A Land Use Amendment (also called a Land Use Redesignation) changes the land use district of a property to allow for future development that is currently not allowed. When applying for a land use Land Use Amendment, it is important to understand the Land Use Bylaw.
Each land use district has a purpose statement that captures the intent of the area to guide applications. These statements will be considered when you apply for a Land Use Amendment and will be factored into the decision.
If amending for a particular use to be allowed on a property, consider the two different types of uses: permitted uses and discretionary uses.
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In the Land Use Bylaw, Uses are defined as either being Permitted or Discretionary in a Land Use District.
Permitted means that, if a use meets all the rules of the bylaw, it must be approved. The uses listed as permitted were intended for this location and have little to no impact on the surrounding community.
Permitted with Relaxation means a use that is permitted but requires a relaxation of one of more bylaw rules. Evaluations are done on a case-by-case basis to determine if the relaxation is appropriate and how it impacts the surrounding community.
Discretionary use means that the use needs to be reviewed and is evaluated against several factors including applicable policies, appropriateness of the location, the compatibility of the use with others in the surrounding area, access, parking, servicing, and sound planning principles. Each submission is reviewed on its own merit at the time of application as discretionary uses have a higher impact on the surrounding community.
For more information on land use districts, visit calgary.ca/districts.
In general, amendments (or redesignations) involve already existing land use districts, and applicants must use the most appropriate district whenever possible.
Due to the complex and sometimes controversial nature of Land Use Amendments, pre-application enquiries are recommended. They can help highlight major issues with the proposal and identify additional technical information that will be required with the formal application. Applicants may find a pre-application meeting helpful, prior to formal application. There are two different types of pre-application services: Simple Pre-Applications: Contact the Planning Services Centre at (403) 268-5311 or calgary.ca/livechat. There is no fee for enquiries that can be addressed by phone or e-mail. Development Approvals Review Team (DART) Pre-Applications: To start your application, contact the Planning Services Centre at (403) 268-5311 or calgary.ca/livechat. When representatives from Parks and Open Spaces, Mobility Engineering, and Utility Engineering are required to review your proposal, this is considered a Development Approvals Review Team (DART) pre-application meeting. For more information, see pre-application meetings.