Date:
Time: 10:00 a.m., Reconvene 6:00 p.m.
Location: Council Chamber, 3rd Floor City Hall, 1841 Argyle Street, Halifax
Minutes: January 23, 2024 Halifax Regional Council Minutes (PDF)
Agenda
1. CALL TO ORDER AND LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
2. SPECIAL COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – January 9, 2024
4. APPROVAL OF THE ORDER OF BUSINESS AND APPROVAL OF ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS
5. CONSENT AGENDA*
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council approve recommendations in the following items: 15.1.1, 15.1.3, and 15.2.1.
6. BUSINESS ARISING OUT OF THE MINUTES
7. CALL FOR DECLARATION OF CONFLICT OF INTERESTS
8. MOTIONS OF RECONSIDERATION – NONE
9. MOTIONS OF RESCISSION – NONE
10. CONSIDERATION OF DEFERRED BUSINESS – January 9, 2024
10.1 Second Reading Proposed By-Law S-452, an Amendment to By-Law S-400 Respecting Charges for Street Improvements - Supplementary Report [PDF]
i) Staff report dated August 14, 2023 [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council adopt the revised Amending By-law S-452, Amending By-law S-400, the Street Improvements By-law, as set out in revised Attachment 1 of the supplementary report dated October 6, 2023.
11. NOTICES OF TABLED MATTERS – NONE
12. PUBLIC HEARING – 6:00 P.M.
12.1 Case 20218: Amendments to the Regional Centre Secondary Municipal Planning Strategy and associated development agreement for lands located at Robie Street Spring Garden Road, and Carlton Street, Halifax (Joint Meeting with Halifax and West Community Council)
- Report [PDF]
- Staff Presentation [PDF]
- Applicant Presentation [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:
1. Adopt the proposed amendments to the Regional Centre Secondary Municipal Planning Strategy, as set out in Attachment A of the staff report dated October 18, 2023, to broaden the scope of enabling policies IM-43, IM-44, and IM-46.
It is further recommended that Halifax and West Community Council:
2. Provisionally approve the proposed development agreement for a 30-storey mixed-use residential and commercial building on the southeast corner of the Robie Street and Spring Garden Road intersection, while rehabilitating four municipally registered heritage buildings on Carlton Street, which shall be substantially the same form as set out in Attachment B of the staff report dated October 18, 2023; and
3. Require that the development agreement contained in Attachment B of the staff report dated October 18, 2023 be signed by the property owner within 120 days, or any extension thereof granted by Council on request of the property owner, from the date of final approval by Council and any other bodies as necessary, including applicable appeal periods, whichever is later, otherwise this approval will be void and obligations arising hereunder shall be at an end.
13. CORRESPONDENCE, PETITIONS & DELEGATIONS
13.1 Correspondence
13.2 Petitions
14. INFORMATION ITEMS BROUGHT FORWARD – NONE
15. REPORTS
15.1 CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
15.1.1 Dartmouth Heritage Museum Society Management Agreement* [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council authorize the Chief Administrative Officer to execute the five-year Management and Operating Agreement with the Dartmouth Heritage Museum Society substantially in the same form as set out in Attachment 1 of staff report dated November 10, 2023, subject to budgetary approval of annual funding of $200,000.
15.1.2 Halifax Common Master Plan Review and Implementation
- Report [Large 24 Mb PDF]
- Presentation [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:
1. Adopt the Halifax Common Master Plan as contained in Attachment A of staff report dated October 31, 2023, as a guiding document for open space planning, management, and development within the Halifax Common, except for the Wanderers Grounds Site Plan and its related “description of uses” and “Design and Programming Guidance.”
2. Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to complete detailed planning of the Wanderers Block and return to Regional Council with a staff report and updates to the Halifax Common Master Plan as may be required; and
3. Approve the Implementation Plan as contained in Attachment C of staff report dated October 31, 2023, for consideration and inclusion in future budget and business plans commencing in 2024/25.
15.1.3 Navigator Program | Multi-Year Funding* [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to provide, for the fiscal year 2024-2025, in support of the Navigator Street Outreach Program, a total of $345,000 ($115,000 each) to the Downtown Halifax Business Commission, the Downtown Dartmouth Business Commission, and the North End Business Association, contingent on the approval of the 2024/25 Operating Budget. Such financial contribution is to be made using the Municipality’s standard Contribution Agreement which is to include the key terms and conditions identified in Attachment 2 of the staff report dated November 29, 2023.
15.1.4 Level of Service Halifax Regional Municipality Streets, Sidewalks, and Curb Networks
- Report [PDF]
- Presentation [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:
1. Approve decreasing the current 67% “Good” target Level of Service (LOS) for Halifax Regional Municipality’s (HRM) street pavement network to achieve a minimum of 60% of the network in “Good” condition;
2. Approve the proposed Budget Based Funding Scenario for the street pavement network described in Table 6 of the staff report dated January 15, 2024, which would result in “60% Good” being the target funding level for the Street Recapitalization Account (CR200006) in future capital plans;
3. Adopt a Level of Service for the existing sidewalk network of less than 1% of the network in Poor Condition (greater than 40% of sidewalk panels defective in a block) and less than 5% of the network in fair condition (greater than 20% to less than 40% defective), which would, in turn, result in the approval of the proposed 10-Year funding scenario to the Sidewalk Renewal Account (CR200002) as described in Table 9 of the staff report dated January 15, 2024, and;
4. Adopt a Level of Service for the existing curb network of less than 0.5% in critical condition.
15.1.5 First Reading Proposed By-law S-453, an Amendment to By-law S-400, Respecting Charges for Street Improvements - Gravel Road Paving Program – Halifax Regional Municipality Roads
- Report [PDF]
- Presentation [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council give First Reading to By-law S-453, amending By-law S-400, the Street Improvements By-law, as set out in Attachment B to the staff report dated January 10, 2024.
15.1.6 New Sidewalk Level of Service
- Report [PDF]
- Presentation [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to implement those components of the 2022/23 Public Works Business Plan related to the selection of sidewalks for development with the objective of the implementation to be:
1. Constructing approximately 55 kilometres of sidewalk on high need streets within the urban tax boundary before 2034 using funding within the existing budget plan, and other cost-sharing opportunities that may become available;
2. Continuing to use an evaluation tool to identify the highest need segments and to fill those gaps as per the approach presented in the Discussion section of staff report dated January 11, 2024, including a greater focus on stand-alone projects on major roads; and,
3. Exploring options to share the costs of new sidewalks with public and private sector organizations where the need is generated by new development.
15.2 HARBOUR EAST-MARINE DRIVE COMMUNITY COUNCIL
15.2.1 Woodland Avenue Fence* [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council do not accept ownership and responsibility for future maintenance and capital enhancements of the Woodland Avenue fence from civic # 13 Kingston Crescent to civic # 61 Kingston Crescent.
15.3 MEMBERS OF COUNCIL
15.3.1 Councillor Austin - Amendments to By-law M-400 Respecting Marketing Levy [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to prepare a staff report on potential amendments to By-law M-400, the Marketing Levy By-law, on options to forgive fines charged under section 14 for non-remittance for operators who had $0 to remit under the levy. The report should include options to retroactively forgive and refund fines already issued and paid.
16. MOTIONS
17. IN CAMERA (IN PRIVATE) - 10:00 a.m.
Council may rise and go into a private In Camera session, in accordance with Section 19 of the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter, for the purpose of dealing with the following:
17.1 INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS - Private and Confidential
A matter pertaining to any subject, the discussion of which could, violate the confidentiality of information obtained from another body of government, or a public body.
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council convene to in camera (in private).
18. ADDED ITEMS
17. IN CAMERA (IN PRIVATE)
Council may rise and go into a private In Camera session, in accordance with Section 19 of the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter, for the purpose of dealing with the following:
17.2 PUBLIC SECURITY - Private and Confidential Report
A matter pertaining to issues impacting public security.
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council convene to in camera (in private).
19. NOTICES OF MOTION
20. ADJOURNMENT
________________________________________
INFORMATION ITEMS
January 23, 2024
1. Proclamation – Bell Let’s Talk Day – January 24, 2024 [PDF]
2. Proclamation – Kawasaki Disease Awareness Day – January 26, 2024 [PDF]
3. Proclamation – African Heritage Month – February 2024 [PDF]
5. Proclamation – Day of Black Loyalist Exodus: 15 Ships to Sierra Leone – January 15, 2024 [PDF]