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Planning & Development Department
About Planning & Development
Planning and Development plays a central role in managing growth and change within our communities. This is delivered through the establishment and administration of the Municipal District of Opportunity’s land use planning framework.
The aim of Planning and Development is to ensure orderly, economical, and beneficial development within each of the hamlets, while at the same time maintaining and improving the quality of the physical environment to achieve a livable community, through the application of tools, principles and services provided for under the land use planning framework. The scope of Planning and Development services include:
Long-Range and Strategic Planning
Long-Range and Strategic Planning involves the creation and adoption of strategic and long-term community vision plans, including statutory plans (such as the Municipal Development Plan, Inter-municipal Development Plans, and Area Structure Plans) and non-statutory plans (such as the Land Use Bylaw), which together provide strategic direction and the regulatory mechanism for implementing the desired change.
Current Planning
Current Planning focuses on implementing the vision and goals outlined in strategic and long-range planning documents by ensuring that everyday planning decisions and actions are guided by long-term community aspirations. These include ensuring effective coordination of land use plans; communicating relevant land use planning information, requirements, standards, and procedures to prospective developers and the general public; and evaluating subdivision and development proposals against approved plans, the Land Use Bylaw, and other applicable municipal and provincial legislation.
Current Planning services include direct, customer-focused planning services, which include responding to development and general land use planning enquiries; processing and issuing decisions on development permit and subdivision applications; and issuing statutory planning notices and decisions. They also include Development Control, which involves the use of tools such as Development Agreements, inspections, and Land Use Bylaw enforcement mechanisms to achieve desirable development outcomes.
Other services
These are services provided to the public for a fee outside core Planning & Development Department services (e.g., Compliance Certificate, Title Search, and Private Land Transfer).
