Chestermere City Council has refused a development permit for an 18-unit stacked townhouse at 200 Marina Drive, stopping the project from moving forward under its current proposal. The decision was made during the regular council meeting on May 26, 2026, after the developer requested variances that council found unacceptable.
The property sits within the Direct Control Town Centre Commercial District near Chestermere Lake, an area with specific land-use rules. While the proposal met several bylaw requirements, it needed exceptions for density, landscaping, and parking, according to council meeting highlights on the City of Chestermere website. Council did not approve those variances, so the permit was refused.
This isn’t a final rejection of any development at the site. The applicant can revise the plan and submit a new application that fits within the existing rules or asks for different variances. But for now, the 18-unit project cannot proceed as originally designed.
The refusal comes as Chestermere deals with rapid growth. The city’s population reached 31,671 in 2025, up about 30 percent since the previous Municipal Development Plan was adopted in 2016. A new MDP, approved in September 2025, emphasizes guiding growth while protecting neighborhood character and ensuring infrastructure is in place first.
At the same meeting, council approved a 24-home Habitat for Humanity project in the Dawson’s Landing neighborhood. Two buildings are already standing and a third is underway, with more phases expected next year. The contrast shows how the city is trying to balance different housing types and locations as it manages expansion east of Calgary.
