PUBLIC HEARING
May 6, 2025 @ 6:00 P.M. IN TOWN COUNCIL CHAMBERS
BYLAW #10-2025 (Amend the Land Use Bylaw #22-2007)
Town Council is giving consideration to amending Land Use Bylaw #22-2007
Amending Bylaw #10-2025 proposes amendments by adding Section 115A RECREATION FACILITY AND RESORT DISTRICT RR2 and the following regulations for that district:
RECREATION FACILITY AND RESORT DISTRICT RR2
(1) General Purpose
- To provide areas where the public may enjoy recreational pursuits on sites capable of accommodating major or intensive recreational buildings and activities; and to provide for an increased density of recreational Cabins.
(2) Permitted Uses
- Buildings and Uses ancillary to permitted uses
- Campgrounds
- Offices ancillary to a permitted use
- Parks and Playgrounds
- Recreational Vehicle – Motorized or Towable
(3) Discretionary Uses
- Cabins
- Convenience Store
- Commercial Recreation Tourist Development
- Dwelling unit, which is ancillary to a permitted use and is necessary for the manager/caretaker or security personnel
- Hotels
- Laundromat and Dry Cleaning Establishments
- Light Recreational Vehicle Sales and Rentals
- Liquor Store
- Marina
- Motels
- Municipal Buildings
- Non-complying buildings (additions or alterations to)
- Outdoor Recreational Facility (i.e. Pool)
- Playground and Parks
- Recreation Establishment - Minor
- Recreation Vehicle Park
- Restaurant Food Service Only
- Restaurant Licensed
- Retail Stores
- Signs
- Utility Buildings
(4) Minimum Site Area
- 140 m² (1500 ft²) for a campsite in a Campground or Recreation Vehicle Park, which are subject to a daily, or seasonal lease.
- 230 m² (2500 ft²)for a cabin site in a Campground or Recreational Vehicle Park, which are subject to a daily, or seasonal lease.
- 0.4 ha (1 acre) for other recreational uses.
(5) Minimum yard setback requirements for a campsite for a tent, or recreational vehicle – motorized or towable:
- Front yard setback shall be 3.5 m (11.5 ft.)
- Side yard setback shall be 1.5 m (5 ft.)
- Rear yard setback shall be 3.5 m (11.5 ft.)
Note: these setbacks are measured from the boundary of the campsite and not the property boundary.
(6) Minimum yard setback requirements for other recreation uses, including cabin sites:
- Front yard setback shall be 7.5 m (25 ft.)
- Side yard setback shall be 3.0 m (10 ft.)
- Rear yard setback shall be 7.5 m (25 ft.)
Note: these setbacks are measured from the boundary of the cabin site or the site for other structures and not the property boundary.
(7) Notwithstanding Sections 5 and 6, no part of any building or structure shall be located within 40 m (134 ft.) of the property line of any public roadway.
(8) The maximum height of any buildings or structures within the Campground or Recreation Vehicle Park shall be 11 m (36 ft).
(9) Density
- The maximum number of campsites that may be provided for tents or recreational vehicles – motorized or towable in a Campground or Recreation Vehicle Park shall be 20 sites per hectare (8 sites per acre).
- Each site intended to accommodate a single tent or a single recreational vehicle – motorized or towable, shall maintain a minimum area of 140 m² (1500 ft²), a minimum width of 6 m (20 ft.), and a minimum average width of 10 m (33 ft.).
- The maximum number of cabins that may be provided in a Campground or Recreation Vehicle Park shall be 9.5 sites per hectare (3.75 sites per acre), calculated based on the total land area. This density does not require an even distribution across the entire site.
- Each site intended to accommodate a single cabin shall maintain a minimum area of 230 m² (2500 ft²) and a minimum width of 12 m (40 ft.).
(10) Open Space
- A minimum of 5% of the gross area of a Campground or Recreation Vehicle Park shall be set aside as a common space recreation area.
(11) Roadways
- One-way roads without parking shall have a minimum width of 4.60 m (15 ft.). If parking is intended on one side of the road, the minimum width shall be 6.40 m (21 ft.). Two-way roads without parking shall have a minimum width of 7.6 m (25 ft.). If parking is intended on one side of the road, the minimum width shall be 9.40 m (31 ft.).
- Roads leading to a proposed Campground or Recreation Vehicle Park may be required as a condition of development approval, to be brought into a standard necessary to sustain volume and type of traffic to be generated by the proposed Campground or Recreation Vehicle Park.
- The number of access points to the Campground or Recreation Vehicle Park shall be limited to control the entry and departure of vehicles and to minimize interference with neighbouring uses and traffic flow.
- All campsites and cabin sites within a Campground or Recreation Vehicle Park shall have a permanent marker that clearly identifies the site.
- Campgrounds or Recreation Vehicle Parks that propose to be open year-round and provide long lease arrangements shall adhere to all regulations in the RR2 District as well as the following:
- Ensure the internal road design can accommodate snow removal and snow storage. The minimum width of road shall be 8.0 m (26t.).
- Ensure a snow storage area, approved by Alberta Environment and Parks, is provided in the Campground or Recreation Vehicle Park.
- Ensure visitor parking is provided for those campsites and cabin sites that provide long lease arrangements, at a rate of one (1) visitor parking stall per campsite or cabin site.
- Ensure that a Bus Pick up and Drop off Area is provided within the Campground where a bus can make safe turning movements, without requiring backing movements, and to prevent a bus from driving throughout the Campground for pickup and drop off. This area shall be properly signed to clearly identify it.
- Ensure that a Garbage Pickup Area is provided in the Campground or Recreation Vehicle Park that allows garbage trucks to pick up garbage without requiring long backing movements.
- Ensure the turning radius of the roads within the Campground or Recreation Vehicle Park can accommodate turning movements for large trucks such as a Fire Truck.
(12) Other Requirements
- A greenbelt buffer strip of 3.0 m (10 ft.) minimum width surrounding the Campground or Recreation Vehicle Park on all sides on which no structures, campsites or cabin sites shall be permitted. The buffer should contain trees, shrubs or hedging to provide a visual screen.
- A minimum distance of 3.0 m (10 ft.) shall be maintained between adjacent campsites.
- A minimum distance of 3.0 m (10 ft.) shall be maintained between adjacent cabin sites.
- A minimum distance of ten (10) m (32 ft) shall be maintained between cabin sites and campsites.
- Each campsite and cabin site shall have sufficient unobstructed access to, or frontage on, an internal roadway to permit the movement and placement of vehicles and in the case of campsites, the movement and placement of recreation vehicles – motorized or towable.
- Each campsite site shall have a level hard surfaced area clear of all vegetation and suitable for the parking and support of the size of recreational vehicle – motorized or towable anticipated.
- Each cabin site shall have a level hard surfaced area clear of all vegetation and suitable for the parking of vehicles.
- The Campground or Recreation Vehicle Park shall provide one or more covered, bear proof refuse containers.
- The Campground or Recreation Vehicle Park shall provide one or more service buildings. The service buildings shall contain washroom and shower facilities.
- Fire extinguishers capable of dealing with electrical and wood fires shall be kept in all service buildings.
- All outdoor storage within the Campground or Recreation Vehicle Park must be associated with the operation of the Campground or Recreation Vehicle Park only and shall be screened.
- Campsites may be used for the temporary storage of recreational vehicles – motorized and towable that are not in use, provided that the total number of stored recreational vehicles and campsites in active use does not exceed the total number of campsites available for rent/lease within the Campground or Recreation Vehicle Park. Cabin sites may not be used for the temporary storage of recreational vehicles – motorized and towable.
- Campsites and cabin sites may have two accessory structures, one shed no larger than 3.0 m x 3.6 m (10 ft. x 12 ft.) and one additional accessory structure no larger than 3.0 m x 2.4 m (10 ft. x 8 ft.) i.e. Outdoor kitchen, wood storage structure etc. The height of the shed or additional structure shall not exceed 4.5 m (15 ft.) measured from the natural grade to the peak. The exterior of the shed must be finished with siding, stucco, or the shed may be plastic. No cloth or tarp structures such as carports, quonsets, woodsheds, etc., are permitted.
- Campsites and cabin sites cannot be fenced or enclosed with privacy screening without the approval of the Recreational Resort Operator and must comply with Section 57 of this Land Use Bylaw. Trees, shrubs, and vegetation may be planted to provide privacy.
- The following items shall not be stored in a campsite or cabin site:
- Derelict vehicles
- More than two (2) boats
- All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), or snowmobiles
- Effluent from tents, recreational vehicles – motorized and towable, and cabins shall not be discharged onto the ground and shall be properly disposed of within the Town’s Sanitary Sewer System.
- Fires within the Campground or Recreation Vehicle Park will be permitted in designated fire pits only.
- Campgrounds and Recreation Vehicle Parks shall ensure visitors are not staying on a permanent full-time basis at campsites and cabin sites, regardless of whether guests move to a different campsite or cabin site. Campgrounds and Recreation Vehicle Parks are not developed to accommodate or intended to provide a permanent residence. Long lease and short-term accommodation stay only.
- The Municipal Planning Commission may approve a maximum of two (2) Dwelling units in a Campground or Recreation Vehicle Park for manager/caretaker and security personnel, and only these dwellings may be occupied on a permanent or full-time basis by the manager/caretaker or security personnel.
- The maximum floor area of any Dwelling unit approved for the manager/caretaker or security personnel shall not exceed an area of 112 m² (1,200 ft²), calculated on the ground floor, not including an attached garage.
- The following shall be submitted in support of an application for a Campground or Recreation Vehicle Park development:
- A site plan showing roadways, parking and recreation areas, service and laundry buildings, and any other permanent structures;
- Building plans for all permanent buildings showing dimensions, elevations and exterior treatment;
- Plans and descriptions, plus profile and cross sections where required by the Development Officer or Municipal Planning Commission, of all utility installations, roadway improvements, site preparations and campsite or trailer pad improvement;
- A plan of landscaping for all open areas, recreation areas and greenbelt buffer strips.
If you or any group of citizens either support or are opposed to this proposed amendment, please deliver a letter to the Town Office no later than May 1, 2025, or verbally make a presentation at the Public Hearing on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.
For more details, copies of the Land Use Bylaw #22-2007, proposed amending Bylaw #10-2025 and related information, are available at the Town office. For further information contact the Planning and Development Department at 849-8000 or planning@slavelake.ca.
Written submissions, please mail or deliver to:
Town of Slave Lake
Box 1030, 10 Main Street SW
Slave Lake, AB T0G 2A0