News Release

Council upholds HRMByDesign Downtown Plan,

no first reading of proposed Skye Halifax amendments

 

(Tuesday, November 20, 2012) – Council voted today to uphold the Downtown Halifax Plan, known as HRMByDesign, and not consider planning amendments to allow the 48-storey Skye Halifax project.

The question for Council was whether to consider amendments to HRMByDesign, implemented in 2009, and additional long-term planning regulations, including rampart view protections from Citadel Hill. Council voted 9 to 6 not to give first reading to the required amendments, effectively ending the consideration of the Skye Halifax proposal.

In 2006, Council approved a development agreement for the same site at 1591 Granville Street for a high rise development of 27 storeys. The developer did not proceed to construction and in 2011 as Council was to consider discharging the development agreement the developer came forward with the Skye Halifax proposal.

Mayor Mike Savage said Council was faced with determining whether it would continue to support a downtown plan that was the result of hard work and lengthy public consultation, a plan that established clear rules for development.

“We have a good plan. As a city we have to be confident in following that plan,” said the Mayor. “This is about providing a reliable, predictable framework for development that will bring greater density and vibrancy to the downtown.”

The downtown plan was the result of a robust public consultation and engagement program which included dozens of public meetings, events, stakeholder consultations, presentations, and committee meetings held over a two-year period. The overall goal was to develop a strong plan with policies and regulations that reflected the community’s aspirations for downtown, and then have staff, the Design Review Committee and Regional Council uphold a plan that provides a clear approval process.

Mayor Savage said the spate of recent development activity throughout the downtown is evidence that HRMByDesign is working better than the former site-by-site approval process.

 

 

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Contact:

Donna McCready
Mayor’s Office

490-2353