PLANAPP 2025-02216 – 620 Portland Street, Dartmouth

Updated:

Request

Request by Zzap Consulting Inc., on behalf of the property owner, to enter into a development agreement for a mixed-use building with a maximum height of nine-storeys.

Proposal

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The applicant

The major aspects of the proposal are as follows:

  • One mixed-use building containing residential units, two storeys of internal parking, and ground floor commercial space;
  • Maximum building height of nine storeys permitted;
  • Conformance with all relevant requirements of the Suburban Housing Accelerator Land Use By-law;
  • Two variances from Land Use By-law requirements requested by applicant which are being reviewed by HRM staff:
    • Side stepback minimum reduced from 2.5 metres to 0.0 metres; and
    • Maximum building depth increased from 64.0 metres to 67.0 metres.

This application is being considered through policy for Transit-oriented Suburban Area Opportunity Site which came into effect January 31, 2026, in the Regional Municipal Planning Strategy.

Suburban Community Planning program is currently underway, which involves a comprehensive planning process to develop a vision and future land use structure for all of Suburban HRM. Given the present housing shortage, Transit-oriented Suburban Area Opportunity Site policies provide additional opportunity to allow developments to proceed in the interim where they are aligned with the Suburban Community Planning Vision and Core Concepts and can meet accelerated project start and completion timelines.

The Development Plans (provided below) outline the development proposal in detail, and include information related to the project rationale, site design, traffic impact, servicing, and stormwater.

Process

The application will be considered under the Development Agreement process.

Status

Public engagement has concluded for this application and a summary of the feedback received can be found here . Next steps involve the applicant submitting a revised proposal responding to staff’s feedback on the first submission, and beginning the negotiation process for the development agreement. 

Documents Submitted for Evaluation

Currently this application is at the team review stage of the process where the request is reviewed by internal municipal staff as well as external agencies. 

September 2025

Contact Information

For further information, please contact:

Megan Backos

Planner III

Development Services

Telephone: 902.478.9725

Mailing Address

HRM Planning Applications

PO Box: 1749,

Halifax,

Nova Scotia,

B3J 3A5

Attention: Megan Backos