Land Use Bylaw

You are required to apply for a Development Permit before you can commence any development in Devon, with the following exceptions:

• the maintenance, repair, interior improvements, leasehold improvements, structural modifications, exterior finish alterations of any building that does not increase the site coverage, building floor area or building volume provided in all cases that the use of the building is an existing permitted or approved discretionary use and is a conforming use in the land use district where the development is contemplated;
   
• a home office, provided that no individual other than the permanent resident of the dwelling operates the home office; no customer or client is received at the dwelling for business purposes; no pedestrian or vehicular traffic is generated; there are no exterior signs or displays; there are no materials or goods stored on-site.
   
• in residential districts, uncovered decks that are less than 0.6 metres in height, a fire pit, a patio, a gazebo, or a barbecue, provide these are not in a front yard;
   
• the completion of a development which was under construction in accordance with a lawful development permit issued at the effective date of this by-law provided that the development is completed within the time limit of such a permit or within twelve months of the effective date of this by-law, whichever is earlier;
   
• the construction, alteration, maintenance or repair of a road, street, lane or utility, undertaken upon a public thoroughfare or utility easement, or undertaken to connect the same with any lawful use of buildings or land;
   
• the erection or placement of a temporary building or sign, the sole purpose of which is incidental to the erection of a building for which a development permit has been granted, provided the temporary building or sign is removed within thirty days of substantial completion;
   
• the rental of signs from the permanently fixed frames on the Athabaska Avenue and Erie Street medians;
   
• the erection of campaign signs for federal, provincial, or other elections on any property for no more than sixty days, or such other time as regulated under provincial or federal law provided that such signs are removed within 10 days of the election date, the consent of the property owner or occupant is obtained, such signs do not obstruct vision or traffic and such signs are not attached to utility poles;
   
• the erection of a fence or gate no greater than 1.8 m in height provided there is no contravention of this or any other bylaw and provided that such a fence or gate does not obstruct the vision of persons using abutting roads;
   
• one sign on internal lots, or two signs on corner lots, advertising a residential property for sale or rent displayed on the property to which it pertains during the time the property is being offered for sale or rent, and which shall be removed within one week after occupancy. Such signs shall be a maximum of 0.6 m2 in area and shall be placed or erected no closer than 1 m to a public right-of-way;
   
• signs in non-residential districts provided the signs are totally on the site and otherwise meet the regulations of the land use district in which the site is located, but does not include billboard signs;
   
• boarding and foster care, provided these facilities cannot be classified as "day care facilities”, “boarding house”, “family day home", “special care facility” or “treatment facility”, as defined;
   
• hard-surfacing of any yard area on a residential lot for the purpose of providing vehicular access from a public roadway to an on-site parking stall, provided that such hard-surfacing does not exceed 11.0 m in width;
   
• landscaping, where the existing grade and natural surface drainage pattern is not materially altered, except where landscaping forms part of a development requirement in a land use district;
   
• construction of an accessory building less than 10 m2 area;
   
• the use of a building in connection with a federal, provincial, municipal or school election, referendum or census;
   
• the construction of the local improvements, structures and infrastructure required to be provided by a developer under any valid development agreement between a developer and the Town;
   
• in a residential district, the storage of recreation equipment in a screened side or rear yard;
   
• the erection of radio antenna, satellite dish antenna, flag poles, and other poles not exceeding 5 m in height provided that the structure is not located in a front yard; and
   
• those uses and development exempted by Section 618 of the Municipal Government Act.