Case 22726 – 16 Rutledge Street, Bedford

Request

Application by 3143511 NS Limited to amend the Bedford Municipal Planning Strategy and Bedford Land Use By-law to rezone 16 Rutledge Street in Bedford from the Residential Two Unit (RTU) Zone to the Residential Multiple Unit (RMU) Zone.

Proposal

The subject property for the proposed rezoning is located at 16 Rutledge Street in Bedford. The property is designated Residential in the Bedford Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS) and is zoned Residential Two Unit Dwelling (RTU) under the Land Use By-law (LUB). 

The applicant is seeking the rezoning in order to enable the expansion of a proposed multiple unit dwelling on to the subject property which is proposed on adjacent lands. Documents have been submitted for the proposal (provided below). The applicant currently has a permit for a proposed 16 unit, three storey multiple unit dwelling at 26 Rutledge Street. The rezoning will enable the 16 unit building to be expanded on to the lands of 16 Rutledge Street. The expansion is not proposed to increase the number of units but will enable the applicant to increase the size of each dwelling unit.

Process

The application is a request for new planning policy and is being considered through a Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS) Amendment Process. Regional Council has initiated the request to consider amending the MPS. Additional information on process can be found in staff’s initiation report to Regional Council. Staff are reviewing the application, and will prepare a recommendation for Regional Council to consider at a later date. Before Regional Council can make any decision about the proposal, a public participation program will need to be completed and a public hearing shall be held. Adjacent property owners will be notified of the public consultation.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Regional Council approved a different participation approach to enable residents to participate in a meaningful way. Consultation will be, achieved through the sharing of information via mail and the HRM website and through a questionnaire or survey sent to stakeholders and nearby property owners early in the review process (November 2020). In addition a public hearing (likely virtual (web based video/phone-in)) will be held before Regional Council considers any amendments, as required by the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter. Notices of the date, time and location of the Hearing will be advertised in the future and circulated to adjacent property owners. In addition to the above, the applicant is required to place a sign on the subject property. North West Planning Advisory Committee will also participate in the review process for this application and review the proposal and provide recommendations to North West Community Council and Regional Council.  

Public questions or comments can be sent via email or be received over the phone by the planner managing the planning case at any time. Contact information is found at the bottom of the page.

Status

A virtual public hearing will be held on Tuesday, July 20 at 6:00 p.m. At this hearing, Regional Council will make a decision to approve or deny this application. The virtual public hearing will be webcast and may be viewed online. Those who wish to speak at the hearing may contact the Municipal Clerk’s office no later than 4:30 p.m. on Monday, July 19, 2021, to be added to the speaker's list. We encourage all residents who wish to speak at the meeting to add their name to the list. Individuals who change their mind and do not want to speak time may ask to have their name removed from the list. 

To be placed on the speaker's list:
•    Send an email; or
•    Call and leave a voicemail at 902.490.4210; or
•    Send a fax to the clerk at 902.490.4208.
In your message, please include the meeting body (Regional Council), the planning Case number (Case 22726), or civic address, in addition to your name, community of residence, email address, and telephone number.

Written submissions are encouraged in advance of the hearing itself. These submissions are distributed to all Councillors and considered at the time of their decision. Written submissions may be forwarded to the Municipal Clerk by e-mail; by fax, 902.490.4208; or by mail, P.O. Box 1749, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3J 3A5. Written submissions must be received by the Municipal Clerk’s office as early as possible and not later than 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 20, 2021. Please allow sufficient time for delivery given slower than typical mail delivery times during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Documents Submitted for Evaluation

The applicant has submitted plans and studies required by municipal staff to properly evaluate the application. The documents are also available for review by contacting the Planner below.

• Survey Map
• Proposed Development Plan
• Planning Rationale and Explanation of Proposal