Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use Bylaw Amendments

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A Public Participation Meeting regarding a range of amendments to the Town of Yarmouth Land Use Bylaw (and complementary amendments the the Municipal Planning Strategy) has been scheduled for Tuesday, March 4, 2025, 6pm at the Town Hall - 400 Main St in Yarmouth.

The Town of Yarmouth is considering a range of changes to the Land Use Bylaw to:

Clarify and simplify the planning review and approvals process for boarding homes, and comprehensive residential projects on large lots. by simplifying the Town’ planning review and approval process.

1. Clarify and simplify the planning review process with respect to approvals of:

A. Boarding and rooming homes - The Land Use Bylaw permits up to 3 rooms (per boarding house) as-of-right. Boarding homes with more than 3 rooms may be only permitted by Development Agreement or Site Plan Approval. In some situations, this process represents a barrier to some owners/operators preventing the Town from formally approving any existing or proposed boarding homes. This often results delays in issuance of required building permits which ensure compliance with applicable building & safety codes. The proposed changes are intended to offer more flexibility to future and existing operators and clarify the required planning review process.

B. Comprehensive residential projects on large lots - Currently, the Land Use Bylaw permits a maximum of 8 units on lots larger than 2 hectares by Site Plan Approval in the Comprehensive Development Zone. The proposed amendments aim to clarify requirements under the Site Plan Approval process and introduce additional incentives (e.g., larger number of units as-of-right) to encourage new residential projects.

2. Provide additional clarity and flexibility for (permitted) local food production and producers - Currently, the Comprehensive Development Zone and Residential Holding Zone permit a range of limited agriculture uses (i.e., growing of crops). However, the existing rules limit the number of main buildings (e.g. greenhouses) and accessory buildings (e.g. storage and sheds). The goal of the proposed amendments is to respond to recent inquiries to provide more flexibility in this regard and better enable local food production activities.

3. Add ‘Construction Trades and Contractors’ use (contained within buildings) to the General Commercial Zone.

NOTE: The above noted amendments may also require complementary changes to the Town of Yarmouth Municipal Planning Strategy.

A Public Participation Meeting regarding a range of amendments to the Town of Yarmouth Land Use Bylaw (and complementary amendments the the Municipal Planning Strategy) has been scheduled for Tuesday, March 4, 2025, 6pm at the Town Hall - 400 Main St in Yarmouth.

The Town of Yarmouth is considering a range of changes to the Land Use Bylaw to:

Clarify and simplify the planning review and approvals process for boarding homes, and comprehensive residential projects on large lots. by simplifying the Town’ planning review and approval process.

1. Clarify and simplify the planning review process with respect to approvals of:

A. Boarding and rooming homes - The Land Use Bylaw permits up to 3 rooms (per boarding house) as-of-right. Boarding homes with more than 3 rooms may be only permitted by Development Agreement or Site Plan Approval. In some situations, this process represents a barrier to some owners/operators preventing the Town from formally approving any existing or proposed boarding homes. This often results delays in issuance of required building permits which ensure compliance with applicable building & safety codes. The proposed changes are intended to offer more flexibility to future and existing operators and clarify the required planning review process.

B. Comprehensive residential projects on large lots - Currently, the Land Use Bylaw permits a maximum of 8 units on lots larger than 2 hectares by Site Plan Approval in the Comprehensive Development Zone. The proposed amendments aim to clarify requirements under the Site Plan Approval process and introduce additional incentives (e.g., larger number of units as-of-right) to encourage new residential projects.

2. Provide additional clarity and flexibility for (permitted) local food production and producers - Currently, the Comprehensive Development Zone and Residential Holding Zone permit a range of limited agriculture uses (i.e., growing of crops). However, the existing rules limit the number of main buildings (e.g. greenhouses) and accessory buildings (e.g. storage and sheds). The goal of the proposed amendments is to respond to recent inquiries to provide more flexibility in this regard and better enable local food production activities.

3. Add ‘Construction Trades and Contractors’ use (contained within buildings) to the General Commercial Zone.

NOTE: The above noted amendments may also require complementary changes to the Town of Yarmouth Municipal Planning Strategy.

  • Public Hearing - Thursday, May 8th, 2025 - 6:30 pm in Council Chambers at Town Hall

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    A Public Hearing will be held on Thursday, May 8th, at 6:30 pm in Council Chambers at Town Hall, located at 400 Main Street. Members of the public can attend and speak at the hearing, or hand in written submissions. Written submissions can be emailed to admin@townofyarmouth.ca, or delivered to Town Hall, and must be received by 12pm (noon) on May 5th, 2025.

    What is the Hearing About?

    This Public Hearing will address the following five items:

    1. Proposed Development Agreement for 8 James Street

    The Town has received a Development Agreement application to convert 8 James Street (PID# 90337155) into 12 rental dwelling units. Council has approved to move forward with a Public Hearing prior to consideration of the proposed Development Agreement.

    2. Proposed Development Agreement for Land Adjacent to Pleasant Street

    The Town has received a rezoning and Development Agreement application to permit up to 140 residential units on two lots (PID# 90334780 and PID# 90334798) located directly across from the Burridge Campus (NSCC). Council has approved to move forward with a Public Hearing prior to consideration of the proposed rezoning and Development Agreement.

    3. Proposed Development Agreement for 52 Parade Street

    The owner of 52 Parade Street (PID# 90330986) applied to enter into a Development Agreement to accommodate adaptive reuse of the former Yarmouth Consolidated Memorial High School. Council has approved to move forward with a Public Hearing prior to consideration of the proposed Development Agreement.

    4. Proposed Development Agreement for 42 Argyle Street

    The owner of 42 Argyle Street (PID# 90212184) applied to rezone 42 Argyle Street and enter into a Development Agreement to accommodate adaptive reuse of the existing building (a former church). Council has approved to move forward with a Public Hearing prior to consideration of the proposed rezoning, Development Agreement and associated amendments to the Land Use Bylaw and Municipal Planning Strategy.

    5. Proposed Amendments to the Municipal Planning Strategy and the Land Use Bylaw

    The Town has initiated several amendments to the Land Use Bylaw to :

    1. encourage comprehensive housing projects by revising requirements for Site-Plan Approvals in the CD Zone;
    2. update reviews and approvals of boarding homes;
    3. offer additional flexibility for agricultural uses in the CD and R-H Zones; and
    4. to add 'Construction trades and Contractor' use to the C-2 Zone.

    Council has approved to move forward with a Public Hearing prior to consideration of the proposed amendments to the Land Use Bylaw and associated changes to the Municipal Planning Strategy.

    For more information you may contact us by phone at (902) 742-1505 or by email planningadmin@townofyarmouth.ca. You may also obtain a copy of the Planner's reports at Town Hall, 400 Main Street.

Page last updated: 14 Apr 2025, 04:07 PM