Suburban & Rural Developments & Discussion Thread

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by hfx_chris

Outhit may be wrong, apparently they're about to announce the new location of Woodlawn this Monday (April 6)

Besides, what's wrong with Bedford's library?

He might not of counted Woodlawn since the announcement is so soon.

I researched it and the Bedford expansion is slated to cost $8 Million. I imagine it has to do with the age and small size of the library compared to its service area. According to the Infastucture Wish-List the library could be ready to go within a year.

Also up for expansions is Middle Musquodoboit ($2.1 Million), Keeshman ($1.6 Million), and Woodlawn ($1.1 Million),

[hfx_chris]

Hah, didn't take long to decide KG needs to be expanded.. Seriously, nice building, but way too small for the service area.

[Dmajackson]

Notice of Public Workshops:
Bedford Waterfront & Birch Cove Urban Design Studies

(Thursday, April 9, 2009) - Halifax Regional Municipality and Waterfront Development Corporation Limited have engaged consultants to conduct urban design studies for two areas bordering the shoreline of Bedford Basin.

The Bedford Waterfront study area encompasses lands in the vicinity of the intersection of Hammonds Plains Road and the Bedford Highway and the Birch Cove Study area encompasses lands in the vicinity of the Kearney Lake Road/Bedford Highway.

Interested persons are invited to meet with the consultants and share their views on the future of these important areas at the following workshops:

Bedford Waterfront Urban Design Study Workshop
Wednesday, April 15, 2009 at 7 p.m.
Basinview Community School (cafeteria)
273 Basinview Drive, Bedford

Birch Cove Urban Design Study Workshop
Thursday, April 16, 2009 at 7 p.m.
Ecole Beaubassin (cafeteria)
55 Larry Uteck Blvd., Halifax



To learn more visit www.halifax.ca/regionalplanning or contact Paul Morgan at 490-4482 or morganp@halifax.ca

[Dmajackson]

Glendale Avenue to get traffic lights at hazardous intersection
Halifax News Net


By Yvette d’Entremont – The Weekly News
Employees working in the Sackville Business Park will be happy to learn HRM and the province plan to cost-share a project that will see traffic lights installed at an intersection they’ve long described as hazardous.
In the March 20 issue of The Weekly News, employees and local politicians expressed concerns about the increasing amount and speed of traffic on Glendale Avenue. They said it was difficult for anyone to safely leave the business park and believed it was only a matter of time before a serious accident or fatality occurred.
Although Sackville Estates Business Park employees started actively lobbying the provincial government to install a set of lights in 2007, their efforts hadn’t yet borne fruit.
Last week, Lower Sackville Coun. Bob Harvey received a surprise phone call informing him that HRM had claimed responsibility for 25 per cent of the intersection and that the municipality and the province would be cost-sharing a project to install lights there in the near future.
“To my very great surprise, HRM is cost-sharing. It’s because we have a slight involvement on the Temple Terrace side of the intersection and that never came into the equation before,” Harvey said. “This is something council only just learned about. It’s very positive ... now that the decision has been made to do this, we can go ahead and make that intersection a lot safer.”
Paul Beaton, owner of Beaton’s Towing in the business park, gratefully welcomed the news.
‘Good news’
“This is good news, and hopefully it won’t get sidelined and we get something there within a short period of time,” Beaton said. “Everybody that uses that intersection will be pleased to see that set of lights there.”
A spokeswoman for the Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal confirmed late last week that the department is planning on installing a set of lights at the Glendale Estates intersection as part of a cost-sharing project with HRM.
“They’re expecting the design and planning stage to be complete in the spring with the intent to start construction in the summer,” Lindsay Mills said.
Local MLA David Wilson learned from a local transportation department supervisor that employees were expected to start preliminary onsite inspection work last week. Wilson said Sackville Business Park representatives he spoke with last Friday were elated the project appeared to be going ahead.
“I’m glad to see it because that area is getting more traffic use, especially with the potential for the bypass road going there. That will really increase the number of vehicles,” Wilson said. “Safety is and should be the No. 1 priority.”

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Town hall meeting draws crowd
Halifax News Net
By Yvette d’Entremont – The Weekly News

More than 150 people crammed into the Basinview Drive Community School cafeteria on April 2 for a town hall meeting hosted by Coun. Tim Outhit and the Bedford Community Council Association.
The agenda included presentations from the Waterfront Development Corporation, Ekistics, local police, and representatives of HRM’s transportation and community development departments.
During the public question and answer portion of the three-hour meeting, the areas of concern and interest to those in attendance included the Bedford waterfront, the possibility of a Bedford high-speed ferry, the proposed four pad ice surface destined for the Hammonds Plains Road and the Rocky Lake Common rink site.
Volunteers with the Rocky Lake Development Association were frustrated in January when HRM selected a site on the Hammonds Plains Road for their new quad-pad arena, instead of the Rocky Lake site.
Following a well-received presentation about the multi-ice surface facility by HRM community developer Betty Lou Killen, Rocky Lake Development Association chairman Barry Mason asked if HRM could divulge what they intended to spend to acquire land for the project. Mason and another speaker also wondered if the project could go forward without financial contributions from the provincial and federal governments.
Killen said that until plans are brought to regional council for final approval, information regarding land acquisition costs couldn’t be publicly shared. Cathy O’Toole, HRM’s director of finance, said construction of the Hammonds Plains arena facility wasn’t dependent on federal or provincial assistance. She added that council had a number of choices when considering how to fund the project, and would find the most cost-effective way.
“I want to assure the group our procurement people went through a very long process ... the bid chosen was the most cost-effective, competitive bid regardless if Rocky Lake hadn’t been disqualified,” said Outhit.
“I have seen all the reports. Unfortunately it was not a decision to go with the Rocky Lake land, but I hope the Rocky Lake land will be used for other much-needed facilities and I hope the province gets behind Rocky Lake.”
The Bedford quad arena facility is badly needed to help address HRM’s ice surface shortage. It’s expected to be ready for use by the fall of 2010.
Other residents at last week’s meeting had questions about the infilling of Bedford Basin, while others expressed concerns that a comprehensive vision for the Bedford waterfront needed to be implemented soon. Many stated that as one of the community’s greatest assets, the waterfront wasn’t being used to its fullest potential.
Representatives with the Waterfront Development Corporation expressed their desire to work with Bedford waterfront visioning committee members, and pointed to plans underway for vegetation, look-off areas and other beautifying initiatives slated for the area.
A public workshop is being held April 15 at 7 p.m. at Basinview Community School cafeteria to look at the Western Shore of Bedford Basin Land-Use Planning Study.
Residents are encouraged to attend and share their ideas by going to www.halifax.ca/regionalplanning/Western ShoreBedfordBasin.html for more information.
During last week’s meeting, Outhit outlined his focus areas for 2009-10. Issues on his agenda include: paving and repair projects; the Lions pool; Admiral Cove Park clean-up, tick awareness and control; the tennis court by the Teachery and ideal uses for the Teachery; access to the old fire hall; dirt jump/skateboard parks; more lighting at Range Park; playground improvements; a new Bedford library; reduced tax rate for condo owners; and more homeowners associations and neighbourhood watch groups.
He also expressed his wish to have permanent washrooms onsite at DeWolf Park within the next two years.

[Dmajackson]

Hammond Centre one step closer to putting sign along wooded area
Halifax News Net
By Yvette d’Entremont — The Weekly News

There was some concern about plans to install a 4.5-metre-high ground sign at 950 Hammonds Plains Rd., but very little opposition in the end.
The Hammond Centre is located at the corner of Hammonds Plains Road and the Bedford Highway. Homburg Canada Inc. wants the North West Community Council to amend its existing development agreement to allow a second ground sign for the property along the Hammonds Plains Road side.
While North West Community Council agreed to allow the second ground sign, there’s an appeal period that must pass before the non-substantive amendment can officially be approved.
The second and substantive part of the amendment required a public hearing, which was held during community council’s monthly meeting on April 23.
That portion of the amendment deals with an intrusion into the wooded area along the Hammonds Plains Road side of the property to place the sign.
Lower Sackville Coun. and NWCC chairman Bob Harvey said the only tree that would be permitted for removal was a fallen tree at the site.
A decision on the matter was deferred until next month’s community council meeting, at which time the appeal period on the non-substantive portion of the amendment will have passed.

ydentremont@hfxnews.ca

[Dmajackson]

Application by the W.M. Fares Group to permit by development agreement a shopping centre at 2810 Prospect Road (PID #40471286), Whites Lake, in the Planning District 4 (Prospect) Plan Area.

Case 01077 Details

Its an old case (from 2007) so this one is going straight to a Public Hearing on May 25 @ Western Regional Council.

[Dmajackson]

Some more suburban proposals;

May 20, 2009 Public information meeting

Captain William Spry Centre - 7:00 p.m.

Case 01130 - Application by Olympia Developments Inc to amend the Halifax Municipal Planning Strategy to allow townhouse style residential buildings by development agreement within the Mainland South Area Plan, and to enter into a development agreement for a 15 unit townhouse style development at 21 and 23Mayor Avenue, Halifax (PID's 40281800, 00312884, 00312918, 00312694, and 00312702). More information...

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May 25, 2009 Western Region Community Council - 7:00 p.m.

Public Hearings:

Case 01178 - Development Agreement, Glen Baker Drive, Herring Cove. Staff Report

[Dmajackson]

Bedford ‘eyesore’ for sale
Local groups eye old fire station for much-needed meeting space

Halifax News Net


BEDFORD
BY Yvette d’Entremont – The Weekly News
Last week’s decision by Halifax Regional Council to issue an Expression of Interest for the purchase and redevelopment of Bedford’s old fire hall is seen as a step in the right direction by Brent Newsome.
Like many local groups and organizations, Bedford’s Scouting program is suffering from a long standing lack of available community meeting space. A volunteer with Bedford’s Scouting movement, Newsome said although the group is experiencing a significant increase in its membership, there isn’t enough meeting space available to accommodate all the children who want to participate.
The group is sponsored by Bedford United Church, but there isn’t any available space left there. The nearby Anglican Church has provided free access to its church hall, but the local Catholic church is booked up, the LeBrun Centre is busy every night, and they can’t get into local schools because they’re also full.
That means the Bedford Beaver Colony now has a waiting list.
“We’re experiencing an explosion in the numbers of young people wanting to participate in our activities, and this is great. We’d like to see it keep growing,” Newsome said. “But these programs are only successful if the youth are doing things, and you can only do things if you have enough space.”
Bedford Coun. Tim Outhit said the Expression of Interest request for the purchase and redevelopment of the former Bedford fire hall at 1247 Bedford Hwy. was issued to non-profit organizations. If the facility is sold to such a group below market value, the purchaser would have to bring it up to building code standards and allow community access.
“They’d have to let the Scouts have a meeting there, seniors to play cards there, and open it for community meetings and such. But this is is a short-term measure, what I’d call a stop gap,” Outhit said. “It’s not my vision of a community centre for the future, but it gets this eyesore cleaned up, gives a non-profit group a place and gives the community much needed community space.”
Outhit said a number of local groups ranging from cadets to judo clubs and seniors are desperate for meeting space in Bedford. He believes any future community centre should tie in with other upcoming projects, including the four-pad arena planned for the Hammonds Plains Road. That building is expected to have some upstairs meeting space and kitchen facilities.
Although he agrees that HRM shouldn’t relinquish the fire hall to developers, Newsome said the municipality should be responsible for bringing the building up to code, finding community organizations interested in operating out of the fire hall, and then leasing directly to those groups.
ydentremont@hfxnews.ca

BEDFORD FIRE HALL SURVEY RESULTS

A telephone survey conducted by HRM last fall indicated 88 per cent of respondents believe the former Bedford fire hall could benefit the community for a variety of activities.
Activities for youths, seniors, all-ages, children and preschoolers received the highest average ratings in the survey, with 71 to 83 per cent rating those activities as good, or very good activities for the facility. Arts activities and meeting space were rated as good or very good activities by 68 per cent of respondents.
Maintain ownership
A total of 82 per cent favoured HRM maintaining ownership of the building and partnering with non-profit organizations for future use. Only 15 per cent favoured selling it for redevelopment. In addition, 42 per cent of those who favoured HRM ownership/partnership with a non-profit organization supported an area tax rate to defray property maintenance costs.
“The willingness of an area rate surprised me, and I think there’d be more support for it if it was for something more long term and sustainable,” said Bedford Coun. Tim Outhit. “Bedford is going to grow by 10,000 people and the fire hall is not going to do it.”
ydentremont@hfxnews.ca

[Dmajackson]

Grocery turns to turbines
After green bags, Superstore trying some wind power
By BILL POWER Business Reporter
Fri. May 15 - 5:49 AM

Scotia WindFields Inc. has erected a windmill on the property of the At­lantic Superstore in Porters Lake. The turbine is expected to account for about 25 per cent of the grocery store’s energy use and is supposed to generate only 40 decibels of noise. (CHRISTIAN LAFORCE / Staff)




The Atlantic Superstore is already keen on reusable bags. The blades of a wind turbine hovering above the grocery chain’s Porters Lake store on Thursday highlighted a new initiative focusing on renewable energy.

"All the permits are in place. It’s a renewable energy project that involved wind testing over the past year so most people in the area knew it was being installed," said Dan Roscoe, chief operating officer with Scotian WindFields Inc.

Halifax Regional Municipality, like many municipalities across Nova Scotia, lacks land-use bylaws specifically governing the placement of wind turbines and it took more than a year to obtain clearance for this project.

Similar wind turbines may appear at other Superstore locations in the province, but executives at Loblaw Companies Ltd. want to see how the public reacts to this project and to consider the economics before proceeding with others.

"Obviously, this is technology outside our level of expertise in the grocery industry. It’s an exciting renewable energy project and we hope it is received positively," said Mark Schembri, vice-president of store maintenance, from corporate headquarters in Ontario.

The grocery chain started charging a nickel for plastic bags in April in another move promoted as an effort to help the environment.

Scotian WindFields is the same Halifax company involved with the Digby Neck wind farm project that will see 20 huge turbines erected this summer if the proposal gets final clearance from regulators.

There will not be any wind farms appearing in the immediate future at Porters Lake, and the turbines planned for Digby Neck will dwarf the single unit feeding electricity into the Superstore.

"The Porters Lake installation is a wonderful demonstration project of the capabilities of these relatively small and quiet turbines that are ideal for commercial and institutional use in appropriate locations," said Mr. Roscoe.

The 100-kilowatt turbine erected this week on a 36-metre tower is capable of providing electricity for 25 average homes.

This will provide the Superstore with about one quarter of its required electrical power during a 20-year deal between the owners of the grocery chain and the Nova Scotia wind turbine company.

By comparison, each of the 20 units to be erected on 80-metre towers at Digby Neck is rated at 1.5 megawatts. Each will be capable of generating electricity for 500 average homes.

"Each of the turbines planned for Digby Neck will be more than twice as big and about 15 times more powerful than the unit at Porter’s Lake," said Mr. Roscoe.

Scotian WindFields puts the value of the Porters Lake turbine at about $500,000.

[DigitalNinja]

Neato. I'd like to see a few more of those around, It would really make it seem like Halifax is a green place. Also in Sackville. There are 2 small subdivisions gone up off of Old Sackville Road down by Lucasville road. 1 is about half filled with houses, I'll take some tomorrow, the other, on the other side of the old sackville road has just gotten the pavement in and looks like they could start this summer.

One is for about 60-70 houses, the other looks to be 100+

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by DigitalNinja

Neato. I'd like to see a few more of those around, It would really make it seem like Halifax is a green place. Also in Sackville. There are 2 small subdivisions gone up off of Old Sackville Road down by Lucasville road. 1 is about half filled with houses, I'll take some tomorrow, the other, on the other side of the old sackville road has just gotten the pavement in and looks like they could start this summer.

One is for about 60-70 houses, the other looks to be 100+

I think one of those would be the Twins Brooks subdivision on the former Sackville Golf Course (see the first page of this thread).

Just a shot in the dark here but the other could be the new road for the new 101 interchange (Maroon Drive).

[DigitalNinja]

Nope, haha I know where those are I live in the nabourhood. One is across from the enternce to millwood drive where there used to be a field on Sackville Drive, like I said this one is about 60-70 houses and there are about 35 build so far. The other one is behind it, next to the cemetary on old sackville road. Which has the pavement lain down. I'll try to find a link on them. Or take some pictures tomorrow.

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by DigitalNinja

Nope, haha I know where those are I live in the nabourhood. One is across from the enternce to millwood drive where there used to be a field on Sackville Drive, like I said this one is about 60-70 houses and there are about 35 build so far. The other one is behind it, next to the cemetary on old sackville road. Which has the pavement lain down. I'll try to find a link on them. Or take some pictures tomorrow.

Lol I was way off the mark then ...

I don't know what the names are but according to a Windows Live image there is one for the extension of Baker Drive and Windwood Drive.

The other one doesn't have any names up yet.

[DigitalNinja]

Yeah I live on Windwood haha. So thats how I know about that one. I'll run over and take some pics tomorrow.

[Dmajackson]

Burnside News Tidbits:

• Perched atop the highest point in Burnside at Wright Avenue and Burnside Drive, a new commercial development is in the works. “It won’t be a building with a sea of parking around it,” says Colin Whitcomb of The Hardman Group Limited. “This is intended to be an integrated development in a cluster format designed to benefit the employees.” Whitcomb says site work and construction could begin later this year.

All I can say is I pray for the safety of peope who dare cross Burnside Drive which happens to be a very busy highway.

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And pending approval tomorrow night at Regional Council the bicycle/pedestrian pedway over the Circ next to Burnside Drive should finally see construction this year. The funding will be split evenly between HRM and the Province.

11.1.1 Cost Sharing Agreement - Burnside Pedestrian Overpass (200 Kb)

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Also tomorrow night council will be debating the Bayer's Lake/Ragged Lake Business Park Plan. Within the documents are several references to three seperate major developments; north-west corner of Bayer's Lake (behind Kent), Govenor's Lake, and north of Bayer's Lake adjacent to Hwy 102.

11.3.1 Business Parks Development Functional Plan, Bayers Lake / Ragged Lake (4.6 Mb)

[Jstaleness]

I didn't get to see the council meeting tonight. I'm assuming the Circ/Burnside Pedway was approved?

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by Jstaleness

I didn't get to see the council meeting tonight. I'm assuming the Circ/Burnside Pedway was approved?

I don't know for sure either but I'd say its a safe bet to say it was approved.

Oh and the Canadian Tire Gas Station in Bedford (next to Sun Tower) has been shut down and looks like it will be demolished soon. I'm just praying something replaces it unlike the Old Shell Station across the street which is now a parking lot for Timmy's

[Jstaleness]

They did use high quality gravel to fill it though!!

[planarchy]

I don' t think this has been posted anywhere yet..

Notice of Public Presentation

The Municipality and Waterfront Development Corporation, a provincial crown corporation with a mandate to champion provincial interests for lands around Halifax Harbour and the Bedford Basin, have engaged a consultant to prepare a design study for the Bedford Waterfront. A workshop was held in April to gather ideas followed by a survey.

The consultant has now prepared three alternative design proposals for review. Interested persons are invited to attend a presentation of these designs and share their views on the merits of each.
Date: Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Time: 7 p.m.
Location:

Basinview Community School (Cafeteria), 273 Basinview Drive, Bedford

A presentation of the final masterplan is scheduled for October 2009.

Ekistics of Dartmouth have the commission for both the study and final masterplan.

http://www.halifax.ca/visionhrm/bedfordwaterfront/

[Dmajackson]

Proposed Development Agreement for Castle Hill in Middle/Upper Sackville.

June 15, 2009 Public information meeting

Sackville Heights Community Centre (gymnasium)

45 Connolly Road, Sackville - 7:00 p.m.

Case 01275 - Application by W. M. Fares Group, on behalf of Castle Hill Capital Inc., to amend the existing development agreement for Crossfield Subdivision to permit an increase in the number of proposed dwellings from 44 to 73 and alter the architectural design for the development.

EDIT: This is now on my Windows Live Map for anybody interested (see the Compilation Thread for a link).