Municipal-Wide Land Use Planning

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 draftContinue reading

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 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.

During November and December of 2025, staff presented Council with three Direction Reports over four meetings. At each meeting, staff provided Council with overviews of a list of topics and options for Council's decision-making.

You can watch each topic overview and Council's deliberation and decision on YouTube.

Municipal-wide Land Use Planning - Topic Overview and Council Discussion

Overview - Livestock Operations

Options and Discussion – Setbacks for new barns and manure storage structures

Options and Discussion – Setbacks for new developments from existing farms

Overview - Agricultural Land Protection

Options and Discussion – Agricultural Land Protection

Overview - Home-Based Businesses Overview

Options and Discussion – Home-Based Businesses

Overview - Recreational Vehicles

Options and Discussion – Habitation

Recap of November 25 Policy Direction Decisions