Yellowhead County council has passed first reading of a Land Use Bylaw amendment that would redistrict a parcel from Rural District to Country Residential, prompting a public hearing.
On March 24, council gave first reading to an amendment that would change a portion of SW-19-53-07-W5M, south of the Hamlet of Evansburg, to a Country Residential zone.
The amendment has been proposed to facilitate the subdivision of two potential lots within the parcel, and county officials say it aligns with both the Municipal Development Plan and the Evansburg Area Structure Plan.
A Rural District (RD) is intended to regulate development compatible with agricultural land uses. According to the bylaw, in this zone, “development is expected to be classically rural in nature with clusters of residences and accessory buildings located around and often associated with agricultural lands. Large tracts of privately-owned land enable a variety of housing forms and home businesses, with limited purely commercial and industrial uses.”
If passed, this amendment would see the parcel fall within a Country Residential District (CRD), which is intended to regulate and provide locations for the development of multi-lot residential communities. The bylaw states, “This land use district applies to three distinct forms of residential development. It is used to regulate large rural-residential lots subdivided from a quarter section, comprehensively planned multi-lot residential subdivisions with an internal road network and denser residential communities with smaller, urban-sized lots.”
As shown below, the lot in question is already adjacent to one CRD, as well as a mix of Industrial and Rural Districts.
Captured from the March 24, 2026, Yellowhead County council agenda. (Yellowhead County)
The Yellowhead County Infrastructure Department did note that the county’s raw waterline for Evansburg runs on the west side of the lot in question. The department suggests an easement or right-of-way should be established to protect it.
Before second or third reading can occur, a public hearing needs to take place. One is scheduled for April 28 at 9:30 a.m.
