The Regional Plan Review has identified the need for additional serviced lands to accommodate population growth. With provincial funding support, the municipality is conducting a series of technical studies to inform decisions about potential serviced development in four study areas. Stantec has been awarded the contract to conduct the Future Serviced Communities Studies through a request for proposals process. The four locations being studied are:
- Lands to the west of Sandy Lake in Bedford;
- Highway 102 West Corridor lands in Halifax;
- Lands southeast of Morris Lake in Dartmouth and Cole Harbour; and
- Lands including and immediately surrounding the former Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children (now owned by Akoma Holdings) in Westphal.
Project Status
While several study components are proceeding as anticipated, there have been unexpected delays in the transportation analysis component of the study. These delays are due to technical limitations discovered with the old HRM transportation model, important updates to population growth forecasts, and coordination with the Joint Regional Transportation Agency (JRTA) initiatives. Given the delays to the transportation component of the study, it is now no longer possible to complete the study by spring 2024 as originally intended. The project is now targeted for completion in fall 2024 to ensure Stantec’s analysis produces robust results and uses the modern transportation modelling standards that will also be used by the JRTA and other HRM projects.
Given the study delays and requests for early information, the draft land suitability analyses (LSAs) are being published as they are completed to share the study’s progress and provide an opportunity for review of the technical information. While the LSAs are of high quality, they are early drafts for review, subject to change, and do not yet provide the full picture of the suitability of the lands for development pending the completion of the remaining watershed, servicing, and transportation components of the study. Draft LSAs are available under the “Reports” section to the right of this page.
The Study Areas
The areas being studied as part of this project are the remaining Future Serviced Communities identified for development by the Regional Municipal Planning Strategy (Regional Plan) and the Road to Economic Prosperity for African Nova Scotian Communities. Two of the study areas have been designated by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing as Special Planning Areas to help accelerate an increase in the supply of housing, as outlined in the Housing in the Halifax Regional Municipality Act.
| The Future Serviced Communities identified include: |
|---|
 | Sandy Lake
Description: Approximately 400 hectares of land located west of Sandy Lake and north of Hammonds Plains Road, Bedford. Special Considerations: - Identified as a Special Planning Area by the Province of Nova Scotia.
- Located west of the Sandy Lake Regional Park.
- Located in an area with limited existing regional transportation connections.
|
 | Highway 102 Corridor
Description: Approximately 300 hectares of land located west of Highway 102 between Kearney Lake Road and Lacewood Drive in Halifax. Special Considerations: - Located east of the proposed Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes Regional Park.
- Abuts existing serviced development areas to the north, east and south of the site.
|
 | Morris Lake Expansion (Eastern Passage)
Description: Approximately 500 hectares of land located southeast of Morris Lake in Eastern Passage. Special Considerations: - Identified as a Special Planning Area by the Province of Nova Scotia.
- Located in an area with limited existing regional transportation connections where major transportation initiatives are being considered.
|
 | Westphal
Description: Approximately 450 hectares of land located south of Highway 7 and west of Ross Road in Westphal. Special Considerations: - Allowing development of the lands owned by Akoma Holdings was identified as a priority by the African Nova Scotian Road to Economic Prosperity Action Plan.
- The site of the former Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children, which was recently added to the Registry of Heritage Property for the Halifax Regional Municipality, is located within the study area.
|
The Studies
Regional Plan policy requires a series of background technical studies to be undertaken prior to undertaking master planning for new serviced communities. The feasibility of extending water and wastewater services, upgrading existing municipal infrastructure, as well as the environmental and cultural impacts on the lands and surrounding communities, are key considerations in increasing developable lands and supporting growth in the municipality.
The following provides more details on the scope of the studies:
Land Suitability Analysis
The goal of a Land Suitability Analysis is to delineate, assess, and inventory sensitive ecological features in each of the study areas and determine their relationship to environmental systems at a local and regional scale. Features being evaluated include watercourses, wetlands, forests, species at risk habitat, wildlife corridors, surficial and bedrock geology, steep slopes, and contaminated sites. Areas of cultural significance will also be delineated, assessed, and inventoried. This information will be used to identify lands that are constrained, partially constrained, or not constrained for development. Draft reports are available from this webpage’s report panel.
Watershed Study
A Watershed Study models the estimated impacts of potential development scenarios on water quality and flooding hazards within a watershed. Watershed studies will be completed for all watersheds in the four study areas and will include the identification of remedial measures to improve water quality and reduce flooding hazards, as well as the development of a Watershed Monitoring Program for potential future developments.
Mobility Study
The goal of a Mobility Study is to model the estimated impact of potential development scenarios in each study area on local and regional transportation systems. This information will be used to generate land use and density recommendations for potential future developments and identify any mobility infrastructure upgrades that may be required.
Water and Wastewater Analysis
The Water & Wastewater Analysis will develop a servicing strategy for each study area based on water, wastewater and stormwater servicing requirements for potential development scenarios. This will include identifying infrastructure requirements, cost estimates and approaches for allocating costs.
Next Steps
Once completed, the findings and recommendations of the Future Serviced Communities studies will be presented on this website. Municipal staff are available to answer any questions you may have by phone or email. Contact information is available under “Who’s Listening.”
Once the studies are finalized, Regional Council will review them and determine whether master planning (also referred to as secondary planning) should be initiated. Two of the sites have been identified as a Special Planning Area by the Province – Sandy Lake and Morris Lake Expansion (Eastern Passage). As these are Special Planning Areas, master planning on these sites will proceed at the direction of the provincial minister.
Master planning is a comprehensive neighbourhood planning process that establishes policy direction to allow the appropriate land uses, street layout, density, open space, and other community amenities needed for a new neighbourhood. The master planning process for each area will incorporate the results of the background studies and include a public participation program for members of the public and stakeholders to offer feedback and get involved in planning for the subject areas.
The Regional Plan Review has identified the need for additional serviced lands to accommodate population growth. With provincial funding support, the municipality is conducting a series of technical studies to inform decisions about potential serviced development in four study areas. Stantec has been awarded the contract to conduct the Future Serviced Communities Studies through a request for proposals process. The four locations being studied are:
- Lands to the west of Sandy Lake in Bedford;
- Highway 102 West Corridor lands in Halifax;
- Lands southeast of Morris Lake in Dartmouth and Cole Harbour; and
- Lands including and immediately surrounding the former Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children (now owned by Akoma Holdings) in Westphal.
Project Status
While several study components are proceeding as anticipated, there have been unexpected delays in the transportation analysis component of the study. These delays are due to technical limitations discovered with the old HRM transportation model, important updates to population growth forecasts, and coordination with the Joint Regional Transportation Agency (JRTA) initiatives. Given the delays to the transportation component of the study, it is now no longer possible to complete the study by spring 2024 as originally intended. The project is now targeted for completion in fall 2024 to ensure Stantec’s analysis produces robust results and uses the modern transportation modelling standards that will also be used by the JRTA and other HRM projects.
Given the study delays and requests for early information, the draft land suitability analyses (LSAs) are being published as they are completed to share the study’s progress and provide an opportunity for review of the technical information. While the LSAs are of high quality, they are early drafts for review, subject to change, and do not yet provide the full picture of the suitability of the lands for development pending the completion of the remaining watershed, servicing, and transportation components of the study. Draft LSAs are available under the “Reports” section to the right of this page.
The Study Areas
The areas being studied as part of this project are the remaining Future Serviced Communities identified for development by the Regional Municipal Planning Strategy (Regional Plan) and the Road to Economic Prosperity for African Nova Scotian Communities. Two of the study areas have been designated by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing as Special Planning Areas to help accelerate an increase in the supply of housing, as outlined in the Housing in the Halifax Regional Municipality Act.
| The Future Serviced Communities identified include: |
|---|
| Sandy Lake
Description: Approximately 400 hectares of land located west of Sandy Lake and north of Hammonds Plains Road, Bedford. Special Considerations: - Identified as a Special Planning Area by the Province of Nova Scotia.
- Located west of the Sandy Lake Regional Park.
- Located in an area with limited existing regional transportation connections.
|
| Highway 102 Corridor
Description: Approximately 300 hectares of land located west of Highway 102 between Kearney Lake Road and Lacewood Drive in Halifax. Special Considerations: - Located east of the proposed Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes Regional Park.
- Abuts existing serviced development areas to the north, east and south of the site.
|
| Morris Lake Expansion (Eastern Passage)
Description: Approximately 500 hectares of land located southeast of Morris Lake in Eastern Passage. Special Considerations: - Identified as a Special Planning Area by the Province of Nova Scotia.
- Located in an area with limited existing regional transportation connections where major transportation initiatives are being considered.
|
| Westphal
Description: Approximately 450 hectares of land located south of Highway 7 and west of Ross Road in Westphal. Special Considerations: - Allowing development of the lands owned by Akoma Holdings was identified as a priority by the African Nova Scotian Road to Economic Prosperity Action Plan.
- The site of the former Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children, which was recently added to the Registry of Heritage Property for the Halifax Regional Municipality, is located within the study area.
|
The Studies
Regional Plan policy requires a series of background technical studies to be undertaken prior to undertaking master planning for new serviced communities. The feasibility of extending water and wastewater services, upgrading existing municipal infrastructure, as well as the environmental and cultural impacts on the lands and surrounding communities, are key considerations in increasing developable lands and supporting growth in the municipality.
The following provides more details on the scope of the studies:
Land Suitability Analysis
The goal of a Land Suitability Analysis is to delineate, assess, and inventory sensitive ecological features in each of the study areas and determine their relationship to environmental systems at a local and regional scale. Features being evaluated include watercourses, wetlands, forests, species at risk habitat, wildlife corridors, surficial and bedrock geology, steep slopes, and contaminated sites. Areas of cultural significance will also be delineated, assessed, and inventoried. This information will be used to identify lands that are constrained, partially constrained, or not constrained for development. Draft reports are available from this webpage’s report panel.
Watershed Study
A Watershed Study models the estimated impacts of potential development scenarios on water quality and flooding hazards within a watershed. Watershed studies will be completed for all watersheds in the four study areas and will include the identification of remedial measures to improve water quality and reduce flooding hazards, as well as the development of a Watershed Monitoring Program for potential future developments.
Mobility Study
The goal of a Mobility Study is to model the estimated impact of potential development scenarios in each study area on local and regional transportation systems. This information will be used to generate land use and density recommendations for potential future developments and identify any mobility infrastructure upgrades that may be required.
Water and Wastewater Analysis
The Water & Wastewater Analysis will develop a servicing strategy for each study area based on water, wastewater and stormwater servicing requirements for potential development scenarios. This will include identifying infrastructure requirements, cost estimates and approaches for allocating costs.
Next Steps
Once completed, the findings and recommendations of the Future Serviced Communities studies will be presented on this website. Municipal staff are available to answer any questions you may have by phone or email. Contact information is available under “Who’s Listening.”
Once the studies are finalized, Regional Council will review them and determine whether master planning (also referred to as secondary planning) should be initiated. Two of the sites have been identified as a Special Planning Area by the Province – Sandy Lake and Morris Lake Expansion (Eastern Passage). As these are Special Planning Areas, master planning on these sites will proceed at the direction of the provincial minister.
Master planning is a comprehensive neighbourhood planning process that establishes policy direction to allow the appropriate land uses, street layout, density, open space, and other community amenities needed for a new neighbourhood. The master planning process for each area will incorporate the results of the background studies and include a public participation program for members of the public and stakeholders to offer feedback and get involved in planning for the subject areas.
