Mayor and Council’s Role

Approval of these proposals requires amendments to the municipal plan to modify or remove the height precinct, to allow for mixed use and to permit the increase in residential density. A development agreement would be required to allow the streetwall configuration and to modify the current setback and open space requirements.

Regional Council directed Staff and Committees to consider how the proposal generally aligns with:

• the June 2017 Centre Plan documents relative to Urban Structure, Height and Floor Area Ratio;

• the planning principles of transition, pedestrian-orientation, human scale, building design and context sensitive as noted in Table 2 of the HRM staff report dated July 26, 2017 and,

• to consider how the proposal meets the requirements of Regional Plan Policy CH-16. 

Unfortunately the projects have continued through the check box process although there has been no mention that:

• existing height limits of 35’, 45’ and 50’ were put into place to protect the historic buildings and heritage streetscape on the block;

• the public are overwhelmingly opposed to these developments;

• the 1994 Halifax Common Plan proposes the entire common be planned for or that this is the last intact historic neighbourhood on the Halifax Common;

• Draft Centre Plan documents presented to the public proposed much less density in smaller scale buildings (400 new residents);

• Heritage Trust made requests in 2012 and 2016 that the area be considered as designated conservation district.