RM of Edenwold - Zoning Bylaw

Project Description

The Rural Municipality of Edenwold is located within the Regina region and has experienced considerable growth over the past fifteen years. The municipality covers an area of approximately 858 square kilometres and has a population of 4,466. The city is characterized by a low-density rural population except in the country’s residential development areas and the community of Emerald Park, where there are higher population densities. Some industrial and commercial activities are located throughout the municipality, but most are concentrated within the Emerald Park Business District.

The RM of Edenwold No. 158 partnered with GeoVerra to update their Zoning Bylaw, the primary legal and administrative means of implementing the RM’s Official Community Plan (OCP). The Zoning Bylaw implements the land-use policies contained in the OCP by prescribing and establishing zoning districts for residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, and other municipal uses. Regulations within each district will govern the range of uses, site sizes, setbacks, building locations, off-street parking, landscaping, etc.

From 2018 to 2020, GeoVerra assisted the RM in writing and obtaining approval for their updated Zoning Bylaw.

Overview

• GeoVerra’s predecessor, Altus was hired by the RM of Edenwold in 2018 to prepare a new Zoning Bylaw.
• The Zoning Bylaw was to be written as a complimentary and implementation document to the municipality’s new OCP.
• The purpose of the new Zoning Bylaw was to create zoning districts, development standards, and procedures that were consistent with the goals, objectives, and policies of the OCP.
• GeoVerra prepared a series of new zoning district maps to accompany the Zoning Bylaw.
• The RM of Edenwold No. 158 council passed the Bylaw and received Ministerial approval in 2020.

Why GeoVerra – Trusted, Responsive, Reliable Solutions

GeoVerra’s Registered Professional Planners have a unique perspective when it comes to planning documents. We are involved with the creation, implementation, and management of Zoning Bylaws.

With years of industry experience, GeoVerra has successfully collaborated with small and large municipalities to create Zoning Bylaws. In addition, our team of planners collaborates with municipalities that lack sufficient planning resources to effectively implement these documents.

Finally, as a geomatics company specializing in land surveying, our planners also represent developers who use these documents as a guidance tool to plan and develop new communities. Working daily with municipal planning documents in various capacities, we know what works and what doesn’t.

GeoVerra has assembled a strong team of professional planners with advanced education, professional training and applicable work experience to prepare Zoning Bylaws unique to your municipality and use local solutions to address global problems.  

Many factors contributed to the success of this project, such as:

• A commitment to ongoing dialogue and communication between GeoVerra, the RM of Edenwold No. 158 and trusted partners throughout the project. Our planners made sure to listen and obtain as much local knowledge as possible. With a greater understanding of the key issues and priorities, we were better able to define the scope and clarify roles for all involved going forward.
• Completing a comprehensive policy research and review of the existing OCP, Zoning Bylaw, and other planning documents allowed GeoVerra to identify missing information, deficiencies, strengths, opportunities and recommendations.
• Creating a diverse roster of GeoVerra team members to produce high-quality professional documents. Team members included a Registered Professional Planner, Planners, CAD Operators, and GIS technicians.

Primary Services

Land Use Planning

• Policy research and review of existing OCP, Zoning Bylaw, planning documents, provincial legislation, and regulations.
• Policy development, specifically creating zoning districts, development standards, and specific land use development requirements.
• Creating a series of legible, user-friendly Zoning District maps.
• Participating in several public engagement events, specifically attending and responding to public inquiries at Public Open Houses.
• Sign and seal completed Zoning Bylaw as a Registered Professional Planner.

For more information on how the GeoVerra team can support your municipal project, send us a note at www.geoverra.com/contact