Plan It Colchester
In 2023 the Municipality of the County of Colchester launched Plan It Colchester - a project to develop a County-Wide Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS) and Land Use Bylaw (LUB). Much of the County is unplanned, resulting in an organic form of growth and development over the years. Colchester, like the rest of Nova Scotia, has seen a recent population increase, and with a growing population comes pressure for new development. Without planning in place, communities have no say in where and how their communities grow and change.
Recognizing the changing dynamics of development in Nova Scotia, the Provincial Government passed Bill 58 in 2018, an amendment to the Municipal Government Act that requires every municipality to develop and adopt planning that meets the minimum planning standards. This project will bring Colchester County into compliance with the new provincial regulations, while also presenting an important and exciting opportunity for residents to help shape the vision for the future of their communities. Plan It Colchester relies heavily on feedback from the community to help shape the vision, guiding principles and policies that will determine how the Municipality grows and develops.
Project Update (November 2024):
The project has reached an exciting milestone with the release of the draft Municipal Planning Strategy and draft Land Use Bylaw for Colchester early in November. The draft planning documents were informed by feedback we received from the community in the initial phase of engagement and now we want to hear your thoughts! What did we get right? What needs to be re-examined or changed? What’s missing? The draft documents will be subject to change based on what we hear from residents and stakeholders.
Public engagement will close January 6th, 2025.
Draft Documents
pdf DRAFT Municipal Planning Strategy 2024 (9.88 MB)
MPS Schedules
pdf DRAFT MPS Schedule 'A' Growth Centres (205 KB)
pdf DRAFT MPS Schedule ‘B' FLUM (3.80 MB)
pdf DARFT MPS Schedule ‘B' FLUM insets (10.92 MB)
pdf DRAFT Land Use Bylaw 2024 (11.15 MB)
LUB Schedules and Appendices
pdf DRAFT LUB Schedule ‘A' Zoning Map (4.20 MB)
pdf DRAFT LUB Schedule ‘A' Zoning Map Insets (7.29 MB)
pdf DRAFT LUB Schedule 'B' Flood Overlay (9.13 MB)
pdf DRAFT LUB Schedule 'C' Growth Centres (1.04 MB)
pdf DRAFT LUB Schedule 'D' Coastal Elevation (8.61 MB)
pdf DRAFT LUB Schedule 'E' Village Heritage Area Overlay (763 KB)
pdf DRAFT LUB Appendix 'A' Dykeland Land Forming Standards (128 KB)
pdf DRAFT LUB Appendix 'B' Soil Conservation Areas (418 KB)
There will be multiple opportunities to share your feedback on the draft planning documents, including:
Community Meetings - see schedule below
Online Zoning Map - check out the proposed zoning on your property: Link to Map
Fact Sheets - learn a bit more about the proposed policies on important issues
pdf Fact Sheet 1 - Introduction (428 KB)
pdf Fact Sheet 2 - Housing (261 KB)
pdf Fact Sheet 3 - Agriculture (319 KB)
pdf Fact Sheet 4 - Environment (263 KB)
pdf Fact Sheet 5 - Recreation and Tourism (443 KB)
Feedback Form - submit your comments or questions to the project team: Link to Form - Open until January 6th, 2025.
Stakeholder & Adjacent Municipalities Engagement Sessions
Community Meetings Were Held:
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Tuesday, November 19th at 6:30pm - Economy Recreation Centre (West Entrance) Wednesday, November 20th at 6:30pm - Knox United Church Hall in Brookfield Thursday, November 21st at 6:30pm - H. Douglas Boyce Village Hall in Bible Hill Tuesday, November 26th at 6:30pm - The Grace Arts Centre Theatre in Tatamagouche Wednesday, November 27th at 6:30pm - Debert Legion Branch 106 Thursday, November 28th at 6:30pm - Old Barns United Church |
What is Planning?New to the Project? Want to learn a bit more about it and how planning works in Nova Scotia? Check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdtBVZHmURU
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Project Timeline
1. Engagement Summary and Recommendations Report
This document includes a thematic analysis of information that was received throughout the formative engagement phase and also contains a draft Vision Statement and Goals for the Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS) and Land Use By-law (LUB). The draft Vision Statement and Goals provides a comprehensive overview of community land use issues and perspectives related to current and emerging areas of interest. The report also identifies any information or knowledge gaps that need to be filled in before the drafting of the planning documents. Click the link below to read the draft report.
pdf Plan It Colchester Engagement Recommendations Report 2023 (16.62 MB)
2. Drafting of the Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law (Fall/Summer 2023-24)
3. Draft Consultation (Winter/Spring 2024) We are here!
4. Final Edits and Plan Adoption (by the end of 2024)
Stay Involved
For project updates, please keep an eye on the Colchester website and social media pages. Regular project updates will also be featured in the Municipal Newsletter.
Questions? Email our project team at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..