The Eastern District Planning Commission

provides planning, subdivision and building inspection services in eastern Nova Scotia for the Counties of Antigonish, Inverness, Richmond, and Victoria and the Towns of Port Hawkesbury and Antigonish. The planners, development officers, building inspectors and support staff work toward developing a safe and healthy community for you and your family. For more information on the application and permitting processes see below.

Plan Area Notices

Municipality of Antigonish County

Notice of Public Hearing

West River Antigonish Harbour and Central Antigonish Plan Areas

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT the Council of the Municipality of the County of Antigonish intends to consider and, if deemed advisable:

1. Amend the West River Antigonish Harbour and Central Antigonish Plan Area Municipal Planning Strategies, Land Use By-laws, Generalized Future Land Use Maps, and Zoning Maps to incorporate updated floodplain mapping and related policies and regulations. The purpose of the proposed amendments is to amend the Municipal Planning Strategy, Land-Use By-law, Generalized Future Land Use Map, and Zoning Map for the West River Antigonish Harbour and Central Antigonish Plan Areas to reflect new flood mapping completed through the South/West Primary Watershed Flood Mapping Study. The study found that areas within these plan areas are vulnerable to flooding under current and future climate conditions, with increased risks from rainfall, storm surge, and sea level rise.
2. Rezone a portion of PID 01231182 at #720 Walsh Post Road, in Fairmont, from Rural General to Tourist Commercial. The purpose of the rezoning is to allow for the construction of five tourist cabins at the back of the property.

Any written or oral presentations (in favour or opposition) to the proposed recommendations can be made before Municipal Council at a Public Hearing to be held on:

Date:         Tuesday December 9^th, 2025
Time:         7:30 p.m.
Location:  Council Chambers, 285 Beech Hill Road, Antigonish County

Municipality of the County of Inverness

Notice of Public Hearing

Whycocomagh and Cheticamp Plan Areas

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT  the Council of the Municipality of the County of Inverness intends to consider and, if deemed advisable, approve:

1. Development Agreement application by Ms. Adrienne Dermody for a consignment store in a Residential Centre zoned Lot 05-5, 252 Highway, Whycocomagh, Inverness County, NS (PID 50292820).
2. Rezoning Request from Residential Rural to Rural Commercial General by Yoshi Holdings Inc. (Last Chance Sandwich) for lands identified by PID# 50102276 (10 La Prairie Road), La Prairie, Inverness County, to expand the current Retail Use to include a Restaurant/Café Use.

Written or oral presentations (in favour or opposition) to the proposed recommendations can be made before Municipal Council at a Public Hearing to be held on:

Date:         Tuesday December 11^th, 2025
Time:         9:00 a.m.
Location:  Council Chambers of the County of Inverness 375 Main Street, Port Hood

Municipality of the County of Richmond

Notice of Public Hearing

Central Richmond, Isle Madame, and St. Peters Plan Area Municipal Planning Strategies and Land Use By-Laws

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT the Council of the Municipality of the County of Richmond intends to consider and, if deemed advisable, approve the following amendments:

1. Amendments to the Central Richmond, Isle Madame, and St. Peters Plan Area Municipal Planning Strategies and Land Use By-Laws to update definitions related to dwelling types; to increase the number of multiple-unit dwellings permitted as-of-right, allowing the development of fourplexes and other small-scale multi-unit housing forms; and to remove, within the Central Richmond Land Use By-law, the requirement that accessory buildings be located no closer to the street than the main building.

Written or oral presentations (for or against the proposed) can be made before Municipal Council at a Public Hearing to be held on:

Date:         Monday December 16^th, 2025
Time:         6:00 p.m.
Location:  Council Chambers 2357 Highway 206, Arichat, Richmond County

Plan Eastern Nova is a project to create a Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS) and Land Use Bylaw (LUB) for all areas of the Municipalities of Antigonish, Inverness, Richmond and Victoria Counties that currently do not have planning documents in place.

Plan documents have been approved for Antigonish, Inverness, Richmond and Victoria Counties. Check the Plan Documents page to view the documents and maps.

Check project news at the Plan Eastern Nova website.

Current Staff Reports