Frequently Asked Questions
- Former Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children (NSHCC) at 18 Wilfred Jackson Way;
- Former cottage of the NSHCC’s superintendent at 20 Wilfred Jackson Way, which is currently used for storage;
- Henry Bauld Centre at 35 Wilfred Jackson Way, which was previously a school house for residents of the NSHCC but now used as a community centre; and,
- Watershed Association Development Enterprises (WADE) building at 49 Wilfred Jackson Way.
1. Where is the property and who owns it?
The subject properties comprise of about 320-acres located along Highway #7 (PIDs 40150567, 41391764 and 40150559) and are owned by Akoma Holdings Inc. Currently, the buildings that exist on the site include the following:
There is also a community garden on the former NSHCC site. On a separate property that is also owned by Akoma Holdings Inc. are two group homes run by the Akoma Family Centre at 1016 and 1018 Highway #7.
2. Will my voice be heard?
Yes. Planning staff consider all comments from the public on a development proposal. Collecting public feedback on a development proposal, particularly for changes to planning policy documents, is an important part of the process. Your feedback will help staff, the applicant and Council understand the community’s desires and the greater public interest. You can provide feedback by participating in the Online Public Meeting scheduled for Wednesday 21 October, 2020 from 6:30pm-8:30pm, contacting the planner Stephanie Salloum at sallous@halifax.ca or 902-476-2792, posting your feedback to this forum, and/or participating in a future public hearing before a decision is made on the proposal.
3. What feedback is useful to the process?
4. Who can participate? How and when can I participate?
Any member of the public that is interested in the proposal is welcome to participate – you do not have to live close to the site. Youth and elders are also welcome to participate. The public may ask questions and provide feedback anytime through the planning process by contacting the HRM Planner – Stephanie Salloum by phone (902-476-2792) or email. However, there are two times in the planning application process where the public will be formally consulted:
1. Public Engagement is at the earlier part of the process whereby staff and the applicant present the proposal to the public and collect feedback. The applicant can then choose to make changes to the proposal based on the comments received. Staff will be focused on collecting feedback for Phases 1-4 of Akoma Holding’s proposal at the upcoming online public meeting on October 21, 2020. Public feedback will also be collected by contacting the HRM planner, Stephanie Salloum, at sallous@halifax.ca or 902-476-2792, and through the online forum.
2. A Public Hearing will be held by Council toward the end of the process, before Council decides whether to approve or refuse a proposal. At this stage, public feedback is provided directly to Council. A public hearing has not been scheduled yet. The public will be notified of a future public hearing.
5. Who makes the final decision on the proposal?
Regional Council makes the final decision on an application to change the planning policies. A decision of Regional Council to approve or refuse changes to the planning policies cannot be appealed.
6. What is the process and how long will it take?
The following outlines the various steps involved in the planning process. The process includes a detailed review of the proposal by HRM departments like Planning and Development, Engineering, Traffic Services, Parks and Recreation as well as external agencies like Halifax Water and Nova Scotia Environment. Engaging with the public is also a key part of the process. An application to change the planning policies can generally take 18 months to get to Regional Council for a decision. The process can take longer if there are multiple revisions to development plans. COVID-19 has also delayed planning application timelines.
