Land Use Districting and Subdivision

Regulations and processes for land use districting and land subdivision shape how the community grows and develops. Together they provide a detailed policy framework to guide specific developments and land uses.

Land Use Bylaw
The land use bylaw provides details on general city regulations, land use and zoning (districting), and site design. It is an important implementation tool of the municipal development plan.

Spruce Grove Maps
Subdivisions, street names, neighbourhood layout

Subdivision of Land
Requirements for applications for subdivision

Redistricting of lands (redistricting)

Outlines the process and information required to redistrict (rezone) an area or parcel of land. This process requires a Land Use Bylaw Amendment.

Background

A redistricting application is an application to change the land use district designation for a piece of land. A redistricting has to be done by Council through bylaw. The bylaw amends the Land Use Bylaw.

The City of Spruce Grove Land Use Bylaw regulates development in the City. The Land Use Bylaw has a number of land use districts and assigns these districts to pieces of land. This is done in order to regulate development in accordance with Council’s vision for the economical and efficient development and redevelopment of the City. Council’s vision for the City is found in the adopted statutory (legal) plans for the City.

A redistricting application has to be consistent with the statutory plans that the City has in place to guide development. These statutory plans are the Municipal Development Plan and Area Structure Plans or Area Redevelopment Plans. The Land Use Bylaw is the tool to implement the other plans.

Required information

In order for the City to evaluate a proposed redistricting application we need a certain amount of information from the applicant. This information should be provided in letter form requesting the redistricting. The following is a summary of the information we may require.

  • If the application is for an area that is governed by an Area Structure Plan (ASP) the application letter should address the various items that conform to the Area Structure Plan and the items that do not conform to the Area Structure Plan.
  • If the application is for an area that is governed by an Area Redevelopment Plan (ARP) the application letter should address the various items that conform to the Area Redevelopment Plan and the various items that do not conform to the Area Redevelopment Plan. An application for redistricting within an Area Redevelopment Plan area should be accompanied by a specific development proposal.
  • All applications should address servicing (water, sanitary and stormwater):
    • servicing infrastructure and connections;
    • the impact on servicing capacity for the area;
    • firefighting water requirements; and
    • an evaluation of the need to oversize lines.
  • Applications should address stormwater management, including drainage and storage.
  • Applications should address traffic impacts in the area, both pedestrian and vehicular on and off the site, which will be caused by the redistricting.
  • Applications should address environmental impacts that could be related to the redistricting.
  • All applications should illustrate how the proposed land use(s) will fit with the overall land use in the area.
  • Where park land, school sites and/or stormwater management facilities are included in the redistricting, the application should address such uses in terms of municipal reserve owing and in terms of how these uses fit in with the City's Parks and Open Space Master Plan.
  • Applications should address the proposed signage to market the land and advise of future development.
  • Applications should address landscaping.

Applications that are related to specific development proposals should also include:

  • a graphic illustration of the proposed development and how it compares with neighbouring developments;
  • any access and parking requirements; and
  • any notable requirements or features of the proposed development.

Mandatory requirements

All redistricting applications must include:

  • the legal land description,
  • the municipal address of the redistricting (if available),
  • the area and perimeter measurements of the redistricting,
  • applicable fees,
  • a paper copy and electronic copy of a key plan showing the general area of the redistricting in relation to the larger area, and
  • a paper copy and electronic copy of a redistricting plan that shows the specific land to be redistricted with perimeter and area measurements, current and proposed land use district(s), legal land description and municipal address.

Please note that many redistricting applications are submitted at the same time as subdivision applications. The information required is different for both applications and the redistricting application has to be dealt with prior to subdivision being approved by the City.

Land Use Bylaw amendment redistricting

List of required items for a redistricting application

Timelines

If all required information is submitted and a thorough review of the information has been conducted, Council will consider the redistricting Bylaw for first reading of three readings. At this time the public process begins. Council may be satisfied that a standard public participation process is sufficient but may at times require a more intense public process to be carried out. When the public process is complete, which does include a public hearing with Council, Council will consider the Bylaw for second and third reading (adoption).

This process can take anywhere from six weeks to several months depending on the information required.

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