PLANAPP 2023-00396 173-175 St Margarets Bay Road

Request

Application by ZZAP Consulting Inc. (ZZap) on behalf of the property owner, requesting to enter into a heritage development agreement on lands at 173-175 St Margarets Bay Road, Halifax, to allow for up to 8 units including three townhouse units, one duplex, and one backyard suite (6 new units overall) in addition to the existing two-unit dwelling.

Background
173-175 St Margarets Bay Road, Halifax, also known as Craigmore, was registered as a municipal heritage property in 2008. The property contains a one-and-a-half-storey wooden building which was designed in the Arts and Crafts/Cottage style and constructed by an unknown builder c.1908. The applicant has applied to enter into a development agreement on the property to permit three townhouse units, one duplex, and one backyard suite (6 new units overall) in addition to the existing two-unit dwelling. This development agreement is being sought in accordance with Policy CH-7A of the Halifax Regional Municipal Planning Strategy and Objective 6.8 of the Halifax (Mainland) Municipal Planning Strategy, which permits Council to consider a development agreement on any lot containing a registered heritage building to encourage the conservation and adaptive re-use of registered heritage buildings.
 

Proposal

The applicant is proposing the subdivision of the lands and the construction of three new townhomes, one new duplex, and the conversion of an existing detached garage into a backyard suite. The registered heritage building will be retained and continue to be used as a two-unit dwelling. The proposal includes the rehabilitation of the landscaping on the eastern portion of the property to enhance the visual prominence of the registered heritage building as viewed from the public right of way.

If approved, the development agreement would allow the property owner to: 

• Subdivide the property into five lots;
• Construct three new single-unit townhomes fronting on St. Margaret’s Bay Road with access by way of a shared driveway;
• Construct one new duplex fronting on Finch Lane; and
• Convert an existing outbuilding (detached garage) into a backyard suite.

If approved, the development agreement may require the property owner to rehabilitate the landscaping on the eastern portion of the subject property to enhance the existing registered heritage building, and to follow specific building control parameters for the new construction such as height, mass, architectural design, lot coverage, and others.
 

Process

Development agreements are discretionary applications, meaning that they require the approval of Council to proceed. Staff are currently reviewing the development agreement application and will ultimately prepare a recommendation for Community Council to consider. Before Community Council can make any decision about the proposal, details of the proposal shall be published to the municipal website, a sign shall be posted on-site, a mail-out will be sent to residents within a 250ft radius of the site, and a public hearing shall be held. The mail-outs will be distributed in Fall 2023.

Status

This application is currently in the negotiation and drafting stage. Public feedback regarding this application has been collected, summarized, and provided to the applicant. Once HRM staff are satisfied that feedback has been addressed, they will draft the Development Agreement and produce a Staff Report for review by the Heritage Advisory Committee and Community Council. Should Community Council wish to consider the proposal, a public hearing will be scheduled, and residents within a 250ft radius of the site will be notified of this hearing by mail.

Please monitor this website for further details. 

Documents Submitted for Evaluation

The applicant has submitted a rationale, site plan, massing, elevations, landscaping plan, and traffic impact assessment, provided below. The details of this application may change before consideration or approval by Community Council. Updates or changes to the application will be posted on this website.

A – Rationale
B – Site Plan, Massing, & Elevations
C – Heritage Registration Staff Report (2008)

D - Preliminary Landscaping Plan

E - Traffic Impact Statement