Bylaws Pending Approval

Bylaws Pending Approval

What is happening?

Council gave first readings to both the Town of Canmore Municipal Development Plan (MDP) Bylaw Amendment 2024-23 and Land Use Bylaw Amendment (LUB) 2024-24. After the steep creek flood events of 2013, policies and rules were included in the MDP and LUB to protect high-hazard areas of the community from risks associated with these events. Now that the Cougar Creek debris flood retention structure is substantially complete, changes to the MDP and LUB are proposed by administration to acknowledge the relative reduction in flood risk for the Cougar Creek area.

Municipal Development Plan

Amendments are proposed to section 3.5 Steep Creeks and 20.4 Steep Creek Development Flow Chart of the MDP:

  • Section 3.5.1 revises the description of safety risk tolerance criteria and the accompanying group risk figure. This will simplify the threshold for existing development and contextualize the costs and benefits of planned mitigation.
  • The removal of the Development Hold Zone. This zone was intended to be applied to the Cougar Creek area in response to the risk assessment, and to minimize development ahead of structural mitigation. With mitigation for Cougar Creek substantially completed, and no other developed areas in town presenting an unacceptable group risk, the Development Hold Zone will no longer be needed.
  • The addition of a Residual Hazard Zone. This zone is intended to be applied to areas that could be inundated if mitigation is overwhelmed or fails. This new Residual Hazard Zone is intended to ensure a minimum level of community resiliency, responding to climate uncertainty and residual risk post-mitigation.

The proposed amendments reflect a revision to safety risk tolerance criteria based on the progression of research on risk tolerance; the removal of the development hold zone which is no longer applicable within the Town; and the addition of the Residual Hazard Zone to reflect the impact of the Cougar Creek structure.

Land Use Bylaw

Amendments are proposed to section 7.8 Steep Creek Hazard Overlay of the LUB and the Hazard Mapping.

An amendment to section 7.8.1.1 a. adds further restrictions for additions to existing buildings in the Steep Creek Hazard Overlay. Currently, additions are not allowed to increase the intensity of use, but an amendment has been added to not allow new windows or doors at grade to further protect future development from a flood event.

Section 7.8.4 is amended to include the Residual Hazard Zone. When developing within a Residual Hazard Zone, the requirements of the Low Hazard Zone will apply, which allows for uses within their current zoning districts to continue without the possibility of intensification or amending the LUB to a more development intensive district. For example, lots within the Residual Hazard Zone that have a land use designation of R-1A (Residential Detached Small-Lot District) would be allowed accessory buildings, accessory dwelling units, detached dwellings, and Home Occupation – Class 1 as permitted uses. Discretionary uses could also be allowed provided they are listed within the appropriate land use district.

Section 7.8.6 Development Hold Zone is removed, since there is no longer a need for this zone within the Town.

Read the Bylaws

Learn More

You can read the agenda for the Feb. 4, 2025 Council meeting on page 148. The agenda package includes the Request for Decision Report, which summarizes the proposed changes, the proposed bylaws, and the draft maps.

You can also use our interactive community map to find what Steep Creek Hazard Zone your property is currently in. Type your address in the upper left corner, and in the “Layer List”, select “Steep Creek Hazards”. You can then compare the property viewer with the proposed steep creek hazard maps.

Have Your Say

A public hearing has been scheduled for March 4, 2025.

 

What is happening?

Council gave first reading to Revised Land Use Bylaw Amendment 2024-37 – Palliser Lane Perpetual Affordable Housing Direct Control District. The proposed amendment will enable Canmore Community Housing to apply a more efficient site design to 100 Palliser Lane on this uniquely configured parcel and allows more flexibility to the exterior building design.

Read the Bylaw

Have your say

A public hearing has been scheduled for March 4, 2025.

What is happening?

In alignment with the recommendations of the Town’s Livability Task Force, administration has prepared amendments to the Land Use Bylaw and two Area Redevelopment Plans (Bow Valley Trail and Teepee Town) to remove Tourist Homes as a permitted or discretionary use in several land use districts. This initiative aims to increase the availability of long-term rental housing by limiting short-term tourist home rentals in key areas.

Area Redevelopment Plans

In addition to the LUB amendments, related updates are required for two ARPs to ensure policy alignment:

  • Teepee Town Area Redevelopment Plan

Amendments are proposed to the following sections of the ARP:

  • Section 3.1 – Land Use Concept
  • Section 4.1.5 – Mixed Use Area

The proposed amendments remove language supporting the development of Tourist Homes within the Teepee Town Comprehensive Redevelopment District.

  • Bow Valley Trail Area Redevelopment Plan

Amendments are proposed to the following sections of the ARP:

  • 1.1 – General Residential Uses and Tourist Homes
  • 1.3 – Employee Housing
    • 1.3 – Land Uses
    • 2.3 – Land Uses

The proposed amendments eliminate references to Tourist Homes as a permitted use in Bow Valley Trail-related districts.

Land Use Bylaw

The amending bylaw for the LUB is provided as Attachment 5. Amendments are proposed to nine sections of the LUB:

  • Section 3.18 – Teepee Town Comprehensive Redevelopment District (TPT-CR)
  • Section 4.1 – Town Centre District (TC)
  • Section 4.2 – Gateway Commercial District (GD)
  • Section 4.3 – Gateway Commercial District with Automotive Uses (GD-2)
  • Section 4.4 – Bow Valley Trail Central Commercial District
  • Section 4.5 – Bow Valley Trail Teepee Town Commercial District
  • Section 4.6 – Bow Valley Trail General District
  • Section 14.24 – Town Centre 1 Direct Control District
  • Section 14.32 – Canmore Hotel Direct Control District

The proposed amendments remove Tourist Home as a permitted or discretionary use in those districts.

Read the Bylaws

Have your say

A public hearing has been scheduled for March 11, 2025.

What is happening?

Council gave first reading to Loan Bylaw 2025-07 - Canmore Community Housing Corporation 100 Palliser Lane. The proposed bylaw authorized the Town of Canmore to enter into a loan agreement of $12,000,000 with the Corporation for the purposes of the construction of a residential development which will be a purpose -built rental complex at 100 Palliser Lane.

Read the Bylaw

 

Learn More

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