Fire Ban in Saddle Hills County - May 8, 2025

Due to the lack of precipitation, and dry and windy conditions, Saddle Hills County has upgraded the Fire Restriction to a FIRE BAN. This Fire Ban applies to all areas outside of the Forest Protection Area, including private land, crown land, and recreational areas.

A Fire Ban is also in place for the Grande Prairie Forest Protection Area.

Prohibited:

  • All outdoor wood fires, including designated firepits, backyard firepits, burning barrels, and any wood campfires on public or private land.
  • BBQ charcoal briquettes.
  • Fireworks and exploding targets.
  • Burning of brush piles, windrows or other debris.

Allowed (with caution):

  • Propane/natural gas-powered appliances.
  • Open flame oil devices (e.g. turkey deep fryers, tiki torches).
  • Indoor wood fires contained within a device with a chimney and spark arrestor.
  • Off-Highway Vehicles.

Please note, all appliances must be CSA approved and used per manufacturer’s standards.

This Fire Ban will remain in effect until conditions improve.

Never leave a campfire unattended. Soak it, stir it and soak it again until cool to the touch to ensure it is extinguished.

If you see a wildfire, report it immediately by calling 9-1-1 or 310-FIRE.

Bylaws and Policies

Our Planning and Development Department is required to follow rules and regulations laid out in various Bylaws and Policies when making planning decisions. Planning decisions can include those related to development, subdivision, rezoning, bylaw amendments, or stop orders.

All Bylaws and Policies are posted online and copies available at the County Administration Building.

Bylaws

Bylaw 755-94 Ward Bylaw (Ministerial Order)

Shows the boundaries of lands governed by the County

Bylaw 247-2015 Woking Area Structure Plan

Guiding principles for land use and development in the Hamlet of Woking.

Bylaw 258-2016 Bay Tree Area Structure Plan

Guiding principles for land use and development in the defined area around Bay Tree.

Bylaw 271-2016 County Complex Area Structure Plan

Guiding principles for land use and development in the defined area around the County Complex.

Bylaw 316-2018 Advertising

Advertising and appeal periods must comply.

Bylaw 317-2018 Unsightly Premises

Where standards and requirements may include the decision to find a property as unsightly.

Bylaw 327-2018 Amendment to Land Use Bylaw 324-2018

A bylaw to amend the County’s Land Use Bylaw 324-2018 respecting the rezoning of 4.48 hectares of SE 17-76-07-W6 from Agricultural (A) District to Rural Cannabis (RCB) District

Bylaw 352-2019 Municipal Planning Commission and Subdivision and Development Authority

Establishing authorities. 

Bylaw 379-2020 Amendment to Land Use Bylaw 324-2018

A bylaw to amend the County’s Land Use Bylaw to rezone 0.95 hectares of SW 03-82-10-W6 from Agriculture (A) District to Rural Heavy Industrial (RHI) District

Bylaw 382-2020 Amendment to Land Use Bylaw 324-2018

A bylaw to amend the County’s Land Use Bylaw to rezone 11.256 hectares of NW 31-81-09-W6, which included Lot 1, Plan 002 1530 from Agriculture (A) District to Rural Heavy Industrial (RHI) District.

Bylaw 394-2021 Development Officer

Designating authority.

Bylaw 400-2021 Bonanza Area Structure Plan

Guiding principles for land use and development in the defined area around Bonanza.

Bylaw 429-2024 Municipal Development Plan

This document is the broad brush strokes or principles for land use and development throughout the county.

Bylaw 430-2024 Land Use

Sets the County's standards for Land Use planning and uses, as well as relevant consideration(s) throughout the County. Creating processes for consideration of proposals and guidelines that all proposals are to be considered under to create consistency.

Bylaw 433-2024 Water and Wastewater Systems

Where applicable to servicing requirements on a proposed parcel within range of available services.

Bylaw 438-2025 Master Rates

Lists prices for applications, documents and all other requirements for fees to do with Land-Use Planning.

Bylaw 439-2025 Council, Board and Committee Meeting Procedure

Boards and committees establishes the process and boards for Municipal Planning Commission as well as the Subdivision and Development Authority.

Policies

Policy AD19 Signing and Approving Authority

To explain and establish Signing Authorities and the parameters in accordance with the Municipal Government Act.

Policy AD52 Public Participation

When and how the public engages the public in reviewing the policy's or bylaws.

Policy AD56 Member-At-Large Eligibility for Boards and Committees

To establish eligibility criteria for boards and committees including those that may reside or act as the County's Subdivision or Development Authority.

Policy AD61 Decision-Making Guidelines

The policy process and that informs decision making at the County.

Policy AG03 Chemical Vegetation Control Along Roadsides

If roadside disturbance causes the need for road side spraying this may be required to control unwanted vegetation or noxious weeds.

Policy AG09 Roadside Seeding

If approach installation or other requirements of a decision require roadside disturbance roadside seeding may be required.

Policy AG23 Fence-Line Spraying Agreement

Fence-line spraying may be a referral comment or need of the Agricultural department alone new boundaries or old at the time an application comes in form improvements on the lands.

Policy PD03 Planning and Development Forms

Complete application forms are required to consider any and all proposals adequately to ensure beneficial and successful planning of projects and development.

Policy PD05 Wireless Communication Towers

The County wants to ensure the County residents have the best rural communications system as required to invest in the future and to do this requires consideration to location and public engagement.

Policy PD06 Dedication of Road Right-of-Way for Subdivisions

Under the Municipal Government Act the County at certain points can consider acquiring road right-of-way widening, including but not limited to the time of a proposed subdivision.

Policy PD07 Development Agreements and Security

This policy ensures that municipal improvements that are required to be installed as a condition of development shall be in accordance with, and outlined by, a Development Agreement between the County and the developer.

Policy PD08 Irrevocable Letter of Credit for Development Permits

This policy designates the Development Coordinator as responsible for determining the amount of any irrevocable letter of credit necessary to ensure the completion of any renovations that are set out as a condition of approval of a development permit.

Policy PW03 Road Use Agreement

This policy may be required to be met by an applicant proposing to increase activity that may affect the required servicing level on a county road.

Policy PW15 Licensing, Leasing or Sale of County Road Allowances

This policy may affect access to a proposed development.

Policy PW18 Road Classification and Development Standards

The construction standards set the minimum requirements for all construction required to be completed at the applicant's expense unless otherwise approved.

Policy PW20 Approach

Physical and legal access is required to all parcels of land to be created by any proposal and as such all approaches would be required to meet these basic and minimum standards.

Policy PW25 Road Construction Request

Sets minimum standards and requirements for road construction.

Policy PW28 Solid Waste

This policy may be referred to within a condition or note of any decision of the Subdivision and Development Authority, where applicable conditions on approvals may apply to applicant or surrounding lands.

Policy PW29 Water Cistern Subsidy

The Cistern program has been put in place to assist county residents in obtaining alternate methods of water supply for development throughout the County and this may be noted in the conditions or reasons of a decision.

Policy PW32 Road Drainage

Road drainage must be considered at the time of any proposed change or improvement to avoid flood damage of the specific location as well as up and down from the proposed location.

Policy PW33 Work in Undeveloped Surveyed Right of Way

Authorizes ditching, brushing, small upgrades, fencing, and gates on undeveloped surveyed road allowances.

Policy PW34 Industry Permits on Surveyed Road Allowances

Required for Industry to cross road allowances with pipelines and develop around a surveyed road allowance.

Policy UT01 Rural Potable Water Servicing

Where rural potable water servicing is applicable this policy would be considered or noted.

For more information on a specific Policy or Bylaw, please contact Legislative Services at (780) 864-3760 or admin@saddlehills.ab.ca 

More Information:

Applications, Licences & Permits

Complete applications, licenses, and permits online with ease.

Contact Us

Contact a member of staff or Council member

Notice of Permits and Approvals

Notice of Development Permits approved by the Municipal Planning Commission and appeals

Policies and Bylaws

Saddle Hills County Policies and Bylaws

Contact Us

Saddle Hills
Junction of Hwy 49 & Secondary Hwy 725
RR1, Spirit River AB
T0H 3G0
T. 780-864-3760
Fax 780-864-3904
Toll-free 1-888-864-3760
frontdesk@saddlehills.ab.ca

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