Main Street

Area -

New Rules

January 2014 garnetm@halifax.ca

Phone 490-4481

www.halifax.ca/regionalplanning/MSMPSReview.html

New Zoning Rules are here…

• Approved on September 10, 2013 by Regional Council following a public hearing

• The new rules for the Main Street area took effect on Nov. 23, 2013

• Here’s an overview…

An aerial view

NSCC

Sobeys Parclo

Lakecrest

Apts

What did the

Streetscape Study envision?

• street furniture, landscaping and park

• wide sidewalks

• reconfigured streets

• pedestrian-supportive buildings

• shared rear-yard parking

• attractive roofs

How is the Streetscape Study

being implemented?

STREETSCAPE STUDY

PRIVATE INVESTMENT

PLANNING &

ZONING

PUBLIC STREETS

New zoning for a new vision

On May 13, 2008 Regional Council:

– approved in principle the “Main Street

Dartmouth - Planning Vision and Streetscape

Concept” (Jan. 20, 2008)

– authorized staff to prepare a Secondary

Planning Strategy for Main Street Dartmouth

and vicinity

“Where We Are So Far” • BID established

• Early action: rezoned C-3 to C-2 to…

– enable apartments by development agreement

– prevent new self-storage

• Streetscape Improvements:

– Hartlen St. trees and sidewalk

– Woodlawn/Main parkette

– LED lighting

• Now we’ve aligned the MPS & LUB with the Vision

Who was consulted

for the new Zoning?

• 5 Public Sessions:

1. parking & shortcutting

2. building styles &

development patterns

3. concept & draft rules

4. refining the rules;

transportation analysis

5. Public Information Meeting

• Ongoing BID Liaison:

– Introductory BID meeting

– Updates at BID breakfasts

– Met with owners on request

– Overview of proposed new

rules to special BID meetings

Main Street Designation…

• foster a town centre as a focal point for residential

and commercial investment

• pedestrian oriented buildings and spaces

• recognize need for automobile access

• reduce uncertainty through as-of-right mixed-use

and multiple-unit residential zoning with design

requirements

... with 3 Sub-Designations:

• Town Centre:

sidewalk retail with offices/residences

above

• Town Residential:

townhouses, apartments or condos

near Town Centre’s goods and services

• Neighbourhood Edge:

orderly transition between medium-

density or high-traffic areas and

established low-density neighbourhood

Source: Google Streetview

New Main Street Designation…

±

… and 3 Sub-Designations

Town

Residential

Town

Centre

Neighbourhood

Edge

New Zoning Rules

C-2

C-2

R-3

R-3*

R-3* R-3

R-3*

R-2

R-2 R-2

R-1A R-1A

R-1A

NLW

NLW

NLW

C-2

C-2 New design rules also apply

* Facades must resemble

townhouses

R-1

General Commercial (C-2) Zone For a walkable mix of uses and buildings…

• Sidewalk-oriented commercial on ground floor

• General Offices up to three floors

– To avoid competing with downtown

• Residences above, as-of-right

• No industrial, storage or “adult” uses

• Rear or subgrade parking

Source: Google Streetview

Concept for Optimizing Use, Height & Parking

Slopes enable some sub-grade parking

Ground floor retail fronting on sidewalk

Offices on middle floors

Housing

above

Housing

above

Rear yard parking

Roofs & Lofts

Medium Density Residential

(R-3) Zone Lakecrest/Valleyfield:

• Multiple unit facades must

resemble townhouses

• Low (2-storey) street wall

Other Locations:

• 4 storey streetwall

All locations:

• 12.2 m (40 ft) separation

from R-1, R-1A or R-2

Neighbourhood Live-Work

(NLW) Zone

For low-impact

live/work…

• Craftshop/spa/studio/office

• Accessory retail only

• Other uses and rules

comparable to R-1A

• Limited signage

• Townhouse-style dwellings

(internal driveways only)

Auxiliary Dwelling Unit (R-1A Zone)

To add more residents

near shopping, while

retaining a small

scale…

• As in R-1, plus one auxiliary

unit up to 40% of gross floor

area

• Must retain the appearance of

a single house

Maximum Building Heights

±An additional 4.6 m (15 ft) is allowed for lofts & penthouses,

except where the height limit is 35 feet or less

120 80

80

80

70 70

70

60

60

45

45

45

45 45

35

35 35 35 35

35

35

35

35

35 35

Streetwall

Stepbacks • At least 1.8 m (6 ft) wide

• Above 2nd storey on

Lakecrest or Valleyfield

• Above 5th storey on Main St

& south end of Gordon

• Above the 4th storey on all

other streets

• May be topped by a pitched

roof or deck

(not required where

building is already set

back an equivalent

distance beyond

minimum front yard)

Source: Google Streetview

Maximum Streetwall Heights ±

25-ft Streetwalls

55-ft Streetwalls

45-ft Streetwalls

45-ft

25-ft

Rules for NEW PARKING LOTS • No new front-yard parking

• No new side-yard parking, except alongside

a driveway

• Development agreement option for the large

shopping centres on Tacoma Drive and

Gordon Avenue for large front yard

setbacks…

Drive-Throughs & Gas Bars Drive-throughs:

• Front wall close to sidewalk

• No driveway between

sidewalk & front door

• Loudspeakers, service

windows & lanes at least 6

m (20 ft) from residential

zone

Gas bars:

• Building between sidewalk

& pumps

• Sidewalk display window &

awning

Fast Food

Gas

Bar Store

Source: APA NNECAPA Photo Library

Buildings Maximum setbacks:

• Gordon, Major & Hartlen: 6.1 m (20 ft)

• Main, Tacoma & Caledonia: 9.1 m (30 ft)

Roofs & walls:

• R-3 & NLW Zones: breaks every 12.2m (40 ft)

• C-2 Zone: breaks every 24.4 m (80 ft)

Windows:

• Vertical or square

• along 35% of each floor

• along 50% of sidewalk façade

Front Yard Setbacks

Street Minimum Setback Maximum Setback

Gordon

Major

Hartlen

1 m (3.3 ft) 6.1 m (20 ft)

Main

Tacoma

Caledonia

2 m (6.6 ft) 9.1 m (30 ft)

Lakecrest

Valleyfield

6.1 m (20 ft) --

Development Agreement Option Area

±

D.A. option for deep

front yard setback.

(requires pedestrian frontage

& design features)

Gordon – Tacoma Plazas

Development Agreement Option

Landscaping

Landscaping Sidewalk frontage

with display

windows &

pedestrian door

Architectural

features

Architectural

features

Gas bar with

pedestrian

frontage

Architectural

features

Frame

parking with

buildings…

When would the rules apply? • New occupants – no effect

• New uses, extensions, external

renovations – new elements only

• Replacement buildings, additional

parking – all elements

i.e., in proportion to the amount of change

Nonconforming structures may

be altered/expanded if: the nonconforming structure remains on one lot

additions total no more than 697 sq. m (7500 sq ft)

additions are for a permitted use

additions respect all the new rules

a landscaped walkway links the door & sidewalk

Nonconforming structures may

not be altered/expanded if:

× additions further encroach on yard or lot coverage limits

×more front-yard parking is added

× illuminated signs are added facing residences

× a drive-through would become the main use

× adult entertainment exists on the lot

Thank you

http://www.halifax.ca/regionalplanning/MSMPSReview.html

Marcus Garnet,

Senior Planner

490-4481

garnetm@halifax.ca