Miss having a corner store? Want to see residential parking prioritized? All you need is LUB! 

As a kid, did you ever run to the corner store to buy milk and bread for your mom? A corner store was a staple in many neighbourhoods around Lethbridge in the mid-to-late 1900s. As the city has grown and evolved, so have our neighbourhoods and the types of amenities and businesses in them.

The City’s existing Land Use Bylaw (LUB) has served the community since 1986 and just like the errands you run for your mom (might) have changed, so have the needs and priorities of the community. As Phase Two of the LUB Renewal project kicks off today, the City wants to hear from you!

“The Land Use Bylaw is really like the DNA of Lethbridge. It controls what uses and types of buildings can be built where, how tall buildings can be, parking requirements, home businesses, you name it,” says Project Manager Genesis Molesky.  “It greatly affects critical issues like housing affordability, economic development and sustainability. It’s a tool to standardize our decision-making processes and this project will determine what aspects of the use and development of land should be regulated and to what degree.”

Phase Two of the project explores residential, commercial and industrial uses and districts, as well as parking requirements and other related regulations. From January 21 to February 18, residents can contribute their feedback via the Phase Two online survey on six topics:
•    Housing
•    Neighbourhood Commercial
•    Local Businesses & the Economy
•    Downtown
•    Parking
•    Notifications
 
Beyond this survey, many more Phase Two engagement opportunities will follow between now and June. Residents can subscribe to project updates and see upcoming engagement opportunities at GetInvolvedLethbridge.ca/lub. Feedback gathered from Phase Two will help inform the drafting of the new LUB. Residents will have many opportunities to engage with the new draft LUB once it is complete, in addition to participating in the public hearing process as the draft makes its way through City Council. The current LUB Renewal project timeline estimates this process would start in late 2026.

“If you own a home, a business or simply care about how Lethbridge will grow and evolve in the future, I’d encourage you to become familiar with this project,” says Mayor, Blaine Hyggen. “Now is the time to give your thoughts and opinions about how you’d like to see the development of things like housing, parking and downtown play out in the future. We want the Land Use Bylaw to be more easily understood by the community. The best way to ensure that happens is by providing your thoughts and feedback now, so it can be used to help develop the new draft bylaw at the next project phase.”  

The LUB Renewal project is a multi-year project and residents will have multiple opportunities to provide feedback throughout the duration of the project. Phase One of the project explored where and how social uses are regulated in the city.

Building communities together is a key part of ensuring the LUB Renewal project and new draft LUB are successful. Would you rather talk to someone about this project instead of completing an online survey? Stop by the City’s Community Conversation event on January 29 at the VisitLethbridge.com Arena! The LUB Renewal project team will be there to share information and answer questions.

Stay informed and updated with the LUB Renewal project by subscribing to the Get Involved Lethbridge project page. You can be alerted to upcoming engagement opportunities, like the open house event on February 11 and provide input on how you want your community to look in the future.

For Public Inquiries:
Call 311 | Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.