Medicine Hat council approves land use bylaw refresh while advancing regional industrial planning

Among the key changes are additional residential zoning districts intended to provide greater certainty around where different forms of housing can be built, clearer transitions between residential densities and new approaches for managing higher-impact land uses.

Officials said the changes are designed to reduce the need for variances and appeals while making the bylaw easier for residents, developers and businesses to navigate.

The proposed bylaw received support from the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) of Medicine Hat.

Director of BILD Medicine Hat Jenny Yanke said during the hearing that the updated regulations provide greater clarity for builders and homeowners while helping reduce delays and uncertainty associated with variance applications.

Yanke said the industry appreciated the city’s consultation efforts over the past 18 months and believes the bylaw will help support housing affordability and improve transparency for residents.

“I’m thrilled with how the city’s been working and progressing with the bylaw,” Yanke said during an interview.

“I do think the bylaw has a lot of good changes, a lot of easy and crystal clear provisions in it.”

During the opposing portion of the hearing, the council heard from Cypress County, which encouraged the city to continue discussions surrounding the regional heavy industrial collaborative planning area identified in the Tri-Area Intermunicipal Development Plan involving Medicine Hat, Cypress County and the Town of Redcliff.

Kaylene Brown, Cypress County’s general manager of planning and intergovernmental services, said the county supports continued collaboration on creating harmonized industrial development regulations across the region, but raised concerns that the city’s proposed bylaw does not fully reflect that regional direction.

“The county respectfully urges the city to advance efforts towards the creation of a regional heavy industrial district that reflects the shared vision and intent of the Tri-Area IDP,” Brown said.

Following the meeting, Cypress County Mayor Dan Hamilton said the county’s goal is to ensure regional partners continue working together on economic development opportunities.

“We’re just hoping that the takeaway is going to be the regional collaboration on everything,” Hamilton said.

Hamilton also pointed to the importance of keeping momentum on regional planning efforts.

“We’ve been talking about it in all the other meetings and working hard to get it in,” Hamilton said.

“We’re all looking to bring in business. Everybody’s looking for something for the region.”

Hamilton said all three municipalities have been discussing the concept for more than a year and that a coordinated approach could help attract future industrial investment to the region.

The city’s planning officials stated that they remain committed to collaborating with their municipal partners, noting that implementing regional industrial policies involves broader considerations, including infrastructure, servicing, and development processes.

Medicine Hat Mayor Linnsie Clark said the council’s approval of the bylaw does not prevent future amendments, saying, “It is a living document.”

Clark said the administration will bring additional information to council on the industrial planning discussions raised during the hearing. If council decides changes are necessary, any amendment would require another public hearing.

“It could take some time to develop those harmonized planning regulations, but certainly we’ve got to get started on it, and that’s underway,” Clark said during an interview.

Other residents also addressed the council during the hearing, raising questions about recreation land uses, parking requirements, zoning categories and housing development regulations.

Planning staff defended the proposed framework, saying additional zoning categories provide greater certainty by more clearly identifying what types of development are appropriate in specific areas.

Before approving the bylaw, council adopted several housekeeping amendments, including replacing section 9 to clarify that land use districts are shown on the Land Use District Map attached as Schedule “A,” updating the definition of the Land Use District Map in the bylaw’s general definitions, and adding a revised map as Schedule “A.”

Council also approved a zoning change for two parcels, Lot 8, Block S, Plan 59191 and Lot 9, Block S, Plan 59191, from Neighbourhood Residential 2 (N-R2) to Light/Medium Industrial (I-LM).

Administration said the bylaw refresh addresses key issues identified during public engagement and better aligns zoning regulations with council policy and community expectations.

City officials indicated the bylaw will continue to evolve with time, as annual reviews and future amendments are expected as development trends and community needs change.

Other items discussed during Monday’s meeting focused on three main decisions before the council, followed by multiple items that were deferred to a future meeting due to time constraints.

Council approved a budget amendment for the Gas Distribution Custody Transfer Meter Program, increasing the 2026 budget by just over $1.05 million to replace aging federally regulated gas meters identified through inspections and higher-than-expected failure rates.

Administration said the work was required to maintain federal compliance and ensure system safety.

Council also approved financing adjustments for electric utility service upgrades tied to backyard and secondary suite development.

The program helps offset infrastructure costs when additional electrical capacity is needed, with requirements varying by property depending on existing system capacity and upgrade needs.

Additionally, council received a presentation from Tourism Medicine Hat executive director Jace Anderson on the Destination Marketing Organization’s annual report, which outlined growth in tourism activity, expanded programming, and increased visitor engagement, including expanded tour offerings and stronger uptake of trolley services.

Due to time constraints, the council deferred three agenda items to the next meeting set to take place on June 15.

These items include the Development and Expansion Incentive Program, the food waste and organic composting report, and hedging policy amendments.

by Jett Schwaier

Medicine Hat council approves land use bylaw refresh while advancing regional industrial planning

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