Development Permit Areas

What is a Development Permit Area?

Local governments have the authority to designate development permit areas in an official community plan. These identify locations that need special treatment for certain purposes including the protection of development from hazards, establishing objectives for form and character in specified circumstances, or revitalization of a commercial use area. This authority can also be used to achieve climate action goals for energy conservation, water conservation and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Unless a development permit is obtained, development in such areas is restricted.

If an official community plan designates development permit areas, then the implementing guidelines will be located in the official community plan.

Environmental DPA (Click Title for Draft )

The purpose of this Environmental Development Permit (EDP) is to establish objectives and provide guidelines for the protection of the natural environment and its ecosystems and biological diversity pursuant to the provisions of the Local Government Act. These guidelines establish conditions to protect the natural environment from inappropriate development and to mitigate negative impacts. The District of Mackenzie protects Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) through the designation of Development Permit (DP) Areas as defined by the District’s OCP. These Environmental Development Permit Areas (EDPA) protect sensitive ecological features from activities that meet the definition of Development specified in Section 2 of the plan. Development that is proposed within EDPA requires that an EDP application be submitted to the District.

Form & Character DPA (Click Title for Draft)

In accordance with Section 488 (1) of the Local Government Act, the Form and Character DPA has been designated for the following purposes:

a. Establish objectives to guide the protection of the natural environment, its ecosystems and biological diversity.

b. Establish objectives to guide the form and character of intensive Residential, Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional development.

c. Establish objectives to promote energy conservation.

Unless exempted (see Sections 1.5 Exemptions), a development permit addressing design guidelines must be approved for all properties that are currently, or become, zoned for multiple-unit residential, commercial, industrial, or zoned for institutional or comprehensive development containing multiple unit residential, commercial or industrial uses, as shown on Map 1 before:

• Construction of, addition to, or alteration of a building or structure.

Issuance of a general development permit for the site layout of a comprehensive or phased development project does not absolve applicants from the requirement for subsequent development permit(s) to address the form and character of individual buildings.