City administration is preparing amendments to Lloydminster’s Land Use Bylaw but acknowledged this week that some requested changes will not be brought forward because administration does not believe council is ready to consider them.
The comments came during a presentation on proposed refinements to Land Use Bylaw 5-2025, which has been in effect for approximately six months.
Administration told council the amendments are intended to reduce red tape, improve clarity, and strengthen interpretation of the bylaw without changing its overall intent.
“The purpose of this amendment that we are looking to complete is to ensure administration’s commitment to reducing red tape, cultivating innovation and flexibility, and improving clarity,” administration said. “The intent of this administration is not expected to change the overall intent of the districts or the bylaw in its entirety.”
Administration said feedback has been collected since the bylaw was approved in June 2025, including input from the public, development applicants, and industry stakeholders. Areas identified for refinement include landscaping and planting regulations, sign regulations, enforcement procedures, additional definitions, expanded permitted uses, and minor mapping cleanup.
Councillor Michele Charles Gustafson asked how extensive the proposed changes would be.
“I don’t think there’s any changes that are directly changing the intent, just further enhancing the clarity and interpretation of the bylaw,” administration said. “Really striving to ensure that the bylaw by our applicants as well as our development officers is interpreted in the same manner.”
“So it’s for clarity, not necessarily changing rules per se?” Gustafson asked.
“Not necessarily changing anything,” administration replied.
Councillor Jason Whiting asked about the approval process and whether the amendments would return through a regular council meeting.
“The intent of administration is next time we’ll come back to a regular council meeting,” administration said. “We will bring forward the amending bylaw for first reading.”
Administration confirmed the amendment would require three readings of council and a public hearing, following the same process as the original bylaw.
Deputy Mayor David Lopez raised concerns about whether the public hearing could reopen broader land use debates.
“Can they talk about anything in the land use bylaw at that time, or is it specific to the changes that have been amended?” Lopez asked.
Administration said the hearing would be limited.
“The public hearings are just very specific to only being able to speak to what’s currently in front of council for consideration,” administration said.
Lopez said that clarification eased his concern.
“I was just envisioning these people coming back and wanting to open up and try to change other things,” he said. “But if it’s just on those specific things, that makes life a lot easier for us.”
Administration then acknowledged that not all requested changes would be included in the upcoming amendment.
“And we’ll be honest, we might not list them all,” administration said. “Administration has received some feedback around areas that some areas of the public has asked for amendments as administration and the last two years of the approval process.”
Administration said those requests would not be part of the current package.
“We don’t feel that our council is ready for that,” administration said.
Administration stressed the decision was not intended to permanently block those changes. Instead, agencies or landowners who want broader amendments were encouraged to submit separate applications outside of the administration-led amendment process.
Administration also emphasized that council remains the final authority on any Land Use Bylaw changes.
“Any application that is made to amend the land use bylaw, whether it has a supporting recommendation from administration or not, we are obligated to present the amendment as applied for to council because council is the final decision maker,” administration said. “Administration does not have that authority.”
Lopez said it was important for residents to understand the bylaw can continue to evolve.
“If the people do have any other concerns or they can still come to the city, have a conversation with you or their planning and engineering and make sure that they can be heard,” he said.
The proposed Land Use Bylaw amendments are expected to return to council for first reading later in the first quarter of 2026.
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