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.

In response to public engagement, the applicant has made changes to the proposed parking layout. The revised parking layout shall consist of:

• Replacing the existing two-vehicle parking pad fronting on Finch Lane with two single-vehicle driveways (no net change); and
• Constructing a new three-vehicle parking pad to be accessed via the shared driveway fronting on St Margarets Bay Road.

If approved, the development agreement shall require the property owner to rehabilitate the site’s landscaping and the front gate (a character-defining element of the heritage property) and the property owner shall be required to follow specific building control parameters for the new construction such as height, mass, architectural design, lot coverage, etc. 

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 an 80m radius of the site, and a public hearing shall be held.

Status

Mail-outs were distributed in Fall 2023 and the applicant has reviewed feedback collected through the public engagement process and modified their plans accordingly. Staff have negotiated the terms of the development agreement and prepared a staff report. This report is in managerial review. After managerial reviews and approvals, this report will proceed to be reviewed by the Heritage Advisory Committee, followed by first-reading at Halifax and West Community Council. If the application passes first reading, it will proceed to Public Hearing and residents within the 80m notification boundary will receive notice by mail in advance of said Public Hearing. At Public Hearing, residents may express their support or opposition to the development proposal prior to Community Council rendering a decision by vote.

Documents Submitted for Evaluation

The applicant has submitted a rationale, plans, and traffic impact assessment. The details of this application may change before consideration or approval by Regional Council. Updates or changes to the application will be posted on this website.

A – Rationale
B – Site Plan (Updated)
C – Massing & Elevations (Updated)
D – Heritage Registration Staff Report (2008)
E - Preliminary Landscaping Plan (Updated)
F - Traffic Impact Statement