Big Lakes County holds title to the environmental reserve that lies between the
Winagami Lake cottage subdivision and the lakeshore. Bylaw No. 14-2026 sets out how that land
may be used — it is a bylaw of Big Lakes County, in the Province of Alberta, for the purpose of
protecting and enhancing the environment through the use and operation of environmental reserves
within the County.
Why this matters to cottagers: the reserve is the strip of land many of us look
across on the way to the water. It must be left in its natural state or used as a public park, and
permission for any activity or land use within it must be obtained from the municipality.
What the Bylaw Covers
The document is organized into the following sections:
- 1. Title
- 2. Purpose
- 3. Definitions
- 4. Environmental Reserve Regulations and Restrictions
- 5. Penalties
- 6. Compliance and Enforcement
- 7. Appeals
- 8. Strict Liability Offence
- 9. Liability
- 10. Severability
- 11. Effective Date
Points Cottage Owners Ask About
The following is a plain-language summary of Section 4 for convenience only. Please read the
official bylaw for the
complete and binding wording.
- Environmental Reserve must be left in its natural state or used as a public park.
- No person may restrict public access to the reserve, alter or modify it, or
disrupt or remove the natural growth of vegetation on it — with two exceptions: hand-pulling
weeds identified under the Weed Control Act, and creating a narrow meandering pedestrian
pathway no wider than 1.0 metre, provided no grading, excavation or machinery
is used.
- Where vegetation is removed or disrupted without permission, the County may require the
responsible person to re-vegetate the area within one growing season, at their own
cost, using appropriate native species chosen in consultation with the County's Agriculture
Services Department.
- Large dead or dying trees within the reserve may be removed by the County where it
determines they pose a threat to public safety by windfall.
- Manicured grass areas are only maintained where the County determines there is a
clearly defined need for public park area, and are maintained by the County.
- A buffer of natural vegetation must remain along the bed and shore of the lake,
because removing it promotes erosion and loss of land. The bed and shore may not be disturbed
or altered except in accordance with provincial legislation and approvals.
- The County may provide designated access to the water over reserve lands, and may
discontinue or prohibit that access at its discretion where deterioration occurs, until
revegetation mitigates it.
Keeping the shoreline vegetation intact protects the lake for everyone — it holds the bank
together, filters run-off, and shelters the waterfowl and fish habitat Winagami is known for.
See also the
Cottage Lot Development Standards, which set the
shoreline rules that apply to your leased lot.
Questions
Questions about the environmental reserve, RR 181A, or cottage property taxes should be
directed to Big Lakes County — General Inquiries
(780) 523-5955 ·
biglakescounty.ca.
See the Maps & Park Rules page for the area map showing where the
reserve sits in relation to the cottage blocks.
⬇ Download the Full Bylaw (PDF)
