Department of Community Services
Community Development
Planning and Zoning
- What is local area planning?
- What are zoning regulations?
- Rezoning Fact Sheet [83KB
] - Planning and zoning areas:
Application Forms, Acts & Regulations
- Application for Amendment to Area Development Regulations [114KB ]
- Area Development Act [253KB ]
- Area Development Regulations
Local area planning is a form of land use planning undertaken by the Department of Community Services for unicorporated or rural areas outside of municipalities for private land and Yukon Land. Planning can also include First Nation Settlement Land if undertaken jointly with First Nations.
Land use plans are policy documents that guide development and land use in a particular area. They contain maps that show how lands are to be designated or classified and contain policies outlining how the land in each of these areas may be used. Local area plans cover relatively small areas, are fairly detailed in nature, and primarily focus on rural settlement issues rather than resource management and landscape level issues that might be addressed in regional, subregional and district land use planning.
"Zoning regulations" is the term commonly used for regulations created under the Yukon Area Development Act [253KB ]. The function of zoning regulations is to define guidelines and standards for how properties can be used. The purpose of area development regulations is to:
- provide for orderly development
- protect areas from incompatible land use
- establish development standards
Zoning regulations are intended to implement the policies contained in local area plans. Sometimes, if there are development conflicts or pressures in an area, regulations will be developed in advance of local area plans.
Zoning regulations typically divide an area into classes of land uses called zones. Each zone is permitted a range of land uses. The use of this land is monitored by the development officers. If land is not being used in the manner outlined in the zoning regulations, that land use can either be discontinued, or the property owner can apply for Rezoning.
Zoning regulations are typically developed in collaboration between communities and Community Land Planning and in consultation with First Nations.
The Yukon government is working with Carcross Tagish First Nation and the community of Carcross to develop a local area plan and to update the existing zoning regulations for the area. The process is expected to be underway in 2007.
The Deep Creek local advisory area is located close to Lake Laberge, approximately 30 kilometres north of Whitehorse. The Deep Creek Community Plan was completed in 2001. Work began on the Deep Creek Area Development Regulations to implement the policies in the plan and the regulations are nearing completion. The regulations were undertaken with significant public consultation and are undergoing review by various departments within the Yukon government prior to a Cabinet decision.
- Draft Deep Creek Area Development Regulations - In progress
- Deep Creek Community Plan - In progress
The Golden Horn planning area comprises the residential and agricultural area east of Whitehorse’s city limits along the Alaska Highway. The Golden Horn Local Area Plan was approved by the Minister of Community Services in 2004.
Work began on the amending the Golden Horn Area Development Regulations in Fall 2005 to implement the Golden Horn Local Area Plan and give regulatory weight to its policies. Community Land Planning has been working with a volunteer zoning steering committee comprised of property owners in the area. Public consultation is anticipated to begin in early 2007.
- O.I.C. 1989/67 - Golden Horn Development Area - amended [84KB ]
- Golden Horn Local Area Plan - In progress
Grizzly Valley Development Area refers to the region approximately 30 kilometres north of the Whitehorse city limits. There is no local area plan guiding development in this area. However, there are area development regulations.
Hotsprings Road Development Area
The Hotsprings Road has had a local area plan in place since 2002. The area also has area development regulations, which were revised in 2004. In the process of revising those regulations, minor land use issues were identified. They are now the topic of a minor plan review.
- O.I.C. 1996/136 - Hotsprings Road Area Development Regulations - amended [1.7MB ]
- Hotsprings Road Local Area Plan - In progress
Plan Ibex was completed in 2001 and covers the area along the Alaska Highway beginning at the westerly boundary of Whitehorse and extending approximately 40 kilometres along the Alaska Highway. The Ibex Valley Area Development Regulations were approved in September 2005 and implement the policies in the plan.
The plan recommends that a minor review of its effectiveness be undertaken 18 months after its acceptance and that a more thorough review and update occur at least every 5 years thereafter. In late 2003, the Ibex Valley Hamlet Council initiated the first minor review of the plan with technical assistance provided by the Yukon government. In August of 2005, after a lengthy public consultation process, the Hamlet Council forwarded a proposed amendment package, which is in the process of being reviewed by the Minister.
- O.I.C. 2005/160 - Ibex Valley Development Area Regulation [396KB ]
- Land use plan - In progress
- Plan amendment - In progress
The Mayo Road Development Area consists of the settlement area along the North Klondike Highway north of the Hotsprings Road and south of Shallow Bay. Area development regulations were developed in consultation with the community and approved in 2005. The area does not yet have a local area plan.
The Mount Lorne area consists of the region south of Whitehorse along the South Klondike Highway, also known as the Carcross Road. This area has had a local area plan in place since 1995. Recently, area development regulations were completed and approved for the area. Due to the age of the plan, the Yukon government is working with the Hamlet council to update the plan in several key areas, namely conservation of caribou habitat and on residential development policies. Public consultation is anticipated to begin on this process in 2007.
- Hamlet of Mount Lorne and Carcross Road Area Plan - In progress
- Mount Lorne Area Development Regulations - In progress
The Yukon government is working with Carcross Tagish First Nation and the community of Tagish to develop a local area plan and new zoning regulations. The process is expected to be underway in 2007.
The Yukon government is working with Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in and the communities of West Dawson and Sunnydale to develop a local area plan and new zoning regulations. The process is expected to be underway in 2007.
In 1978, regulations were written for the entire greater Whitehorse area in order to regulate rural residential development. The intention was that over time, these regulations would be replaced by area-specific regulations for each of the rural communities. For the most part, this has been achieved. Some areas e.g., Shallow Bay and Fish Lake remain subject to the Interim Whitehorse Periphery Area Development Regulations.
- O.I.C. 2006/34 - Regulation to amend the Interim Whitehorse Periphery Development Area Regulations [18KB ]
- C.O. 1978/110 - Whitehorse Periphery Area - amended [547KB ]
There are a few other areas that do not have local area plans, but have area development regulations containing varying levels of detail.