WESTLOCK – A public hearing has been scheduled for June 9 regarding proposed amendments to the Town of Westlock’s consolidated land use bylaw. Town representatives have been working with developers to simplify and expedite the building process.
Throughout April, builders, developers, and other interested parties were provided with workbooks summarizing the amendments and offering an opportunity to give feedback.
“These proposed changes are intended to remove known barriers, improve the clarity and facilitate diverse and viable housing types in Westlock,” said Danielle Pougher, RPP, MCIP, Director of Planning and Development.
“They will also ensure consistency, address non-conforming residential parcels and introduce new flexibility that align with current development trends.”
One of the more visible potential outcomes of the changes is the possible introduction of “skinny homes” to Westlock—narrow-lot single-family houses that appeal to first-time buyers or downsizers.
Mayor Jon Kramer noted that during conversations with builders in another community, there was interest in this type of housing. He clarified that skinny homes are not tiny homes, and while there wasn’t widespread demand, there was individual interest.
Pougher said the proposed bylaw changes could help accommodate that.
“These would be more of the starter home or downsizing for retirement type homes and provides the opportunity for large lots if needed," Pougher said.
The proposed amendments, focused on housing, were first presented to council in February. Since then, the Town has refined the language based on public engagement, but the core themes remain unchanged.
One major update is the introduction of new infill development standards in Section 9.7. Based on feedback from council and industry stakeholders, some of the more rigid language has been softened.
These changes include removing specific requirements such as matching roof lines. Town representatives will now evaluate applications based on individual merit. The intent is to allow for more flexibility while preserving neighbourhood character.
Another key amendment relates to lot widths. While requirements in the R1 district remain unchanged, a new R1-B district—designated as the low-density variable residential district—has been introduced.
This new zoning category allows for single and detached dwellings on lots of varying widths and is intended to give developers more flexibility in new subdivisions. The R1-B district includes two lot width options depending on whether the site is for a single-detached or semi-detached dwelling.
Research into similar districts in other municipalities informed these changes, and the proposed amendments align with that data.
Kramer asked whether the new lot width rules could influence the design of new developments. Pougher noted that developers could use the new dimensions, but rezoning would still be required. The current amendments do not rezone any land to R1-B but make it available for future development.
Amendments to the R2 district will align minimum lot widths with a 10-metre standard and adjust depth and area requirements to match the minimum lot size. In the R3 district, specific width and depth measurements will be replaced with development authority discretion to allow for a greater range of housing types.
The first reading of the amended bylaw has been passed, and the public hearing is scheduled for June 9.
Six non-conforming lot owners were contacted for feedback, with three responding. All affected property owners and interested members of the public will be advised of the hearing through additional community notifications.
