MOPC Accepts Land Use Bylaw Tender
The Municipality of Pictou (MOPC) has awarded UPLAND Planning and Design the contract to develop a county-wide municipal planning strategy and land use bylaw.
UPLAND’s tender was the lowest of three considered during its March 6 Council meeting for $139,180. Council accepted UPLANDS proposal in a vote of 6 to 4.
The Province of Nova Scotia has required all municipalities to adopt minimum land use planning standards. As such, MOPC will engage with a planning consultant to develop our planning documents, including a Land Use Bylaw (LUB) and a Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS). This exercise will commence within the next few weeks and is expected to take approximately two years to complete.
Coun. Peter Boyles said many people are worried about this planning and bylaw strategy. He said would have liked to have seen more about the company’s plans before voting on the tender.
Coun. David Parker said the Municipality would develop its land use planning bylaw, or the province would do it for them.
“My preference is the first. It will require diplomacy, delicacy and some kind of salesmanship to show that not all land use planning is evil, but it’s not all good,” he said. “I am old enough to remember the land use wars in 1977. There is and will remain strong opposition to anything imposing control on lands.”
The provincial government’s guidelines for minimum standards can also be seen here: https://beta.novascotia.ca/.../minimum-planning...