Alternatives for Growth

Public Comments on
~ The Environment ~

Mount Saint Vincent University - May 15, 2004

• Can the environment sustain these land-use changes?
• Environment needs to be accommodated.
• Build with grade of land to prevent storm-water from entering water sources
• No mention of solar power in plan.
• Composting toilets reduce septic pressures.
• Ask only if compatible with natural environment.
  

Cole Harbour Place - May 19, 2004

• Health issues not addressed lately in HRM.
• Large urban centres do not necessarily have a healthier lifestyle.
• Water table is effected when laying down sub-divisions, need filtering between septic fields.
• Parks for future generations.
• What about an environment to raise the children of the future and the quality of life? (Family living, seniors active lifestyle, do not want to be segregated - like to have affordable choices)
• Turn Starr Manufacturing site into a park. It fits with the Trans Canada trail which as you know is located on it. Not Condos!! (*3)
• Star site is a natural park area
• Star site good place for condos, not lakes
• Please protect Prospect High Head from development
• Create major public access points for coastline. Allow limited concentrated development
• Nova Scotia is Canada's Ocean Playground. Absolutely No More coast of North-west Arm should be become inaccessible to public. This includes cliffs and wooded areas as well as sand beaches
• No more lake lot development, can't we all share them? Develop community recreation areas so we can all retreat to these beautiful areas
• Save our environment!
• Keep Halifax as a "tree" city. Don't let NS Power limit tree lined streets
• Prevent developers from destroying all trees in new subdivisions, creates flooding problems

Michael Wallace Elementary School, Dartmouth - May 20, 2004

• When do we go into detail of environmental management? (Phosphorus levels)
• Put steps in place that we remain a competitive environment.
• Minneapolis has a very good philosophy with very little fertilizer used.
• Policy needed for lakes and we need a concentrated effort to restore lakes.
• Well done
• Awesome
• You are doing a good job
• Gnarly

St. Margaret's Centre, Upper Tantallon - May 26, 2004

• Some of us don't want to see the rural landscape change.
• We have shown in the past that we can change things around in a radical way (i.e. garbage collection/dump sites).
• Future emissions cancelled by fuel cells
• Need treatment for faecal like at Toronto Eco-Home where it is all done inside the house to tertiary and drinking water standard for $15,000, which is less than the cost of a septic system which will eventually fail and meantime is not as good!
• Need community/command sewage. Use solar aquatics, not just big septic systems
• Better sewage treatment! Solar aquatics needed. Existing toxic controls extremely poor. Zero toxic discharge is the current best available practice. Do it! Anything less than no net degradation is degradation. Stop degrading our world and habitat! Need aquarium! Stop the needle tower from piercing the heart of our harbour. It is not appropriate. It will cause harm!
• We should be leading the way on environmental protection. How much do we make from tourism? What really makes our lives better? (Eco-tourism)
• Make R2000 HRM building standard . Less energy wise!
• St. Margaret's Bay/Mahone Bay Marine Conservation Area a necessity! (*2) Put it on the map
• Use Los Angeles, California water use standards. Use bio-technology for small scale waste treatment (Waterloo bio-filter)
  

Brookside Junior High School, Hatchett Lake - May 31, 2004

• Is the green space on the Prospect Road due to the maps we filled out a few years ago?
• Why is the Prospect Road not on the open space corridor maps?
• The Prospect Road has a lot of beautiful landscapes, but planning is not demanding enough from developers to keep the amenities on the land (trees, natural vegetation). Therefore, how can we force the developers to keep the landscape looking aesthetically pleasing?
• Are the lakes which used to supply the city with water being protected?
• Proximity to lakes could be a major problem for clustered septic systems
• Save open space in/on/around the Prospect Peninsula
• Wildlife corridors a priority, time running out! Parks closer to urban areas - heal their population
  

Four Harbours Legion, East Ship Harbour - June 2, 2004

• Will the regional plan have a defined policy on clear-cutting?
• Will HRM be changing Planning Acts/MPS's so septic systems can be used in areas where they are not permitted now?
• What about the septic requirements for smaller lot owners who wish to sub-divide? Will the septic requirements be the same for everyone?
• How do we ensure the end of clear-cutting?
  

Lake Echo Community Centre, Lake Echo - June 3, 2004

• What does DOE think about clustered septic systems? are they receptive?
• If the rural centres were serviced, where would the sewage go?
• I do not know of any water quality or quantity problems in the Lake Echo area
• Main problem with groundwater is quantity (with dug wells) which dry up
  

Sackville High School, Lower Sackville - June 7, 2004

• Protect our water courses - flood plain buffer
• More large parks!
• Save the environment
• More high density, more green space!
• Sewer treatment plants to be 2nd treatment.
• Stop sewer overflow!
• Save 2nd Lake!
• Identify and protect our flood plains/wetlands/slopes etc.
• Start treating stormwater
• 100 metre buffers to all water courses!
• Daylight freshwater brook, Albro Lake etc!
• Start watershed management plans
• Start regional water resource plans
• Create E.I.A areas for protection!
• Save the 60 acres at Second Lake/First Lake

Basinview Drive Community School, Bedford - June 9, 2004

• Is anyone monitoring the landfill in Sackville next to Lake Pockwock? Is it safe?
• Your building landfills close to our water supply (Pockwock)
• Identify areas that you want protected and go out from there
• Sandy Lake should be protected with no development. Leave a quarter mile around the lake for recreation and the public
• Need to protect cultural landscape of Prince's Lodge/ Hemlock Ravine Park
• Definitely do not allow any more clear cutting near this area
• We need more treed areas protected!
  

Eastern Shore District High School, Musquodoboit Harbour - June 10, 2004

• We need better infrastructure. There is high coliform, and the soil also is not good.
  

Musquodoboit Valley Bicentennial Theatre, Middle Musquodoboit - June 16, 2004

• Why is the sewage affluent going into the river?
• Could we expand the sewage treatment plant?
• Would environment and wildlife habitat protection be a concern in this area?
  

Halifax City Hall - June 17, 2004

• Are you going to provide areas of low density - enough to protect those chemically sensitive from dryer units expelling perfumed fabric softeners?
• Public open space a must for any planned development
• Protect our green spaces. Add more during development, make sure its not swamp first
• Put a hold on reckless development and preserve as much green space as we can!
  

St. Agnes Church, Halifax - June 21, 2004

• Do you have the ability to require a certain amount of parkland with developments?
• Is it wise to alter landscapes by blasting rock?
• Are there by-laws on blasting?