Official homepage for the Town of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

Looking to subdivide or consolidate a parcel of land in the Town of Yarmouth? You've come to the right place!

What is a subdivision?

Essentially, a subdivision is the division of any area of land into two or more parcels. If you're dividing an area of land into two or more parcels, moving a property line, or subdividing or consolidating two or more parcels, you'll need to follow these subdivision procedures.

What is the Subdivision By-law?

The  pdf Subdivision By-law (4.12 MB)  provides a uniform development standard when creating new lots. For instance, new subdivisions involving new roads require that the subdivider install new municipal services – such as sewer, water, storm sewer, and roadways – to the specifications outlined in the by-law.

How can I subdivide?

To start the application process to subdivide in the town:

1. Discuss the requirements for your subdivision with our Development Officer. This is necessary because different areas will require different lot sizes and frontages, depending on their location and size.
2. Contact the Department of Operational Services to determine whether your lot is/or can be serviced by sewer and/or water. If sewer services aren't available, you may not be able to subdivide. The Town of Yarmouth only permits the use of on-site services within the Residential Holding (R-H) zone and the Comprehensive Development (CD) zone – see the  Land Use By-law for details.
3. Seek legal advice or contact the Land Registration Office (based in Bridgewater as of June 2015) to determine the requirements of the Land Registration Act. Your property may have to be transferred or migrated into the new land registration system. For more information, visit Access Nova Scotia Property Online.
4. Arrange for a plan of subdivision to be prepared by a registered Nova Scotia Land Surveyor.
5. Complete an  pdf Application for Subdivision Approval  (247 KB) and submit it to the Planning Department along with 12 copies of the survey plan and the fees. From there, the Development Officer will review your application, and send it to various departments within 14 days. If the approval of a subdivision is not given within 90 days of receipt, it's deemed to be refused unless there's an agreement to extend. If a subdivision plan is refused, you may appeal to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board.
6. If services are required, you will be required to hire an engineer to design the services subject to the approval of the Town Engineer.

• pdf Subdivision Application (247 KB)
• pdf Subdivision Approval Process (121 KB)
• pdf Subdivision Approval Process Checklist (454 KB)

Any questions? We'd love to answer them. You can email planningadmin@townofyarmouth.ca for more information.

Planning enables the Town to establish both long and short-term goals for growth and development while considering social, economic, and environmental implications.

Important Documents

The Municipal Planning Strategy, Land Use By-law, and  Subdivision By-law are the primary planning tools used by municipalities in Nova Scotia to plan and design communities. No development can be permitted in the Town of Yarmouth which is contrary to the policies in this strategy and by-laws.

Current Planning Applications

Check out current and past planning applications on Get Involved.

Municipal Planning Strategy

The Province gives municipalities the power to make statements of policy with respect to a broad range of activities, including development, land use, public lands, transportation, municipal services, and many other matters related to the physical, social and economic development of the community. Municipalities, including the Town of Yarmouth, do this through their primary planning policy document referred to as the  Municipal Planning Strategy or MPS. The intent and rationale behind all land use objectives and policies are articulated in this document.

When it comes to maintaining public and environmental health, one of the most important elements of a community’s infrastructure is the wastewater collection system. This is how used water from our homes and businesses reaches Yarmouth’s wastewater treatment plant.

The wastewater collection system has a lot of different components in order to make this happen, including gravity sewers, pumping stations, force mains and manholes. At the Yarmouth Wastewater Treatment Plant, our town's wastewater is treated to meet minimum regulated quality requirements before it's released to the harbour.

Keeping this in mind, it's really important to know that our system is designed to convey and treat regular domestic wastewater. If materials that aren't regular wastewater components manage to reach these systems, it can damage both our equipment and the environment!

What Can You Do?

Materials which reach the wastewater collection system can include things as simple as grease and fat from your kitchen. These can contribute to blockages in the collection system, which is why food or garden-related organic materials should be placed in your green cart.

You should never put these into the town sewer system:

• Diapers
• Rags
• Plastic materials (e.g. sanitary napkins, condoms)
• Bandages
• Cigarette butts
• Razor blades
• Hazardous chemicals (e.g. muriatic acid, insecticides, herbicides, etc.)
• Unused prescription drugs
• Petroleum products (e.g. fuel oil, gasoline, waste oil, etc.)
• Paints, paint remover, etc.

Note that all costs associated with the installation, connection, maintenance or repair of a private sewer or building sewer connection to the municipal sewer system, are the sole responsibility of the owner. When we work together to ensure that waste is separated properly, then everyone benefits.

Semi-Annual Water Main Flushing

Twice every year, the Yarmouth Water Utility flushes its water mains over the course of a few weeks. This includes mains in South Ohio, North Ohio Crossroad, Hebron Industrial Park, Sprucehills Subdivision, Dayton-Hebron, the Town of Yarmouth, and the Acadia Band Reserve. During the flush program, some discoloration and fluctuation in water pressure may occur.

• pdf Sewer Connection By Law (86 KB)
• pdf Sewer Discharge By Law (148 KB)
• pdf Sewer Charges By Law (74 KB)