Oyen Land Use Bylaw Review and Update

The Town of Oyen is working with Palliser Regional Municipal Services (PRMS) to update the Town’s Land Use Bylaw (LUB) in collaboration with the Town Council and its residents. The new LUB will replace the current version of the Oyen LUB Bylaw 891-22 with an entirely new bylaw.

What is a LUB?

A Land Use Bylaw directs the use and development of lands and buildings. By establishing land use districts (zoning), the LUB regulates the types of activities and buildings that can occur on any specific property. It also contains regulations, such as building height, maximum parcel coverage and building setbacks from property lines. The LUB is the tool that the long-term vision and goals of the Oyen Municipal Development Plan (Bylaw 890-22) are implemented on a day-to-day basis. The purpose of the LUB is to enable development, while minimizing the potential impacts on adjacent neighbours.

What is the review process and timelines?

PRMS is currently gathering feedback on the draft LUB from the residents and businesses of Oyen. An open house is being held on Wednesday November 27, 2024 at the Oyen FCSS Community Centre (207 Main Street) from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. You are invited to attend the open house and discuss the draft LUB with Palliser staff and Town Administration.

You can also fill out this survey and return it by December 13^th.

Following the open house, the draft LUB will be revised as necessary. The draft LUB will then be presented to Council for 1^st reading of the Bylaw, which is anticipated to occur at its regular meeting in January 2025. A formal public hearing will be held to provide the opportunity for affected persons to speak to Council which is anticipated to occur in early 2025.

What is proposed to change from the current LUB 891-22?

The draft LUB is significantly different from the current Land Use Bylaw 891-22. Some of these changes include:

• reorganization and reformatting to make the LUB easier to read and understand;
• ensuring the LUB meets the new requirements of the Municipal Government Act; for example issuing complete application notices;
• ensuring all uses and terms are defined for clarity;
• eliminating the need for permits for developments which have low impact, such as signs, home occupations, demolition of a building, solar panels and extensive agriculture;
• clarifying development permit application requirements;
• granting a variance power to the Development Officer up to 20%, and increasing the variance power of the Municipal Planning Commission 20% or greater
• greater detail of bylaw enforcement, and limiting enforcement to issuing stop orders;
• ensuring the correct land use districts are applied to each property and appropriate uses are listed in each district;
• adding a new ‘Short-Term Rental’ use to allow for temporary or short-term accommodation of a dwelling unit in a residential district;
• increasing the number of permitted uses in all districts to encourage more development and reduce the ability for appeals (if the development meets the rules of the land use bylaw);
• creating a new Rural Acreage Residential District that applies to larger parcels of land that are residential in nature;
• allowing the potential for a shipping container or sea can to be used as an accessory building in residential districts;
• eliminating the minimum required size of a dwelling in residential districts to allow for smaller homes;
• updating the new Direct Control District to meet the requirements of the MGA;
• changing the zoning of certain properties to align with the purpose and intent of each district and the direction of the Oyen Municipal Development Plan, and Area Structure Plans, and eliminating some non-conforming uses;
• removing all regulations related to Telecommunication Structures and creating a new proposed Telecommunication Structure Policy in alignment with Industry, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) process. The draft Telecommunication Structure Policy can be viewed here.

What are the next steps in the process?

Following the open house on November 27^th, all feedback received will be used by PRMS to inform further revisions to the LUB.

Once a final draft LUB is ready, it will be provided to Oyen Council for the first of three readings of a bylaw. A public hearing will be held prior to second reading.

Council can make changes to the draft bylaw at any of the three readings to address any concerns expressed at the public hearing or concerns of Council.

Where can I get more information? 

If you have any questions or comments, please contact:

Tracy Woitenko

Senior Planner, PRMS

twoitenko@palliserservices.ca

403-854-3371 ext. 207