Municipal-Wide Land Use Planning

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The Municipality has been actively working on municipal-wide land use planning to help shape vibrant, sustainable communities for the future. Launched in 2020, this multi-year project focuses on updating key planning documents, including the Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS) and Land Use Bylaw (LUB), to guide development, support community needs, and meet the province’s mandate for land use planning across Nova Scotia.

A key part of this project is introducing zoning for all areas of the municipality, affecting every property. Zoning helps manage growth, protect important resources, and ensure our communities are thoughtfully planned for the years ahead.

The first draft



The Municipality has been actively working on municipal-wide land use planning to help shape vibrant, sustainable communities for the future. Launched in 2020, this multi-year project focuses on updating key planning documents, including the Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS) and Land Use Bylaw (LUB), to guide development, support community needs, and meet the province’s mandate for land use planning across Nova Scotia.

A key part of this project is introducing zoning for all areas of the municipality, affecting every property. Zoning helps manage growth, protect important resources, and ensure our communities are thoughtfully planned for the years ahead.

The first draft documents were shared with Council and the public on March 13, 2025.

  • These were intended as drafts only. They can and will change as we hear from the public over the next few months.
  • We are committed to ensuring every property owner in the District knows about this project. We sent a direct letter or postcard to every single resident to advertise the open houses.
  • The open houses and Council meetings were also advertised on Facebook, CKBW, in the South Shore Bulletin, in Municipal Matters, in our monthly email newsletter (modl.ca/communication), and on this website.

On March 13, 2025, the draft documents were posted as part of the Planning Advisory Committee agenda on the Engage site, and distributed to Council and the public. The documents were intended as drafts, to be reviewed and discussed by both the Planning Advisory Committee, Council, and the public over a series of months through extensive public engagement.

However, we have heard loud and clear from residents that many have serious concerns with the drafts. The overwhelming majority of comments expressed deep concern over possible restrictions on small scale agriculture. There were also general concerns that the draft documents are too restrictive for the District of Lunenburg.

At the March 25, 2025 Council meeting, Council passed a motion “that Municipal Council direct staff to prepare a second draft of the Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law that is less restrictive and closer in line to the mandatory minimum planning requirements outlined in the Municipal Government Act.” You can watch Council's discussion at the meeting here: https://www.youtube.com/live/uP1wiDqpcUY?t=936s

As staff rewrite the draft documents, we needed to hear directly from residents about their concerns. We held dozens of formal and informal events throughout every district.

Did you miss the meetings? You can watch a presentation below. We expect to bring a What We Heard Report back to Council this fall.



Do you have a question about the Municipal-Wide Land Use Planning project?

Post it here, and planning staff will respond with a reply.  

Thank you for taking the time to ask a question!

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  • Share On page 93 of the draft, why is a business not allowed to build or repair boats unless you are in "fm". on Facebook Share On page 93 of the draft, why is a business not allowed to build or repair boats unless you are in "fm". on Twitter Share On page 93 of the draft, why is a business not allowed to build or repair boats unless you are in "fm". on Linkedin Email On page 93 of the draft, why is a business not allowed to build or repair boats unless you are in "fm". link

    On page 93 of the draft, why is a business not allowed to build or repair boats unless you are in "fm".

    Jon Kaye asked 3 months ago

    Thank you for your question. Industrial boat building and repair operations can be a potentially disruptive type of land use to neighbouring properties. In Draft #1, a new boat building and repair operation would require a rezoning to the Fisheries and Marine (FM) Zone. Through this process, Council can ensure that the new use is suitable for the proposed site. Boat building and repair land uses that are not commercial or industrial would not need to be rezoned to the FM Zone. The FM Zone is intended to accommodate a range of commercial and industrial fishing and marine-related land uses.

  • Share Define a "accessory dwelling". Why are they not permitted in most regions on pg 91. on Facebook Share Define a "accessory dwelling". Why are they not permitted in most regions on pg 91. on Twitter Share Define a "accessory dwelling". Why are they not permitted in most regions on pg 91. on Linkedin Email Define a "accessory dwelling". Why are they not permitted in most regions on pg 91. link

    Define a "accessory dwelling". Why are they not permitted in most regions on pg 91.

    Jon Kaye asked 3 months ago

    In Draft #1, accessory dwellings refer to a residential use that is accessory to a non-residential main use. For example, a commercial use with an accessory residential use on the same property. Dwellings, on the other hand, are counted by the number of units on a property regardless of the type. The ‘Dwellings’ column in the Permitted Uses Table (on page 90) shows how many dwelling units are permitted in certain zones. Most zones that permit residential uses can have up to 5 dwelling units on a lot. The intent here was to be flexible in accommodating housing and to not differentiate between housing option types.

  • Share on your web site it says there is a municipality wide land used by law june 18 2024? with being the case , why are you doing this very restive byaw? on Facebook Share on your web site it says there is a municipality wide land used by law june 18 2024? with being the case , why are you doing this very restive byaw? on Twitter Share on your web site it says there is a municipality wide land used by law june 18 2024? with being the case , why are you doing this very restive byaw? on Linkedin Email on your web site it says there is a municipality wide land used by law june 18 2024? with being the case , why are you doing this very restive byaw? link

    on your web site it says there is a municipality wide land used by law june 18 2024? with being the case , why are you doing this very restive byaw?

    Mike brown asked 4 months ago

    Thanks for your question. You are referring to the Municipal-Wide Land Use Bylaw Pertaining to Coastal Protection Regulations that was adopted by Council on June 18, 2024. While this Land Use Bylaw is currently in effect, it focuses specifically on coastal protection and does not fulfill the provincial requirement for comprehensive land use planning. The municipality needs to develop a Municipal-Wide Land Use By-law that addresses the Statements of Provincial Interest and applies zoning to all properties to meet the provincial requirement.

Page last updated: 31 Jul 2025, 01:44 PM