Truro’s Community Plan is an integrated plan which includes the Community Sustainability Plan, the Municipal Planning Strategy, and the Land Use Bylaw. Truro’s Community Sustainability Plan deals with community values and priorities.  Truro’s Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law have more specific content, primarily relating to property development, and are governed in scope by the Nova Scotia Municipal Government Act.

The Town’s Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS) is the principal policy document for Council, providing guidance for decisions on land use and development matters within the Town of Truro. It also serves as a reference manual for citizens, particularly those engaged in residential or commercial development, but also for anyone wanting a more thorough understanding of the policies of Municipal government.

The Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS) is enabled under the Nova Scotia Municipal Government Act and provides direction on all other planning documents that are, or maybe, developed and amended subject to this plan.

Truro Town Council approved the new Community Plan in November, 2023. For more information on this process, see Strategic Initiatives:  Truro Let's Connect Community Plan Process. 

The Town’s Current Community Sustainability Plan, Municipal Planning Strategy, and Land Use By-law are linked below:

These documents and associated maps are electronic consolidations of the official copies of the Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law for the Town of Truro. These consolidations are unofficial copies and are provided for reference purposes only.

There may be amendments that have been approved but have not yet been included in these consolidated versions. Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of these electronic copies, the Town of Truro assumes no responsibility for discrepancies that may have resulted from reformatting for electronic publication or from delays in updating recently approved amendments. Please consult the Town of Truro Planning & Development Services Department for confirmation of the content as well as clarification of any interpretations of the information contained in the documents.

2023 Community Plan

• pdf Part 1 - Introduction(348 KB)
• pdf Part 2 - Our Community(5.94 MB)
• pdf Part 3 - Community Engagement(6.92 MB)  
• pdf Part 4 - Community Goals(15.86 MB)  
• pdf Part 5 - Council's Strategic Priorities(2.38 MB)  
• pdf Part 6 - Municipal Planning Strategy(58.03 MB)
• pdf Part 7 - Land Use By law(20.38 MB)
• pdf Part 9 - Community Action(7.56 MB)
• pdf Policy Area Map 2023(2.37 MB)
• pdf Zoning Map 2025(3.32 MB)

2010 Community Sustainability Plan

• pdf Community Sustainability Plan(4.68 MB)   

Development Applications

Check out our current development agreements and take a survey where applicable. Learn about the current development applications and re-zonings in the Town of Truro. Please give the application a moment to load. 

A development agreement is a legally binding contract between the Municipality and a property owner. This agreement identifies property-specific conditions, design requirements, and land use regulations. A development agreement only applies in certain situations and typically deals with architectural design, permitted uses, landscaping, and site design.

The Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law set out certain types of land uses which must be considered during the development agreement process. Certain uses may have the potential to create land use conflicts; the development agreement process ensures that the interests and policies of the Town Council are addressed when considering new proposals. You are encouraged to consult with the Town's Planner, who can tell you if you are eligible to apply for a development agreement.

• pdf Development Agreement Process Standard(44 KB)
• pdf Development Agreement Process Expanded(45 KB)

Rezoning

Zoning is an important part of the Town's planning process. A property's zoning dictates what types of uses are permitted and also regulates how a property may be developed. A property may be zoned commercial, industrial, residential, etc., which helps determine the functions of certain areas in Town.

A property owner may have the opportunity to rezone a property when he/she wishes to develop the property in a manner which is contrary to the existing zoning regulations. The rezoning process gives the Municipality the opportunity to review development proposals that are not permitted as of right under the Land Use By-law.

Development Agreement and Rezoning Application Process

The application process for a development agreement and re-zoning are similar. For either process, the applicant must submit a letter of application addressed to the following: 

Jason Fox, Director
Planning of the Planning and Development Services
Town of Truro
695 Prince St,
Truro, NS, B2N 1G5

The letter of application should provide the following information:

• The name of the property owner(s)
• Mailing address and telephone number of the applicant
• Location of the property
• Brief description of the purpose of the application outlining any related development proposal.

Please note that in addition to the above, development agreement applications must also include the following:

• A site plan, drawn to scale, showing the proposed development, indicating the size and dimensions of any new buildings, landscaping, parking areas and the size of parking stalls, etc.
• A copy of the deed description of the subject property(s).
• Renderings, building plans or architectural elevation drawings of any proposed structure.