Case 22670 - Conrad Quarry Lands Rezoning

Request

A Regional Council initiated project to consider industrial and highway commercial development on the Conrad Quarry lands (PID: 00276105; 00276188; 00275966; 40174286 and 41168279).

Proposal

Background

The proposal to enable industrial and highway commercial development on the Conrad Quarry lands was previously considered by Regional Council through a separate planning process (Case 20800).  In March 2018, Regional Council folded the proposal into the secondary planning process to provide further opportunities for engagement and review.  In November of 2019, Regional Council directed municipal staff to proceed with the Port Wallace Secondary Planning work plan, as outlined in the Discussion section of the staff report dated October 15, 2019, and to return to Council for direction on the secondary planning process after Nova Scotia Lands Incorporated completed the risk assessment and management plan for the former Montague Gold Mines site, including the Municipally-owned lands surrounding Barry’s Run and any other third-party impacted lands located within the secondary planning study area.  This process is ongoing and HRM staff will return to Council for direction following completion of the risk assessment and management plan.       

As the Conrad Quarry lands are located outside of the Barry’s Run sub-watershed and could potentially be developed without interfering with the mine closure process, Regional Council directed staff to consider enabling industrial and highway commercial development through a new municipal planning strategy (MPS) amendment process, independent of the secondary planning process for Port Wallace.

Regional Council Direction

On November 12, 2019, Halifax Regional Council passed the following motion: 

“Initiate a process to consider amendments to applicable secondary municipal planning strategies and land use by-laws to enable industrial and highway commercial development on the Conrad Quarry lands, consistent with the policy direction outlined within the Discussion section of the staff report dated October 15, 2019 and follow the public participation program for municipal planning strategy amendments as approved by Regional Council on February 27, 1997.”

The following provides information related to Regional Council’s policy direction as presented in the October 15, 2019 Staff Report:

“In recognition of the feedback and work completed to date, staff recommend that the planning review be guided by the following policy direction:

1.     only consider on-site serviced development (well and septic), with any consideration of central water and sewer services continued to be considered through the Port Wallace Secondary Planning process;
2.     use the draft industrial-commercial, and general industrial zones, presented to the Public Participation Committee (PPC) for comment in September 2018, as the starting point for further reviews and public engagement;
3.     require buffering between new industrial development and adjacent residential areas;
4.     require advanced storm water management practices to be employed; and
5.     coordinate the drafting of SMPS and LUB amendments with the Burnside rezoning project and Plan and By-law Simplification Program.”

Process

This application is being considered under the MPS amendment and Rezoning processes.

Status

On Tuesday, February 15, 2022, Halifax Regional Council held a virtual public hearing and approved the application.

A staff recommendation report was tabled with Halifax Regional Council on January 11, 2022.  Halifax Regional Council must hold a public hearing before a decision can be made on the requested amendments. 

A staff recommendation report was be tabled with North West Community Council (NWCC) on December 13, 2021. 

Municipal planning staff held a public meeting on Wednesday, February 12, 2020, at the Port Wallis United Church (263 Waverley Road, Dartmouth). View the public meeting summary.   

Anyone interested in this project is invited to contact staff with any questions or comments. 

Documents Submitted for Evaluation

Staff Recommendation Report - November 2022

Meeting Summary - Public Information Meeting - February 12, 2020

Staff Report, October 15, 2019 – Port Wallace Secondary Planning Process and Environmental Investigation Near Barry’s Run

Draft Industrial-Commercial and General Industrial Zones - Presented to Members of the Port Wallace Public Participation Committee on December 12, 2018

Meeting Minutes, December 12, 2019 – Port Wallace Public Participation Committee 

Previous Application (Case 20800)
Staff Report, November 21, 2017 – Case 20800: Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law amendment to allow for industrial and highway commercial uses on the Conrad Quarry lands in Waverley

Public Hearing Staff Presentation, March 27, 2018 – Case 20800