Rezoning

Need to change a Land Use Zone in the City of Edmonton?
You need to know...

The Edmonton Zoning Bylaw is the "rule book" for all development that occurs within Edmonton. It regulates the “what, where,” and “how” land is used in Edmonton. These rules are described in zones that are assigned to all areas and properties across the city.

Rezoning is the process of changing the zone that applies to a property or parcel of land. Rezoning is required if you wish to develop your site in a manner that is not allowed by the current zoning.

Process

If you are a property owner, or an agent acting on behalf of a property owner, and wish to rezone a property, the information below has details on the rezoning process.

The City of Edmonton's Current Planning uses a web-based application process for all applications to change a property's zoning. This online service is the Land Development Application (LDA) process.

To request the rezoning of a property, an applicant must submit a Land Development Application through the City’s website. A recent copy of the Certificate of Title must be submitted with the application (“recent” means it has been issued by a registry office less than 30 days before the submission of the application).
The application will not be processed until the fees are received.

Also, depending upon the nature of the application, additional information may be required to process the application.
This additional information may require the assistance of professional expertise, for example: Traffic Impact Assessments, Environmental Impact Assessments, Geo-technical Slope Stability Assessments, etc.

After the application fees are paid, and all required information has been received:

• Sustainable Development circulates the application to other civic departments and non-City agencies for their review and comment. This circulation takes approximately three weeks.
• At the same time, Sustainable Development mails a notice to all property owners within 60 metres of the lands being rezoned, advising them that a rezoning application has been received by the City. This circulation area may be increased by Sustainable Development, if the impact of the rezoning is felt to affect the properties more than 60 metres from the subject site.
• A planner reviews the feedback and prepares a report with a recommendation for City Council. Once this report has been finalized by Sustainable Development, the applicant is advised of the recommendation and asked if he/she wishes to proceed to City Council (City Council is the deciding authority for rezoning bylaws).
• Before the rezoning bylaw is forwarded to City Council, it must be advertised in a local newspaper. The applicant must pay the required advertising fees (2013 rate is $1,237 plus GST).
• Sustainable Development, in conjunction with the Law Branch, prepares the bylaw for City Council’s consideration. The bylaw and report are then forwarded to the City Clerk’s Office to be placed on City Council’s agenda.
• The Municipal Government Act requires that City Council hold a public hearing for all rezoning bylaws. During the public hearing, Council may hear from the applicant and any other members of the public interested in the rezoning.
  After the public hearing, Council considers each bylaw. The passage of a bylaw requires three readings of Council.
• While there is no official time limit to rezone a property, the total time can take anywhere from four months to one year (occasionally more), depending upon the complexity of the application.

If you need additional assistance, contact the Bylaw Amendment Officer at 780-496-6194 or come into our office to get help with the process.

If the rezoning application is approved, the next step requires the submission of an application to Sustainable Development for a development permit to approve any new land use and a building permit to approve any new construction.

If your rezoning is defeated by City Council, you cannot apply to rezone the same property for one year.

All current and proposed zoning is available at maps.edmonton.ca.

For more information:

Current Planning Service Centre