Building guidelines
Annapolis Royal is a unique Town. It has outstanding history, built heritage, culture and a beautiful natural setting. Most of the Town is included in a National Historic District, which includes about 135 registered heritage buildings. Of these heritage buildings, several are designated as National Historic Sites, while several others have provincial designation, and the remainder are municipally designated. These assets need to be conserved and restored in an appropriate manner, and to be emphasized and included in our marketing and support of the Town. To meet these objectives we need to encourage homeowners to protect these scarce heritage assets.
Definition of a Heritage Building: A building which was constructed prior to 1940.
Definition of a Registered Heritage Building: A Registered heritage building is a structure which has been registered as such at the Registry of Deeds in Lawrencetown.
role of the planning and Heritage advisory committee
All proposed changes to registered heritage buildings must be submitted to the Planning and Heritage Advisory Committee in advance of any work being done. Appropriate application forms are available at the Town Office. If no material change, such as re-shingling with the same kind and colour of roofing, etc., is anticipated, submission to the Planning and Heritage Advisory Committee is not essential. However, the submission of changes to the Committee allows the approval of the HST Rebate application to proceed more smoothly
Guidelines for registered heritage buildings
| Type of Work | Preferred Approach |
|---|---|
| Exterior Building Materials | Generally traditional materials such as wood, brick, stone, etc |
| Doors & Storm Doors | Wood |
| Garage Doors | Wood |
| Roofing | Wood shingles, shakes, slate, etc. Ashpalt shinges are an acceptable alternative |
| Windows & Storms | Wood. Aluminum storms with baked enamel coating are an acceptable alternative |
| Colours | Traditional |
| Fences | Wood, wrought iron, etc. |
| Signage | Wood, wrought iron, etc. |
While these are the preferred approaches, the Planning and Heritage Advisory Committee may be willing to consider other options in certain cases and invites open dialogue from owners who have different needs for their properties.
Guidelines for All other buildings, including new and existing construction
Traditional designs using traditional materials should be continued, so that the essential character of the Town will be maintained. Sinclair Mews and the Kaulbach Family Funeral Home are examples of good architecture that fits within the historic buildings of Annapolis Royal. The Liquor Store and the Post Office are examples of architecture more suited to less historic Towns.
provincial government assistance for registered heritage properties
Provincial government assistance for registered heritage properties may be available through the Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage.
Planning services
land use by-law
The Land Use By-law (LUB) outlines how land and properties can be used and developed within the Town of Annapolis Royal. It sets regulations for zoning, permitted and prohibited uses, building requirements, setbacks, lot sizes, and development standards to help ensure safe, orderly, and sustainable growth throughout the community.
If you have questions about zoning, development requirements, or how the bylaw applies to your property, please contact Ken Knox, Municipal Development Officer for guidance: Office: (902) 532-2043 Ext. 106 or kknox@annapolisroyal.com
Land Use By-law – Dec 2020
Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS)
The Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS) is sometimes referred to as the Town Plan or General Plan. The MPS document includes many maps, such as those shown here. Additionally, the MPS provides text describing policies and planning explanations about future growth, development, heritage and environmental preservation for Annapolis Royal.
Within the MPS, planning is based with a strong reliance on understanding Annapolis Royal’s past and present. Discussions and evaluation often occur in the text of the MPS that refer to the present or existing land uses and development patterns.
Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS) – 2019
MAPS
Annapolis Royal has developed and maintained a number of planning maps over the years. To demonstrate their designed and potential uses we have clipped a portion of each map to show you.
The full ‘official’ version of these maps, and their supporting documentation, is available in hard copy at Town Hall. The web-optimized ‘unofficial’ version is available on this site in Adobe Acrobat format for public usage.
DISCLAIMER – The information contained in these maps is for demonstration purposes only and may be inaccurate. The Town of Annapolis Royal accepts no liability for any loss or damage of any kind for whatever reason arising out of any inaccuracies in the information.