Landscaping: Including sidewalks, decks and parking

Jasper National Park

Landscaping plays an important role in maintaining the natural character of the community, managing stormwater, reducing wildfire risk, preventing invasive species, and minimizing wildlife attractants.

All landscaping in the Jasper townsite must comply with the Architectural Motif Guidelines for the Town of Jasper and the Town of Jasper Land Use Policy.

This page explains when a development permit is required, minimum soft landscaping requirements, FireSmart principles, special requirements for decks and retaining walls, and how to apply.

Please note: There is currently no fee for a Development Permit application.

Do I need a development permit?

A Development Permit is required for:

installation or expansion of decks, patios, pathways, driveways, gravel areas, or parking pads
retaining walls

Tree removal requires a separate Tree Removal Permit.

Landscaping requirements

The following standards apply to all landscaping projects:

Soft vs. hard landscaping

Soft landscaping includes vegetation such as trees, shrubs, hedges, grass and gardens. Mulch, decorative rock, or stone used with plantings may also count as soft landscaping. Plant species must be selected from the Parks Canada Approved Planting List.

Hard landscaping includes patios, sidewalks, driveways, gravel areas, parking pads, retaining walls and paved or hardened pathways.

Minimum soft landscaping requirements

Each zoning district has minimum soft landscaping requirements for:

The overall site
The front yard

To calculate your requirement:

determine your zoning district using the land use map
confirm your total site area (m²)
multiply your site area by the minimum percentage required

Front yard means the area extending across the full width of the lot from the front property line to the main building.

Soft landscaping Residential District requirements:


District		Minimum soft landscaping for overall site	Minimum soft landscaping in front yard
R1 and R2	With back lane	25%	70%
R1 and R2	Without back lane	20%	45%
R2H	With back lane	25%	75%
R2H	Without back lane	20%	70%
R3a		25%	70%
R3b		15%	70%
R4		13.5%	10%
CCWa/CCWb		25%	N/A
CCWc		15%	N/A

FireSmart landscaping principles

Landscaping must support wildfire resilience.

Minimum FireSmart requirements include:

Combustible landscaping materials (e.g., grass, shrubs, bark mulch, etc.) must be setback a minimum of 1.5 m from a building, excluding accessory building. This 1.5 m setback should be maintained at plant maturity.
No coniferous (evergreen) trees within 10 m of your home.
Wood chips should be used minimally and maintained regularly to reduce fire risk.

Applicants are encouraged to exceed minimum FireSmart standards where feasible.

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

Special requirements for decks and retaining walls

Decks vs. patios

A structure 0.6 m or higher above grade at any point is considered a deck and requires:

a Development Permit; and
a Building Permit
a structure less than 0.6 m above grade is considered a patio and does not require a Building Permit.

A deck must adjoin the home. A patio does not.

Retaining walls 1.2 m or greater in height require:

a Development Permit; and
a Building Permit

Walls under 1.2 m require only a Development Permit.

How to apply for a permit

1. Automatic Development Permit (Residential Only)

You can apply for an automatic permit if:

the project is in-town on a residential lot
the project does not include:
- a deck 0.6 m or higher
- a retaining wall 1.2 m or higher
- tree removal
the project fully complies with soft and hard landscaping ratio requirements
the project does not require variances

Commercial, industrial, institutional or out of town developments are not eligible and must apply through the standard review permit process.

Automatic Permit

If eligible, you can apply here and receive your permit instantly:

Please select your civic address below.

Use the filter to search for your specific property

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Privacy Notice

Land Use Planning Permits and Authorizations

The information you provide is collected under the authority of subsection 8(1) of Canada National Parks Act and section 7 of the National Parks of Canada Land Use Planning Regulations to review and process land use planning proposals / applications towards the issuance of planning permits and authorizations located on leased or licenced lands under the control and management of Parks Canada.

Participation in the land use planning permitting process is voluntary; however, refusal to provide the personal information required will prevent you from obtaining a permit in order to authorise your project.

The information you provide may be matched to the land use agreement record in the Parks Canada National Integrated Realty System to verify the land use agreement holder and project consistency with the terms of the land use agreement.

Personal information may be shared with :

Parks Canada’s finance administration for the purpose of service fee collection and remission in accordance with the Service Fees Act.
Parks Canada’s Law Enforcement Branch in the event of a non-compliance matter for enforcing the Canada National Parks Act to resolve administrative issues.
Provincial authorities for the purpose of land assessment and tax collection.
The Municipality of Jasper.

The information you provide may also be used or disclosed for policy analysis, research and evaluation purposes. However, these additional uses and disclosures of your personal information will not result in an administrative decision being made about you.

Your personal information is administered in accordance with the Canada National Parks Act, the Privacy Act and other applicable laws. You have the right to the protection of, access to, and correction of your personal information, which is described in institution-specific Personal Information Bank Land Use Planning Permits and Authorizations PC PPU 100. Instructions for obtaining this information are outlined in the government publication entitled Info Source, which is available at the following web site:Info Source

You have the right to file a complaint with the Privacy Commissioner of Canada regarding the institution’s handling of your personal information atFile a privacy complaint about a federal institution.

Projects that do not meet these requirements must be submitted through the standard development permit application process for review by a development officer.

Click Submit to send your information to Parks Canada and receive your permit. Please allow up to 30 minutes for your permit to arrive in your inbox.

Submit

2. Standard Development Permit (Staff Review Required)

You must apply for a standard development permit if:

the project is commercial, industrial, institutional, or out of the townsite
the proposal varies from Land Use Policy and/or Architectural Motif requirements
the project includes:
- a deck 0.6 m or higher
- a retaining wall 1.2 m or higher
- tree removal (separate permit also required)
the project triggers safety codes (building, electrical, gas, plumbing, etc.) and requires a Building Permit

Please submit the following to jasperdevelopment@pc.gc.ca:

1. Parks Canada Development Permit Application 

Please submit the signed Parks Canada development permit application (PDF, 168 KB). Include the property address, lessee name, applicant name, and contact information as well as the anticipated cost of the project to ensure the proper authority approves the permit.

2. Landscaping Checklist

Please submit the completed Landscaping Checklist (PDF, 148 KB). All fields are required to properly review your submission.

3. Site Plan

Please submit a scaled site plan with measurements shown in metres.

Your site plan needs to include:

the total lot size (in m²)
the total area of proposed landscaping (in m²)
the total area of soft landscaping (in m²) (for example: grass, planting beds, trees, shrubs)
the total area of hard landscaping (in m²) (for example: driveway, sidewalk, patio, deck)
the size and area (in m²) of all structures on the property (house, garage, shed, etc.)

You must also:

show the percentage of soft landscaping for the entire lot and for the front yard
confirm that these percentages meet or exceed the minimum required for your zoning district
clearly label all hard and soft landscaping elements

If your project includes:

a deck that is 0.6 m or higher above ground, or
a retaining wall that is 1.2 m or higher,

you will also need a Building Permit.

What to submit as part of your development permit

For decks requiring a Building Permit, you must provide scaled elevation drawings (in metres) that show:

the deck’s length and width
the height of the deck measured from ground level
proposed materials meeting minimum material requirements and FireSmart best practices
details of any stairs (if applicable)

For retaining walls requiring a Building Permit, you must provide scaled elevation drawings (in metres) that show:

where the retaining wall will be located within the property lines
drawings showing the wall’s height, length, materials and structure
existing and proposed grades (if changing grade)
any supporting soil and drainage information

What happens next

First, apply for and receive your Development Permit for the deck or retaining wall.

Once the Development Permit is approved, you can then apply for the Building Permit (PDF, 160 KB).

After review, you will be notified if the permit is approved or if revisions are required.

If you have any questions regarding your application, please contact the Jasper Development Office at jasperdevelopment@pc.gc.ca or 780-852-6123.

After landscaping work is complete, a Certificate of Completion is required by contacting jaspercompliance@pc.gc.ca for a final site inspection.

The information above is intended to assist with your application. In the event of any conflict between this information and the Town of Jasper Land Use Policy, the Policy takes precedence.

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