Alternatives for Growth

Public Comments on
~ Miscellaneous Topics~

Mount Saint Vincent University - May 15, 2004

• How do you manage growth from Lunenburg and Hants counties?
• How do we control/get rid of by-right development?
• How does Burnside fit into the Regional Plan when it's not included as a Regional Centre?
• Why don't we have examples from locations where visions have worked?
• Is anyone aware to have a public coalition process such as CPAC?
• No mention of Government of Nova Scotia.
• Planning too short.
• Support option A.
• Burnside not being mentioned in the entire guidebook is wrong.
• Unfortunate for no historical perspective on Halifax in this plan.
• Planners have done what developers have wanted.
• 1% growth per year, therefore the city won't be much different from it is today.
• People want to know how to make the city better.
• What about the democratic process!
• Movement for Citizens Voice in Action worked in the 1970's.
• This is not an alternative growth plan, it's an alternative for-growth plan.
• 50,000 is a more reasonable estimate than 100,000.
• I'm frustrated because we have no insight into the resources being put into the process.
• Option A is the status Quo.
• Consensus building by different groups but we now have a "top down" process.
• Need local communities designing their own future.
• No real vision for this process.
• Need to get local community visions, but not in any of these proposed plans.
• Needs a total analysis of all costs.
• No more by-right development needed.
• Guidebooks should be a discussion document only (guidebook), should be shelved.
• GPI analysis of costs needed.
• Some changes need to be reconsidered in communities.
• Have to incorporate development design.
• Alternatives A,B,C cannot be applied across the board in HRM.
• Community-based initiatives needed.
• Need to promote physical activity for people with disabilities and all others.
• Remove obstacles to allow disabled to return to work.
• 3rd level of consultation needed in this planning process.
• Seen a lot of changes in the past, and I don't like them.
• Obesity is a problem.

Cole Harbour Place - May 19, 2004

• Have we looked to the United States to research similar areas?
• Have we investigated similar size European cities?
• What happened to data (workbook results) on the website?
• Were demographics (aging population) considered in this Regional Plan?
• Were declining birth rates considered in the Regional Plan?
• When agreement is reached in principle, what happens to by-laws in rural communities and how much consultation will the communities have on these changes? And what is the definition of consultation?
• Will the existing plans stay in place for now?
• Will Municipal Planning Strategy's and by-laws in Lawrencetown just evaporate?
• Are the rural communities in support of alternatives B & C?
• What is the long range plan for employment?
• Will this process be similar to the last moratorium?
• Do you have control over aesthetics of buildings? (e.g. Burnside)
• Health issues not addressed lately in HRM.
• Europe is different than HRM and provides a different/more relaxing lifestyle, and examples should be studied in these areas.
• Alternatives B & C would be my choice.
• Need to refer to healthy examples of this in Quebec.
• Demographics very important.
• Lawrencetown is lucky to have an MPS and existing by-laws.
• I'm in the dark in this whole process.
• Don't understand the whole planning system.
• A lot of people panicking over freeze on development.
• The displays look nice, but it takes a fair adjustment.
• Applaud HRM on moratorium.
• Regional Planning well timed to get to the root of the problem.
• Welcome to Cole Harbour sign not very attractive.
• Municipality should stick overhead wires/lines in backyards.
• Road signage very poor in Musquodoboit, and areas throughout HRM, especially for tourists.
• If the overall plan is in place (transport, water, sewer) development will be naturally limited. If people know what they are getting into, they can make decisions
• Some geographical location data would be helpful (*2)
• Alternative C would be a nice compromise
• Evaluation criteria need to include human use and enjoyment factors
• 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

• Is it currently in store that we will revise population growth of 100,000?
• Do planners have to facilitate?
• Is the population growth of 100,000 inevitable or desired?
• So you're assuming 100,000 population growth will happen?
• Do the planners have a preference among the three alternatives that you would recommend?
• Will each centre want its own library?
• How does this compare to projects planners plan?
• Compliments to staff for amount of work done, but its mind boggling. Find ways to simplify process (boil it down for people).
• We will wait a long time for each centre to get its own library.
• Alternative A is best if population growth is very low.
• If growth is high, Alternative C is affordable.
• We have participated since day one.
• Congrats to Councillor Warshick for having this meeting.
• Minneapolis has a very good philosophy with very little fertilizer used.
• Open houses should be held in rural areas.
• Time is passing fast.
• Need to take more of an active role in designing our future.
• One person assumed that alternatives A, B & C were based on different population growth scenarios for the region overall.
• Good job
• Great idea
• Gnarly
• Rad, man
• Pattern G is the best
• Pattern F is good
• Pattern G is the best
• Pattern G is the best
• D is great
• Pattern D is the best
• Pattern F no good, too monotonous
• Pattern C has no recreation, no good
• Pattern E has good opportunities for a stadium but don't like townhouses, no privacy
• Pattern G is too crowded
• Nice alternatives

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

• Do you have people from various regions in HRM to help with the development of the plan so they can have input on their own community needs?Are you actually taping our comments and questions?
• After this consultation, how can citizens stay involved in the planning process?
• Will there be a series of consultation sessions after this stage of the plan is completed?
• How can community groups stay involved in the process after this stage?
• Can we attend or present information at the Regional Planning Committee meetings?
• What is the status of the industry stakeholders group?
• How much input has come from the provincial government?
• Does HRM have the ability to tell the province what to do?
• Is the Provincial Government not exempt from zoning and other rules? And therefore what's the good of doing this if government is already set in their ways?
• If the province does what it wants, how can we impose the plan?
• Is there still a moratorium in place and when will it end?
• How do you foresee our community with alternatives A, B, and C?
• In the next 5 years, how will the land holdings change? And are our rights frozen?
• Does the rural area have to change if we don't want it to?
• If rural communities will stay the same in Alternative A, does this mean at the same growth rate as today or no growth?
• How would Alternatives A, B and C be implemented?
• What are your projections, or what do you envision for the future from these alternatives?
• Which alternative is status quo in Tantallon today?
• What will happen to Hubbards with half located in Lunenburg County and the other half in HRM?
• Can we recommend the Hubbards boundary be changed?
• When you sit down with a community after this consultation process, is everything pre-planned (i.e sewer, roads)?
• Does one size fit all in HRM (from Hubbards to Ecum Secum)?
• Wasn't clear in the presentation if stakeholder groups were present in this process.
• You're making decisions as to how I can develop my land. You make it sound as if all land is state owned and not individually owned. Don't believe in the regional plan because it's not acceptable on a local scale. This isn't Poland or Russia.
• The industry stakeholders group has not been consulted.
• I'd like to see a far better level of cooperation between municipalities and government.
• Might help the general public if you can foresee what this community may look like in the future. I don't know where we qualify.
• All alternatives will create incentive for nodes.
• This is an information gathering session, not a discussion session. There is a lot of uncertainty and not a lot of discussion.
• You're not restricting development, you're encouraging growth.
• People want to know that this is not urban planning.
• We don't want St. Margaret's to have the same planning process as downtown Halifax.
• Population growth of 50,000 in 25 years is wrong with 1,500 building permits consistent over the past 5 years.
• This exercise assumes you're starting from scratch.
• Nice that you actually read our workbooks.
• We have shown in the past that we can change things around in a radical way (i.e. garbage collection/dump sites).
• Growth is always mentioned in the foundation strategy, we should use words such as healthy or stable development, the word 'growth' needs to be revisited.
• This conceptual design won't happen because Sobeys owns the land and your plan and theirs don't go together. Are you on the same page as land owners?
• Stop by-right development
• Make development fees that truly pay for municipal costs fully. $70,000 fee is appropriate or more!
• Lets be truly visionary and have leadership to take us there
• No more encroachment on the Dartmouth Commons
• Owning property is a privilege. We need controls, regulations, to protect it for future, since were not doing a very good job so far
• Still looking for input in year 3? "A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow"
• Principle 1 should be most effective and enriched for each citizen
• Good goals but don't compromise them!
• No more development in SMB until our existing problems are fixed!
• Does Armoyan share these principles?
• Need more identified opportunities for greater public participation throughout process, including after this current consultation is done. Say how we can participate later completely.
• Energy costs will rise 10 fold in next decade or so. Commuting will no longer be affordable. Large country dream homes will be too costly to heat. Banks will refuse to renew mortgages. "Commuter sheds" will collapse. People building distant homes for commuters are causing great harm in the future to buyers. This should not be allowed!

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

• How will you know what our whole community would like to have when only a few people show up or write on a piece of paper?
• Why should we have to pay taxes on land we can't develop?
• What groups have you consulted with in the Prospect Road area?
• How will you quantitatively valuate opinions of citizens from their responses?
• How will the citizens of HRM know they will have a say or impact in the process?
• Is the green space on the Prospect Road due to the maps we filled out a few years ago?
• What about consulting the public again before presenting the alternative of choice to Council?
• Are you going to consider consulting the public again after deciding on an alternative?
• Will it be acknowledged that we have different interests than the urban areas?
• What will happen to us, and will we have our own plan or the same plan as Halifax? And can we have the option to be left the same as now?
• Is Brookside a node in Alternative C?
• Will Alternative C be the only alternative that will provide services to this community?
• Have you looked at other municipalities or countries as to how we compare to these areas?
• What is the expected population growth of this area and HRM?
• Of alternatives A. B, and C, which is the most expensive?
• How does regional council make this final decision on the 3 alternatives? Is it a popular vote?
• How do we get evaluated or how are we guaranteed we will get anything by filling out the surveys?
• How can the people get the trust from HRM/staff to invest in us?
• What do we have to do to get our voices heard in this area?
• Is Tim Horton's approved for the Prospect Road?
• Is someone taking minutes at this meeting?
• Who would pay for or build new community centres?
• Some of these details look nice on paper, but how do you get it here?
• We should have a say in how we want to see our community grow
• My concern is that I can't develop my 47 acres of land which I owned for 17 years
• Don't believe in this process because communities don't have their say and don't have a chance to have input
• 10 minutes of questions is not enough for a group like this. We can't discuss our opinions in this type of format
• We have busy schedules too and we need clarification that we only have 10 minutes for discussion. We need better advertisement on this. Its not worth our while coming out
• Everything in this plan is focussed on the urban area and our interests are very different
• Our population growth in the next 25 years is not a large number (50,000), this has to be considered
• We are the only district in HRM that doesn't have sewer, water or transit, and yet we are the oldest community
• Taxes have increased 300%
• We're being left out again
• We need you to go back to HRM or wherever and help us!
• When HRM amalgamated, our taxes went up, but our services didn't increase
• People have not been treated fairly in this area
• Need to get input from each community
• Principle 7 - reduce the number of bureaucrats, politicians etc, and their wages, no more self imposed wage hikes
• Interim Growth: Well done!

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

• How realistic is this plan and how much is pie in the sky?
• At staff level, does anything oblige you to keep at the rural level of planning?
• Is it reasonable to assume that HRM will have a consensus on what is acceptable?
• Do you have the ability to control legislation when you have private property owners with different interests?
• Commend you for coming out to a rural area
• There is a fair bit of HRM east of here where you could make a presentation
• Most of the time we don't get good turnouts in rural areas, and perhaps it's just that people aren't interested
• Alternative A seems to be the most appropriate for us
• We don't want street lights and we want to keep the tax base low
• I wouldn't be happy with Alternatives B or C, but I can live with Alternative A
• Alternative "A" is A-ok
• B & C no no
• A only
• A-ok

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

• Are we using carrots rather than sticks?
• Incentives for developers rather than restrictions?
• How can we adjust the rules so that it is fair for the majority?
• Should not be blanketing all HRM with the same rules
• This area has not had the same growth as St. Margaret's Bay
• Should not over-regulate
• Move to lake Echo because its quiet, and within easy distance to Dartmouth
• Interim Growth Management may put some people out of work
• Don't make it too restrictive to develop

Sackville High School, Lower Sackville - June 7, 2004

• Living in Enfield, how much have you been working with Hants and Lunenburg Counties?
• If these alternatives are only conceptual, why are you asking us to make a decision on an alternative?
• Why is the Regional Planning Committee allowed to make decisions for the public when they are all 'city slickers'?
• I didn't get a chance to speak at the May 15th open house and some people got to speak more than once
• You should be getting involved with community groups that have different points of views, so together you can come up with better ideas
• This is a top down process
• We need to learn from other cities mistakes
• More involvement needed from community groups
• The title 'Open house' tells us that the decision has already been made and we are little kids. We need to get away from this
• The process should allow the Regional Planning Committee to invite people with vested interest to their meetings, which will allow for the best ideas to come out
• There are certain holes that the Regional Planning Committee are missing
• You lose our input when you give the presentation by displaying 3 alternatives which don't allow us the option of giving our opinion. This is very discouraging
• Nova Scotia is looked down upon from bigger cities and our ideas never get heard
• Our history is not known, we are the forgotten province
• You should give us a blank sheet instead of 3 alternatives
• If your pictures say one thing and your text says another, people will always believe the pictures
• When HRM amalgamated in 1996, it went out into the public with a clean slate. That is why this process works so well when you have something to work with. This is a much better process by giving the general public some guidance.
• You eliminated 90% of the people that could be chosen for the Regional Planning Committee by excluding the general public
• Your Committee is loaded with no balance
• You ask for public participation and you put people in city hall like cattle. At Mount Saint Vincent some people didn't get to speak, and others got to speak more than once. The process needs to be changed
• I would like to commend you for this open house. This is the third one I have attended and I really feel noticed at this one
• I don't think you have articulated the advantages of living in HRM
• Regional Plan long overdue
• Where's the money?
• Lets get on with it!
• More community and stakeholder involvement
• Is this Russia?
• Good idea
• Involve all sides in a round table debate
• This will cost millions!
• Community councils a keepeth
• More Sackville Governance

Basinview Drive Community School, Bedford - June 9, 2004

• Which of the 3 alternatives most represents Halifax today?
• How do you get access to the community plans after the regional plan is completed?
• We spent 5 years revising our community plan, can you tell me how these changes will occur and how the regional plan will be implemented into the community plans?
• What is the current plan for Bedford?
• Why can't we work better with provincial legislation?
• Is there anything I can do to get involved with the process?
• What is our population right now?
• What are the demographic trends when you compare HRM to the province?
• Can you just implement your plan or do you have certain issues with the province?
• If HRM is the hub of the province (i.e. health, education), shouldn't it be important for HRM to communicate closely and cooperate with the province?
• Did the Bedford Development Cooperation (a creature of the province) request from the Port Authority, permission for infilling to occur?
• Has there been any consideration as to the costs of each alternative?
• What was some of the feedback in the rural areas?
• Who is doing the planning for the regional plan? Consultants? Planners?
• The Bedford Plan is not out of date
• Infilling is not an option
• At the end of the day, there is one taxpayer
• Am told it will take 6-8 years for my interests to happen
• Thanks for giving us the opportunity to be part of the plan, thank you
• You're asking us to make a choice, but there will be more than 3 outcomes
• If Alternative A is chosen, then the rural areas get nothing
• There should be a second go around after an alternative is chosen
• I would chose Alternative A because I get the benefits
• My concern is that there have been a lot of mistakes made in the last 5 -10 years
• Don't listen to developers
• Other cities have done things wrong and others have done things right, put them to your advantage
• I'd like to see people's lives enhanced
• No plans have been shown to us and we need answers as to what is happening now
• I question that we don't need to bring in some big thinkers
• Harbour is spelt 'habour'
• Will there be public input into writing of policies? And plan amendments?
• Which alternative most effectively deals with these projections?
• Perhaps not everyone can move to HRM. Let's restrict - follow Bermuda's example
• How can people live in the city? It is too expensive! People move outside because it is cheaper
• Pattern C is the ideal lot size
• Pattern C gives more to all
• Ditto - Pattern C

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

• How is HRM going to buy the land to do this?
• We already spent a lot of time deciding on the Plan. It will take more than this meeting to decide. Do you want us to form a committee to decide?
• We do not want to be managed ie. Where you said where we will or not grow?
• Who will decide the center types?
• What areas and groups can they voice their concerns to and deal with and or work together with to have a vision for the area?
• For Bob Nauss'(HRM) Feasability Study - ideas were given. Are we in contact with them?
• You have to stop painting everybody with the same brush, (ex. The IGM strategy)
• We are meetinged to death.
• The province owns the roads here. It is frustrating (i.e. Dealing with the signs, crosswalk). For example, crosswalk is provincial, the lights are municipal. There needs to be better communication between the levels of governments.
• Bring infrastructure here.
• What's the difference between 'rural' and 'rural commuter shed'?

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

• Would you establish infrastructure in a particular area based on the alternative chosen? or possibly by the population?
• Alternatives are service driven, so wouldn't council look towards Alternative A?
• How are the hubs selected? and does it depend on what is already in the area?
• Would the regional plan mention changing by-laws to farming activities? (i.e. animal heads per acre)
• What are you looking from us tonight?

Halifax City Hall - June 17, 2004

• Real Scottish former restorations Five Fishermen Restaurant
• Community council should not have the power to make major decisions on billion dollar mega building projects affecting the entire HRM, the environment and future generations. It is totally undemocratic. There should be relevant information sent to all HRM taxpayers and then a referendum. The current system of decision making by three councillors is unjust, not democratic and dangerous to public good. (M. Givner, Ph.D)
• So what's the point of the MPS?
• Why don't we get rid of the mayor and city council too!
• Let developers rebuild the city! Ha.
• Councillors making decisions on behalf of their electorate is the definition of democracy
• Councillors are doing a good job when they turn down developments that contravene plan. Otherwise these sessions are a waste of time

St. Agnes Church, Halifax - June 21, 2004

• How will you make the chosen alternative work unless a developer buys up a lot of land and builds clustered development in your growth centres?
• Will design elements be left be chance?
• Is there an additional consultation stage after this consultation is complete and preferred alternative is chosen?
• Will this consultation stage now give you enough 'traction' to see what people actually want?
• Is there opportunity to have a debate on the foundation strategy?
• Are these alternatives based on other success stories from other cities and around the world?
• Is there a detailed 'umbrella' going on right now?
• What are the implications/advantages/costs of each alternative?
• Are the alternatives 'doable' within the budget?
• I think it is great that we are having a long term plan into the future and environmental protection is in the foundation, but why isn't this foundation in place right now?
• Some people are quite happy with their existing land-use by-laws, how will new policies be implemented into community plans?
• How are we going to be able to control the 'phase-in' process if we are going to increase density on the peninsula?
• How often will the regional plan be reviewed?
• How do you get input at the lower level (neighbourhoods)?
• Do people understand the implications of implying the regional plan to community plans and the changes that may occur in hubs or centres?
• Are there any ideas as to what incentives will be put in place instead of restrictions?
• Of the 3 alternatives, which will have the least impact on this area overall?
• I like that we are involved in the process, but how will this plan be implemented?
• Are we expecting to maintain our community planning units?
• Have we given any thoughts as to how the plan/alternative will be implemented into each community unit?
• Do you think we could develop an art form (i.e. wooden) in Nova Scotia to preserve our history and culture?
• Will this plan be made of 'Thou shall not' rules?
• Where are all the people going to come from? (100,000 in 25 years)
• Can community planning boundaries be changed?
• Would core/regional centre improvements be at a higher cost than other areas in HRM?
• What is the difference between alternative C and what we have right now?
• What kind of regulation changes would you like to see put in place for developers?
• The future of the region is at stake here, I would like to have debates on certain issues
• The word 'alternative' tells me that there is only 2 choices, the word 'option' seems more suitable
• This is really the only open house in the Old City of Halifax, and this isn't a big turnout
• We have a top down process here
• You should deal with community plans to get people interested and come out to these meetings
• It is wonderful that HRM is listening . It is also great that your including a long range plan, I just wish we could fix the mistakes we are making right now
• This plan is good to finally take advantage of amalgamation
• The market is developer driven right now
• It doesn't seem right to implement a regional plan without the community plans taken into consideration. They go hand in hand.
• The detail that is coming forward tonight is mind boggling
• I can't fill out the questionnaires due to the complexity of the questions, I will have to do months of reading first
• The Eastern Shore is the most authentic part of the province
• Culture of HRM is very influential
• Wish you the best of luck with your process
• Much of this presentation dealt with outlying areas
• You're planning for the de-population of the province outside of HRM to contribute to your growth
• An immigration policy may contribute to the well being of the city
• I like alternative A, but it seems to focus on getting people around the urban core during peak traffic times. We need service for all other trips around the city as well and increased service levels at all times of the day
• I like this one (me too, coolio) (referring to Prospect picture)
• A = congestion and pollution, C = best (NO, C is what we have now)
• The chart on page 7 gives a misleading summary. It shows the cost per household. It should give equal prominence to cost/person. If you examine pages 8-14 the cost differential (cost/person) between the options is not nearly so great, especially between D, E, F and G.
• Nice graphics, and trees, but you forgot the dreaded utility poles and lines (or are they underground?)
• Let communities hire own consultants and set local design controls as a trade off against increasing density in the area
• Clearly need a plan for Bowater lands in west. What happens when they have cut it all?
• Love concept of town houses, flats and skeleton of rink (Mashpee common!)