COLDBROOK, N.S. — Following a 90-minute debate, Kings County council has given first reading to proposed Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS) and Land Use Bylaw (LUB) documents.
The draft documents, which have been in the works for more than eight years, were given first reading at a special meeting held at the municipal complex at 181 Coldbrook Village Park Dr. on Oct. 10. Council also voted in favour of holding a public hearing on Nov. 14 at 6 p.m., just prior to council considering second and final reading at a special meeting. After final reading, the documents will be subject to provincial approval.
The county’s planning advisory committee (PAC) and staff both proposed the elimination of so-called pre-1994 lot and poor soil lot exemptions in the agricultural district that allow for residential development. These provisions are in the current land use planning documents.
As an alternative regulation, PAC and staff each recommended a provision for infill lots in the agricultural district.
PAC recommended allowing infill lots with 240 feet of road frontage and a maximum distance of 300 feet between dwellings. This could potentially create 160 new building lots on land zoned Agricultural.
Staff is recommending 240 feet of road frontage and a maximum distance of 500 feet between houses, which could potentially create 505 new building lots.
Staff is also proposing an alternative recommendation for extending the Port Williams growth centre’s northern boundary. The Port Williams village commission requested the change to support residential growth and to help protect the village’s well fields.
After defeating the other options, council voted to give first reading to the proposed MPS and LUB including the staff recommendation for infill lots and the Port Williams growth centre boundary expansion.
This also includes an amendment put forth by Coun. Brian Hirtle regarding three forestry-agricultural zones on the North Mountain. Considered a non-substantive mapping change, the amendment increases the depth of the forestry zoning from 250 feet to 500 feet, with agricultural zoning to the rear. The amendment removes some land from the agricultural district and increases the potential for residential development in these areas.
Council has also approved a motion to begin the process of repealing the current MPS and LUB documents.
RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE
During the debate, Mayor Peter Muttart pointed out that, considering growth rates, there are currently enough building lots in serviced areas to last 30 years.
He said the motion for first reading as approved represents “a substantial compromise” for him. Ultimately, residential development pressure will increase, requiring an expansion of the Port Williams growth centre, but he doesn’t believe that pressure is there now.
Muttart said he wouldn’t be persuaded that a provision for residential development on so-called pre-1994 lots in the agricultural district is needed. There are thousands of these lots and this could potentially “decimate” farm land stock.
In a later interview, Muttart said municipal planning staff have invested thousands of hours of work in the documents and citizen members of PAC have invested hundreds if not thousands of hours. There has been a multitude of public meetings and public information and consultation sessions held across the municipality over several years.
Muttart said agricultural land preservation versus residential development pressure would always be the greatest subject of discussion whenever Kings County considers land use planning. There are competing interests, with owners who are looking to sell wanting to obtain the highest value for their land.
“There are always individual interests that conflict with general, overall public interest and you have to balance those to the extent that you can fairly balance them,” Muttart said.
However, he said people have to recognize that the economy of the Municipality of Kings – and the towns and villages within Kings County – is based on agriculture. We can’t afford to make too many concessions around farm land.
“The comparative value of the financial contribution of agricultural resources in the County of Kings far exceeds that of any other county its size within the province of Nova Scotia,” Muttart said.
Towns, villages and designated growth centres all have services and infrastructure in the ground to serve residential populations and businesses. Because of this, efforts are made to grow these population areas and to not permit competitive growth on economically valuable farm land.
DID YOU KNOW?
Kings County produces 36 per cent of Nova Scotia’s agricultural revenue, in excess of $250 million annually. Of the total land mass of Kings County, 18.89 per cent is actively used for agriculture.
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