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Home > Developing a Community > Development Guidelines
Developing a Community: Development Guidelines
Developers must adhere to various regulations during the design and construction phases of a development. Presently, a variety of legislative documents work in coordination with the MGA to govern the development of land in the Province. In Calgary, the primary regulatory document for land development is The City of Calgary Land Use Bylaw 1P2007. In June 2008, a new Land Use Bylaw was adopted by City Council, which has significantly changed the rules in which development applications are reviewed. See the City of Calgary's Land Use Bylaw.
The following are just some of the criteria/rules that are set out in the Land Use Bylaw:
- Permitted and discretionary uses
- Building Height
- Density
- Building/parcel coverage
- Setbacks
- Signage & lighting
- Parking
- Driveways
- Floor area ratios
- Retaining walls & fences
- Home occupations
- Landscaping
Prior to consulting the Land Use Bylaw, research must also include other larger scale planning documents produced by The City of Calgary. These planning documents outline, in a general fashion, the preferred development strategies for many of the established and growing areas in the city as recommended by The City of Calgary Planning, Development and Assessment Department. Examples of key plans include:
Municipal Development Plan (MDP)
The senior strategic planning document that guides growth and development in Calgary. This is a statutory plan (adopted by City Council) that has policies relating to transportation, housing, economic activity, recreation, environment and social issues. It also provides the strategic framework for more detailed and specific plans, policies and programs.
Area Structure Plan (ASP)
A statutory plan that establishes the general planning framework for future subdivision and development of an area of undeveloped land.
Area Redevelopment Plan (ARP)
A statutory plan that identifies planning goals and objectives of residents, owners and business people in an existing area/community. The ARP is a basic community planning document that deals with zoning, traffic, parks, social issues, etc.
At this time, developers often arrange a 'pre-application' meeting with city planners to discuss their proposed plans for a site. After a careful study of the broad range planning documents, a detailed design stage begins. In addition to the rules and regulations established in the Land Use Bylaw, developers will also have to adhere to the regulations established in other 'standard specification' documents. These documents outline engineering specifications (for street/road construction), water & sewer specifications, landscape specifications, etc. The City also produces a document of subdivision standards, as well as a variety of other regulatory documents. To access a wide variety of City of Calgary policy documents, visit The City's Policy Library.
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