REGULAR MEETING

MUNICIPAL COUNCIL

MUNICIPALITY OF THE DISTRICT OF YARMOUTH

Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Council Chambers, Administration Building

AGENDA

2.
Land Acknowledgement

I/we would like to begin by acknowledging that we are on the traditional lands of the Wasoqopa’q First Nation, part of Mi’kma’ki (meeg-ma-gee), the ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq people.

4.
Approval of Agenda (Additions/Deletions)

5.
Declarations of any conflict of interest

There being no errors or omissions in the minutes of the Feb 10, 2026 Special Council, February 25, 2026 Public Hearing, and February 25, 2026 Regular Council meeting minutes, they be approved as presented.

6.1
February 10, 2026 - Special Council

1.DRAFT PostMinutes - Package Special Council Meeting_Feb10_2026.pdf

6.2
February 25, 2026 - Public Hearing

1.DRAFT PostMinutes - Package Public Hearing_Feb25_2026.pdf

Public Hearing for re-zoning PID 90161639 from Rural Development (RD) to Rural Commercial (RC).

6.3
February 25, 2026 - Regular Council

1.DRAFT PostMinutes - Package Regular Council_Feb25_2026.pdf

7.
Old Business

7.1
Water Resilience Working Group Report

1.Water Resilience Report Final_compressed.pdf

The report of the Water Resilience Working Group is being submitted to Council as directed.

Recommended Motion

That the March 25, 2026 report of the Water Resilience Working Group be received and referred to April 2026 Committee of the Whole for discussion.

8.
New Business

8.1
Second Reading of MPS Amendments (Wind Turbines)

1.2026 03 25 2 Read Wind complete.pdf

8.2
Second Reading of LUB Hogg Rezoning

1.2026 03 25 Hogg Read 2 rpt complete.pdf

8.3
Recommendations from COTW

8.3.1
Invitation to Greenville Community Preservation Project

COTW Recommendation:
Resolution Number COTW2026-03-12-005
Moved By Councillor Phil Mooney
Seconded By Councillor Trevor Perry
To recommend to Regular Council that the Municipality invite the Greenville Community Preservation Project to the next scheduled Heritage Advisory Committee meeting.
Motion Carried

8.3.2
Chebogue River Aquatic Club Request

1.Chebogue River Aquatic Club Consideration for Tax Exemption.pdf

COTW Recommendation:
Resolution Number COTW2026-03-12-006
Moved By Councillor Phil Mooney
Seconded By Deputy Warden Trevor Cunningham
To recommend to Regular Council that the Chebogue River Aquatic Club request for tax exemption be referred to the 2026-2027 Operating Budget discussions; and further that the Chebogue River Aquatic Club be requested to provide the most recent set of financial statements.
Motion Carried

8.3.3
NS Dep. Growth and Development RE: REN Funding

1.DM Letter - Mun of District of Yarmouth.pdf

COTW Recommendation:
Resolution Number COTW2026-03-12-007
Moved By Deputy Warden Trevor Cunningham
Seconded By Councillor Loren Cushing
To recommend to Regular Council that the letter from the Deputy Minister of the Department of Growth and Development regarding revised funding for the Regional Enterprise Network be referred to the 2026-2027 Operating Budget for discussion. Motion Carried

8.3.4
Request to Support Basic Income Guarantee (BIG)

1.YCCHB Letter to MODY for BIG Support.pdf

COTW Recommendation:
Resolution Number COTW2026-03-12-008
Moved By Councillor Phil Mooney
Seconded By Councillor Loren Cushing
Amended Motion:
To recommend to Regular Council that the Municipality write a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney, copying MP Chris d’Entremont, requesting they honour the FED-PROV BIG working group in PEI and begin talks to establish a similar working group with Nova Scotia; AND further that the Municipality write a letter to Premier Tim Houston, copying MLA Nick Hilton, requesting that the province establish an all-party committee of the Nova Scotia legislature to examine the feasibility of a basic income guarantee program for Nova Scotia.

6 in Favour.
1 Against.

Motion Carried

8.3.5
CAO Committee Terms of Reference

1.2026 02 DRAFT REVISIONS CAO Committee TOR.pdf

COTW Recommendation:
Resolution Number COTW2026-03-12-009
Moved By Councillor Jim Baxter
Seconded By Councillor Loren Cushing
To recommend to Regular Council that the CAO Committee Terms of Reference be adopted as amended.
Motion Carried

8.3.6
CAO Committee Appointment

COTW Recommendation:
Resolution Number COTW2026-03-12-010
Moved By Councillor Daniel Muise
Seconded By Councillor Phil Mooney
To recommend to Regular Council that Councillor Jim Baxter be appointed to the CAO Committee for a one-year term.
Motion Carried

8.3.7
CAO Performance Facilitation Services

COTW Recommendation:
Resolution Number COTW2026-03-12-011
Moved By Deputy Warden Trevor Cunningham
Seconded By Councillor Loren Cushing
To recommend to Regular Council that the CAO prepare a Request for Proposals for CAO Performance Facilitation Services for the CAO Committee to review and make a recommendation to Council.
Motion Carried

8.3.8
Provincial Cuts to Funding Policy

COTW Recommendation:
Resolution Number COTW2026-03-12-012
Moved By Deputy Warden Trevor Cunningham
Seconded By Councillor Loren Cushing
To recommend to Regular Council that the CAO be directed to provide, as soon as practically possible, a discussion paper on possible options or guidelines Council could use to manage expected requests from groups and organizations resulting from Provincial cuts to funding.
Motion Carried

8.3.9
First Reading of Tax Exemption By-Law T-082-26

1.DRAFT REVISIONS Tax Exemption By-Law.pdf

COTW Recommendation:
Resolution Number COTW2026-03-12-013
Moved By Councillor Jim Baxter
Seconded By Councillor Trevor Perry
To recommend to Regular Council that Tax Exemption By-law T-082-26 be approved for first reading.
Motion Carried

8.3.10
10.3.2 Amendments to Electronic Signature Policy E-464-25

1.DRAFT Electronic Signature Policy 03.10.2026 v2.pdf

COTW Recommendation:
Resolution Number COTW2026-03-12-014
Moved By Councillor Daniel Muise
Seconded By Councillor Jim Baxter
To recommend to Regular Council that the amendments to Electronics Signature Policy E-464-25 be approved as presented.
Motion Carried

8.3.11
First Reading of Building By-Law B-028-26

1.Building-By-Law Draft amendments.pdf

COTW Recommendation:
Resolution Number COTW2026-03-12-015
Moved By Councillor Phil Mooney
Seconded By Councillor Loren Cushing
To recommend to Regular Council that Building By-law B-028-26 be approved for first reading.
Motion Carried

8.3.12
First Reading of Private Road Maintenance By-Law P-086-26

1.DRAFT Private Road Maintenance Charge By-Law.pdf

COTW Recommendation:
Resolution Number COTW2026-03-12-016
Moved By Councillor Jim Baxter
Seconded By Councillor Phil Mooney
To recommend to Regular Council that Private Road Maintenance By-law P-086-26 be approved for first reading.
Motion Carried

8.3.13
Request for Decision - Heritage Property Rebate Program Renewal

1.RFD Hertiage Incentive Rebate.pdf

COTW Recommendation:
Resolution Number COTW2026-03-12-017
Moved By Councillor Phil Mooney
Seconded By Councillor Trevor Perry
To recommend to the Regular Council that the Municipality renew the Heritage Incentive Rebate Program for 5 years beginning fiscal 2026-27 with the following policy amendments (draft amendments attached in Appendix B):
1. Applicants may access any portion of the 5-year rebate allowance in any of the five years;
2. The five-year maximum allowable rebate be $7,500.
Motion Carried

8.3.14
Request for Decision - Greenville Veterans Banner Expansion

1.RFD - Greenville Veterans Banner.pdf

COTW Recommendation:
Resolution Number COTW2026-03-12-018
Moved By Deputy Warden Trevor Cunningham
Seconded By Councillor Daniel Muise
To recommend to Regular Council that the Veteran Banner Program be expanded to include a series of 20 banners in the community of Greenville as described in the Request for Decision Greenville Expansion of Veteran Banner program March 2026, and that the costs associated be provisioned as part of the 2026-27 Grants program under S.5.7 of Grants Policy G-068-09.
Motion Carried

8.3.15
Proposals for Legal Services

COTW Recommendation:
Resolution Number COTW2026-03-12-019
Moved By Councillor Daniel Muise
Seconded By Councillor Trevor Perry
To recommend to Regular Council that the Municipality tender for legal services and that the CAO prepare a request for proposals for Council's review.
Motion Carried

8.3.16
Parkland Dedication

COTW Recommendation:
Resolution Number COTW2026-03-12-020
Moved By Councillor Daniel Muise
Seconded By Councillor Jim Baxter
To recommend to Regular Council that the Municipality accept the amount of $1,350.00, equivalent to 5% of the market value of Lot H-1, as a Parkland Dedication, PID 90140351 and 90140567, File 10031.
Motion Carried

8.3.17
Property at 177 Hwy 3, Arcadia

COTW Recommendation:
Resolution Number COTW2026-03-12-021
Moved By Councillor Loren Cushing
Seconded By Councillor Daniel Muise
To recommend to Regular Council that staff advise the Yarmouth Arts Regional Council (Th'YARC) that the Municipality will not be exercising its buy-back rights under the purchase and sale agreement for 177 Hwy 3, Arcadia.
Motion Carried

8.4
Recommendations from Planning Advisory Committee

8.4.1
Site Plan Amendment

1.Site Plan Approvals in Lakeside Residential Recommendation.pdf

2.2026 03 25 Site Plan read 1 complete.pdf

Recommended Motion

That Council give First Reading and hold a public hearing to amend the Land Use By-law regarding site plan agreements in the Lakeside Residential (LR) Zone in substantially the same manner as Appendix E of the report to the PAC dated March 17, 2026

8.4.2
Sign Amendment

1.2026 03 25 Signs Read 1 complete.pdf

2.Sign Regulation Recommendation 03.2026.pdf

Recommended Motion

That Council give First Reading and hold a public hearing to amend the Land Use By-law regarding signs in substantially the same manner as Appendices F & H of the report to the PAC March 17, 2026.

8.5
Amendments to Public Participation Program Policy P-102-21

1.2026 03 25 PPPP Council rpt complete.pdf

8.6
Amendments to Heritage Incentive Rebate Program Policy H-048-21

1.DRAFT revisions Heritage Incentive Program Policy 2026 v2.0.pdf

Recommended Motion:
To approve the amendments to Heritage Incentive Rebate Program Policy H-048-21 as presented.

8.7
Grand Opening Nova West Regional Business Park Phase II

1.Request for Decision - NWRBP expansion phase II grand opening.pdf

Recommended Motion

That Council provision up to $5,500 in the 2026-27 Council Public Relations budget for the grand opening of NWRBP Phase II and further that the CAO be authorized to make provisions for the event immediately.

8.8
Recommendations from Accessibility Advisory Committee

8.8.1
Draft Information and Communications and Public Transportation Standards recommendations

1.Summary of Information and Communication draft recommendations.pdf

2.Summary of Public Transportation draft recommendations.pdf

3.AAC Transpo and Info Brieifng March 2026.pdf

Recommended Motion

That Council respond to the NS Accessibility Directorate's call for feedback on the draft recommendations for the Public Transportation and Information & Communications standards outlining support and specific concerns as presented in the Accessibility Advisory Committee Feedback on Transportation and Information & Communications briefing.