New residential home development (in the Town of Jasper excluding apartment or row housing)

Residential homes in Jasper reflect mountain architecture which is not so much style as a series of building characteristics. Dominant roof forms (minimum 6:12 roof slope) fitting in with the mountain landscape with the with upper stories incorporated in the roof using dormers to achieve headroom, light and venting. Building materials appear to be local in origin and colours that relate directly to the surrounding natural environment. These help to give Jasper a unique feel to the community for those who live here and for those who visit.

Construction of a new home can be a daunting endeavour and it is recommended that you engage the services of a professional to assist with the design and construction process. The process and requirements below outline the overall process, but the development process should begin with contacting the Parks Canada Development Office at jasperdevelopment@pc.gc.ca or (780) 852-6123 to set up a pre-development application meeting with one of our development officers. From this meeting the development officer will be able to supply you with an up-to-date Development Review Template specific to the district you are located within, tailored to your proposed development, and containing a more complete set of requirements. With the Development Review Template in hand you should be able to start the design process for your new home!

---

Do I need a permit to build a new home?

Yes, three Parks Canada permits are required for the development of a new home. First, a Development Permit, which ensures conformance with the requirements listed in the Architectural Motif Guidelines for the Town of Jasper (PDF, 2.93 MB) and the Town of Jasper Land Use Policy. Secondly, a Building Permit, or a Building / Demolition permit if required, ensures conformance to the National Park Building Regulations and National Building Code – Alberta Edition. Thirdly, after the construction is complete, and the final safety codes inspections are complete, you can then obtain an Occupancy Permit and move into your home. Once the landscaping and any outstanding permit requirements are completed, a Certificate of Completion is issued to close out the project.

---

Where can I find the specific development requirements for a new home?

The Town of Jasper Land Use Policy contains both general and specific requirements that depend on what zoning district you are in. Your zoning district can be found by referencing the Town of Jasper Land Use Map.

For example, you live at #815 Turret Street and from the Town of Jasper Land Use Map you would click on your property and in the Info tab find the District Zone which in this example is R1 – One Unit Dwelling. In this example, you would reference the Town of Jasper Land Use Policy Article 7 General Development Requirements (parking and projections), and for the District Zone requirements, you would reference Article 15.00 One-Unit Dwelling District. You will also note that the Town of Jasper Land Use Map also references the lot Area (m²) of 464.2 which can be used to begin many of the development requirement calculations. However, prior to finalizing your site plan, the lot area and dimensions must be verified with a Real Property Report.

---

I have a double lot and many of the development requirements are based on Site. What is the difference between a lot and a Site and can I subdivide?

In Jasper the definition of Site is relative to your leasehold (the lands you hold as defined in your lease). Your lease may be on a single lot (such as the Land Use Map example above with Block 28 Lot 8) or a double lot (such as Block 12 Lots 12 and 13 at the top of the Land Use Map example) both examples are considered a single Site. For a leasehold on a double lot, the Site Area would be both lots added together. In the Town of Jasper Land Use Policy you will find many of the development requirements relate directly to a Site (for example your double lot may be located in the R1 District, so it is limited to only 1 dwelling, 1 garage, and 1 accessory building (shed)).

If you have a single leasehold on a double lot and would like each lot to meet the minimum requirements for a Site area as defined in that district, you may be able to do a subdivision of lease. This would result in two separate leases (one for each lot), creating two individual Sites each being considered an individual Site and you could build one dwelling, one garage, and one accessory building on each. For more information on the lease subdivision process, and associated fees, please contact jasperrealtymunicipalservices@pc.gc.ca.

---

How do I find the potential footprint and maximum gross floor area for a new home on my Site?

Generally, when planning to build a new home, you would start with obtaining a Real Property Report (RPR) of your Site. In a new build situation you will require a Canada Lands Surveyor’s services for: (1) Initial RPR of your Site verifying Site dimensions, verification of Site Area, and also geodetic elevations for each lot corner; (2) to verify foundation sitting and geodetic elevation at the conclusion of foundation construction; and (3) at the conclusion of your project to conduct a new RPR demonstrating all the new structures on the Site.

Using the RPR you can then start to draft a Site Plan and draw in the front, side, and rear setbacks to find the potential area that the building footprint of your home may sit within. The following table lists the required setbacks of the primary building:

If you choose to add a garage it must be setback a minimum of 0.9 m from the back lane or property lines and a minimum of 1.5 m from the primary building (clear of all projections) or a minimum of 6.0 m if located opposite a wall containing a window from a habitable room. If you choose to add a shed (accessory building) it must be a minimum of 1.0 m from property lines and a minimum of 1.5 m from buildings or fences.

With these setbacks in mind, you can then begin to draft in the potential footprints which all together (including any other structures which are 1.0 m or more in height) will give you the proposed total Site Coverage. The following table contains each zoning district’s maximum Site Coverages:

The example site plan above is intended to demonstrate planning for a Two-unit Dwelling in the R2 District with a Garage and Shed. Using the table above you can demonstrate your setbacks: front setback would be 6.0 m, rear setback 10.7 m, and not being located on a corner lot, the side setbacks of 1.8 m. The area within the setbacks, as outlined in the dotted red lines, represents the building pocket where you are allowed to place the Two-unit Dwelling within.

Your Site Area is calculated with the width 15.25 m x length 30.48 m which equals 464.5 m². The table above lists the R2 Maximum Site Coverage, if a Garage is included, calculated as the Site Area (464.5 m²) x 45% = 209 m². Your Total Site Coverage calculation would be the potential Main Building Site Coverage area of 160 m² + Garage Site Coverage area 45 m² + Accessory Building (Shed) Site Coverage area of 7.5 m² = 212.45 m² which exceeds the maximum Site Coverage (209 m²) by 3.45 m². This exceedance would then be removed by reducing the Site Coverage of a structure, or combination of structures, until the maximum 209 m² Site Coverage is achieved.

In this example, being a two-unit dwelling in an R2 District, from the above table the Gross Floor Area maximum is stated as 450 m². “Gross floor area” means the total floor area of all levels of a building or structure with a clear ceiling height of 1.8 metres or more, contained within the outside of the exterior and basement walls or glazing line or windows and including covered porches, but excluding enclosed or open parking areas, garbage and loading rooms, and floor areas devoted exclusively to mechanical or electrical equipment servicing the development. The basement would be 150 m² (160 m² less the mechanical room of 10 m²); the main floor would be 160 m²; and, the upper floor would be 96 m² (counting only the areas with a clear ceiling height of 1.8 m or more), for a total gross floor area of 406 m² deemed as compliant as it is within the R2 450 m² maximum.

---

Can I have any projections into the setbacks?

The Primary Building should not project into a setback, but the following projections from the building are permissible:

1. Front setback (for all districts):
1. eaves, balconies, canopies, decks, and fire escapes may project a maximum of 1.0 m over or onto a required front setback; and
2. open porches may project a maximum of 1.8 m over or onto a required front setback.


2. Side setbacks:
1. For all districts except R4 - eaves, balconies, canopies, decks, fire escapes, and open porches may project a maximum of 0.9 m over or onto a required side setback, except that only eaves may project into a required side setback on a site where the side setback is used for vehicular access to the rear of the site.
2. For the R4 District - eaves, balconies, canopies, decks, fire escapes, and open porches may project a maximum of 0.6 m over or onto a required side setback.


3. Rear setback: eaves, balconies, canopies, decks, fire escapes, and open porches may project a maximum of 1.8 m over or into a required rear setback.
4. Bay windows, chimneys, and other architectural projections may project a maximum of 0.6 m into any setback.
5. Any projections above the first story level of the building may not exceed 0.6 m.
6. Unenclosed steps providing entry exclusively to a basement or first floor of a principal building may project over or into a required front, rear, or side setback except into a required side setback on a site where the side setback is used for vehicular access to the rear of the site.

In the Site Plan example above, any area of the Two Dwelling Unit outside of the dotted red line would be considered a projection.

---

My lot is on an angle, how do I figure out my building pocket?

Many lots in Jasper are on angles. In these cases, you can use an average front and rear setback to create a rectangular building pocket. This is intended to give these neighborhoods a stepped building frontage streetscape. The example below is a lot in the Compact Lot District (R4) with the front setback of 6.0 m, side setbacks of 1.5 m, and rear setback of 4.5 m creating the angled building pocket outlined within the red dashed lines. Using the average front and rear setbacks creates an adjusted rectangular building pocket as demonstrated within the green dashed lines.

---

How tall can I build my home, garage, and shed?

There are restrictions on building heights to help ensure views are preserved in the community. Roof heights, eave heights, and minimum 6:12 roof pitch all tie in the mountain architecture built form. The following table identifies the maximum roof and eave heights per district:

An example of an Elevation Plan can be found on the Garage Suite Development webpage.

---

In the Architectural Motif I noticed that upper floors are to be built into the roof structure and the use of dormers is to be used to achieve headroom, light and venting. Are there any limitations on roof dormers?

The preferred architectural style for a dormer is a gable style roof (minimum 6:12 roof slope), but in some instances the span of the dormer may be more conducive to a shed style dormer which may have a reduced slope. Dormers on either the front or back elevations shall not be more than 50% of the primary building width. Dormers on either side elevation in the R4 District shall not be more than 50% of the primary building width, and 75% of the primary building width for all other districts.

---

Are there any other requirements I should be aware of as I finish up the interior and exterior design of my home?

For interior designs there are limitations within a dwelling regarding number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchens (1) in an effort to curb the development of illegal suites created without proper permits resulting in potential life safety issues. The following table illustrates maximum bedrooms and bathrooms per district.

For the exterior design, please note that all entrances must be provided with roofs for protection from weather and the primary dwelling’s entrance must face the main street (corner sites may face either the main street or the side street).

---

How do I plan my required on-site parking and landscaping?

Your required parking, and soft landscaping, is dependent on what district you are in, as well other factors, as stated in the table below.

On your site plan, parking stalls are required to be dimensioned at the minimum width of 2.7 m and length of 6.0 m and shall be unobstructed. If your site has back lane access, the parking must be accessed from the lane and be located in the back yard. Except in the R4 zoning district, sites without back lane access cannot have their required on-site parking within the front setback. Parking stalls must also be setback a minimum of 0.6 m from public roadways / back lanes.

More information on soft landscaping, including sample landscape plans and calculations, as well as the link to the Parks Canada approved planting list, are all available on the landscaping development webpage.

---

I’ve heard that there are limitations on the colour and materials I can use for the siding and roofing of my home. Where can I find these?

As part of the Architectural Motif Guidelines for the Town of Jasper, building materials should appear to be local in origin and colours that relate directly to the surrounding natural environment. Building exterior colour and materials can be found on the Jasper Colour Palette webpage.

---

I live in the Old Town Jasper Historic District (R2H), are there any other development requirements I should be aware of?

In addition to the requirements stated on this webpage, the R2H district has a specific set of requirements to preserve the heritage characteristics of this district as set out in The Town of Jasper Land Use Policy Appendix C Design Guidelines for New Development in Old Town Jasper.

---

I’m looking into adding a Secondary Suite or a Garage Suite as part of my build. Is there more information specific to these developments?

Yes. Visit the development webpages for Secondary Suites and Garage Suites for more information on these requirements.

---

What do I need to submit for a Development Permit for a new home?

1. Development Permit Application - There is no fee for a development permit application. To apply for a development permit, please sign and submit the Development Permit Application (PDF, 195 KB). This will provide the development office with basic contact information and the anticipated cost of the project to ensure the proper authority approves the permit.
2. New Home Development Checklist - The checklist (PDF, 187 KB) is for you to ensure you are submitting everything that is required for a complete development permit submission package for a New Home Development.
3. Project Narrative - Please describe your project and include:
   
   • the type of building and its intended use
   • number of dwelling units including secondary suites (if any) or garage suites (if any)
   • a real property report prepared by a Canada lands surveyor, including the existing geodetic elevation of the four corners of the lot
   • photos of the site and adjacent areas
4. Site Plan (in metric and drawn to a scale of not less than 1:200) The plan must show:
   
   • North arrow and Scale
   • Lot dimensions and Total Site Area (m²),
   • Geodetic elevations of the four corners of the site
   • Dimensions and area (m²) of existing and proposed structures (primary building, garage, shed, fence, retaining walls, etc.)
   • Site Coverage of each structure and total Site Coverage Calculation
   • All setbacks (rear, front and side) from the property line to the Primary Building and the proposed structures
   • Proposed required on-site parking spaces demonstrated and dimensioned (minimum 2.7 m width by 6.0 m length each with no obstructions)
   • location of utility lines (buried and / or overhead)
5. Landscape plan (in metric and drawn to a scale of not less than 1:200) demonstrating:
   
   • Existing and finished geodetic grades at four corners of the lot and of the Primary Building
   • Vegetation that will stay and how it will be protected during construction
   • Planting plan with existing plants (to either remain or be removed) and proposed plant species, number and size all in accordance with the Jasper Townsite planting list and general landscaping direction as stated in the Landscaping in the Town of Jasper webpage
   • Hard Landscaping (sidewalks, driveways, gravelled areas, bark mulch, retaining walls) and the calculation of the total hard landscaping area (m²) for the Site.
   • Soft Landscaping surfaces (grass, flower beds, shrubs, trees, and gardens) including:
     
     • total soft landscaping area for the Site (m²)
     • total soft landscaping area for the front yard (m²)
   • With the exception of wildlife attractant trees, mature tree removal should be avoided when possible. Any trees (including their species) that are proposed to be removed must be clearly demonstrated on the landscape plan and noted as to why they cannot be retained.
   • Existing and proposed fencing and site lighting
6. Architectural plans (in metric and drawn to a scale of not less than 1:100) demonstrating:
   
   • Dimensioned floor plans of all proposed development
   • Elevation plans from grade indicating geodetic: roof heights, eave heights, main floor height, of all structures
   • Sections indicating floor heights and relationship with geodetic grade
   • Site section from the front to rear property line, including adjacent streets and lanes
   • Roof plan showing slopes and major roof structure

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

---

When do I need to obtain the building permit?

Once a Development Permit has been issued, you can begin the process of applying for a building permit as detailed on the Parks Canada Building Permit webpage.

For a new home, the Parks Canada Building Permit is a two-stage permit with the first permit for foundation only and the second permit for the remaining build. The foundation only permit restricts construction to only foundation which requires, at completion, a formal letter from a Canada Lands Surveyor stating the built foundation sitting and geodetic elevation. A Parks Canada Development Officer will review the survey letter, and if the foundation is in conformance with the Parks Canada approved plans, will then amend the building permit removing the foundation only restriction.

---