Plans & Projects

Land Use Bylaw Review

The Land Use Bylaw is an important municipal tool for managing land use and development within town boundaries to grow our community in a responsible and sustainable way.

The Town is currently reviewing the Land Use Bylaw to streamline planning and development regulations, and to implement the Municipal Development Plan.

Administration has created draft land use districts and uses, which were presented to the public for review and feedback in June 2026. Residents provided input through a survey questionnaire and a number of in-person engagement sessions.

The feedback is being compiled into a What We Heard Report, which will be presented to Council for review this fall and subsequently shared with the public.

More public engagement events are expected in the fall. Watch for updates on our website and social media channels.

In the meantime, you can send your feedback or questions about the Land Use Bylaw review to the Town Office. You can email Kevin Theriault, Planner I, at ktheriault@calmar.ca or leave a letter at the front desk.

What is in a Land Use Bylaw?

Every municipality in Alberta is required to adopt a Land Use Bylaw. The LUB (Land Use Bylaw) has three key components:

Districts

Every parcel of land is assigned a land use district, also known as it zoning. Each district allows different types of development, such as residential or industrial uses.

Uses

Uses are the buildings and activities permitted on different pieces of land. Every district has one or more uses that are allowed on a site.

Regulations

The LUB includes both general and specific regulations. General regulations apply Town-wide, while specific regulations may apply only to certain districts or uses.

A proposed draft of the Land Use Bylaw districts and uses is available in the document below:

Frequently Asked Questions

The provincial Municipal Government Act (MGA) requires every municipality in Alberta to adopt a Land Use Bylaw (LUB). They regulate what can happen on each parcel of land and help guide safe and orderly development, ensuring that compatible developments are located near each other. For example, schools and homes often fit well together, but a landfill should not be located next to either.

Land use bylaws also create certainty for developers and community members. They show residents what kinds of development are allowed in their neighbourhoods. Any amendment to the rules and standards requires advertising and a public hearing.

A land use bylaw contains three key components:

  • Districts: Every parcel of land is assigned a land use district. This is also known as zoning. Each district allows different types of development, such as residential, commercial, or industrial uses.
  • Uses: Uses are the buildings and activities permitted on different pieces of land. Land use districts are typically assigned one or more uses that are allowed on a site.
  • Regulations: Land use bylaws include both general and specific regulations. General regulations apply town-wide, while specific regulations may apply only to certain districts or uses.

While an important part of regulating development, a land use bylaw is not comprehensive. Many development issues are addressed through other municipal, provincial and federal regulations.

While Calmar’s Land Use Bylaw regulates local development approvals, broader development goals and policies are outlined in a separate Municipal Development Plan (MDP).

Similarly, the LUB addresses some safety-related matters; however, most safety and structural requirements are governed by the Provincial Safety Codes Act and related regulations. Utility infrastructure is also regulated at the provincial level.

The federal government also has jurisdiction over certain development matters, such as locating telecommunication towers and building heights near aircraft flight paths.

Many parts of the existing Land Use Bylaw are at least 20 years old, even as it has been updated numerous times since. Some sections still meet the needs of the community; however, Administration has heard from community members, developers, and Council that the current LUB could be made simpler and more effective.

Below is a summary of the main issues that the Land Use Bylaw Review will address:

  1. Redundant land use districts: Our current LUB has too many land use districts. For example, it has five low-density neighbourhood residential districts, each with slightly different rules. It also has two industrial districts, even though only one is used in practice. Reducing the number of districts would make the bylaw easier to understand.
  2. Unnecessary regulations: The current bylaw has rules that add complexity and red tape but do not always improve the community. For example, the current land use bylaw indicates that in a residential district, a deck attached to a house must be six metres from the rear property line, while a detached deck only needs to be one metre from the rear prop. Rules like this make permit approvals more complicated, costly, and time-consuming.
  3. Keeping up with the times: Land use bylaws are living documents and should be updated as community needs change. Many parts of the current bylaw have not had a full review. As a result, some rules do not reflect changes in society like the growing popularity of secondary suites and home-based businesses. In addition, the recent growth in data centre construction poses a concern from a regulatory perspective. The review provides a timely opportunity to regulate new land uses.
  4. Additionally, the review is an opportunity to implement the goals and policies in newly adopted Municipal Development Plan.

Through this review, Administration is focusing on the issues that matter to the community. The goal is to avoid making planning and development more complicated than needed, while ensuring important regulations remain.

You can review the existing Land Use Bylaw for information pertaining to your property:

  • The Land Use District Map is shown in Section 10. It shows the land use district for your property.
  • Section 9 provides the rules and allowed uses for each land use district.
  • Sections 7 and 8 provide additional rules on topics like parking.

The new LUB will enable many uses to help to meet the needs of the various stakeholders. It will divide all land uses into two categories in each district. These are the Permitted Uses and the Discretionary Uses.

Permitted Uses are those that will automatically be allowed when a development permit application is submitted, provided that the project can meet all the regulations. The Municipal Government Act does not offer any grounds for appeal on a permitted use unless relaxation or variances were issued in the permitting process.

Discretionary Uses are those where the development officer may approve or refuse an application based on its merit and its anticipated impact on adjacent properties.  Discretionary uses have grounds for appeal under the Municipal Government Act should an impacted party oppose a development.

Yes, the new bylaw will likely change the uses and rules for most – if not all – land use districts in Calmar. You can review the proposed draft Land Use Districts and Uses to learn about some of the proposed changes. These may change based on community feedback and Council direction. At this time, no recommendations have been made about which districts will apply to each lot.

Most residential lots are expected to become a general Residential District. In this district, up to two dwellings would be allowed if other rules are met. These rules include parking, setbacks, and lot coverage to allow either a duplex or a house with a secondary suite, but not both.

Administration is also proposing to merge the existing R3 and R4 Residential Districts into one Residential, Higher-Density District. This district would allow more multi-unit development, including smaller apartment buildings. This will help encourage densification where appropriate, like near the downtown area and where existing infrastructure supports it.

Most of the proposed changes to the commercial, industrial, public, and urban reserve districts are straightforward. They are mainly intended to remove redundant land use classifications and combine similar districts.

Land use bylaws are complex by nature. Even so, Administration wants the updated LUB to be shorter and easier to use. Simplifying the bylaw means making permit requirements easier to understand. Additionally, developers and property owners are welcome to meet with Town Administration to discuss any potential projects. Administration recommends preliminary discussions as they may reduce the risk of non-compliance and help avoid unnecessary expenses.

The new LUB may make some properties legally non-compliant; however, the Municipal Government Act contains provisions to protect existing land uses and developments. In such situations, impacted land uses and buildings would become legally non-compliant and would be allowed to be continue “as-is”.

If they are demolished or cease to operate for more than six consecutive months, the property could be limited to the uses and activities permitted into the new LUB only.

There are no plans to change processes when the Town sends development notices to nearby property owners. Currently, Administration mails notices to nearby property owners within 60 metres when a development permit is issued for a discretionary use or when a variance is approved.

The development officer also posts a list of recently approved development permits in the Town Office. The only exception is for Direct Control Districts. In those districts, Council makes the decision and there are no grounds for appeal. This practice may be revisited as the Town considers how to best make development information available.

Development permits can be appealed to the Intermunicipal Subdivision and Development Appeal Board within 21 days of being issued.

Administration is also investigating on-site sign advertisement to notify the community when a property is subject to a redistricting application. This notification option will be discussed with Council.

The Town hosted public engagement events in June 2026. More events are expected in the fall. Watch for updates on the Town’s website and social media pages.
In the meantime, you can email your feedback or questions to Kevin Theriault, Planner I, at ktheriault@calmar.ca. You can also leave a letter at the Town Office.

Council will make the final decision on the content of the new LUB. All the feedback received will be presented to Council, along with reports from Administration.

Prior to adoption, a public hearing will be held before the second and third reading of the bylaw. Council has the right to make changes to the proposed bylaw until the third reading is done. Once this is done, the bylaw is passed and will come in effect. From there, any change to the bylaw will be part of an amendment process or a future review, which will trigger a new public hearing process.

Administration aims to have the new LUB ready by Spring 2027. Before Council can pass the bylaw, the Town must advertise it and hold a public hearing as required by the Municipal Government Act.

The current LUB remains in effect until it is repealed.