What a new bylaw means for Nova Scotia’s Peggys Cove

Thousands of tourists flock to Peggy’s Cove each year to take in its iconic lighthouse and beautiful scenery, But the tiny community has long struggled with how to host the world while still keeping its village charm an active fishing area. The province has now approved a new land use bylaw to guide development and business activity in the Cove. The process took two years of consultation and five drafts. I went to some of the community meetings about these changes and people were divided. Some wanted more commercial zoning in the Cove, some far less. The fishing zone has remained and the conservation area greatly expanded around the coastline. The stretch of the main road leading to the lighthouse is now zoned for residential or commercial use, which means more businesses could open in the area and most of the ones already there can stay. But Paul Purush says he’s lost out. I don’t feel that there was a fair process. Purush was hoping his property just off the main drag could be zoned for commercial use because his wife, Claire, has run a hot dog stand there for years. But that did not happen. He’s one of many who say there are conflicts of interest, with the Peggy’s Cove Commission leading the bylaw review. The Commission is the only one of its kind in Nova Scotia. It’s made-up of community members, the area councillor and representatives from the province. For years, they’ve made decisions on local development and who can operate businesses. With community members part of the Commission, there’s pros and cons. Locals have control and say about changes in the Cove, but with only 40 people who live there, there’s going to be friendships, family ties and personality conflicts. Complaints about how the Commission operates have even triggered an ombudsman’s investigation, Perush and others like the counselor for the area. We’re hoping that would stall the bylaw. The land use bylaw is, like I said, setting people up to win and setting people up to lose without actually dealing with the problems that we have from a governance perspective at Peggy’s Cove. Others, some who have lived their whole lives in Peggy’s Cove, are more optimistic. I think overall it’s gotta be a good thing, but when you go through a process like this, not everybody’s gotta be happy. Campbell says he’s become an easy target during the conflict of interest conversation. His daughter is Commission chair. But Campbell didn’t get everything he wanted. His own request to his own land near the lighthouse as commercial also failed. Campbell acknowledges something has to change with the Commission itself to make it more fair. It’s a very unique place, Peggy’s Cove, and you know, it’s good to have discussions about it and the only place I’ve known as my home and I care deeply about Peggy’s Cove. Economic Development Minister Susan Corkham Greek says she has faith in the process. And this was just the first step. The province is looking to modernize the legislation governing the area, which could change how the Commission works. The bylaw will also see a new development officer, who is independent of the Commission, appointed to handle permits and variance requests. Anyone who wants to change their zoning permanently must still go through the Commission, but that’s no comfort to those who have lost faith and how the Cove is run. Haley, Ryan. CBC News, Halifax.