Northwest Arm Coalition
I'm feeling a bit like a bulletin board these days. :)TO: PARTNERS IN THE NORTHWEST ARM COALITION (and supporters)
FROM: The Northwest Arm Coalition (contact preyra@smu.ca)
RE: HRM public meetings on November 3 & 9 about infilling of the Northwest
Arm
The infilling and development of water lots in the Northwest Arm, among
other things, threatens to destroy habitat, to spoil heritage view planes,
to deny public access to the shoreline, and to privatize and limit
recreational and navigation rights on the Arm. To better manage the
development and subdivision of infilled water lots on the Northwest Arm, the
Halifax Regional Municipality is proposing to implement interim policies and
regulations by amending its land use bylaws and planning strategy.
The Northwest Arm Coalition welcomes these initiatives. We believe it
represents the start of a fundamentally important discussion about long term
governance and development strategies for the Northwest Arm, our individual
and community rights, and our shared responsibility to protect our coastal
environment and the rights of future generations.
HRM Planning Staff will discuss the proposed amendments at two public
information meetings at St. James Anglican Church Hall, at 2668 Joseph Howe
Drive in Halifax on:
Thursday November 3, 2005 at 7:00pm and Wednesday November 9, 2005 at
7:00pm
We strongly urge you to attend these meetings. We wish to emphasize three
points:
* We applaud HRM for recognizing this problem, and for proposing these
interim measures to limit and control development on infilled lots.
* We believe that the fragmentation of jurisdictional responsibility
and the lack of an integrated Northwest Arm management strategy has created
opportunities for flawed and shortsighted evaluations of water lot infill
applications in the Northwest Arm. We urge all regulatory agencies and water
lot owners having stewardship for the Northwest Arm and the harbour to help
establish an integrated, effective, accountable and inclusive structure and
process for dealing with this challenge.
* Given the fact that the Working Committee and the Halifax Regional
Municipality are similarly engaged in fundamentally important discussions
about long term governance and development strategies for the Northwest Arm,
we believe it would be wise to defer any consideration of water lot infill
applications until these processes are complete.
A background report on the proposed amendments
(Case 00596)is available online
