the whole bylaw has been completely reorganized and restructured.
“It needed an update since our City’s boundaries shifted in 2019 with the annexation, but it was also important to consider new trends, like the move towards green energy solutions for homes and businesses. The public should also find that the new Land Use Bylaw is easier to navigate: The wording has been made much clearer and it includes
more graphics, so understanding the bylaw should be much easier.”
A Cold Lake news release says the purpose of the updated land use bylaw is to give an overarching framework for land use by designating parcels of land under various zones, and spelling out permitted and discretionary uses for each zone.
Permitted use: A permitted use is a land use, building or other structure that is allowed in a particular zone.
Discretionary use: A discretionary use is a land use, building or other structure that may be allowed in a zone after the City’s Development Authority takes into consideration a proposed discretionary use’s specific impact on neighboring land.
If a landowner wishes to develop land in a manner not currently allowed by the LUB, an application to amend the LUB must be made and passed by three readings of council.
In 2022 the city’s administration gathered public feedback on the draft Land Use Bylaw and only got two responses.
“We want to thank the consultant and our staff for working so diligently on this project,”
Copeland said. “It’s important for the public to know that these high-level plans do make a
difference. They help to align everyone’s vision for the community and they can ensure that a community grows sustainably. Our old Land Use Bylaw saw some great changes to Cold Lake and took us a long way. It will be amazing to see where our community is when this new bylaw needs a revision.”
A LUB is required to be passed by every municipality in Alberta. The previous LUB has been amended several times since its creation in 2010 as changes by the Government of Alberta to the Municipal Government Act are made.