Public Notice - Open Houses for Plan Review 2024

Details
Published: Monday, 10 June 2024 14:29

Towns of Pictou, Stellarton & Trenton
Inter-municipal Planning Strategy, Secondary Planning Strategies, and Common Land Use Bylaw

Public Notice:
Open Houses for Plan Review

The Councils of Pictou (town), Stellarton, and Trenton have begun the process of reviewing their Planning Documents, specifically the existing Inter-Municipal Planning Strategy, Secondary Planning Strategies, and Common Land Use By-law. The three towns have decided to maintain a “sub-regional” land use and development plan to guide future growth in these three municipal units in Pictou County. The towns have agreed to undertake a review of their “Inter-municipal Planning Strategy” (IMPS) to continue to bring a cohesive and a “sub-regional” vision to the area’s planning process.

Under Part VIII of the Municipal Government Act of Nova Scotia, the towns intend on drafting and eventually adopting one revised planning policy document (IMPS) that would outline common developmental policies in all three towns. Each town would also update and adopt a “Secondary Planning Strategy” (SPS) that would reflect the policies unique to each municipal unit. The administrative mechanism for these two sets of policy documents would be outlined in a revised uniform Common Land Use By-law, to be administered for all three towns. This review process is an amendment to the existing document, which will only include these three towns, and not all five towns of Pictou County, as is currently the case.

For a diagram which may help explain the intended relationship between the IMPS and the SPS’s, please view the  pdf official notice (154 KB) .

Uniform Land Use By-law

Aside from the maintaining a “sub-regional” approach, several new planning initiatives are being proposed to, hopefully, allow for easier and clearer administration of planning and development in the towns. These include:

  • Allowing for more development by site plan approval in certain instances, instead of development agreements, and allowing for quicker and more streamlined development approvals through more and clearer “as of right” zoning for permitted land uses;
  • Up to date and uniform definitions of terms that would apply to all towns;
  • Standardization of rules concerning swimming pools, accessory buildings, and other developments throughout the towns;
  • New standards for “tiny homes” and other forms of innovative housing to allow for more affordable housing opportunities;
  • Allowance for more diverse housing options in our changing economy and environment;
  • Addressing other matters such as coastline protection, climate change initiatives, brownfield development, and other issues;

Section 204 of the Municipal Government Act requires the Town Councils to adopt a public participation program concerning the preparation of planning documents. The Towns are also required to engage with neighboring municipalities in this process.

There are many other issues not listed here that members of the public may wish to raise during the course of the Plan Review and amendment process, and all are encouraged to attend any of the open houses scheduled for each town:

TOWN OF TRENTON
Monday, June 24, 2024
Trenton Rink Annex
75 Park Road, Trenton NS
2:00pm – 5:00pm and 6:00pm – 8:00pm

TOWN OF STELLARTON
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
Stellarton Community Centre
120 Leo Fahey Way (by Allan Park), Stellarton, NS
2:00pm – 5:00pm and 6:00pm – 8:00pm

TOWN OF PICTOU
Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Pictou Town Council Chamber
Old CN Train Station
71 Front Street, Pictou NS
5:30pm – 6:30 pm

We realize that the proposed meeting dates may not be suitable to all who may wish to participate. For that reason, questions, comments, or submissions should be directed to:

Roland Burek, MCIP, LPP
Acting Planner/Development Officer (Towns of Stellarton, Trenton and Pictou)
Tel: 902-752-4476