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Update โ April 28, 2026
Council granted second and third reading with amendments to Bylaw 26/078 (Council Agenda Item).
The bylaw is now adopted and the updated Municipal Development Plan is in effect.
What Changed
A major element of the proposed update is the removal of the option for landowners to create more than one residential parcel from agricultural quarter sections without an outline plan or Area Structure Plan (ASP).
In recent years, public input on the MDP has shown a mix of views:
Some residents have asked for more flexible rules, including more parcels, varied parcel sizes, and different uses.
Others have expressed concern about increasing the division of agricultural land and the longโterm impacts on rural character.
Councilโs priority is to preserve agricultural land and maintain the Countyโs rural character. The adopted amendments tighten subdivision allowances and strengthen policies that protect agricultural areas from further fragmentation or subdivision.
๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ค๐ง๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐๐๐๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ:
The Municipal Development Plan (MDP) is different from the Land Use Bylaw (LUB).
The MDP provides high-level policy guidance for the Countyโs future growth and subdivision decisions, while the LUB is the actual regulation that controls what you can do/build on your property (zoning, permits, etc.).
The adopted MDP updates aim to limit multi-lot residential subdivisions in agricultural areas (e.g., creating more than one separate residential parcel from a quarter section without an outline plan or ASP). This helps preserve larger intact agricultural parcels and rural character.
These changes do not prevent a residence (or farmstead/home) on a quarter section. Up to three (3) residences can be built or placed on a quarter section or parcel of land over 80 acres, and are regulated through the LUB in the Agricultural District.
What This Means for Residents
With the updated policies now in effect:
- Subdivision opportunities in agricultural areas are limited to maintain larger, intact quarter sections.
- The number of new residential or non-agricultural lots that can be created from a quarter section is reduced (additional residential multi-lot subdivisions are still allowed but require outline plans or Area Structure Plans and supporting studies).
- Clearer, more consistent rules are provided for evaluating subdivision applications.
- Councilโs broader goal of supporting the agricultural character of the County into the future is strengthened.
To learn more about why Council proposed these MDP subdivision changes, click here to read the FAQs.