PARKLAND DEDICATION FEE REVIEW 

HRM will be hosting a series of meetings to receive input on 3 proposed options to amend the Regional Municipal Planning Strategy to exempt small scale subdivisions (3 lots or less) from the current 10% parkland dedication fee  requirements under the new Regional Plan Subdivision By-law.  The options are:

1.  Leave it as is at the 10 % rate; or

2.  Re-establish the old Halifax County rule whereas the subdivision of property creates three lots or less, being totally exempted ; or a blended option

3.  Re-establish the old rate of 5% and apply that to subdivision of property creating three lots or less.

These proposed exemptions apply mainly to the areas outside of the urban area of HRM. All interested members of the public are welcome and encouraged to attend any or all of the public meetings at 7 PM :

Monday, March 5^th, Sackville High School

Monday, March19^th, Halifax West High School

Monday, March 26^th, Eastern Shore Community Centre (at the Rink / Bingo Hall Entrance) in Musquodoboit Harbour.

A copy of the staff report can be viewed on line at www.halifax.ca/regionalplanning or obtained by contacting HRM Planning Services at 490-4472.

RURAL EXPRESS TRANSIT SURVEY

HRM has engaged the services of a consultant to study and make recommendations to the municipality about where and when HRM should implement a part of its Regional Plan to establish an Express Regional (Rural)  Transit Service (Metro-Link ) along Hwy's #102, #103 and #107. The firm doing this study is ENTRA Consultants. For more information on their background and expertise, please refer to:  www.entraconsultants.com

Residents with an interest of having regional/rural express transit services to please respond to the survey that is now on-line at the HRM home page web-site: www.halifax.ca and click on the Metro Regional Transit icon. Or you can also go to the  Metro Transit home page at :

www.halifax.ca/metrotransit/news/RuralTransitStudy.html

This regional express transit service would provide us with an alternative access from our rural communities along this vital transportation corridor of Hwy #7 & Hwy #107. This survey will only be available for a few weeks. Newspapers ads have appeared to promote this opportunity for public input. I ask for your views and input on this initiative.

SITING OF WIND ENERGY TURBINES

There will be a public meeting on Thursday, March 29^th at 7 PM at the Black Cultural Centre in Cherry Brook  to discuss the possible siting of Wind Energy Turbines in the Lake Major Watershed. The Halifax Water Commission is considering the possibility of having a wind-farm on their lands in behind the Cherry Brook - Lake Loon area. This site is being considered because of its close proximity to the NS Power transmission line corridor that runs through and along this area.  To learn more about HRM Wind Energy Initiatives, please go on-line and look up these sites:

www.halifax.ca/environment/WindGenerationPlan.html

www.halifax.ca/environment/documents/WindGenFeb13Presentation.pdf

www.halifax.ca/environment/documents/WindGenMasterPlan.pdf

Happy  St. Patrick=s  Day