Case 21639 - Middle Sackville Master Plan

Request

HRM initiated a comprehensive secondary planning process for the Middle Sackville Urban Local Growth Centre to enable mixed residential, commercial, institutional and recreational uses on lands surrounding the Highway 101 – Margeson Drive interchange in Middle Sackville.

Project Background
The subject properties are within an Urban Local Growth Centre. The Regional Plan supports a mix of low and medium density housing, walkable streets, active transportation routes and quality transit connections in this growth centre through a secondary planning process. A community visioning exercise was completed in 2011 for the Middle Sackville Urban Local Growth Centre. The community identified desired features for the area including recreational opportunities, an outdoor public gathering space, a cultural centre, a commercial centre, a variety of housing types and seniors housing.

At their meeting on December 4, 2018, Regional Council directed staff to undertake a comprehensive secondary planning exercise to amend the Regional Municipal Planning Strategy, Regional Subdivision By-law, Secondary Municipal Planning Strategies and Land Use By-laws for Sackville and Beaver Bank, Hammonds Plains and Upper Sackville to enable a complete community in the Middle Sackville Urban Local Growth Centre comprised of residential, commercial, institutional and recreational development on lands surrounding the Highway 101 – Margeson Drive interchange. A copy of the staff initiation report it available here.

Proposal

Proposal Details
The conceptual proposal for the Margeson Drive Master Plan area includes:

- Medium density residential uses
- Seniors housing
- Community Commercial center
- A Cultural Centre
- Enhanced parkland
- Improved pedestrian connections
- HRM Regional Express Park and Ride facility
- Office and commercial retail

More details on the preliminary land uses are available in the staff initiation report. Further detail on the proposal will be available later in the planning process.

Process

The proposal will be considered under a secondary planning process whereby new policies and regulations may be created to enable a mixed residential, commercial, institutional and recreational development on lands surrounding the Highway 101 – Margeson Drive interchange in Middle Sackville. Through this process, amendments may be made to the following planning documents:

• Regional Municipal Planning Strategy (Regional Plan)
• Regional Subdivision By-law
• Sackville Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law
• Beaver Bank, Hammonds Plains and Upper Sackville Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law

Public Participation
Regional Council has directed staff to begin the secondary planning process and to follow a public participation program. The public participation program requires consultation with the North West Planning Advisory Committee (NWPAC) to oversee the planning process. NWPAC will host public meetings, workshops and any additional forums needed to engage with the community and affected groups.

Status

Regional Council has initiated the planning process for the Margeson Drive Master Plan area shown on the maps below. Planning staff are currently preparing for the public participation program.

Map 1 – Regional Plan Generalized Future Land Use
Map 2 – Community Plans Generalized Future Land Use
Map 3 – Zoning
Map 4 – Proposed Margeson Drive and Highway 101 Master Plan Study Area

Documents Submitted for Evaluation

Preliminary designs of the proposal are currently underway, so there are no plans or studies to review at this time. When available, plans and other relevant materials will be posted in this section of the website.