MINORREV 2026-01028 Halifax Mainland Land Use By-law Map Amendments for the Dutch Village Road Street Wall Maximum Heights

Request

The Municipality proposes to introduce minor housekeeping amendments to Schedule ZM-31: Plan Dutch Village Road Street Wall Height Map. The intent of these amendments is to address mapping errors resulting from Cases 22816 and 23245 and MINORREV-2025-00922.

On December 11, 2025 Regional Council approved the MINORREV-2025-02922 - Updated Approach to Amending Planning Documents for Provincial Minimum Planning Requirements, which included amendments to the Halifax Municipal Planning Strategy and Halifax Mainland Land Use By-law. Clause 4A(2)(g) of the Municipal Planning Requirements regulations prohibit maximum height restrictions that would negatively affect the density of residential buildings using mass timber or other construction methods. To meet the intent of this requirement, maximum height requirements in the Dutch Village Road area were converted from being measured in metres to storeys. During the amendment process the maximum street wall heights along streets which were previously set to 9 metres, were set to 2 storeys rather than the intended 3 storeys. Staff are proposing to update the maximum street wall heights along Andrew Street and Percy Street to 3 storeys.

Additionally, Cases 22816 and 23245 were approved in 2023 and included a minor amendment to decrease the maximum street wall height along Joseph Howe Drive from 17 metres to 14 metres to support a more human-scaled street wall for larger developments. However, a mapping error at that time resulted in the maximum street wall height being removed from Schedule ZM-31 along Joseph Howe Drive and a portion of Dutch Village Road. Staff are proposing to reinstate the maximum street wall height of 4 storeys along Joseph Howe Drive and a portion of Dutch Village Road that was removed in error during that process.

Staff also identified sections of Percy Street that permit buildings taller than 3 storeys but did not have a maximum streetwall height requirement set under Schedule ZM-31. For consistency and to ensure that the Land Use By-law met the policies of the Municipal Planning Strategy, Staff are proposing to add a maximum streetwall height of 3 storeys along the front lot lines of these properties.

The Halifax Municipal Planning Strategy enables and requires the regulation of street walls through policies 2A.4 and 2A.5 (below) which aim to regulate street walls through the Halifax Mainland Land Use By-law to enhance the pedestrian experience.

Building and Streetwall Heights

2A.4.  A mid-rise form shall be encouraged along Dutch Village Road and     Joseph Howe Drive. The  buildings shall be developed with the goal to      improve public safety by removing the parking from the front yard, and  also to create a defined streetwall. This streetwall will help enhance the pedestrian experience in the area.

2A.5.  HRM shall regulate the height of the streetwalls in the Dutch Village Road area in the Halifax  Mainland Land Use By-law.

Proposal

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The following key changes are proposed:

• Amending the maximum street wall height from 2 storeys 3 storeys along:
  • Andrew Street,
  • Percy Street,
  • Sunnybrae Avenue,
  • Melrose Avenue,
  • Westerwald Street,
  • School Avenue,
  • Joseph Howe Drive from Highway 102 to Dutch Village Road, and
  • the south side of Dutch Village Road from Joseph Howe Drive,
• Setting the maximum street wall height to 4 storeys along:
  • Joseph Howe Drive from Alma Cresent to Dutch Village Road, and
  • the north side of Dutch Village Road from Joseph Howe Drive to Andrew Street.

Process

The application will be considered under the LUB Amendment process. 

Status

The Municipality is collecting feedback from the general public about the proposed amendments. To provide feedback or request additional information, please see the contact information below.

Documents Submitted for Evaluation

The below image shows the proposed amendments to Schedule ZM-31: 

Plan Dutch Village Road Street Wall Height Map.