Planning and Development

Subdividing Land

Is Subdividing Right For Me?

Municipal planning legislation provides the density or the number of parcels, that may be subdivided from a quarter section or parcel of land. The Municipal Development Plan and the Land Use Bylaw are the two pieces of municipal planning legislation which regulate whether the land can be subdivided. These also provide direction as to the size of the parcel that may be subdivided. This is done by applying land use districts to all lands within Yellowhead County.

Information provided on these pages is intended to provide general information only. If you have a specific question regarding a subdivision application, please contact the Yellowhead County Planning Department. If you have a specific proposal in mind, the County can review the proposal and provide you with a letter of how your proposal would be reviewed under the current planning legislation.

The Subdivision Application Form must be included with your Subdivision Application Package in order for your application to be deemed complete for acceptance and processing by Yellowhead County.

For more information on subdivision, please have a look at our Guide to Subdividing Should you have any questions regarding subdivision, please contact the Yellowhead County Planning Department at 780-723-4800 (phone) or 780-723-5066 (fax) or email planninginfo@yhcounty.ca.

  • Can I subdivide my land?
    • If you are unsure about whether you can subdivide your land, or have a specific subdivision inquiry, the County Planning Department can respond to your inquiry. By providing us with some general information about your subdivision we should be able to tell you how your proposal would be reviewed under the current municipal planning legislation. A response at this stage is not a decision on your proposal, however, it will give you a better idea as to whether what you are proposing is possible under the current legislation or if you may have to try to amend the legislation.

  • How do I submit a subdivision application?
    • Subdivision Application Forms are available at the Yellowhead County office or you can print an application from this web page.
    • Please note that the County requires that an original signature of all registered landowners be provided on the application form. Faxed, duplicated or e-mailed signatures on the Subdivision Application Form will not be accepted.
    • Depending on how comfortable you are with the process of submitting a subdivision application, you may apply yourself or you may wish to have someone else represent you. The County can provide you with general information on subdividing your land but the County can not prepare the application for you. If you are seeking a professional to represent your application, you could contact an Alberta Land Surveyor or a professional Planner to represent you.
    • A subdivision can only be submitted with the authorization of all of the registered landowners of the existing titled area. Someone may still act at the authorized person on behalf of the landowner but all of the landowners must provide permission for the subdivision application to be submitted. A subdivision application must include a completed subdivision application form and a sketch of the plan of subdivision. Your sketch must include the location, dimensions and boundaries of the existing titled area and of each new lot to be created. It must show the location of all existing buildings and dimensions of each building. Any natural features that may be on the property such as a lake, sloughs or other water bodies, and treed areas, steep banks or ravines. You must also indicate any man-made features such as pipelines, oil or gas wells or sewage disposal systems.
    • Additional information may also be required depending upon the details of your subdivision application. If you are proposing a number of lots, for example, you may need to provide water and soil testing for the subdivision.

  • How long does it take?
    • The County has 60 days to provide a decision on most subdivision applications. Some applications, however, may require that the land use district of the land be amended in order for the application to be processed in which case the application will take more time.

  • What if I get refused or I don’t agree with the decision?
    • You can appeal the decision of the subdivision authority by registering an appeal with the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board Secretary. The Subdivision and Development Appeal Board or the Provincial Municipal Government Board will hear your appeal and may provide you with an alternate decision. 
    • More information about appealing decisions can be found on our Development Guides page.

Other Considerations

  • Subdividing is the process of dividing a piece of land into any number of smaller parcels of land as provided by Municipal and Provincial legislation. Each newly created parcel is issued its own registered title from an Alberta Land Titles Office.
  • Land cannot be subdivided without the permission of the registered owner. The registered owner may, however, appoint an authorized person to act on their behalf. 
  • The Alberta Municipal Government Act provides the legislative authority for Municipalities to regulate the subdivision of land within their Municipal boundaries.