DISCONTINUATION OF DRAFT MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (BYLAW 25-06) & DRAFT LAND USE BYLAW (BYLAW 25-05)

The County of Vermilion River Council has made the decision to formally discontinue the draft Bylaw 25-06 (draft Municipal Development Plan), and draft Bylaw 25-05 (draft Land Use Bylaw) and therefore will be defeating the bylaws at Second Reading at the Regular Meeting of Council on June 24, 2025, in compliance with Section 188 of the Province of Alberta’s Municipal Government Act.

The current Municipal Development Plan (Bylaw 19-03) and Land Use Bylaw (Bylaw 19-02) remain in place and continue to guide all land use planning across the County.

CURRENT BYLAWS - open this section to view the current bylaws

SUPPORTING INFORMATION - view information sheets and past documents shared to the public

Document Name	What is it About?
Land Use Bylaw (LUB) 25-05	Draft for First Reading
Municipal Development Plan (MDP) 25-06	Draft for First Reading
Post Public Hearing Report	Summary of the Public Hearing on April 22, 2025
Municipal Development Plan and Land Use Bylaw Facts: Part 4	This document intends to provide further clarity on Alberta Municipal Government Act and why the County is undertaking a full, comprehensive review and rewrite of the current Municipal Development Plan and Land Use Bylaw.
Municipal Development Plan and Land Use Bylaw Facts: Part 3	This document provides clarity about the proposed zoning changes and the permitted and discretionary uses within the Agriculture District, considerations when developing within the County, and livestock keeping on residential lots.
Municipal Development Plan and Land Use Bylaw Facts: Part 2	This document provides information about intensive and extensive agriculture, other regulations regarding alternative energy systems, apiaries and bylaw amendments.
Municipal Development Plan and Land Use Bylaw Facts: Part 1	This document provides detailed information about the process involved in the comprehensive review of the MDP and LUB
Media Release (April 28, 2025)	Information following the April 22, 2025 Public Hearing
Did You Know: Land Use Bylaw (April 28, 2025)	Some general information regarding a Land Use Bylaw
Presentation Materials from Open House (February 6, 2025)	Information that was available during the February 6, 2025 Public Engagement session regarding the Draft Land Use Bylaw and Municipal Development Plan)
Land Use Bylaw & Municipal Development Plan Update (January 30, 2025)	A summary page of the Land Use Bylaw & Municipal Development Plan project
Media Release (January 30, 2025)	Release regarding Landowner Consent Letter to Redistrict to the Agriculture (A) District
CR-A/CR-S/Ag District Comparison (January 30, 2025)	District Comparison (Current Land Use Bylaw vs Draft Land Use Bylaw)
FAQ (January 28, 2025)	Review some of the questions we frequently are asked regarding the Land Use Bylaw and Municipal Development Plan
What is a Land Use Bylaw (Zoning Bylaw) (March 2023)	A summary depicting the key goals of the review of the bylaws, what is land use planning and different district summary
Online Presentation - Archived Video (February 2023)	Prepared by MPS to ask questions of the public relating to the LUB and MDP
2013 Land Use Bylaw ARCHIVED	The previous land use bylaw.

PROJECT SUMMARY - Municipal Development Plan and Land Use Bylaw Project Summary

MDP & LUB REVIEW - 2023/2024/2025

Why is the County updating the MDP & LUB?

To keep the direction of the documents current and consistent with regulation such as provincial legislation, properly addressing development trends, alignment with strategic priorities, and consideration for environmental and demographic information. This usually happens every 5-10 years, and the County of Vermilion River has seen a few major milestones such as amalgamation of the now Hamlet of Dewberry and the recent annexation. In addition, the review and updating will provide documents that will be more user-friendly.

It is recognized by both the County and Municipal Planning Services (MPS) that each municipality is unique with varied interests and priorities. With the assistance of MPS, the Municipal Development Plan and Land Use Bylaw can be crafted as a collaborative project with community members to ensure that the documents are relevant, accessible, and implementable planning tools.

What is a Municipal Development Plan?

The Municipal Development Plan - or MDP - is the long-range plan to guide decision about land use. It establishes a vision for land management and development and identifies high-level direction for land through mapping and policy statements.

Every MDP must address: future land uses within the municipality, co-ordination of land use, future growth patterns, and infrastructure that connect these uses and areas to the County of Vermilion River.

What is a Land Use Bylaw?

The Land Use Bylaw - or LUB - is the regulatory document that established specific rules how lands can be developed. Sometimes referred to as Zoning Bylaw, the LUB divides the municipality into different land use districts (or zones) and lists what types of development may be allowed or are prohibited to avoid conflict with other types of development and land uses.

Both of these documents - or bylaws - allow the decision-making to be established for approving subdivision and development applications. together, the MDP & LUB provide future direction and the day-to-day rules to manage development and land use in a responsible manner within the County of Vermilion River.

About our Consultant

Municipal Planning Services (2009) Ltd. (MPS) has worked with the County of Vermilion River for over 20 years. With their long commitment to the County’s planning, MPS is providing their knowledge and experience to the County’s Municipal Development Plan (MDP) and Land Use Bylaw (LUB) review project.

MPS is a small, Alberta-owned firm based out of Edmonton, Alberta. Their team is comprised of experienced planners who have successfully completed project throughout Alberta mainly for rural municipal clients. Within the last five (5) years, MPS has completed (or are in the process of completing) comprehensive and focused reviews of more than 50 MDPs and LUBs throughout Alberta. MPS has a strong understanding of the legislative framework that governs land management in Alberta, as well as the on-the-ground, site specific development issues relevant to rural municipalities. While MPS provides professional planning services and advice on these projects, they do not decide what the final plan documents will be for each municipality. The final decision on what is best for the County of Vermilion River lies with elected municipal officials.

The well-rounded team at MPS offers a range of consulting services exclusively in the public and non-profit sectors throughout Alberta. Planning work is supported by in-house services that included GIS mapping, graphics production, project management, research, advocacy, and community consultation.

MPS is committed to working collaboratively with their client municipalities, drawing on local knowledge and expertise to develop plans that reflect the unique nature and needs of each community

Municipal Planning Services (munplan.ab.ca)

INTERMUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN - COUNTY OF VERMILION RIVER AND CITY OF LLOYDMINSTER

The Purpose of an Intermunicipal Development Plan (IDP) is to foster a collaborative planning approach for lands along the common boarder between two municipalities.

Local economies based on agriculture, oil and gas and thriving business, attracting people to live and work in Alberta and our region. Recognizing and improving for opportunities to secure a long-term economic base, establish consistency in land development, and to continue inter-municipal communication in land development matters.

Supporting Information

2023-2025 - Request for Proposal

Contact the Planning Department for further information - 780.846.2244 / Planning

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