Planning and Development

The Planning and Development Department is under the direction of the Engineering Department. The department consists of the Planning and Development Officer and the Planning and Development Administrative Assistant. The building inspectors from Hillside Inspections and Inspections Group work on contract with the town to issue building permits. Both of these contractors are out one day a week or more if required.

The QMP Manager works with the department on permit and subdivision applications. The department is responsible for all aspects of land-use planning, including long-range planning and subdivisions, to ensure that growth and development occur in an organized and rational manner, while maintaining or enhancing the quality of life. The Planning and Development Department also processes development permits, building permits, business licenses, compliance certificates, applications for subdivision, rezoning and amendments to statutory documents. They also provide general information on the above documents.

Development is guided by planning legislation that consists of:

• The Municipal Government Act
• Statutory Plans (eg. Municipal Development Plan, Area Structure Plans)
• Land Use Bylaw 2007-24-D (350K)
• Subdivision and Development Regulations
• NRCB, ERCB, AEUB authorizations
• Signage Bylaw 2007-23-D (268Kb)

Planning Authorities
By Bylaw, council must provide for the following planning authorities as per the Municipal Government Act:

• Subdivision
• Development
• Intermunicipal Planning Commission
• Municipal Planning Commission
• Subdivision and Development Appeal Board

For more information on statutory plans, enforcement mechanisms, annexation, the role of Town Council in the planning and development of a community or other similar features, please check out the Municipal Government Act.

Land Use Bylaw
The history of the civilized person is, in essence, the history of urban communities. For centuries, urban areas have represented mankind’s highest aspirations and nurtured his/her finest achievements. The concentration, diversity and complexity of urban communities generate intellectual energy and prosperity which, in turn, creates civilization—architecture, arts, science, religion, commerce and politics. Each community is unique, as is the expression of its diverse people, culture, environment and history.

A Land Use Bylaw allows the community to nurture quality development, while ensuring that substandard development, or potentially hazardous development, is discouraged. The bylaw also serves to balance the diversity and complexity of development with a common vision for the community. The implementation and enforcement of the Land Use Bylaw is an effort to balance personal freedoms with the common good. Each decision made in accordance with this bylaw must consider that delicate balance.

A copy of our LUB can be downloaded below:

 LUB 2007-24-D (350K)
 LUB 96-24 (7.5MB) - Historical.

Municipal Development Plan
An important part of the creation of an image is the development of planning documents that support, critique and guide planning decisions. The foremost document is the Municipal Development Plan (MDP), the long-range planning document of Drayton Valley.

The point of the Drayton Valley Municipal Development Plan is to aid in creating a community that will impact the future forever—a piece of architecture, a character or an image, of which, everyone can be proud.

The MDP is a guide for the direction, growth and management of land use within the town. The Drayton Valley MDP is more than an administrative handbook—it reflects on our strengths and inspires us toward new visions. It should prompt thoughtful development and careful consideration of development patterns and it should act as a support mechanism for the community’s will and well-being.

Municipal Development Plan

Frequently Asked Questions
Planning a renovation? Adding a deck or garage? If you are planning on carrying out any type of property improvement, check out this section first to ensure that you comply with local bylaws and regulations.

If you have a question that is not listed, call the Planning and Development Department at 780-514-2200.

When is a Development Permit required?

• When the job requires construction or excavation in, on, over or under land
• For any change in use (eg. A clothing store is now a family services office)
• For any changes in size or shape
• When any waste-placing or removal of topsoil is involved
• For any erection of signs, parking pads or TV Satellite dishes
• For any new businesses (including home businesses)

 Application Form for a Development Permit

When is a Building Permit required?

• For any new construction for structures over 110 square feet
• When renovating any structure that changes the size or includes structural (support) alterations
• For any structure with retaining walls over 3 feet high
• For demolition or moving of a building (also notify the fire department)

 Application Form for a Building Permit

What is a Compliance Certificate?

• A Compliance Certificate is confirmation that the location of building(s) on the site comply with the requirements of the Town of Drayton Valley’s Land Use Bylaw
• It does not regulate or enforce any building code requirements
• A Compliance Certificate is usually required by lending agencies in the sale of property and/or mortgage approval in order to protect their client’s investments. The town does not require you to get a Compliance Certificate
• You must have a Real Property Report done by an Alberta Land Surveyor to get a Compliance Certificate
• The Development Coordinator issues these certificates provided that all building and development permits have been issued. As-built permits will be required for any development that was not previously approved and is included under the above requirements.

What do I need if I’m building a deck?

• You require a Building Permit if the deck is over two feet above (or off) the ground
  You need a Development Permit if the deck is encroaching into the side yard and front yard setbacks

 Application Form for Building a Deck

What do I need when building a garage, carport or accessory building?

• All of those require a Development Permit and a Building Permit, including a plot plan and list of all building materials and/or blueprints used
• These buildings should be located a minimum of 3.0m in a laneless subdivision and a minimum of 2.1m in a lane subdivision from the dwelling, and should be no closer than the front line of the principal building (This regulation may be relaxed for garages and carports where, at the discretion of the Development Authority, insufficient setbacks exist to place the building in the rear yard or side yard. In no case, however, should the building encroach beyond the front yard setback)
• The structures should be no closer than 1.0m to the rear parcel line, provided there is no encroachment of any part of the building onto public utility easements or onto adjacent property maintenance easements. Where the vehicle approach faces the lane, the garage or carport shall be no closer than 6.09m from the lane
• The structures should be no closer than 1.0m from the side parcel line, except when an agreement exists between the owners of adjoining parcels to build or to have built their garages using a common parcel line. The garage or carport shall be no closer than 6.09m from the lane
• The structure shall be no closer than 1.0m from the side parcel line and 1.0m from the rear parcel line in the case of an angular or curved approach from a lane
• Sheds are considered accessory buildings. Any shed 110 square feet or greater requires a Development Permit and a Building Permit. Sheds less than 110 square feet do not require permits. However, they must be located on the land as noted above

 Application form for Building a Shed

 Application form for Building a Garage

 Application form for Basement Suites

What are the rules governing signs?

* All signs require a permit except:
In residential areas, when signs are inside a building
When a sign is posted in/on a motor vehicle
Campaign signs (30 days only)
Statutory or official notice of a function approved by the town
Traffic/directional signs authorized by the town
Temporary signs for garage sales or other special events, including real estate signs
Signs by construction companies relating to work in progress (max 4 m²)

How do I apply for a permit and what is required?

• Applications must be signed and dated by the registered owner of the land or their agent (with owner’s authorization)
• They must also include civic address and legal land description
• Building Permits must include the estimated cost of construction. They must also state the proposed use or occupancy of all land and buildings
• Site plan (if needed), including:
• location and dimensions of existing and/or proposed building(s)
• front, side and rear setbacks
• an outline of roof overhangs on all buildings
• Grades of adjacent streets, lanes and sewers servicing the property
• Building Plans, in triplicate, including exterior elevations, lowest finished floor elevation in either the basement or main floor in the principal and accessory buildings where applicable
• Sign locations and details
• A variance of a setback up to 30% may be granted by the development authority. Any variance greater than 30% must be approved by the council
• If the application for a development permit is for a discretionary use, the application will be referred to the council for approval
• Once the application is conditionally approved, it is advertised in the paper (14-day appeal)
• A development permit is void if construction is not commenced within 12 months of the date of issuance or carried out with reasonable diligence
• Appeals may be made in writing to the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board with the fee of $300