Urban Reserve Land Requests

Urban Reserve Lands - Recommended Approach | Confirmed by Regional Council on December 12, 2023.

These are requests to initiate comprehensive secondary planning or to amend the existing designation and zoning for lands designated Urban Reserve, which the 2014 Regional Plan envisioned for future serviced development after 2031.

To provide feedback on Site Specific Requests, please email regionalplan@halifax.ca and reference the case number.

Tables based on the December 12, 2023 Regional Plan Review – What We Heard Report (Attachment B).

Phase 4 Requests - Draft Regional Plan

Phase 4 Recommended Approach

Lands on Purcell’s Cove Road | C025

Request from ZZap Consulting, on behalf of Tony Maskine, to redesignate the property to permit an unserviced subdivision.

Redesignate the lands to Rural Commuter and apply zoning that will permit large lot subdivision.
Under the Regional Subdivision Bylaw, Purcell’s Cove Road (Route 253) is a “Schedule K” road; lots in the Rural Commuter designation on Schedule K roads must have a minimum of 61 metres of public road frontage.
The existing lot has approximately 355 metres of frontage; therefore, it is anticipated that the proposed amendments will permit subdivision for a maximum of 5 lots.
A watercourse buffer (proposed to be 30 metres under the Draft Regional Plan) will apply from Williams Lake.

Purcell’s Cove Backlands, Purcell’s Cove | Case 22257

HRM initiated request to review all lands in the Urban Reserve Designation in the Purcell’s Cove area, as a result of HRM’s acquisition of Shaw Wilderness Park.

Acknowledge that an urban form of serviced development is no longer envisioned in this location;
Re-designate and rezone the Shaw Wilderness Park lands to Open Space and Natural Resources Designation and the Regional Park Zone to reflect its current use;
Re-designate and rezone other publicly-owned lands and private conservation lands to the Open Space and Natural Resource Designation and the Protected Area Zone;
Re-designate privately owned Urban Reserve lands to Rural Commuter within a specified and limited distance of Purcell’s Cove Road, apply the Open Space and Natural Resource Designation to the remainder of the properties, and apply a new Purcell’s Cove Backlands Designation and Zone within the Halifax Mainland Secondary Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law to the lands.

Phase 5 Requests - Future Growth

Phase 5 Recommended Approach

Clifton Heights | C070-A

Request from Armco Capital Inc. to extend Urban Service Area Boundary to allow for serviced development on the full extent of these lands, related to an active subdivision application.

Planning for development in this Urban Reserve area will be considered after the completion of study and planning for future serviced communities in the Urban Settlement designation.
This is in keeping with the existing Regional Plan policy which envisioned these lands will be considered for serviced development after 2031.
In Phase 5, staff will undertake a Strategic Growth and Infrastructure Priority Plan. Should this area be confirmed as a location for future growth, staff will recommend to Regional Council whether background study to support future master planning in this area should commence.
Background studies would include ecological and cultural considerations, as well as baseline transportation and water and wastewater infrastructure studies.

To view the Holding Zone requests map, please click here.

Near Kidston Lake | C071

Request from KWR Approvals Inc., on behalf of North American Real Estate, to consider a 4,800 unit serviced development on the subject lands.

Lands Southwest of Herring Cove | C074

Request from Stephen Adams, on behalf of the property owners, to include the subject lands in the Urban Service Area boundary to allow for serviced development on the full extent of these lands.

Herring Cove / Spryfield | C333

Request from Stephen Adams, on behalf of several property owners to rezone properties to R-2.