Frequently Asked Questions
- seeking public feedback on key topics related to the site’s context and development;
- a detailed review of environmental features, site context, infrastructure as well as culture and heritage assessments; and,
- an analysis of general Future Growth Node policies in the plan and their application on this site.
- Complete Communities: a mix of housing types and land uses, including parkland;
- Human-Scale Design: consideration of the transportation network, the Regional Centre Urban Design Manual, and alignment with the Land Use By-law built form and design requirements;
- Pedestrian First: consideration for safe, convenient and accessible pedestrian and other people-powered movement; and,
- Strategic Growth: growth that can be supported by current or planned services and infrastructure.
What is happening?
On January 11, 2022 Regional Council initiated a process to amend the Regional Centre Secondary Municipal Planning Strategy (RCSMPS), the Regional Centre Land Use By-law (RCLUB), as well as a development agreement process to develop a master neighbourhood plan for the Southdale Future Growth Node (FGN).
The FGN designation under the Regional Centre Plan is intended to support a comprehensive planning process needed to effectively guide the development of mixed-use communities with supporting public infrastructure.
The FGN is composed of four separate lots. Three of the four lots are held by one landowner and are undeveloped, including a large wetland. The fourth lot is under separate ownership and is occupied by an office building, located on Research Drive.
On March 25, 2022, the Southdale Future Growth Node was designated a “Special Planning Area” by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing on the recommendation of the Executive Panel on Housing of the Province of Nova Scotia to address housing challenges in the Capital Region. The Special Planning Area delegates development approval authority to the Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs as outlined in the Housing the Halifax Regional Municipality Act.
Given the area’s Special Area status, draft policies, development agreements and other documents will be shared on this web page for public comment before their submission to the Executive Panel on Housing for review. The panel will provide a recommendation to the Minister who will then make a decision on the development of the area. A formal public hearing process at Regional Council will not be held.
Can you tell me more about the survey?
Residents across the municipality are invited to share their feedback on the draft policies, development agreement and submitted plans posted on this site until Monday, September 19, 2022. The survey can be completed online here.
What is a “future growth node”?
Future Growth Nodes (FGN) under Centre Plan are large areas of land which can accommodate significant development and require a comprehensive planning approach before development can take place. This allows for public feedback, the planning of infrastructure such as streets, paths and parks, and consideration of future land uses and building forms. This approach is intended to create “complete communities” with housing, employment, and recreation opportunities within walking distance. It enables the public to participate in planning a portion of their community.
Where is the “Southdale Future Growth Node”?
The site is shown above. It is in south-eastern Dartmouth, immediately northwest of Highway 111 Exit 8, and north of Mount Hope Avenue. You can also view the site in Google Maps.
Why is this planning process happening now?
The Centre Plan designated these lands as a Future Growth Node and zoned them Comprehensive Development District -1 (CDD-1). On January 11, 2022 Regional Council voted to start the more detailed planning process. View the interactive zoning map. However, the planning process for this area has changed due to the Housing in the Halifax Regional Municipality Act (please see below for more information on the Special Planning Area process)
What will happen as part of the Southdale planning process?
The Regional Centre Plan provides broad policies for the planning of Future Growth Nodes, including a requirement for more detailed planning policies for the site and a development agreement. The planning process will address what is needed for a new complete community through a neighbourhood plan for the entire area.
Policies will be drafted to guide the two-step planning process. Step one includes the creation of planning policies, and step two includes the creation of a development agreement that will ultimately regulates development on the site.
Therefore, this will create a new neighbourhood plan including roads, parks, pathways, housing mix and other amenities, including:
What is a special planning area? How does it change the planning process? Why is Southdale a special planning area?
The Southdale Future Growth Node was designated a “Special Planning Area” by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing on the recommendation of the Executive Panel on Housing of the Province of Nova Scotia to address housing challenges in the Capital Region. The Special Planning Area delegates development approval authority to the Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs as outlined in the Housing the Halifax Regional Municipality Act.
Given the area’s Special Area status, draft policies, development agreements and other documents will be shared on this web page for public comment before their submission to the Executive Panel on Housing for review. The panel will provide a recommendation to the Minister who will then make a decision.
What is being proposed?
Clayton Developments, on behalf of the landowner A.J. Legrow Limited, is proposing to develop 875 residential units in the form of multi-unit dwellings, four-unit dwellings, townhomes, and single-unit dwellings. This includes new roads, buildings, paths, and parks. View the site in Google Maps.
A.J. Legrow Limited is proposing to develop three multi-unit dwellings between four and eight storeys, at the end of Fenwick Drive. View the site in Google Maps.
Portucana Holdings Limited is proposing to develop nine multi-unit dwellings between four and eight storeys each. View the site in Google Maps.
What is a development agreement?
A development agreement is a legal contract between the landowner and the municipality, which outlines how a piece of land can be developed and may include details around land use, building design, the layout of streets and roads and the density of various land uses. This contract is registered on title and, if the land is sold, all future owners will be responsible for the content of the agreement.
What is a traffic study, who prepares them, and how does HRM review them?
Traffic studies are written at the expense of the applicant by professional engineers. These studies are submitted at the start of the planning application process and give Municipal engineers a sense of how a project might impact the surrounding streets both from a safety and capacity perspective.
Once submitted, studies are reviewed by municipal engineers, and changes may be required. The traffic study is ultimately used to decide on any upgrades or changes to the surrounding streets, or newly proposed streets, to minimize traffic impacts of the proposed development.
Will this project contain units for purchase, or rental units?
As a general rule, planning policies in Nova Scotia can regulate the “use of land” rather than who uses or occupies the land. As such, municipal policies don’t speak to who will own the units, but instead focus on densities or the number of units, where they will be located, what the buildings will look like, and how they are accessed. Decisions on whether a residential building will be condos or rentals is the decision of the property owner or developer. However, affordable housing agreements with the federal or provincial governments may include specific requirements for ownership and rental units.
Will this project include affordable housing?
In March 2022, the Province of Nova Scotia announced $22 million to create 370 affordable units within the development. Rents for affordable housing units in the development will range from 60 to 80 percent of average market rents.
The Regional Centre Plan includes “bonus zoning” policies for Future Growth Nodes, which requires developers to pay a public benefit which is calculated based on the appraised value of the lands after a development agreement is approved. Typically, at least 60 per cent of the value must be paid into the municipality’s affordable housing fund. The money in this fund can be given to non-profit groups by the municipality as a grant for new housing projects and the upkeep of existing units.
The municipality also has a new ability to require inclusionary zoning, which could be considered as part of the planning process. Inclusionary zoning is a tool that allows the municipality to require a certain number of housing units be provided at an affordable rent or sale price. Requirements for bonus zoning and/or inclusionary zoning are being considered by the municipality.
If the provincial Minister is the approving authority for the use of the land, what say does the municipality have in this process?
Municipal staff will conduct the review process as they typically would. All municipality policies and regulations need to be met by developments within Special Planning Areas. However, public engagement opportunities are compressed and there is no Council review of Public Hearing.
Can the lands be preserved as forest and left undeveloped? What will happen to the wetland? What about wildlife and sensitive ecological features?
Centre Plan applies the Future Growth Node (FGN) Designation to lands considered to be good places for growth but need to be developed in a comprehensive manner. FGNs are opportunities to add new homes, businesses, parks, pathways, and streets to the community on private lands. The planning process requires a land suitability assessment that identifies any sensitive ecological or cultural features, such as a wetlands and wildlife habitats.
Wetland stewardship is a shared responsibility between the Province of Nova Scotia and the Municipality. Municipal land-use regulations require a minimum buffer of 20 metres from wetlands and watercourses, which can increase with the slope of the land to a maximum of 60 metres.
Any wetland alteration requires review and approval by the Province of Nova Scotia. In certain cases, wetland alteration requires compensation to improve wetlands in other locations.
I noticed that trees are being cut down on the site. Is this allowed?
In July 2022, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing approved a development agreement to enable tree removal and earthworks within the Southdale/ Mount Hope Special Planning Area. This was in advance of a subsequent development agreement being applied to these properties, enabling their full development into a residential community.
For further information, click here.
How will the planning process ensure the proposed development is aligned with the foundational pillars of the Integrated Mobility Plan?
The master planning process is designed to implement the Regional Centre Plan and the Integrated Mobility Plan’s principles of building a complete, connected, sustainable and healthy community.
This can result in connections to existing neighbourhoods, places of employment, transit and recreational opportunities.
It will also be key to designing any new street and path network as per the complete streets checklist, and the newly revised Municipal Design Guidelines (Red Book), which are minimum design standards for municipal streets and infrastructure.
Will the Complete Streets process be used in the design of the Southdale lands?
Yes, the complete streets checklist and principles from the Integrated Mobility Plan will be applied by staff in their review of this project, including at the detailed design stage.
What will be the public engagement opportunities during the process, in particular during the design iterations? How will this project's processes use inclusive and equitable public engagement processes to truly make sure all voices are heard?
Phase 1 of engagement was completed in winter, 2022. View the “What we Heard” report here.
Residents across the municipality are invited to share their feedback on the draft policies, development agreement and submitted plans posted on this site until Monday, September 19, 2022. The survey can be completed online here.
Feedback provided will be reviewed and considered by municipal staff when finalizing the proposed planning documents and will be shared with the Executive Panel on Housing and the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
How will the Southdale planning process, the first “greenfield site” under the Centre Plan, ensure the proposed development follows the Complete Communities, Human-Scale Design, Pedestrian First and Strategic Growth Core Concepts?
Future Growth Node policies provide direction on how to incorporate the core concepts of the Regional Centre Plan.
As outlined in Regional Centre Secondary Plan, some of the ways in which the core concepts can be considered include: