LUB childcare facility amendment passes

Posted on December 7, 2023 by Sunny South News

By Nikki Jamieson
Sunny South News

Coaldale is now allowing childcare facilities in more areas of town as a discretionary use.

A public hearing for a bylaw amendment allowing for more child care facilities in town was held during Coaldale town council’s regular Nov. 27 meeting. 

Land Use Bylaw Amendment 880-P-11-23 would change Schedule 2, Land Use Districts, specifically for the Highway Commercial (C-2), Industry (I), and Light Industry (I-2), within the LUB, by adding ‘Child Care Facility’ as a discretionary use within those districts. Currently, Child Care Facilities are not allowed in those zonings, and the amendment would allow for more areas such facilities can go in, while giving the Municipal Planning Commission the discretion to determine appropriate locations and conditions of approval, such as fencing, onsite parking and loading requirements and landscaping.

Town Senior Planner Hailey Winder said for context, both the City of Lethbridge and City of Calgary allow for child care facilities in some industrial and commercial land use districts.

“For general convenience, it is becoming more of a common practice to integrate these types of uses as, again, a discretionary throughout the community in areas that specifically contain a high concentration, maybe of the workforce,” said Winder. “The ability and access to childcare while you’re at work is becoming a more prevalent consideration.”

While they may be approved as a discretionary use in a particular district, the facilities must still abide by any standards and regulations set by Alberta Health Services or any external governing bodies.

“This amendment, should it be approved, does not automatically confer the right to develop the child care facilities in those land use districts. Again, applications for such uses will be (received) by administration, and reviewed and decided upon by the Municipal Planning Commission based on their compliance, and/or adherence to the Land Use Bylaw.” 

At the time of the public hearing, no comments were received from the public.

Coun. Dale Pickering noted that he saw people in Lethbridge opening more and more daycares.

Following the public hearing, council unanimously passed second and third reading of Land Use Bylaw Amendment 880-P-11-23.