Page 7 - January 27 2020
P. 7
THE WEEKLY ANCHOR
THE WEEKLY ANCHOR MONDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2019 PAGE 11
MONDAY JANUARY 27, 2020 PAGE 7
Cutting the Red Tape:
Yellowhead County to rewrite Land Use Bylaw
“We want to have a lot of public input”: Shepherd, Planning and Development Manager
Currently, the Yellowhead County Planning and Development Department is in the process of rewriting the County's Land Use Bylaw. Pictured are
Planning & Public Engagement Officer Ostap Fedynets and Planning and Development Manager Brent Shepherd. photo submitted
by Cassie Kushniruk corridors for industrial/commercial purposes, Bylaw, we have 44 districts. Do we want to
and manufactured homes, to name a few. combine some of those and make it simpler
The Yellowhead County Planning and “We're also looking at doing a lot of the while still accommodating the different types
Development Department is currently in the application forms online, and our mapping for of uses?”
process of rewriting the County's Land Use our districts would be all online, so just to “It's just about shrinking it down to the
Bylaw. This project is scheduled for automate some of those processes,” Shepherd essentials that we absolutely have to
completion in early 2021. added. regulate, and then beyond that, making it
According to Planning & Public Engagement Fedynets said, “Regulation can't predict more user-friendly, more readable and more
Officer Ostap Fedynets, this decision is not to every single situation, but the problem is accessible to the general public,” Fedynets
say that the goals of the County have changed, that we also can't allow everything. We can't stated.
but will instead accommodate the County's just prohibit everything that's new and Throughout this process, the Planning and
demographic shifts with more open housing different because that limits our ability to Development department is looking to involve
and business regulations. “Things are always adapt to the future.” the public as much as possible. “We want to
changing and evolving in the County,” said “When I first started here, I wrote a have a lot of public input,” said Shepherd. “It
Planning and Development Manager Brent demographic analysis of the County…and we affects anyone that lives in the County. If we
Shepherd. found that 80% of our housing is single get the public more involved, they're more
“One of the reasons we're doing this is to detached homes with three or more bedrooms, informed with how it works and don't have to
educate the public on what a Land Use and 19% is manufactured homes,” Fedynets be scared of the process because the process is
Bylaw is and what impact this is going to continued. “That was good for 20 years ago really quite simple.”
have on their ability to use their property as when 50% of our households were three or Fedynets mentioned that they will be
they see fit,” said Fedynets. more people. Now, 65% of our households are looking at starting public consultation this
Land Use Bylaws apply a specific district to one or two people [per household], so you have summer. As part of the process, a steering
each parcel of land in the County. Each district this discrepancy between the forms of housing committee consisting of members of the
has its own list of allowed uses. General and the actual people that live in your County.” public, County Councillors, planning staff,
regulations apply to all districts and these set In response, the new Land Use Bylaw will and representatives of business interests from
the rules for parcel access requirements, explore loosening regulations for external the community, will be developed.The
parking, landscaping, signs and other details. secondary suites, which are currently limited to Planning and Development department will
When residents apply for a development permit 600 square feet, and other forms of housing. begin this process next month when they
or subdivision, the Yellowhead County When asked what their goals for this project receive proposals from various consultants.
Planning and Development Department uses are, Fedynets replied, “For me, it's to match “We'll take a few weeks to evaluate those,”
the Land Use Bylaw to issue decisions on these our regulations to our demographics.” Fedynets said. “We'll pick the one that has the
applications. Shepherd added, “For me, it would be looking best credentials and the best price and then
Items the Planning and Development at if we want to consider other types of uses and we'll start working with them on this
department will review include setbacks from certain new districts. In our current Land Use process.”
developments, landscaping along major
THE WEEKLY ANCHOR MONDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2019 PAGE 11
MONDAY JANUARY 27, 2020 PAGE 7
Cutting the Red Tape:
Yellowhead County to rewrite Land Use Bylaw
“We want to have a lot of public input”: Shepherd, Planning and Development Manager
Currently, the Yellowhead County Planning and Development Department is in the process of rewriting the County's Land Use Bylaw. Pictured are
Planning & Public Engagement Officer Ostap Fedynets and Planning and Development Manager Brent Shepherd. photo submitted
by Cassie Kushniruk corridors for industrial/commercial purposes, Bylaw, we have 44 districts. Do we want to
and manufactured homes, to name a few. combine some of those and make it simpler
The Yellowhead County Planning and “We're also looking at doing a lot of the while still accommodating the different types
Development Department is currently in the application forms online, and our mapping for of uses?”
process of rewriting the County's Land Use our districts would be all online, so just to “It's just about shrinking it down to the
Bylaw. This project is scheduled for automate some of those processes,” Shepherd essentials that we absolutely have to
completion in early 2021. added. regulate, and then beyond that, making it
According to Planning & Public Engagement Fedynets said, “Regulation can't predict more user-friendly, more readable and more
Officer Ostap Fedynets, this decision is not to every single situation, but the problem is accessible to the general public,” Fedynets
say that the goals of the County have changed, that we also can't allow everything. We can't stated.
but will instead accommodate the County's just prohibit everything that's new and Throughout this process, the Planning and
demographic shifts with more open housing different because that limits our ability to Development department is looking to involve
and business regulations. “Things are always adapt to the future.” the public as much as possible. “We want to
changing and evolving in the County,” said “When I first started here, I wrote a have a lot of public input,” said Shepherd. “It
Planning and Development Manager Brent demographic analysis of the County…and we affects anyone that lives in the County. If we
Shepherd. found that 80% of our housing is single get the public more involved, they're more
“One of the reasons we're doing this is to detached homes with three or more bedrooms, informed with how it works and don't have to
educate the public on what a Land Use and 19% is manufactured homes,” Fedynets be scared of the process because the process is
Bylaw is and what impact this is going to continued. “That was good for 20 years ago really quite simple.”
have on their ability to use their property as when 50% of our households were three or Fedynets mentioned that they will be
they see fit,” said Fedynets. more people. Now, 65% of our households are looking at starting public consultation this
Land Use Bylaws apply a specific district to one or two people [per household], so you have summer. As part of the process, a steering
each parcel of land in the County. Each district this discrepancy between the forms of housing committee consisting of members of the
has its own list of allowed uses. General and the actual people that live in your County.” public, County Councillors, planning staff,
regulations apply to all districts and these set In response, the new Land Use Bylaw will and representatives of business interests from
the rules for parcel access requirements, explore loosening regulations for external the community, will be developed.The
parking, landscaping, signs and other details. secondary suites, which are currently limited to Planning and Development department will
When residents apply for a development permit 600 square feet, and other forms of housing. begin this process next month when they
or subdivision, the Yellowhead County When asked what their goals for this project receive proposals from various consultants.
Planning and Development Department uses are, Fedynets replied, “For me, it's to match “We'll take a few weeks to evaluate those,”
the Land Use Bylaw to issue decisions on these our regulations to our demographics.” Fedynets said. “We'll pick the one that has the
applications. Shepherd added, “For me, it would be looking best credentials and the best price and then
Items the Planning and Development at if we want to consider other types of uses and we'll start working with them on this
department will review include setbacks from certain new districts. In our current Land Use process.”
developments, landscaping along major
