Four new downtown developments will be able to go ahead, even though they don’t conform to HRMbyDesign.
Yesterday Halifax Regional Council voted to grandfather the projects forward because the developers had already applied and HRMbyDesign hasn’t received final approval.
Two of the developments, located at Barrington and Sackville Street, are about three times the proposed new height limits. That caused several councillors to oppose grandfathering last week.
But this week, after the developers made presentations to council, the grandfathering won widespread approval.
“They followed the laws of the land at the time. The world does not stop for HRM,” said Waverly-Fall River-Beaverbank Coun. Barry Dalrymple.
“We entered into a process to come up with a new process, and the world continued while we did that. So be it.”
Yesterday’s vote doesn’t mean the projects can be built immediately. The developers must still pass through the current process, which includes public hearings. If approved, construction must start within three years.
