The Planning Hierarchy

City of St. Albert plans, policies, and regulations are part of a larger planning hierarchy, illustrated in Figure 2. This hierarchy determines the order of authority of plans in the province, region, and City.
Statutory plans, such as Municipal Development Plans, within municipalities, must be consistent with one another and with higher-order plans and policies, including the Alberta Land Stewardship Act and the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Growth Plan. Flourish has been prepared to comply with all relevant provincial legislation, regulation, plans, and policies, including the Land Stewardship Act Land use Framework and Municipal Government Act. It has also been prepared to conform to the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Growth Plan. These and other relevant, higher-order statutory documents are briefly described on the following page. Should inconsistencies arise between Flourish and any federal, provincial, or Edmonton Metropolitan Region policy, plan, or regulation, the higher-order policy, plan, or regulation prevails.

Figure 2: Planning Hierarchy [ click to enlarge ]

Other statutory plans, such as Area Structure Plans and Area Redevelopment Plans, as defined by the Municipal Government Act, for lands within St. Albert must be consistent with Flourish. As Flourish is a foundational document for the City, non-statutory municipal plans and guidelines should also be aligned with its policies and intent. Where there is any inconsistency between municipal statutory plans, the provisions of the higher-order plan prevail.

Municipal Government Act

The Municipal Government Act provides the legal framework for governance and planning in Alberta municipalities. It is the legislation that enables the City of St. Albert to create statutory plans and requires each municipality in Alberta to have a Municipal Development Plan. Municipal Development Plans are prepared in accordance with Section 632 of the Municipal Government Act.

Alberta Land Stewardship Act and Land Use Framework

The Land Stewardship Act provides the legal basis for regional land use planning in Alberta and ensures coordination of planning and decision making between regional, Metropolitan Region Growth Board, and municipal land-use decision-makers. The Alberta Land Stewardship Regulation provides direction for the implementation of regional plans.

North Saskatchewan Regional Plan (under development)

St. Albert is located within the area subject to the North Saskatchewan Regional Plan, which was under development at the time of Flourish’s preparation. It is one of seven regional plans that will be included in Alberta’s Land Use Framework. With a planning horizon of 50 years, the regional plan will provide specific strategies and actions intended to balance economic, environmental, and social objectives across the region.

Alberta Water Act and Alberta Wetland Policy

The Water Act supports and promotes water conservation and the management of water, through the use and allocation of water in Alberta. Approval processes for water-related activities and diversions, such as those that might occur through urban development, are governed by the Water Act.

The Water Act also provides the primary legislative basis for implementing the Alberta Wetland Policy. The goal of the Alberta Wetland Policy is to conserve, restore, protect, and manage Alberta’s wetlands to sustain the benefits they provide to the environment, society, and economy.

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Edmonton Metropolitan Region Growth Plan

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