City staff will provide commission members more information on why development permits for home businesses have been refused but were told most of the time the city refused permits due to lack of payment or applicants not providing required information.--NEWS FILE PHOTO
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City staff will provide members of the Municipal Planning Commission more information on reasons development permits have not been proceeded following a request by the commission.
Coun. Brian Varga requested staffers provide the reasons development permits within the city are refused or incomplete to provide more context to sitting commission members.
“When you do refuse it, is there maybe something underneath that you could say why it was refused just for our benefit? Varga asked staff during a public meeting Wednesday.
Varga, who has sat on past committees, said the information would be helpful after receiving a report from the city showing eight home businesses were refused development permits between Nov. 24 and Dec. 21, 2025.
“I don’t remember that happening a whole bunch,” said Varga. “I remember that usually they were all passed and gone through, so that’s why I think with the number of themes here that it just seems strange.”
Recent refusals include a consultant, personal care aid, nail technician and general contractor.
According to staff a large portion of development permits are refused for either a non-payment or incomplete application not meeting the required timeline set under the Municipal Government Act.
Under the Act the city has a period of 20 days to deem an application complete. If there is no request from an applicant to continue the application period, the city has to refuse it.
Coun. Ted Clugston says reviewing new development permits is one of his favourite parts of sitting on the commission.
“This is my favourite part of the MPC package, frankly.” He says the information is beneficial for informing the community on new developments.
“I often learn more from this report as to what a new development, that’s going to be an apartment or that’s going to be a new Wendy’s restaurant or something like that, and I can answer those questions, so I do really appreciate this report.”
Clugston says it also serves as a “litmus test” on economic activity in the community.
Council to consider rezoning request
Members of the Municipal Planning Commission voted unanimously in favour of bringing forward a rezone request for council’s future consideration.
A landowner has submitted a rezoning application to 1850 S. Boundary Rd., from future urban development district to direct control district.
The rezoning application will allow for future development on the site, which has a total area of 2.44 hectares and is privately owned.
The site is currently zoned future urban development district, while adjacent lands are zoned open space district and low density residential, and it is located adjacent to the municipal boundary with Cypress County located to the south.
The landowner planned to build a shop for personal use, as well as to build a house and rental suite.
The rezoning process will require the council to make an amendment to Bylaw No. 4870, which will be considered at a future meeting.
