Land Use Regulations
What is a Land Use Bylaw and Municipal Planning Strategy?
Land use planning is a set of policies and regulations that guide how and where development of all types should occur. Land Use Regulations for Cumberland are organized into three documents;
- Land Use Bylaw
- pdf Subdivision Bylaw(4.85 MB)
- pdf Municipal Planning Strategy(22.54 MB)
- Application Forms
Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS) represents an overarching vision for Cumberland County. The MPS provides the intent behind the policies in the Land Use Bylaw and the Subdivision Bylaw. It also establishes any additional resources needed to achieve the future that the MPS envisions.
Land Use Bylaw (LUB) is a large document that lays out the specific requirements for development in Cumberland. The LUB contains everything from setback distances to permitted uses and carries out the goals and visions of the Municipal Planning Strategy.
Subdivision Bylaw provides all the requirements surrounding the process of subdividing or consolidating land.
Tips for reading planning documents
1. Know what you are looking for
Planning documents are typically very large documents, with a lot of information, some of which will not be applicable to your land. Before you start looking at planning documents, you should have the following information on hand
- Area and dimensions of your land
- The zone your property is located in
- Your intention for the land
2. Skip Straight to the Relevant Sections
While reading Planning Documents cover to cover can give you a lot of knowledge, the LUB and MPS have so much information, much of which may not apply to your specific lands. The Table of Contents can help you quickly find the sections that are relevant to your land.
3. Definition Section is in the back
Planning policy is extremely jargon-heavy, and it's hard to understand a policy when it uses words you are unfamiliar with. A handy tip for when you come across an ambiguous or new term, check the back of the document (before the Appendix) for a Definitions Section. If you don't find a definitions section, some planning documents might have a Glossary at the beginning of the document instead.
Public Hearings
Council Meetings are typically held on the fourth Wednesday of every month in the Upper Nappan Service Center Council Chambers. These meetings are typically open to the public and are live-streamed on the Municipality of Cumberland County Facebook page.
If you wish to speak or make a presentation at the next council meeting, contact
Council Meetings are live-streamed through the Municipality of Cumberland County Facebook Page.
There are a variety of types of Planning and development of proceedings, all serving different functions ...
Public Hearings are a mandatory part of the planning process for any planning application on which the council is voting. Public hearings are open to the public and provide the ideal opportunity for residents to voice their opinions on specific planning projects.
Open House are informal meetings where residents are allowed to shape the development of new policies and plans for the municipality.
Notice of Adoption is an official memo that informs the public of a plan or policy that was recently approved by the council for adoption. Notices of Adoption can be found in The Casket, a locally circulating newspaper for Cumberland County. The publication of a notice is the marker for the beginning of an appeal period. For 14 days after the Notice of Adoption is published, residents can submit an appeal to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (NSUARB)/
Readings is the legal term for presenting a case to council. Whether it is a proposal for a rezoning, an amendment, a site plan, or a development agreement, anything going to be voted on in council must undergo a first AND second reading. After a second reading, council will make the final decision to approve or reject the proposal.
Due to recent changes to the Municipal Government Act, official planning notices will be posted to the Public Hearings section of the Cumberland County website, as a provincially approved method of public notification.
Building & Development
The Municipality offers a variety of services relating to building and development. We are here to help you navigate what can seem to be complex rules and regulations. If you’re not sure where to start, take a look below.
Zoning Map
Search individual property zonings by entering the address or PID of the lands in question
Zones VS Designations
Zones and designations are two different ways we create and control the way land is used in Cumberland County.
Zones regulate the specific uses and requirements for development.
Designations define and regulate the general nature of the intended use of land.
Rezoning is a process where the zone of a specific property zone is changed to better suit the intended use.
Land can only be rezoned to zones within the zoning designation. To rezone lands to a zone with a different designation, a change in the MPS map is needed.
| Changing Zones | Changing Designation | |
| Amending Document | Land Use Bylaw | Municipal Planning Strategy |
| Approval Agency | Municipal Council of Cumberland | Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing |
| Approval Time | 4-6 months | 6-8 months |
The Zones of Cumberland County
| Zones | Designation |
|---|---|
| Lower Density Residential | Residential Designation |
| Multi-Unit Residential | |
| Downtown Commercial | Commercial Designation |
| General Commercial | |
| Mixed Use | |
| Urban Industrial | Industrial Designation |
| Agricultural | Resource |
| Commercial Recreation | |
| Country Commercial | |
| Country Residential | |
| Recreation Residential | |
| Rural Industrial | |
| Rural Resource | |
| Public Water Supply | Common Zones ** These are Zones that are permitted in every designation |
| Wellfield | |
| Parks and Open Space | |
| Institutional |
Non-Conforming Structures and Uses
When there are changes made to specific zones in the LUB, some properties can end up becoming non-conforming in use or in structure.
A non-conforming structure or use is a structure or use that is not permitted, according to the current Land Use Bylaw; however, if the structure or use predates the policy preventing it, then it is “grandfathered in” and can continue to exist.
Plan Cumberland
What is Plan Cumberland?
Plan Cumberland is a plan for how Cumberland County will grow and develop in the future. Think of it as a guidebook that helps everyone understand what can be built where, and how to do it right.
Why We Need It
For years, Cumberland County used a mix of different planning rules that didn't always work well together. Plan Cumberland replaces all of those with one clear set of guidelines that covers our entire county.
What It Covers
- Plan Cumberland addresses the big questions facing our community:
- Where should new homes and businesses go?
- How do we protect our farmland and forests?
- What about climate change and rising sea levels?
- How can we support tourism while preserving what makes Cumberland special?
How We Built It
We spent years talking with residents, business owners, and community groups to understand what you wanted to see in Cumberland's future. The result is a plan that reflects your priorities and concerns.
What This Means for You
Whether you're:
- A homeowner wondering about renovations or additions
- A business owner looking to expand or relocate
- A developer planning a new project
- A resident curious about your neighbourhood's future
Plan Cumberland gives you the answers you need. Everything is available online at plancumberland.ca, where you can:
- Check what's allowed on any property
- See zoning maps
- Learn about upcoming changes
- Have your say at public meetings
Questions?
Contact us to explore the full plan and interactive tools.