Our Land Use Bylaws have created Land Use Woes

Vision 2050 was a significant effort that sought to modernize and streamline land use across the County of Kings. I had the opportunity to witness the process unfold at community meetings in the initial stages and later played a direct role as a council member from 2012 to 2020.

 

Your council worked diligently to create a Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS) that provided enhanced protection for farmlands, particularly in the designated A1 zone. However, during the first four years it was put to use, the new regulations outlined in the Land Use Bylaw (LUB) revealed serious challenges for the county, developers, and communities.

 

Issues arose due to unclear language in the LUB. This led to contentious public engagement meetings, community divisions, and costly legal battles when appeals were launched against council decisions. It became evident that simplifying the Land Use Bylaw could alleviate these challenges.

 

Some areas of the LUB need to be aligned more clearly with the Municipal Planning Strategy's central objectives. In doing this, we can help development occur more smoothly. Developers want to build the affordable housing we need and should not be subject to so many hurdles prior to starting construction.