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Overview
HRM is reviewing the View Planes under the Dartmouth Municipal Planning Strategy and Downtown Dartmouth Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS).
Background
Planning Services staff indicated to Regional Council in 2008 that a review of the Dartmouth viewplane provisions would be undertaken for 2 specific view points from Brightwood Golf Course and the Dartmouth Common. This was due to concerns over inconsistencies in the existing view plane mapping as contained in the MPS documents for Dartmouth and Downtown Dartmouth, and the lack of precision geometry for these views as compared to Halifax view plane mapping.
Terms of Reference
CBCL Limited was hired by HRM in 2010 to undertake this review. The terms of reference provide for an evaluation of the existing viewplanes and to provide recommendations to make any needed changes to ensure the original intended views are protected. In addition, CBCL was tasked to identify other high potential views which might be worthy of protection.
Process and Status
An initial public meeting was held on July 7, 2010. Problems with the existing view protection mapping were identified, and several alternative views were presented for discussion. The slide show for the presentation at that meeting is available here, along with the minutes of the meeting.
A staff report dated January 17, 2011 was presented and discussed at Regional Council on February 8, 2011. Regional Council agreed to undertake a formal review of the viewplanes as recommended in the staff report, as follows:
Initiate the Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS) and Land Use By-law (LUB) amendment process in order to:
(i) revise and expand the designated view planes from the Dartmouth Common,
(ii) to eliminate the viewplane from Brightwood Golf Course; and
(iii) review policies and standards pertaining to building height and form in the Downtown Business and Waterfront designations.
An open house session was held on April 20, 2011. Various views from the Common were presented, and the public was invited to provide comments on each view. The input received will be used to rank the views in order of significance.
Open House Display Panels (10.7 MB)
An online survey was made available, seeking further input from the public on view plane principles. The survey is now closed.
A staff report dated June 23, 2011 with recommendation was presented to Harbour East Community Council on July 7, 2011. HECC directed that detailed modelling of the views be undertaken, as recommended in the report.
Contact Information
For further information, please contact:
Mitch Dickey, Planner
Planning Services, Eastern Region
Telephone: 490-5719
Fax: 490-4346
Email: Mitch Dickey |
Mail: HRM Planning Services,
Eastern Region
PO Box 1749,
Halifax, NS B3J 3A5
Attention: Mitch Dickey, Planner |
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