Municipal-Wide Land Use Planning

Share Municipal-Wide Land Use Planning on Facebook Share Municipal-Wide Land Use Planning on Twitter Share Municipal-Wide Land Use Planning on Linkedin Email Municipal-Wide Land Use Planning link

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 By-law (LUB), to guide development, support community needs, and meet the province’s mandate for land use planning across Nova Scotia. This project is in response to provincial legislation requiring that all municipalities in Nova Scotia introduce land use planning. A key part of this project is introducing zoning for all areas of the municipality, affecting every property. Zoning helps

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 By-law (LUB), to guide development, support community needs, and meet the province’s mandate for land use planning across Nova Scotia. This project is in response to provincial legislation requiring that all municipalities in Nova Scotia introduce land use planning. 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.

What has happened?

In March 2025, the first draft documents (a draft Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law) 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. 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.

Over the spring and summer of 2025, we held dozens of formal and informal events throughout every district. We synthesized what we heard from these events into a What We Heard Report, which you can find here. The findings of the What We Heard Report were presented to Council on October 27, 2025. You can watch this discussion here. During November and December of 2025, staff presented Council with three Direction Reports over four meetings. After several months of continued work, on February 17, 2026, the second draft of the Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS) and Land Use By-law (LUB) were released to the public. A series of public engagement events followed the release of Draft #2.

Based on input from the public, Council, and the Planning Advisory Committee, planning staff compiled a list of proposed revisions to the second draft. At its May 5, 2026, meeting, the Planning Advisory Committee provided a positive recommendation to Council to approve staff’s proposed revisions to the draft planning documents. The Committee also recommended two additional amendments: prohibiting cluster developments in the Rural Agricultural Potential (RU-2) Zone and removing the two-per-year subdivision limit in the Agricultural Potential Zone to allow the total number of permitted subdivisions to occur at any time.

At a Special Council meeting on May 12, 2026, Council considered the Planning Advisory Committee’s recommendations regarding the direction of the third draft of the Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law. Following discussion, Council passed a motion approving the recommendations of the Planning Advisory Committee, including the proposed amendments to the Rural Agricultural Potential (RU-2) Zone.

At its regular meeting on June 9, 2026, Council has approved First Reading of a proposed new Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS) and Municipal-Wide Land Use By-law (LUB).

Next Steps

A Public Hearing has been scheduled for June 25, 2026, where residents will have the opportunity to provide formal input before Council considers adoption.

Residents are encouraged to review the proposed documents, use the interactive zoning map, and participate in upcoming engagement opportunities:

Public Information Sessions
• June 16 (in-person, Cookville) 6 p.m.
• June 18 (virtual) 6 p.m.

Public Hearing
• June 25 at 6 p.m.

The draft Municipal Planning Strategy can be found here, while the draft Land Use By-law can be found here You can also check out our Interactive Zoning Map to see which zone your property falls within.

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!

Email
loader image
Forgot password?
Didn't receive confirmation?
Register Now
Seems like you are already registered, please provide the password. Forgot your password? Create a new one now.
  • Share Can you build a small commercial prep kitchen on a unzoned property? Non customer area, just for small scale preparation. on Facebook Share Can you build a small commercial prep kitchen on a unzoned property? Non customer area, just for small scale preparation. on Twitter Share Can you build a small commercial prep kitchen on a unzoned property? Non customer area, just for small scale preparation. on Linkedin Email Can you build a small commercial prep kitchen on a unzoned property? Non customer area, just for small scale preparation. link

    Can you build a small commercial prep kitchen on a unzoned property? Non customer area, just for small scale preparation.

    Joshua Hanusiak asked 4 months ago

    Thank you for your question. Lands that are currently unzoned are not subject to any land use regulations at this time. However, this is subject to change once the Municipal-Wide Land use Planning project is complete and the new land use planning documents are in place. The Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Climate Change handles food permits. If you have any other questions or require further clarification, please contact the Planning Office at 902-530-2802.

  • Share On a residential property is a (private use only ) building with a car garage and work shop at ground level a private artist studio space on the upper floor considered a Dwelling or an Accessory Building? on Facebook Share On a residential property is a (private use only ) building with a car garage and work shop at ground level a private artist studio space on the upper floor considered a Dwelling or an Accessory Building? on Twitter Share On a residential property is a (private use only ) building with a car garage and work shop at ground level a private artist studio space on the upper floor considered a Dwelling or an Accessory Building? on Linkedin Email On a residential property is a (private use only ) building with a car garage and work shop at ground level a private artist studio space on the upper floor considered a Dwelling or an Accessory Building? link

    On a residential property is a (private use only ) building with a car garage and work shop at ground level a private artist studio space on the upper floor considered a Dwelling or an Accessory Building?

    DJMacTavish asked 5 months ago

    Thank you for your question, however this may be Building Code related. You can reach the MODL Building Department at 902-541-1325 for further clarification.

    In terms of zoning, some lands in MODL are currently un-zoned, while others have specific land use regulations that apply. The Municipal Wide Land Use Planning Project will put comprehensive zoning on all un-zoned lands in the municipality. If the property is currently zoned, there may be certain regulations that apply to structures such as garages or studios. If the property is not currently zoned or impacted by the Coastal Protection Regulations, there would be no associated Land Use By-law at this time (subject to change in the near future). To check if your property is currently zoned, you can use the MODL Zoning Map by clicking on the following link: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/d7c2296350b34f699f5c73eb8e3a4b76/

    If you require further clarification from the Planning Department, you can contact 902-530-2802.

  • Share Is a summer guest "Bunkie" under 215 SqFt considered a Dwelling? Accessory building? or not counted at all? on Facebook Share Is a summer guest "Bunkie" under 215 SqFt considered a Dwelling? Accessory building? or not counted at all? on Twitter Share Is a summer guest "Bunkie" under 215 SqFt considered a Dwelling? Accessory building? or not counted at all? on Linkedin Email Is a summer guest "Bunkie" under 215 SqFt considered a Dwelling? Accessory building? or not counted at all? link

    Is a summer guest "Bunkie" under 215 SqFt considered a Dwelling? Accessory building? or not counted at all?

    DJMacTavish asked 5 months ago

    Thank you for your question. As this is a building code related question, you may want to contact the MODL Building Department directly at 902-541-1325 for clarification on bunkies and seasonal dwellings.

  • 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 about 1 year 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 about 1 year 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 about 1 year 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: 18 Jun 2026, 05:36 AM