Pictou County Council have not reached a consensus over their proposed Land Use By-law and Municipal Planning Strategy.
After receiving feedback from the public and from several surrounding municipalities, council sent the by-law back to staff and the planning advisory committee for amendments. During a special meeting last night, council discussed the proposed amendments ahead of first reading. The biggest point of contention is what can be allowed in watershed areas and at what distance – the amended rules place Shoreline Zone designations (S1) around the Trenton Well Fields and Forbes Lake. The watercourse buffer around Forbes Lake would increase from 50 metres to 75. And hobby livestock farms, defined as operations with barns less than 1,000 square feet in size, would not be permitted in S1 zones.
Several councillors felt the rules are too restrictive, while others noted the importance of water protection and concerns that the province could decide that tighter protections would have to be enforced anyway. Warden Robert Parker took an informal poll of how council felt about the amendments, which was essentially a 50/50 split.
Councillor Randy Palmer noted that council could pass the current amendments and then decide to make further amendments if there’s enough public pressure to do so.
First reading of the amended Land Use By-law and Planning Strategy is set for the next monthly meeting of council on April 7th.
