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 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 as a Transit-oriented Suburban Area Opportunity Site under Interim Suburban Area Policies enacted by the Nova Scotia Provincial Government as part of the Halifax Regional Municipality Interim Planning Area Order, which came into effect on effective as of October 3, 2025.

A larger Suburban Community Planning program is currently underway, which involves a comprehensive planning process to develop a vision and future land use structure for the Suburban Area. Given the present housing shortage, the urgent priority is to increase the supply of safe, sustainable and affordable housing, the Transit-oriented Suburban Area Opportunity Site policies provide additional opportunity to allow residential or mixed-use developments to proceed where they are aligned with the Suburban Community Planning Vision and Core Concepts and are ready to develop. Proposed developments may be considered by development agreement, where certain criteria and requirements can be met including 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

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. 

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