Development Services

Constructing a new dwelling includes single detached dwellings, duplexes and/or other multi-unit buildings.

At the time of application, a damage deposit is collected to cover any damages to town infrastructure. If you have any concerns to the current state, please notify us.

To connect to the services, please review the information about our services and connecting to them.

Review our new homebuilder's package for information on building a new home.

Permit requirements

Permit requirements for a new dwelling are:

• Site plan with location of building and distances to property lines
• Floor plans including the foundation plan, elevations and, information about piles/grade beam, piles supporting roof loads, stamped engineered drawings (if using strip footing)
• Roof truss layouts and manufactured floor joist drawings
• Copy of Alberta Government's New Home Registration Certificate
• Detailed energy efficiency information

Manufactured homes

Additional permit requirements for a manufactured home are:

• CSA number
• Alberta labour number
• Serial number
• Proof of deformation resistant building

Safety Code Permits are regulated under the Alberta Safety Codes Act and are reviewed by our contracted agency The Inspections Group Inc. These permits include:

• Building
• Electrical
• Plumbing
• Gas
• Underground electrical

All Safety Code Permits and Inspections can be applied for directly through The Inspections Group Inc. 

Water/Sewer Permits

Our Public Works department reviews and inspects water/sewer permits for us.

• Fill out the Water/Sewer Permit Application

Contact: Public Works or Call 780-939-2590 to schedule an inspection.

Site plans are an overhead view of your property. If you are creating your own, please include:

• Title box that includes the property address, legal description, and other descriptive information
• North arrow
• Scale of plan
• Property lines
• Existing and proposed lines
• Location and name of nearby roads and lanes

Information of a site plan may vary, depending on the project. For new construction, it is recommended to hire a professional to draft your plan. Our Site Plan brochure details what is required.

When the Subdivision or Development Authority makes a decision, the decisions are subject to appeal.

To appeal a decision please complete the Appeal Form.

Development

An appeal of a development decision can be made by the applicant or any person affected by a decision, for a variety of reasons:

• Refusal of an application
• Conditions of an approved permit
• Stop Order

Subdivision

The applicant, a government department, or a school board must make an appeal of a subdivision decision.

Direct control

In some cases when a development or subdivision decision is made by council, there is no appeal.

An encroachment agreement can exist between the town and a landowner to allow a building to encroach on town land.

Application requirements

Requirements for an encroachment agreement are:

• Professional, surveyed real property report
• Copy of title
• Copy of easement documents and/or titles of affected properties, if applicable
• Completed encroachment agreement application form
• $150 fee

Occasionally a building or structure may encroach onto a town right of way in which case an encroachment consent letter may be provided instead and the application fee refunded.

Every parcel, building, and unit within the town has a unique address assigned to it. These addresses help direct emergency services, Canada Post, and visitors throughout town and to your location. 

Addresses are assigned by following the Morinville Addressing Guide. 

For any changes to addresses, please fill out the Addressing Request Form.

A subdivision is the process in which parcels are divided or adjusted and may include lot line adjustments, new housing communities, splitting of infill lots or commercial strips.

Subdivision application requirements

Requirements for a subdivision are:

• Tentative plan of subdivision
• Copy of title
• Completed subdivision application form
• Receipt of payment of fee

Condominium conversion

Condominium conversions are a type of subdivision that splits an existing parcel of land, normally with multiple dwellings or uses, into separate parcels.

Condominium conversion application requirements

• Tentative plan of subdivision
• Copy of title
• Completed condominium application form
• Receipt of payment of fee

Bylaw amendments are the process to change land use districting (zoning) on a parcel, change text in the Land Use Bylaw or change a statutory plan.

All the topics below have the same application requirements.

Bylaw application requirements

• Completed amendment application form
• If applicable, diagram of proposal
• If applicable, title search
• Receipt of payment of fees
• If applicable, notice signs to be installed

Minor amendment to Land Use Bylaw

Minor amendments generally include redistricting to an existing land use district or incidental text amendments.

Major amendment to Land Use Bylaw

Major amendments generally include redistricting to a new land use district or substantial text amendments

Amend or submit a statutory plan

Statutory plan amendments allow for Municipal Development Plan, Area Structure Plans or Conceptual Schemes to be amended or created.

Disposal of reserve land

Reserve land is land that has been set aside for a specific purpose. Normally for public utilities, parks, schools or environmental reasons. Occasionally reserve land may need to be traded, developed or changed and a reserve disposal process must be initiated.

Permanent road closure

Occasionally, a road may be closed by bylaw and the land used for a different purpose. This could include lane closures, to swapping of unused road allowances. For more information read the Alberta Transportation Road Cancellations and Closures Brochure.

For a temporary road closure, please see Traffic Safety and Photo Enforcement.

When applying for new construction in town, most development is subject to a damage deposit. To get the damage deposit refund after construction is completed, you will need the following:

Damage deposit refund requirements

• Completed Refund Application Form
• Curb, gutter and sidewalk, and CC are visible and working for town staff to inspect
• If applicable, Lot Grading Review completed
• If applicable, Construction Permit completed
• Development meets all conditions of approved Development Permit

Lot grading review

Lot grading is generally required to be done by a builder of new construction to ensure the drainage of the property meets town standards.

Lot grading review requirements

• Completed Lot Grading Application Form
• Certification of As‐Built Grades (Lot Grading Certificate) prepared by an Alberta Land Surveyor

For more information see our lot grading brochure, and for a detailed description see our Municipal Engineering Standards.

If you are planning on changing the current use of your property in most cases a permit is required

Development permit

A change of use application is required in all changes of use.

In the C-1 land use district (most of the Coeur de Morinville commercial area) a permit may not be required but information on the proposed use must be supplied and a letter issued by the development authority.

Building permit

Most changes of use require a building permit application to ensure the building conforms to the requirements for the proposed use. Building Permit applications are reviewed by our contracted agency The Inspections Group Inc. 

A comprehensively planned development is a development or subdivision comprising one or more multi-unit dwellings, a zero-lot line development, a manufactured home park, a shopping centre, or any multiple use building.

All comprehensively planned developments are encouraged to have a pre-application meeting with relevant departments, please contact the Planning and Economic Development Team to set this up. 

Comprehensively planned development application requirements

Requirements for this development are:

• Tentative plan of subdivision or development site plan
• Copy of title
• Completed application form
• Receipt of payment of fee
• Landscape plan
• Any other information the development authority requests