April 23, 2024 Halifax Regional Council

Date: April 23, 2024

Time: Immediately Following Budget Committee - Reconvene 6:00 p.m. If Required

Location: Council Chamber, 3rd Floor, City Hall, 1841 Argyle Street, Halifax

Minutes: April 23, 2024 Halifax Regional Council Draft Minutes (PDF)

Video: April 23, 2024 Halifax Regional Council Video

Agenda

REVISED Apr 22/24 2:40 p.m.

1. CALL TO ORDER AND LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

SPECIAL PRESENTATION – POET LAUREATE – 1:00 P.M.

2. SPECIAL COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – March 26 & April 9, 2024

4. APPROVAL OF THE ORDER OF BUSINESS AND APPROVAL OF ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS

5. CONSENT AGENDA*
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council approve recommendations in the following items: 13.1.1, 15.3.1, 15.3.2, and 15.4.1

6. BUSINESS ARISING OUT OF THE MINUTES
7. CALL FOR DECLARATION OF CONFLICT OF INTERESTS
8. MOTIONS OF RECONSIDERATION – NONE
9. MOTIONS OF RESCISSION – NONE
10. CONSIDERATION OF DEFERRED BUSINESS – NONE
11. NOTICES OF TABLED MATTERS – NONE

12. HERITAGE HEARING – 1:00 P.M.
12.1 Case H00531: Request to Include 1641 Fairfield Road, Halifax in the Registry of Heritage Properties for the Halifax Regional Municipality
-Report [PDF]
-Presentation [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council approve the request to include 1641 Fairfield Road, Halifax, in the Registry of Heritage Property for the Halifax Regional Municipality, as shown on Map 1 in the staff report dated January 3, 2024, as a municipal heritage area under the Heritage Property Act.

13. CORRESPONDENCE, PETITIONS & DELEGATIONS
13.1 Correspondence
13.1.1 Fly-past Request – COVE Demo Day* [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council grant permission for a fly-by by Canadian Armed Forces aircraft as low as 500 feet, for the planned COVE Demo Day being held at COVE, 27 Parker Street Dartmouth, for transit, practice, and shows on June 5th, 2024.

13.2 Petitions

14. INFORMATION ITEMS BROUGHT FORWARD – NONE

15. REPORTS

15.1 CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
15.1.1 Housing Accelerator Fund - Urgent Changes to Planning Documents for Housing & Suburban Housing Accelerator SMPS & LUB (MINORREV-2023-01065)
i) Staff Recommendation Report dated March 27, 2024 [PDF]
ii) Heritage Advisory Committee Report dated April 17, 2024 [PDF]
- Presentation [PDF]

-Staff Recommendation Report Attachments - all attachments are in PDF format:

ATTACHMENT A
Attachment A1 – A3 Interdepartmental Correspondence and Jurisdictional Scan
Attachment A4 – A5 Changes After Public Participation and Factsheet
Attachment A6 – Regional Centre Development Requests
Attachment A7 – Suburban Development Requests
Attachment A8 – What We Heard Report [Large 49 Mb file]

ATTACHMENT B
Attachment B1-B2 – Regional Plan and Subdivision By-law Amendments

ATTACHMENT C
Attachment C1 – Regional Centre SMPS Amendments [Large 24 Mb file]
Attachment C2 – Regional Centre LUB Amendments [Large 26 Mb file]
Attachment C3 – Suburban Housing Accelerator SMPS
Attachment C4 – Suburban Housing Accelerator LUB [Large 18 Mb file]

ATTACHMENT E
Attachment E0 - Downtown Halifax MPS Amendments
Attachment E1 - Downtown Halifax LUB Amendments
Attachment E2 - Eastern Shore (East) LUB Amendments
Attachment E3 - Eastern Shore (West) LUB Amendments
Attachment E4 - Lawrencetown LUB Amendments
Attachment E5 - NPLMLLCBEP LUB Amendments
Attachment E6 - Prospect LUB Amendments
Attachment E7 - St. Margarets Bay LUB Amendments
Attachment E8 - Shubenacadie Lakes LUB Amendments
Attachment E9 - Lake Echo-Porters Lake LUB Amendments

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council give First Reading to consider:

a. Approval of the proposed amendments to the Regional Municipal Planning Strategy, the Regional Subdivision By-law and applicable secondary municipal planning strategies and land use by-laws, as set out in Attachments B1 to C2, and D1 to E9 of the staff report dated March 27, 2024;

b. Approval of the Suburban Housing Accelerator Secondary Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law as contained in Attachments C3 and C4 of the staff report dated March 27, 2024;

and schedule a public hearing.

15.1.2 Second Reading Proposed By-Law M-401, an Amendment to By-Law M-400, Respecting Marketing Levy [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council adopt By-law M-401, the purpose of which is to amend By-law M-400, the Marketing Levy By-law, as set out in Attachment 3 to the staff report dated February 7, 2024.

15.1.3 Second Reading Proposed By-Law S-452, an Amendment to By-Law S-400, Respecting Charges for Street Improvements (Supplementary Report) [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council adopt By-Law S-452, amending By-Law S-400, the Street Improvement By-Law, as set out in Attachment 1 of the supplementary staff report dated March 5, 2024.

15.1.4 Proposed Amendments to Administrative Order 10, Respecting Partial Tax Exemption for Residential Taxation, to apply to Commercial Properties [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council adopt the amendments to Administrative Order 10, the Partial Tax Exemption Administrative Order, as set out in Attachment 2 of the staff report dated March 14, 2024.

15.1.5 Property Matter – Africville Heritage Trust [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Declare portions A and B of Parcel H-3, as outlined in Attachment 1 of the staff report dated February 26, 2024, surplus to municipal requirements and categorize the subject property as Extraordinary pursuant to Administrative Order 50, Respecting the Disposal of Surplus Real Property; and

2. Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to set a date for a public hearing to consider the less-than market- value sale of the subject property, a water lot and land portion of PID 41320326, to the Africville Heritage Trust Society;

15.1.6 Community Engagement Strategy 2024 [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Approve the revised Community Engagement Strategy and all appendices, as set out in the attachments to the staff report dated March 26, 2024, to provide a corporate framework for employees for the effective delivery of community engagement efforts.

2. Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to carry out the actions contained in the Community Engagement Strategy, outlined in Attachment 1 of the staff report dated March 26, 2024, as part of the multi-year budgeting and business planning process.

15.2 GRANTS COMMITTEE
15.2.1 Proposed Amendments to Administrative Order 2018-010-ADM, Respecting Grants to Community Museums - Community Museums Grants Program: Recommended Awards 2024 [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Adopt the amendment to Administrative Order 2018-010-ADM, Respecting Grants to Community Museums, as set out in Attachment 1 of the staff report dated February 28, 2024; and

2. Approve seven (7) Project Grants ($77,937) and one (1) new Operating Grant ($6,000) as detailed in the Discussion section of the staff report dated February 28, 2024 at a combined increase in cost of $83,937 in fiscal year 2024/25 from Operating Account M310-8004.

15.2.2 Proposed Administrative Order 2024-002-ADM Respecting Anti-Black Racism Grants Program [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council adopt Administrative Order 2024-002-ADM, the Anti-Black Racism Grants Administrative Order, as set out in Attachment 1 of the staff report dated March 1, 2024.

15.2.3 Proposed Administrative Order 2024-001-ADM Respecting Tax Relief to Registered Non-profit and Registered Canadian Charitable Organizations, and amendments to Administrative Order 18, Respecting the Revenue Collections Policy [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Adopt Administrative Order 2024-001-ADM, the Tax Relief Administrative Order, including repealing
the Tax Relief for Non-Profit Organizations Administrative Order, as set out in Attachment 3 of staff report dated March 27, 2024;

2. Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to direct staff to implement the Communications Plan
described in Attachment 2 of the staff report dated February 19, 2024;

3. Request the Nova Scotia Government amend subsections 89 (1) and (4) of the Halifax Regional
Municipality Charter to protect the identification of a residential property serving victims of abuse in
receipt of a municipal tax exemption by excluding such properties from the legislated requirement
that properties in receipt of tax relief be specifically named in policy; and

4. Adopt the amendments to Administrative Order 18, the Revenue Collections Policy Administrative
Order, as set out in Attachment 5 of the staff report dated February 19, 2024.

15.3 HERITAGE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
15.3.1 Case H00567: Request to Include 2552 Gottingen Street, Halifax in the Registry of Heritage Property for the Halifax Regional Municipality* [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council set a date for a heritage hearing to consider the inclusion of 2552 Gottingen Street, Halifax in the Registry of Heritage Property for the Halifax Regional Municipality as shown on Map 1 of the staff report dated January 16, 2024 as a municipal heritage property under the Heritage Property Act.

15.3.2 Case H00568: Request to Include 5561 Cogswell Street, Halifax in the Registry of Heritage Properties for the Halifax Regional Municipality* [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council set a date for a heritage hearing to consider the inclusion of 5561 Cogswell Street, Halifax in the Registry of Heritage Property for the Halifax Regional Municipality as shown on Map 1 of the staff report dated March 14, 2024 as a municipal heritage property under the Heritage Property Act.

15.4 SPECIAL EVENTS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
15.4.1 Marketing Levy Special Events Reserve 2024 Grant Report* [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Approve the total funding in the amount of $988,500 from the Community and Events Reserve, Q621, as shown in Table 2 of the staff report dated March 4, 2024; and

2. Pending final approval of the 2025/26 budget, approve $250,000 from the Community and Events Reserve, Q621 as identified in Table 3 of the staff report dated March 4, 2024.

15.5 MEMBERS OF COUNCIL
15.5.1 Councillor Cleary - Administrative Order 53 Permission for Armview Restaurant and Lounge to use a portion of Rotary Park [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council in accordance with section 7 of Administrative Order 53, respecting Alcohol in Municipally Owned and Operated Facilities and at Municipal Events, grant permission to the Armview Restaurant and Lounge to serve alcohol in a specifically defined section of the municipally owned Rotary Park during park hours and that the serving of alcohol in this park shall be governed by a market value license agreement.

15.5.2 Councillor Austin - Dartmouth Cove Infill Access [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council request the Chief Administrative Officer write the Province to ascertain the Province’s position regarding on infilling water lots in Dartmouth Cove, and specifically whether or not the Province intends to allow access across its property to facilitate infilling.

16. MOTIONS

17. IN CAMERA (IN PRIVATE)
Council may rise and go into a private In Camera session, in accordance with Section 19 of the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter, for the purpose of dealing with the following:

17.1 PROPERTY MATTER - Private and Confidential Report [PDF]
A matter pertaining to providing instruction and direction to officers and employees of the Municipality pertaining to the acquisition / sale of land.
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Adopt the recommendations as outlined in the private and confidential report dated March 6, 2024; and

2. Direct that the private and confidential report dated March 6, 2024 be maintained private and confidential.

17.2 INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS - Private and Confidential Report
A matter pertaining to any subject, the discussion of which could, violate the confidentiality of information obtained from another body of government, or a public body.
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Adopt the recommendations as outlined in the private and confidential report dated April 21, 2024; and

2. Direct that the private and confidential report dated April 21, 2024 be maintained private and confidential.

18. ADDED ITEMS

Additions:

18.1 Ratification from Budget Committee – Proposed 2024/25 Budget
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to:

1. Adopt the Resolution for Approval of Operating Budgets, Capital Plan and Tax Rates for Fiscal 2024/25 as set out in Schedule 1 of the staff report dated April 19, 2024.

2. Approve the Resolution to approve Area Rates and Uniform Charges for fiscal year 2024/25, as well as the Schedules of Area Tax Rates and Budgeted Revenues as set out in Schedule 2 of staff report dated April 19, 2024.

3. Adopt the amendments to Administrative Order 2018-003-ADM, Respecting Private Road Maintenance, as set out in Attachment F to staff report dated April 19, 2024.

4. Adopt the amendments to Administrative Order 2019-005-ADM, Respecting the Establishment and Use of Community Area Rates in the Halifax Regional Municipality, as set out in Attachment H to staff report dated April 19, 2024.

18.2 Councillor Lovelace - Review of the Assessment Act [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Waive section 17 of Administrative Order One, requiring a staff report from the Chief Administrative Officer; and

2. Direct the Mayor to write a letter to the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities and Province of Nova Scotia requesting that they undertake a review of the Assessment Act to modernize it to better reflect the current reality of assessed values, including homes and businesses destroyed and rebuilt following disaster, and cemeteries that are not on developable land.

17. IN CAMERA (IN PRIVATE)
Council may rise and go into a private In Camera session, in accordance with Section 19 of the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter, for the purpose of dealing with the following:

17.3 PERSONNEL MATTER - Private and Confidential Report
A matter pertaining to an identifiable individual or group
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Adopt the recommendations as outlined in the private and confidential report dated April 22, 2024; and

2. Direct that the private and confidential report dated April 22, 2024 be maintained private and confidential.