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

A public hearing will be held by Halifax and West Community Council on November 25, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. at Halifax City Hall (Council Chamber), 1841 Argryle Street, Halifax, NS.

All oral and written submissions will be considered at that time. Written submissions are welcomed and 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, NS, 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 November 25, 2024. Please allow sufficient time for delivery.

Information on how to sign up to speak in advance is available on-line: https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/regional-council/public-hearings

If you have questions about the public hearing process, please email or call 902.490.4210 the Office of the Municipal Clerk. Should you have questions about the nature of the application itself, please email (carter.beaupre-mcphee@halifax.ca) or call the planner directly at 902.719.9604.

View the staff report. If you have questions about how to access the staff report email or call 902.490.4210 the Office of the Municipal Clerk. If the internet is unavailable to you, a paper copy of application materials can be sent to you by mail, contact the Planner, Carter Beaupre-McPhee, to make the arrangements.

This notice was posted to this site on October 09, 2024 in accordance with the requirements of the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter. 

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