Clarification

Halifax Regional Council Action-- 5621 Rainnie Drive

(Thursday, July 7/05)-- Councillor Dawn Sloane said today there seems to be some public confusion regarding a development proposal at 5621 Rainnie Drive, the former site of the Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command of the Royal Canadian Legion.

The proposal before Regional Council last Tuesday was a request to develop a six-storey, multi-unit residential building with penthouse and underground parking at that location. A residential use is not permitted on the property under the existing Park and Institutional zoning. Therefore, Regional Council would have to agree to initiate a planning process to amend the Halifax Municipal Plan and Land Use Bylaw to permit a residential use.

Regional Council refused to authorize this planning process. Copies of the staff report are available at http://www.halifax.ca/council/agendasc/documents/Case00765RainnieDr.pdf

Councillor Sloane said Regional Council has requested a staff report regarding the potential of HRM purchasing this land.

The developer has also received a Development Permit for a 10-storey private school. The proposed school meets all of the land use bylaw regulations that apply to the site. Under the Municipal Government Act, staff must issue this permit if these regulations are met. There is no public process related to the issuance of these permits. A Development Permit application requires a very low level of investment and is, therefore, not a good indication that such a project is financially viable or likely to be built.

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Councillor Dawn Sloane
(902) 488-4812

Jim Donovan
Manager, Planning and Development Services
(902) 490-6782