The HRM is updating its garbage plan. The Solid Waste Strategy is getting underway, with the first step being public consultation. This is a wide-ranging strategy to reduce the amount of garbage the city produces. But in spite of all of the work that will go on behind the scenes, should this plan be successful, it will likely only be remembered for being the reason we throw our garbage in a city bin instead of a bag and bin that we buy ourselves.
The capital budget was ratified so tenders could start getting out the door.
The city will start consultations with Halifax Rugby about its plan for Gorsebrook Park.
The North American Indigenous Games made a presentation to council; the organization is still looking for volunteers. It has about half of the people it needs.
The city is going to try and make getting around without a car suck less in rural areas. The following communities were assessed in the following categories.
The first community the city will look at after passing this motion will be East Preston. These improvements will be split in cost between the city and the residents of the areas. Residents will not be charged until the improvements are complete. The active transit improvements will range in cost per community from $4.75 to $19 million, and residents will see a tax increase of 3.3 cents per $100 dollars of assessed value on top of their current rates.
A motion also passed allowing council to do the financial stuff explained above.
Council started the process of allowing some suburbs along Greenbank Court.
Council deferred a motion on tax relief for non-profits until next year. This will be an administrative change that is required, in small part, due to a lack of functionality in Excel. Excel is a weird software program because it’s so useful, but it’s just a spreadsheet. But because it’s just malleable enough, it gets used for everything. But that is also having some weird negative side effects. Scientists being forced to use a not-quite-good-enough, not purpose-built piece of data software is holding back human ingenuity. Anyway, this will come back, as council wanted more information on “Schedule C. Cultural, Recreational, Environmental, and Community Transit Organizations.”
The city sold some land to the province for a school. The land is near Park West School, and council got two petitions against the sale (one on paper with 69 signatures, one digital with 188). The province wants the land for the school, and could just take it if it wanted. Councillors Kathryn Morse and Lovelace had the “no” votes.
1608 Hammonds Plains Road is a heritage property.
Council voted to sell a bit of land to Clayton Developments, with councillor Paul Russell voting no.
Lovelace will get a staff report on a community use zone for parks becoming available in the city’s zoning arsenal for suburban and rural areas.
Councillor Lindell Smith put a motion on the floor to help the city collaborate with the heritage property on North Street (Doctor Clement Ligoure’s house) and maybe take it over.
Morse got a staff member added to the budget adjustment list. Should this position survive the BAL process, this future-planning staff member would make sure the city plans is in compliance with its Green Network and Integrated Mobility plans. Councillors Becky Kent, Trish Purdy, Shawn Cleary and Russell voted no, along with the mayor.
This article appears in Feb 1-28, 2023.
