Landscaping: Including sidewalks, decks and parking

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.

General 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:

1. The overall site
2. The front yard

To calculate your requirement:

1. determine your zoning district using the land use map
2. confirm your total site area (m²)
3. 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%
	Without back lane	20%	45%
R2H	With back lane	25%	75%
	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.

Landscaping requirements for new builds

Development permit application requirements

Before your development permit for a new house, multi-unit residential building, or commercial building can be approved, you’ll need to show key landscaping details in your application, including:

• Hard and soft landscaping areas (e.g., driveway vs lawn)
• Parking layout, driveway dimensions, and how on-site parking requirements are being met
• Grading and drainage direction
• A 1.5 metre non-combustible buffer around buildings (e.g., gravel or stone around the home) 

Landscaping requirements for occupancy authorization

Once construction on the project is complete, the following landscaping elements need to be completed before someone can move in:

• Rough grading
• Functional parking installed

Final Step: Certificate of Completion

To fully close your permit, all landscaping requirements of the approved development permit must be completed.

This includes:

• Final grading
• All approved hard and soft landscaping
• The required 1.5 metre non-combustible buffer around your buildings
• Parking as approved

Applicants typically have up to one year after occupancy to complete landscaping requirements.

A final inspection will confirm:

• Landscaping matches the approved plans
• Plantings meet minimum distance requirements from buildings
• No fruit-bearing species have been planted

Additional Landscaping After Construction

Once the original permit is complete and closed, additional landscaping or outdoor improvements may still be added over time through separate permits where required.

Examples may include:

• Fences
• Patios or decks
• Sheds or accessory structures
• Additional hard or soft landscaping

Depending on the project, some improvements may qualify for a simplified auto permitting process.

This means:

• You do not need multiple landscaping permits for work associated with a building project if all proposed work is already included in your original approved development permit, and
• Outdoor improvements can be completed over time once construction is complete on the main build based on your needs, budget, or design preferences through separate future permits where required.

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

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.

---

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.