Seekfinal

Planning & Design Centre Newsletter

Issue 10 | September 2016

PLAN your vote HALIFAX MUNICIPAL ELECTION SPECIAL

WHY IT MATTERS.

WHAT TO CONSIDER.

WHAT IT TAKES.

planning and politics: how they intersect and why they matter

Taking the pulse of local planning advocates

An interview with outgoing councilor, Jennifer Watts

Planning & Design Centre

SEEK 010 | September 2016

Introduction

Municipal Structures

VOTING FOR VISION

Why Politics Directs Planning

Much has changed since summer 2012, the last time Halifax had to think about a municipal election. Carly Rae Jepson was blowing up the pop charts with Call Me Maybe, the Blue Jays were somewhere near the bottom of the league, and there was only one Avengers movie. It was a simpler time.

In many ways, the political structure of Halifax is similar to that of a restaurant. Everybody, from the owner to the front of house staff, has a role to play to ensure that things run smoothly. The decisions that are made at the top of the structure influence the actions of each subsequent level.

Our city was different too. Irving had only just received the ship building contract, both bridges worked, no one knew what a growth node was, and a handful of people still thought the Nova Centre was a good idea. Outdoor beer gardens were unheard and, if you can believe it, cycling was even more dangerous than it is today. From gas stations to rock climbing and charcuterie in 4 short years.

For a second, imagine what we’ll be thinking back on 4 years from now. What will Quinpool Road look like with 70 extra stories of apartments and condos? Will we have a new, curbless streetscape on Argyle? Will people be able to live in the North End, or will everything past Cogswell be a parking lot for a Honda dealer?

What will Halifax be in 2020 or 2030, when we are deciding between Mike Savage again or Dartmouth Independence candidate, Joel Plaskett?

The municipality will need to be diligent on how it is going to respond to the motion that council passed last year to support the Truth and Reconciliation recommendations. It is important for candidates to understand the opportunity and obligation we have to engage with First Nations communities.

Office of the CAO Human Resources Halifax Regional Police Finances & ICT Legal & Risk Management

Parks & Rec Operatoins Support Transportation & Public Works Planning & Development Fire & Emergency Halifax Transit

Q and A

Municipal Governance Q: What exactly do the mayor and councillors do?

A: The role of the mayor is to act as chief executive officer by providing leadership to council and representing the city. It is the mayor’s responsibility to sit on various committees, attend public events, and act as an official voice on behalf of the city.

The Deputy Mayor assists the mayor and acts as Vice Chair when the mayor is away or unable to fulfill their duties.

Jennifer Watts’

Fundamental to understanding the direction of how the municipality is developing and growing. There are multiple other documents and plans that support the Regional Plan that are important reading as well: Economic Strategy, Centre Plan, Green Network Plan and the upcoming Integrated Mobility Plan.

Front of House & Support Staff

CAO

Cooks & Line Cooks

Before voting this fall, pick the issues that are important to you, and identify the candidates that best represent them. Demand vision from your politicians, because without vision planning becomes a tool for perpetuation, rather than progress. On October 15th, vote for the future of Halifax. Vote for what we can be, not what we are.

Recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Executive Manager

Head Chef

The purpose of SEEK is to increase public access to planning information. Past issues have looked at megaprojects, the growing urban farm movement, and the process of community engagement. The municipal election provides a special opportunity to explore the greater forces that dictate planning direction in Halifax.

This issue provides everything a planning-conscious citizen should know before voting, including a primer of municipal structures and operations, an interview with a former councilor, and a selection of prominent issues identified by local planning advocacy groups.

Halifax’s Regional Plan

Mayor & City Council

Partner Community

Deputy CAO

These are the questions planners ask everyday – and that we all need to ask ourselves ahead of this fall’s election. Planners however, are not able to direct policy or circumvent bureaucracy. In a municipality, planning is the tool through which politics are activated. Political will is the single most powerful means of directing and controlling development and progress in our city. If we are concerned with the future of Halifax, with the way it looks, operates, and how we interact with it, voting is the only true way of directing planning decisions.

Planning Reading List

Owner

Writings on Food Security How we can create and enhance food security in the urban core, suburbs and rural areas of our municipality. Many communities are engaged in this around the world so there is so much potential to increase our ability to grow food and connect residents to our agricultural potential.

Any creative books on how to build wonderful public spaces that encourage intergenerational interaction and are accessible to everyone (parks, trails, recreation facilities like the Oval, etc)

Planning and Design Centre O’Brien Hall, 3rd Floor | 5217 Morris Street phone: 902.494.6494 | website: http://www.pdcentre.ca | email: info@pdcentre.ca

Q: How do cities function?

A: From planning bus routes to providing citizens with adequate housing, cities perform many functions. Some of these include directing future growth and development, maintaining and planning infrastructure, as well as providing social services. Many people who work for the city make this happen including urban planners, engineers, and administrators. In addition to the people who work for the city, elected officials represent public interests to guide city direction.

Q: What is the governing structure of Halifax?

A: The Halifax Regional Municipal (HRM) area is comprised of 16 different voting districts, each with an elected councillor.

Together with the mayor, Regional Council acts as the main legislative and governing body for Halifax. Elected officials are responsible for representing public interests by evaluating policies and managing city services such as: the Halifax Regional Police, public libraries, fire and emergency services, the Halifax Regional Water Commission, Halifax Transit, parks and recreation, public works and waste management.

Working alongside council are various boards, committees, and standing committees. These groups provide council with recommendations and strategic direction on municipal projects.

These groups along with staff are to advise and support council on voting decisions.

Councillors must fulfill two roles: represent the larger municipality and to represent the constituents of their district.

When fulfilling a legislative role, councillors must review and vote on municipal policies and by-laws. As a local councillor, they must consult and represent the concerns of citizens in their district. Councillor duties include contribute to standing committees, participate in community (district) council, engage with other board or sub-committees, and volunteer in the community.

Q: How does this affect city planning and development?

A: Council votes to approve or reject policies, plans, and by-laws. These decisions, more or less, act as local laws regulating municipal development and growth. How councillors vote can have long-term implications on future direction of a city. Municipal planning and development staff provide recommendations to council; however, ultimately council has final authority.

Q: Why does your vote matter?

A: Your vote and public engagement provide direction to councillors as to how you want your city to function. If there is a particular topic that is important to you (ie, affordable housing or bike lanes) this is an opportunity to express your concerns to your local representative. Voting is an opportunity to be represented in city council’s decisions.

Planning & Design Centre

SEEK 010 | September 2016

Electoral Districts

An interview with outgoing councillor

HALIFAX REGIONAL CENTRE

Jennifer Watts What is your background in planning and how does this help you contribute as a councillor?

I graduated with a Master in Urban and Rural Planning degree from TUNS in 1996. I have always had an interest in how cities and neighbourhoods work and was really excited to go back to school as a mature student in my thirties. I started my degree with a baby in arms and graduated four years later with two children. Being a woman, a parent and someone who had worked in Central America and in the inner city of Saskatoon influenced how I saw communities – what was important for people to be able to feel connected to their neighbourhoods, what made their lives easier, and how could planning help build communities that responded to people’s needs at all ages and stages of their lives. I have tried to bring these experiences and values forward into my studies and my decision making as a councillor.

District 5 Dartmouth Centre Outgoing: Gloria McCluskey Candidates: 8 Candidates Offering Important Changes since 2012: • Undergrounding Utilities on Portland and Ochterloney • King’s Wharf Development • Shannon Park • MacDonald Bridge and The Big Lift • Switch: Dartmouth • New Business Interest • Renewed Economic Interest in Downtown Dartmouth

District 7 Halifax South Incumbent: Waye Mason Challengers: Dominick Desjardens, Sue Uteck Important Changes since 2012: • Halifax Central Library • Condo Boom • New Cogswell Roundabouts • Argyle Streetscape Redevelopment • Controversial Demolition of Unique South End Homes • Hollis Street Bike Lane • University Avenue Bike Lane Construction • Enhanced public space at Waterfront through better seating and programming • Nova Centre • Controversial Height Increases at Spring Garden and Robie

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How will incoming mayor and council be expected to address these issues?

The new council will have the amazing opportunity to really debate and struggle with several important planning consultations - notably the Centre Plan, the Integrated Mobility Plan and the Green Network Plan. All three of these plans will play a major role in how Halifax grows and develops. I hope that with the new public participation policy that is being developed that residents will find it easier to provide feedback to the municipality. Council needs to continue to value and encourage new communication strategies that provide clear information, multiple ways for residents to respond, and public participation processes that allow residents to be engaged in building a plan as opposed to simply reacting to one.

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District 8 Halifax Peninsula Outgoing: Jennifer Watts Candidates: 7 Candidates Offering Important Changes since 2012: • Homes not Hondas • Condo Boom • Concerns Over Changing Socio-Economic Demographic • New Emera Oval Building • Bloomfield Centre • Concerns Over Displacement of Existing Communities

District 9 Halifax West Armdale Incumbent: Linda Mosher Challengers: Sean Cleary, Kyle Woodbury Important Changes since 2012: • St. Pat’s School Redevelopment • Vast Redevelopement at Quinpool and Robie • Intensifying Residential Developments along Oxford Street • Controversial Bus Route Changes • Halifax Shopping Centre Renovation • Changing Residential Demographic

What are some of the most pressing planning issues facing Halifax now?

The most obvious issue is the debate we are having about how we want to grow, what is appropriate density, how can we support our existing neighbourhoods, how we can encourage affordable housing and how can we protect our heritage buildings and much loved streetscapes. Central to this debate is how we are going to become more sustainable and develop resiliency to the environmental challenges that we will face. I think we have not pressed hard enough on sustainability issues in recent years. I am looking forward to the second round of our very successful Solar City program and the upcoming revised Community Energy Plan. We also have some really exciting projects on the horizon like the potential district energy project connected to the development of the Cogswell lands. Sustainability projects can reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and also build our participation in the green economy. Key to planning and sustainability is our commitment to sustainable transportation and planning communities with mobility as the starting point. I also hope that Halifax will continue to make the links between the health of its residents and planning through increased support for active transportation, affordable housing, parks and open space, food security, and accessible recreation facilities.

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What do you feel most proud of after your 8 years as a councillor?

These are not necessarily motions/initiatives that I brought forward but they are significant things that occurred while I was a councillor: • The Truth and Reconciliation motion that stated our commitment as a municipality to a new equal relationship with Aboriginal people in Canada • Participatory budget process for district capital funds (introduced to Halifax by Councillor Waye Mason) – loved the engagement of local groups pitching their projects and residents of all ages who came out and voted • Active transportation initiatives – finally making some headway on AT infrastructure and taking an epic original plan and breaking it down into a doable 5 year plan • Low income bus pass – important first step to making public transit more accessible to residents • Shift to involvement in affordable housing – during my first term is was very hard to even discuss affordable housing since this was not seen to be a municipal mandate. This term there is a concerted effort to clarify and define the municipal role and an appreciation for greater municipal involvement to ensure safe, accessible affordable housing.

• Accessibility – we are finally appreciating the work we need to do to make our municipality physically accessible and to support greater inclusion and diversity of people in our workforce, programs and facilities. The province will be introducing Accessibility Legislation and Halifax needs to be proactive and champion how we are going to move forward on diversity and inclusion.

• Clear Bags for Solid Waste – in my first term we cancelled a public hearing the day of the meeting because of negative public feedback while in my second term it passed with hardly any debate.

• Communicating as often and as clearly as possible with residents whom I represent. There are lots of public consultations, events, and motions before council that affect District 8 and adequately informing people of these events/decisions has been a huge challenge. Communication has not been perfect but I have tried my best through district email updates, newsletters, Meet Your Councillor events, and walking streets in the district doing mail drops.

Planning & Design Centre

SEEK 010 | September 2016

Taking the Pulse of

Community Groups We asked a Variety of community organizations what Their most important Election issues were. Here is what they said: ACORN Accessibility to Internet; inclusionary zoning, so that 30% of units in a new housing development are designated as affordable housing; and regular landlord licensing of all new and existing rental units with measures to protects tenants from these additional costs.

Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia We are concerned about effective protection of registered and non-registered heritage buildings, sites, and areas. Plans and planning decisions must be sensitive to the impact of height and massing of new construction on neighbourhoods and heritage buildings. Controlling and de-incentivizing demolition is critical if we are going to retain affordable registered and unregistered heritage buildings and the embodied energy they contain.

Quinpool Road Mainstreet District Association The top municipal election issue for the majority of property and/or business owners on Quinpool Road is Tax Reform. Tax Reform has been an ongoing issue for several years and has now reached a point where small businesses are being taxed out of existence.

THe Big Chair:

Willow Tree Group Developers have been using the Development Agreement process as a loophole for excessive buildings that disregard municipal by-laws and public response. The Centre Plan could bring more order to development, but the Planning department’s current “growth scenario” scheme relies on outdated urban thinking and would be an enormous missed opportunity to develop the regional centre in smarter ways.

Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia Affordable & accessible housing that is suitable for large families; affordable & accessible transportation; affordable & accessible recreation programs and opportunities; and welcoming communities and building a sense of belonging.

Friends of the Halifax Common Candidates should have a strong commitment to HRM citizens’ shared common values. This could be demonstrated with a promise to make the 1994 Halifax Common Plan an official part of the Municipal Planning Strategy. FHC also sees the proposed Centre Plan as an ideal opportunity for candidates these shared common values by setting clear environmental, economic and cultural objectives for our sustainable society.

Ecology Action Centre Commitment to completion of Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes Regional Park and rejection of proposed development in boundary. Daylighting Sawmill River in Dartmouth.

Strategies that support healthy, just, and sustainable food systems. Creation of a Community Energy Plan Walk n’ Roll

Adopt and implement street design standards for accessibility, pedestrian safety, and to calm traffic, as well as adopt and implement a Complete Streets program.

Mayoral Candidates Address Planning Challenges

Mayoral Incumbent: Mike Savage

The most pressing-and challengingplanning issue for Council, staff, and citizens is achieving a liveable community, with the optimal balance between development and growth on the one hand, and protection of our natural and built heritage on the other.

We’re experiencing a boom in construction, especially downtown, but we have to ensure that our regulations and approvals processes respect and protect the features that our citizens value most.

A liveable community is an affordable one, and I believe we need to make housing affordability a priority within HRM. With the provincial legislation allowing the creation of Heritage Conservation Districts, and the further development of more inclusionary zoning we can work to address the balance of heritage and growth, and the challenge of housing affordability.

The continuing implementation of HRM by Design and the Centre Plan improve the framework for managing our growth, and allow us to use those tools with greater effectiveness than we are currently.

As we consider the needs of citizens throughout the region, we also have to anticipate the demand for more safe biking and other alternative transportation options, including efficient transit.

Mayoral Candidate: Lil MacPherson

Most important planning issue: I have concerns city hall has lost control of [its] rapid paced development and questioning are we building for the past, or the future?

Our biggest challenge will be to catch up with the world, as I see us not conscience in City hall to the urgency of Climate Change and developing a sustainable HRM that we are proud to hand over to our children.