This review aims to refine the application of agricultural zoning across the Municipality. Currently, many parcels are zoned for agriculture based only on soil class, not on active use, size, or suitability for farming. This has restricted other forms of rural development in some areas and resulted in loss of highly productive farmland near urban areas.

Goal with this review

Refine agricultural zoning to better protect truly productive farmland and formally identify agricultural marshland conservation areas, while freeing up other rural lands for appropriate development.

Proposed policy changes

1. Agricultural Marshland Overlay
   • Adopt Agricultural Marshland Overlay which will identify all lands subject to provincial regulation under the Agricultural Marshland Conservation Act (AMCA)
2. Rezone select agricultural lots
   • Rezone lots under 4,000 m2 from the agricultural (AG) land use zone to the Country Residential (RCou) zone
   • Rezone lots between 4,000 m2 to 2ha (1-5 ac) from the agricultural (AG) land use zone to the Country Residential (RCou) zone if they are not used for agriculture, are not located in high-quality (CLI Class 2) soil area, and they have frontage onto a public or private road.

Current agricultural zone lot sizes

Image credit:Dillon Consulting, 2025

The Municipality is defining its own comprehensive approach to managing our extensive coastline. With over 850 km of coastline at risk from sea-level rise, storm surges, and coastal erosion, our policies must adapt to protect public safety and valuable coastal properties.

Goal with this review

Develop robust municipal policies to address the growing risks of coastal erosion and flooding due to climate change, securing a safer future for our coastal communities.

Proposed policy changes

1. Coastal Hazard Overlay
   • Establish coastal hazard overlay defined by the most current coastal hazard maps to identify areas with a higher risk of being impacted by flooding and erosion
2. Coastal Development
   • Require public access to the coast for new subdivisions
   • Require development within the new coastal hazard overlay be subject to Site Plan Approval
   • Redefine permitted uses and clear setbacks for structures in coastal flood risk areas
   • Require significant redevelopment to meet new setbacks and elevation standards
   • Prohibit development in sensitive ecological areas
3. Municipal Wide Excavation and Infilling Policy
   • Establish policies for excavation and infilling along the coast and inland

Map of current watercourse and shoreline buffer (30.5m) for Cumberland

Image credit: Municipality of the County of Cumberland Land Use Bylaw - Schedule C (2018)  

To respond to our recent population growth and the resulting housing deficit, we need to enable a greater diversity of housing options. This review focuses on creating zoning solutions that enable higher-density housing in areas with central services while balancing development with the preservation of existing neighbourhood character.

Goal with this review

Explore zoning solutions to increase the supply of diverse and affordable housing options in serviced areas, supporting complete and livable communities.

Proposed policy changes

1. Support missing middle housing
   • Allow 4 dwelling units as-of-right in the Lower Density Residential (RLow) zone with height and buffering standards
   • Allow 5-8 dwelling units through a Site Plan Approval (SPA) process in the Lower Density Residential (RLow) zone
   • Explore allowing more units as-of-right in the Multi-unit Residential (RMul) Zone
2. Clarify accessory dwelling unit (ADU) regulations
   • Consolidate definitions into accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and garden suites
   • Clarify accessory dwelling position in relation to the main dwelling unit
3. Make it easier to build supportive housing
   • Establish predictable Site Plan Approval process for senior care and supportive housing facilitates
4. Clarify rural residential subdivison road standards
   • Mandate emergency access standards for private roads
   • Establish criteria to prevent fracturing of agricultural and resource lands
   • Strengthen requirements for road maintence associations

What is "missing middle housing"?

This is housing that has more units (homes) than a single detached house, but fewer units than a mid-rise (4-5 story) apartment or condo building. Missing middle housing lies in the "middle" between these two types of housing, and is often "missing" in communities because it hasn't been widly built in North America for the past century. 

While the term "missing middle housing" covers alot of housing types (for example, duplexes, fourplexes and townhomes), the types of housing (including number of units and how they look) that is permitted to be built in Cumberland is regulated by the Municipality. 

Image credit: Opticos Design, 2020 (missingmiddlehousing.com) 

Cumberland County has been identified as an ideal location for renewable energy, leading to an increased number of applications for wind and solar farm developments. This creates an urgent need for clear, detailed regulations.

Goal with this review

Establish a modern, regulatory framework that guides the placement and scale of commercial renewable energy projects (including wind, solar, and emerging technologies like green hydrogen) while balancing energy goals with community and environmental protection.

Proposed policy changes

1. Wind energy
   • Continue to require Development Agreement (DA) process for medium and large scale wind projects. This contract includes decommissioning obligations and Council oversight.
   • Reduce “as-of-right” height allowance to 50-60m for small scale wind projects
   • Adjust how the public is notified about meteorological test towers
2. Solar energy
   • Establish regulations for visual screening, setbacks, and maintenance for solar projects.
   • Explore mechanisms to require decommissioning plans and securities to protect taxpayers
3. Hydrogren power
   • Define “Hydrogen Production Facility”in Land Use Bylaw
   • Permit hydrogen in Rural Industrial (IRur) Zone through Development Agreement (DA)