City updatesNeighbourhoodPlanning & Development Posted on: April 17, 2025 In recent weeks, Council and City Administration have heard from many residents with concerns and questions about the Dansereau Landing development project at 180 Dansereau Way (previously 6202 and 6302 65 Street). Administration compiled the following information to address the questions and clarify the process to approve the project. Project overview The development is a four-storey mixed use building consisting of 54 dwelling units on the second to fourth storeys and three commercial units, including a proposed daycare, on the main floor. Download and review the approved development [pdf] Timeline April 12, 2024 – The City of Beaumont received a development application for the project. May 6, 2024 – The City of Beaumont determined the application was deemed complete, meaning that all information necessary to review the application had been submitted. October 10, 2024 – Following a review of the application, the City of Beaumont issued a permit for the Dansereau Landing development. Construction started on the project in January 2025, with foundation work beginning in February. Frequently asked questions How does a mixed-use building of this size fit in a residential neighbourhood? Beaumont’s Land Use Bylaw encourages a range of housing options to support a diverse, vibrant community and prosperous local economy. Dansereau Landing is consistent with the Integrated Neighbourhood in the Land Use Bylaw and with the Dansereau Meadows Outline Plan [pdf] that was last amended in November 2024. Mixed-use is described as “low-rise buildings with small-scale ground floor commercial and service uses and upper storey apartments.” The Integrated Neighbourhood District supports a variety of housing options for residents with walkable access to local commercial amenities and businesses in the community. The Outline Plan designated the mixed-use site for Dansereau Meadows “where a rear lane can be provided, ensuring an adequate supply of on-street parking for this higher-intensity land use.” Why is the density of the site not the same as shown in the Dansereau Meadows Outline Plan? Alberta’s Municipal Government Act requires that a framework for subdivision and development describe the density of population proposed for the area either generally, or with respect to specific parts of the area. Density and population statistics shown in outline plans are estimates used for the planning of services and infrastructure, such as calculating the student population to plan for future schools, or anticipated traffic volumes to help determine the transportation requirements. The density described is a minimum threshold, rather than a maximum. The Dansereau Meadows Outline Plan estimates a density of 40 units per hectare and a corresponding population of 36 residents for the mixed-use area. As this is the minimum, the Dansereau Landing project is considered to meet the development requirements. Will there be enough parking for the building? The development met the parking requirements in the Land Use Bylaw when the project was approved in October 2024. At the time, 20 parking stalls were required for the development and 33 are being provided. Street parking is also available in front of the building and across the street. Why didn’t the City require more parking for the building? The City can’t place conditions on a development that are not required in the Land Use Bylaw for permitted uses. While Council adjusted the parking requirements in the Land Use Bylaw in January 2025, the changes can’t be applied retroactively. The City also can’t legally hold up a development application for the possibility that changes to the Land Use Bylaw might be made later. What happened to previous projects proposed for the site? Dansereau Landing covers two parcels and this is the first permit for a project on both parcels. Previous permits have been for half the site under different ownership groups. A permit was first issued for 6202 65 Street to Caliber Master Builder on June 25, 2019 for a three-storey mixed-use development with ground floor commercial and 12 dwelling units on the upper floors. 6302 65 Street first received a permit in 2023 for a three-storey mixed-use development with six two-storey residential units and main floor commercial, including a daycare. This developer was the same as the current proponent. None of these projects proceeded and their permits expired. On April 12, 2024, the City received a new permit application for a single four-storey building on both lots, starting a new process. Why weren’t residents notified of the change from the previous projects and the details of the new development? Construction never started on the previous projects and those permit expired. At the time the permit for Dansereau Landing was issued on October 10, 2024, the project met all the requirements for permitted uses as required for an Integrated Neighbourhood District in the Land Use Bylaw. Permitted uses do not require public notification. Public notification is required when the proposed development is a discretionary use (meaning approval is subject to the discretion of the City of Beaumont) or if the applicant’s proposal varies from what is allowed in the Land Use Bylaw. Council is also considering proposed changes to the notification process in the Land Use Bylaw, including requiring signage at the site of larger developments. Why isn’t the public allowed to provide input on projects like this? Comprehensive public consultation took place when the Land Use Bylaw that governs development in Beaumont was developed and approved by Council in 2019. There were also opportunities for the public to provide input for the Dansereau Meadows Outline Plan that set the general layout, density, and types of land uses for the neighbourhood and was approved in 2017. Both the bylaw and the plan were also subject to public hearings held by Council. Who approved the project? The project was approved by the City of Beaumont. Council does not approve individual development applications. Rather, their role is to set requirements in the Land Use Bylaw, Area Structure Plans, and other documents used to review and approve development applications. Why doesn’t the City issue an order to stop construction? A stop order may only be issued if the development, land use, or building is not in accordance with the regulations of the Land Use Bylaw, a development permit or subdivision approval. A stop order may also be considered in cases of a danger to public safety. The development permit was issued for a permitted use with no variances and the developer is constructing the building in line with their approved permit. While there may be concerns about changes to the neighbourhood, the City is legally unable to issue a stop order. What is a permitted use, discretionary use, and a variance? Different districts of Beaumont are designated for specific land uses. Each district in the Land Use Bylaw specifies a list of uses that are permitted, at the discretion of the City, or not allowed. A permitted use meets all the specifications for that district in the Land Use Bylaw. The Municipal Government Act requires that the City must issue the permit if the application meets all the land use specifications. It cannot be denied. The City cannot legally add conditions to the permit that go above and beyond what is required in the Land Use Bylaw. Public consultation and notification is not required. Affected parties can only appeal the permit on the grounds that the City did not apply the Land Use Bylaw properly, or if a regulation was varied. A discretionary use may be allowed by the Land Use Bylaw, but only after review by the City. The City considers factors like neighbouring land uses and can mitigate the impact to the area with conditions, such as a landscape buffer. The City may approve or refuse a discretionary use of a site, depending on how it complies with regulations and relates to surrounding areas and applicable plans. Discretionary uses give the City more professional planning discretion and flexibility and the public more input. Public notification is required and affected parties have the right to appeal the decision. While the Land Use Bylaw accounts for many factors that may occur with development, it can’t reasonably address every potential scenario. Applicants may request a variance from the Land Use Bylaw when there is a specific challenge for the developer, such as the configuration of the lot, or the context of the neighbourhood. The City reviews applications for a variance and determines the impact to the neighbouring properties. Variances cannot unduly interfere with the amenities of the neighbourhood, or interfere with the use, enjoyment or value of neighbouring properties. Public notification of a variance is required and affected parties have the right to appeal the decision. The application for the Dansereau Landing development met all the requirements for a permitted use in an Integrated Neighbourhood district. There were no variances requested or approved. Residents who believe that the Land Use Bylaw was not applied correctly can appeal the permit to the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board. Section 5.5 of the Land Use Bylaw says variances must not unduly interfere with the neighbourhood or interfere with the enjoyment or value of neighbouring properties. Did the City follow its own bylaw in approving Dansereau Landing? That section of the Land Use Bylaw deals with the authority to grant variances requested by the applicant. There were no variances requested or approved for the Dansereau Landing development application. Was traffic safety and congestion considered? Yes. A Traffic Impact Assessment was completed to support the development of the Dansereau Meadows Outline Plan approved by Council in 2017. A Traffic Impact Assessment looks at the function of the overall transportation system and considers traffic levels once the area is fully developed to provide recommendations for roads. An additional review was completed in June 2024 to assess changes in traffic in the neighbourhood and took account changes in density to determine if the assessment should be updated as part of a minor update to the Outline Plan. Dansereau Way/65 Street is a minor collector road designed to handle up to 5,000 vehicles per day. No more than 1,500 vehicles per day are expected on the road once the area is fully developed. The daycare and additional residents at Dansereau Landing are expected to affect the immediate area around the building with short peak periods of pick-up and drop-off activity. However, the road will be able to manage the volumes.