[Bnranews] Re: fyi-May Day for May Street?

Hi all, I just wanted to comment on the below post from FHC as it relates to the Centre Plan, since I've been learning a bit more about it through these Centre Plan Walks (one on Sunday at 3 if you want to join see Ron's email!) Please take anything I say here with a grain of salt as I am not an expert on the plan, but here's a couple of things i can say with reasonable certainty: 1. Whether for better or worse, the area between Young St, Gladstone, North and Agricola has all been designated under the Centre Plan as varying types of high-density, big-height development (with an exception along Gladstone for those recently built colourful rows of houses). This designation includes pretty much all of the May-Fern neighbourhood. (The houses that actually front onto Fern Lane have a somewhat more restrictive designation - they can't be turned into highrise towers - but they aren't protected as residential either - looks like they could be turned into low-rise commercial with heights of 3-4 stories (I just wrote a planner to get confirmation of this and can update you all).) So I suppose it isn't surprising to start to see evidence of prospective teardowns happening.  As I understand it, there will indeed be little financial incentive for property owners in that neighbourhood to maintain small houses (with the possible exception of those fronting on Fern).  And for a lot of us that is going to be sad.  For tenants of those homes, more than sad.... :( FYI, these high-density zones have already been approved by Council as part of Centre Plan's "Package A", so I'm afraid there is not much to be done... though I'm also told small tweaks to Package A may be possible while "Package B" is up for discussion, so it *might* be worth seeing if those Fern Lane homes could be downzoned to residential?? (If you come to one of our walks it is something we can and should discuss with the planner!!) Anyhow... 2. I did want to take this opportunity to reassure folks that this high-density-big-height type of development is concentrated by the Centre Plan only in certain areas of the peninsula. So if you read the email below and became worried that the same thing could happen in the Bloomfield neighbourhood, I can tell you that it will not. I know there's a lot of skepticism about the Centre Plan but as I learn more about it, I'm understanding that it really will limit large-scale development in many areas where we've been lurching from Development Agreement to Development Agreement in the past. For areas (such as most of Bloomfield and large parts of the Bilby-Macara neighbourhood) that do get zoned residential, they really will be protected.  It won't be legally possible for someone to randomly tear down a row of houses and build a high-rise.  A development agreement for that sort of thing will simply not be permitted.  It really is a change for the north end.  (IF you've heard of "Schedule Q" in the past, they are getting rid of that!) Anyhow, all this to say,  I think FHC is right about what is going to happen on May and I wanted folks to brace themselves for a lot more of that on May, McCully, King, Clifton north, south side of Demone, and the west-most blocks of Russell, Macara, Bilby... It's all been zoned to encourage demolition of small homes.... But if you were worrying that the whole peninsula could go that way, I did want to assure you that that is very much not the case -- huge swaths of the peninsula will now be getting more restrictive residential designations that will not allow highrise development under any circumstance.... and the only way that could be changed is next time HRM engages in a comprehensive planning process like the Centre Plan.  (and given that it is taking this Plan over 5 years to be fully developed and adopted, I feel quite sure it will be left alone for a good long while once it's in place!) Anyhow, like I said, I'm not an expert--- but these are some of the things I've been learning in the past few weeks. I also have quick access to a planner when I have questions, so feel free to shoot me any and I'll do my best to get answers. Kat Kitching (Former Bloomfield st resident, now on Stairs). Subject: [Bnranews] Fwd: fyi-May Day for May Street? Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2020 19:54:22 -0400 From: lavellcampbell &lt;plavell(a)gmail.com&gt; To: bnranews(a)chebucto.ns.ca ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: *friends(a)halifaxcommon.ca <mailto:friends@halifaxcommon.ca>* &lt;friends(a)halifaxcommon.ca <mailto:friends@halifaxcommon.ca>> Date: Thu, Nov 19, 2020 at 11:17 AM Subject: fyi-May Day for May Street? To: fyi-The houses on May St at Robie to the corner of Fern are rumoured to be slated for demolition. Apparently all the residents with the exception of one home have been evicted. (To geo-locate, this is between the Homes for Hondas & Bloomfield neighbourhoods and across from EAC) Preservation of existing neighbourhoods is not just about heritage-its about affordability, economics, culture and environment—39% of energy related CO2 emissions come from building and construction. This is a sign of what’s to come as the Centre Plan has incentivized demolition by increasing heights without any evaluation of the existing structure or controls. The city is well aware of what it is doing. In 2016 FHC wrote to the Mayor and the Premier asking that the charter be amended to include controls for demolition. https://www.halifaxcommon.ca/dear-mayor-take-control-of-demolition-permits/ There are lots of new additions to the demolitions listed in the letter, for example Killam properties has quietly knocked down two historic homes at the NW corner of Carlton Street across from where they are permitted to build the 18-storey high-rise on the east side.