HERITAGE PROPERTY PROGRAM

Community Development, Planning Services

INTRODUCTION

This (PDF) has been taken from an information binder prepared to enable Council, Municipal Staff and the Heritage Advisory Committee to become familiar with the heritage services offered by the Halifax Regional Municipality.  It has been prepared by Municipal Staff with the advice and help of the Heritage Advisory Committee.  It is intended to provide information in a question and answer format.  Please contact the office for more detailed information.

Heritage Property Program

The ability to protect heritage resources through provincial legislation came about in 1980 through the enactment of the Heritage Property Act. The Act enables municipalities to establish a registry of heritage properties and to appoint a Heritage Advisory Committee. In 1982, Heritage By-Laws were approved by all four former municipalities. In 1996 these four separate Heritage By-Laws were consolidated into the one By-Law for the entire Halifax Regional Municipality. The following is a review of policy found within the Municipal Planning Strategies which has been approved by Council to encourage and promote heritage preservation in each former municipal unit.

FORMER CITY OF HALIFAX

In 1978, Halifax City Council established a program for the Evaluation and Protection of Heritage Resources as part of the City's Municipal Planning Strategy.

The City's principal heritage objective is "the preservation and enhancement of areas, sites, structures, streetscapes, and conditions in Halifax which reflect the City's past, historically and/or architecturally." The Halifax Municipal Planning Strategy allows the consideration of any development or a change in use which is not permitted by the applied land use designation and zone. This approach is a means of preserving registered heritage buildings.

In more detail, Policy 6.8 of the Halifax Municipal Planning Strategy states:

In any building, part of a building, or on any lot on which a registered heritage building is situated, the owner may apply to the City for a development agreement for any development or change in use not otherwise permitted by the land use designation and zone subject to the following considerations:

• that any registered heritage building covered by the agreement shall not be altered in any way to diminish its heritage value;
• that any development must maintain the integrity of any registered heritage property, streetscape or conservation area of which it is part;
• that any adjacent uses, particularly residential use are not unduly disrupted as a result of traffic generation, noise, hours of operation, parking requirements and such other land use impacts as may be required as part of a development;
• that any development substantially complies with the policies of this plan and in particular the objectives and policies as they relate to heritage resources.

FORMER CITY OF DARTMOUTH

In 2000, the Halifax Regional Municipality approved a Municipal Planning Strategy for Downtown Dartmouth. The principle heritage objective "to foster the recognition, protection and enhancement of historically significant properties and to preserve and enhance, buildings, streetscapes, areas and views that are of historical or cultural significance." The registration of individual properties under the provincial Heritage Property Act remains an important tool in encouraging the retention and rehabilitation of such properties.

In more detail, Policy H-10 of the Downtown Dartmouth Municipal Planning Strategy states:

Council should encourage the reuse, restoration and retention of registered heritage properties within the downtown. One means through which this will be encouraged is by allowing for an increase in development rights for registered heritage properties, where it can be demonstrated that the current use is an impediment to its reuse. Internal conversions of registered heritage properties to accommodate uses not otherwise permitted may be considered through the development agreement process. In considering any requests, the following criteria shall be addressed:

a) the present use is an impediment to the building's retention;

b) suitability of the building for conversion, in terms of building size, the size of proposed individual residential units, and/or the nature of the proposed use(s);

c) measures to ensure the continued protection of the building as a registered heritage property, and that renovations and additions to the building are consistent with the intent of Halifax Regional Municipality's "Heritage Building Conservation Standards" as updated from time to time;

d) that no additions of greater than ten percent (10%) of the footprint area of the building are proposed; and that all additions including wheelchair ramps, fire escapes and emergency exits are designed to be as compatible as possible with the exterior of the building;

e) potential impacts on abutting properties and the streetscape as a whole as a result of traffic generation, noise, hours of operation, parking requirements and such other land use impacts as may be generated as part of a development;

f) the placement and design of parking areas, lighting and signs, and landscaping;

g) the assessment and protection of any on-site archeological resources which may be impacted by alterations/additions to the building, driveways or parking areas.

FORMER HALIFAX COUNTY MUNICIPALITY

The former Halifax County Municipality consist of 15 Municipal Planning Strategies and Land Use By-laws, all of which recognize the growing general interest in heritage resources. Many of the policies within the County Municipal Planning Strategies address and encourage the general need to recognize and preserve registered heritage buildings but do no include incentive policies similar to Policies 6.8 and H-10.

FORMER TOWN OF BEDFORD

In 1981, the Town adopted a Heritage Property By-Law and in 1982, established a Heritage Advisory Committee. The Town's principal heritage objective is " to encourage the conservation, protection, rehabilitation, and ongoing use of buildings, streetscapes, and areas of historic, architectural or cultural value as important components of the Town's cultural development." Policies HC-1 to HC-4 address the concern of heritage preservation by providing for the establishment of a heritage program to identify and designate heritage properties under the Town's Heritage Property By-Law. Provincial recognition and designation of properties, such as historic Fort Sackville and the site of the Native petroglyphs on the Barrens, also forms part of this heritage program.