[halifaxboyns]

This human scale thing keeps coming up and to me is a non-starter. Human scale isn't just about the height of the building - it's about the design of the building at the street level (the street wall height, the uses at grade and how well the building blends with the street).

So you can have a 4 storey building (which some might say is human scale in terms of height) but I would argue isn't because the interface at the street and uses there are poorly designed and create blank walls or dead space. So really - why is it being discussed? My issue with the 'process' for planning applications is why even debate whether this should be evaluated at this point at all?

I'm not sure if this is the process (if I'm wrong, please advise) but as I understand it - you pay your fee and then administration does an 'initial review' and then recommends to council whether it should proceed. Council can say no and that's it - no go and I don't think applicants get their money back. That to me, seems wrong - the current process gives Council 3 'kicks' at the can to say no if that is the majority will. Initial application, 1st reading and then at public hearing. The only benefit (to council) of the ability to say no at initial application is that I don't believe it's appealable by the applicant.

To me - if you submit an application, there shouldn't be any initial application - it should just begin and be fully reviewed and go through the negotiation process. If there are complaints of how long DA's take - take this part out of the process. Council can still say no at 1st reading and at public hearing - so what is the impact of taking away the initiation report? Plus, staff resources are used more efficiently.

In terms of Watt's comments for the general area - this is an area where, to me, having any single detached dwellings is a bad idea. This should be an area where parcel consolidation is encouraged and rezoning to some level of multi occurs (particularly the houses along Woodwill and Harris). The tallest, most intense stuff should front to Agricola, with shorter as you get towards the block before Gottingen. 8 stories in terms of the existing context around there isn't out of the realm of possibility considering its all mainly 4 storey apartment buildings and older commercial/industrial uses.