Welcome to the Town of Yarmouth
On the Edge of Everywhere
2019-20 Heritage Development Fund (Built Heritage) and Tax Rebate Program
To better serve our heritage stakeholders, program guidelines and application forms for the 2019-20 grant opportunities under the Heritage Development Fund (Built Heritage) are now available at Heritage Property.
Conservation Advice and Conservation Work Grants
Owners of a registered municipal heritage property (including those located within an approved municipal heritage conservation district) may apply for a conservation advice grant to support up to 50% of the costs to prepare the conservation advice report up to a maximum of $3,000.
Only registered municipal heritage properties used either for religious worship or community, non-profit purposes are eligible, and may apply for a conservation work grant to support up to 50% of the eligible conservation work costs up to a maximum of $7,500 every two years. Property owners are responsible to review the revised program guidelines, including a provision supporting the Culture Action Plan to ensure your proposed conservation project can be considered.
Revised Program Guidelines
As outlined in the program guidelines, while formal approval cannot be provided until April 1, new application deadlines of March 15 and May 15 have been introduced for 2019-20. After May 15, submitted applications will be assessed based on the date of receipt and the program’s fiscal ability. In all cases, the new deadline to submit a final report will be November 15, 2019. Should you have any questions about these grants or would like to obtain an application form and guideline document, please contact my office at 902-424-5647.
Tax Rebate
In addition to the grants described above, Service Nova Scotia continues to offer a Provincial Tax Rebate (under the Sales Tax Act). This program provides heritage property owners with a full rebate of the provincial sales tax paid for eligible materials used for the repair, improvement or restoration of the exterior of a heritage property. An overview of this rebate program, including the application form, can be found at Heritage Property.
Should you have any questions on these incentives, or would like to obtain an application form and guideline documents, please call 902-424-5647.
Heritage Property Act
The Heritage Property Act (HPA) of Nova Scotia was established to identify, designate, preserve, conserve, protect and rehabilitate buildings, structures, streetscapes, areas and districts that have historic, architectural, or cultural value. These features can be found in urban and rural environments – what matters is that they speak to us, and should be preserved for future generations.
In 1990, the Act was amended so that municipalities could establish heritage conservation districts. Under these auspices, the Town of Yarmouth has established a Heritage Property By-law and the Collins Heritage Conservation District. For properties located within the District, we may control alterations to existing structures, demolitions, and the design of new structures being built. To learn more about the HPA, please visit the Nova Scotia Legislature website.
Applications and Fees
Applications 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 planning proposal
- Development Agreement application must also include:
- 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
When the application is made, the applicant must submit the application to the Planning Administrative Assistant, Third Floor Planning Department, 400 Main Street, Yarmouth, or email to planningadmin@townofyarmouth.ca.
Go to Town Fees for a schedule of fees associated with planning applications.
Civic addressing
Civic addresses are an identification system that uses a consistent method to name and locate buildings. Proper addressing is essential for emergency services, postal delivery and many other government and private services.
Getting a civic number
New civic numbers are assigned during the Development Permit application process. Once the Development Officer assigns a number, the Planning & Development Department mails a notice to the property owner with the assigned civic number. We also update the provincial 911 system with the new civic address.
Do not assign your own civic number. Self-assigned numbers can interfere with first responders and delay help in an emergency.
Civic address standards
To help emergency responders find your property, the Town requires a standard way of displaying civic numbers. If you own the lot where a building is located, you must keep the assigned civic number posted on the lot or building as follows:
- The civic number must be in Arabic numerals (for example, 123).
- The bottom of the numerals must be at least 1.2 metres above ground.
- Each numeral must be the same colour and clearly contrast with the colour of the building, post or sign where it is placed.
- The height of the numerals must be at least 100 millimetres.
- Place the civic number on the building, post or sign so it faces and is clearly visible from the roadway or street from which the property is numbered.
For more information, download the pdf Civic Addressing Bylaw.(188 KB)
Using 911
When you call 911, the operator can usually see the caller’s phone number, civic address and the linked police, fire and ambulance agencies on their screen (cell-phone exceptions apply). This means that if you cannot speak, the operator can still see your civic address and send help. The 911 system also supports TDD calls for people who are hearing impaired.
The 911 centre connects callers to the appropriate dispatch agency; it does not directly dispatch emergency services. Make sure your civic number is visible from the road at all times (day and night) so responders can find you quickly.
Interactive zoning
Zoning decides what types of land use are allowed in different parts of town. The pdf Land Use By-law(9.54 MB) explains the rules for each zone, including what you can build, how you can use a property, and any special conditions. Use the interactive zoning map below to explore the zones in Yarmouth.
If you need official confirmation of a parcel’s zoning, request a signed zoning confirmation letter from the Development Officer. These letters confirm zoning for a specific date only because the Land Use By-law can change.
Before you start any project: Check with the Planning and Economic Development Department to confirm current zoning and any applicable rules.
Interactive Zoning Lookup Tool
Access our interactive zoning lookup tool.
