Landscaping: Including sidewalks, decks and parking

Landscaping is very important to bring a unifying look to the community, assist in storm-water management and ensure the plantings we use in our National Park do not inadvertently introduce invasive species, create a fire hazard, or become an animal attractant endangering ourselves or the wild animals we share the community with.

Do I need a permit for landscaping?

A Development Permit is required for landscaping to ensure conformance with the landscaping requirements listed in the Architectural Motif Guidelines for the Town of Jasper (PDF, 2.93 MB) and the Town of Jasper Land Use Policy.

Why are decks, patios, sidewalks, and driveways included in the permitting process for landscaping?

One of the main principles behind landscaping is ensuring the required minimum soft landscaping of the site is maintained which requires a proposal to be reviewed with both the site’s hard and soft landscaping. A deck, patio, open porch, sidewalk, driveway, hardened pathway, or gravel are all examples of hard landscaping. Decks have a slightly different permitting process which is noted in more detail below.

What is considered soft landscaping?

Soft Landscaping is defined as consisting of vegetation such as trees, shrubs, hedges, and grasses which must be consistent with the species noted in the Parks Canada Approved Planting List. Other materials, including mulch or stone or rocks interspersed with plantings are also considered soft landscaping materials. The planting list, as well as general planting information and Firesmart principles, are available on the Landscaping in Jasper National Park webpage.

What are the soft landscaping requirements?

The required minimum soft landscaping ratios vary from district to district. The web based Land Use Map can be used to find your property to determine (a) the district it is in, and (b) the area (m²) of your Site (if your leasehold is on a single lot this would be considered the Site Area, but if your leasehold has more than one lot you will need to add the lot areas together to determine the total Site Area).

With the zoning district and the Site’s area, you can use the table below to calculate both the minimum soft landscaping area for your Site and the minimum soft landscaping for your front yard. The first column in the table states the minimum soft landscaping for overall Site percentage which if multiplied by the Site Area will give you the minimum soft landscaping area (m²) for the overall site. The second column is the minimum soft landscaping percentage for the front yard which if multiplied by the front yard area will give you the minimum soft landscaping area (m²) for the front yard. “Front yard” is defined as the area of a lot fronting on a street, extending across the full width of the lot, and from the front property line of the lot to the main structure which together is the front yard area (m²).

Soft Landscaping Site Requirements for each Residential District:

What are the general Firesmart Principles?

Firesmart principles adopted into the community include:

• Combustible landscaping materials (e.g., grass, shrubs, bark mulch, etc.) must be setback a minimum of 1.5m from a building, excluding accessory building. This 1.5m setback should be maintained when plantings reach full maturity.
• No planting of coniferous (evergreen) trees within 10m of your home.
• Minimal use of wood chips as they require persistent attention to not become a fire hazard.

More information regarding Firesmart can be found on the Landscaping in Jasper National Park webpage.

My landscaping includes the removal of trees, can I include this on my landscaping permit?

Although your landscaping project site plan should identify trees to be removed, a removal has additional requirements and will need a separate tree removal permit. More information on obtaining a tree removal permit can be found on the Landscaping in Jasper National Park webpage.

What is the permitting process for landscaping?

Except for a deck, or retaining walls with a height of 1.2m or greater, the permitting process for landscaping is a two-permit process consisting of obtaining a Parks Canada Development Permit and then after the work is completed, a Parks Canada Certificate of Completion.

What do I need to submit for a Development Permit for landscaping?

1. Parks Canada Development Permit Application - To apply for a permit, please sign and submit the Development Permit Application (no building permit required) (PDF, 147 KB) which provides the development office: the address where the landscaping is to be installed; the lessee; the applicant, and; contact information.


2. Landscaping Checklist - Submit the completed Landscaping Checklist (PDF, 167 KB) to ensure you submit enough information to complete a review of your proposal including a brief narrative of your project.


3. Site Plan - a dimensioned (in metres) and scaled site plan is required to demonstrate the total site area (m²), area of proposed landscaping (m²), total area of soft landscaping (m²), total area of hard landscaping (m²), and the dimensions and area of structures (home, garage, shed, etc.) (m²) on the site. The ratio of soft landscaping for the site and the front yard should be stated and be equal to or above the required minimum for the zoning district. The site plan must label all hard and soft landscaping types (ie., sidewalk, driveway, patio, decks, and specific planting species from the approved planting list).

As noted above there is a different development permitting process for decks and retaining walls. What is the difference?

Although a deck and a patio are considered as landscape area, a deck with a height of 0.6 m, or greater, from grade (at any point of the structure) has building code requirements and requires a building permit in addition to the development permit. A deck structure with a height under 0.6m, is considered a “patio” by our office, and does not trigger safety code requirements. A deck must adjoin a home whereas a patio does not. If your development permit application includes a deck structure, your development permit application submission will also require:

• Elevation / Deck Plans - a dimensioned (in metres) and scaled plan(s) detailing deck size (length, width and height from grade) and stair details (if any).

Retaining walls with a height of 1.2 m or greater also require a building permit.

Once the Development Permit for the deck, or retaining wall with a height of 1.2 m or greater, is obtained, you would proceed to the Building Permit (PDF) application process.

How do I obtain a Completion Certificate?

Once the project has been completed you can contact jaspercompliance@pc.gc.ca for a final inspection, and if it was constructed in accordance with the permits, a Parks Canada Completion Certificate is issued.

The above required submissions, or any questions regarding the above, may be submitted to the Jasper Development Office at: jasperdevelopment@pc.gc.ca.