What is a Discretionary Use?
All property in the City of Saskatoon is assigned a zoning designation. Within each zoning designation, specific land uses are either permitted, prohibited, or discretionary. A Discretionary Use is a land use that is generally consistent with the permitted uses in a zoning district. As per Section 4.7.2 of the Zoning Bylaw, a Discretionary Use may be allowed either at the discretion of City Council or City Administration. Either approving authority can approve, approve with conditions, or deny a Discretionary Use application. The approving authority for a day care on a in the R1A District is City Council.
The Planning and Development Department evaluates Discretionary Use applications on a case-by-case basis considering the site itself, as well as the surrounding context including nearby land uses. A Discretionary Use approval is applied to a specific site, not the applicant. Any change in size or intensity of the use approved would require a new Discretionary Use application.
What is a Day Care?
The Zoning Bylaw defines a Day Care as an establishment providing for the care, supervision, protection, or support of individuals of any age who require care or support on a regular, periodic, or temporary basis, and includes child care centres as defined by The Child Care Act, 2014, but does not include the provision of overnight supervision