RECAP: Halifax Council votes to study possible plastic bag ban
Posted Jan 17, 2018 04:59:00 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
HALIFAX – After over two hours of debate, Regional Council voted Tuesday to ask for a staff report looking at options to reduce film plastics in HRM, including a ban on plastic shopping bags.
The approved motion was put forward by District 6 Councillor Tony Mancini, who said Halifax could take the lead and ban bags outright like Montreal, Boston and Victoria have done recently.
“We use to be a leader,” Mancini said, noting while it's not a race for cities, he would like to see the municipality on the “leading edge” of things like recycling and sustainability initiatives.
The issue has come to the forefront recently after a Chinese ban on most foreign recycling material has left municipalities scrambling to come up with solutions for what to do with papers and plastics they were selling to China, much of which may end up in the landfill if other options can't be found.
In addition to exploring how a ban could work, staff will look at other ways to reduce film plastics, including a partial ban, public education or Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) initiatives, which would put more onus on film plastic makers for what happens to waste.
On top of the staff report, council also voted to have the Mayor write two letters to the province; one supporting a province-wide ban on plastic bags and a second continuing support for EPR.
Mancini explained in his discussions with the Retail Council of Canada and the Ecology Action Centre, both preferred a province-wide ban if one were to be implemented, though the council was principally against such a ban.
District 12 Councillor Richard Zurawski supported a ban as he said climate change needs to be addressed immediately, calling it an “opportunity” and a matter of “responsibility.”
“Inaction is unconscionable…the time is now,” he said.
Councillor Steve Stretch worried HRM was rushing into a decision without adequate information and wanted to see other options or technologies to deal with film plastics explored.
“It can't be as black and white as ban or status quo or bury it,” Stretch said, who said he wasn't sure he could support a ban at this point and didn't want to see a “knee jerk reaction.”
Councillor Shawn Cleary out forward an amendment to ask staff consider a ban on all film plastic, not just plastic bags, but that was defeated by councillors with many noting it didn't seem realistic.
Matt Keliher, manager of solid waste for HRM, said the report would likely take between nine months and a year to complete and once finished it will return to the Environment Committee at council's request.
Debate to continue Wednesday after over 50 people attend 'Willow Tree Tower' hearing
Roughly 50 people showed up to speak at a public hearing during Tuesday Regional Council meeting to discuss the height of a proposed high-rise at Quinpool Road and Robie Street.
The hearing was for input on proposed amendments to the municipal planning strategy and Halifax Peninsula land-use bylaws to allow APL Properties to build a 25-storey mixed-use development on the site that currently houses offices and a parking garage.
The majority of attendees at the four-hour hearing were there to speak out against the proposed development.
APL, operated by Armco, has already had the project passed at 29-storeys but was later cut down to a 20-storey maximum for the property last March, in accordance with the coming draft Centre Plan document.
That hasn't stopped the company from continuing to push for more height.
Adam McLean, director of development for the company, told council Tuesday the property called for 25 storeys so the building “properly emphasizes” the “prominent corner.”
McLean said the corner serves as a major gateway to the Quinpool commercial area and the centre of three major streets, with the area also housing multiple buildings over 10 storeys.
He said height had been the only major issue raised with the development and presented renderings showing the difference between the proposed 25 storeys and the current maximum of 20 storeys, a difference he said was hardly noticeable to the eye.
In pushing for a public meeting for the 25-storey development, McLean argued anything less height wise wouldn't be financially viable for the company.
McLean said the company has listened to concerns from nearby residents including open houses, an online survey, a planning advisory committee public consultation and taken numerous phone calls and emails.
He said this led to a number of changes to the design and the addition of an affordable housing piece in the building, that will house apartments and retail space on the ground level.
Judy Haiven said she was concerned about the development because she feels the site is too small for the proposed development.
“It would cast a huge shadow over The Common…and would create a wind tunnel at the corner of Robie and Quinpool, which is now windy and hard to navigate at the best to times,” she said.
She said traffic congestion in the area would be compounded by 100 extra rental units on the corner and the parking and deliveries that come along with retail.
Haiven's specific concerns were echoed by a number of people in attendance.
While the majority of residents who spoke disagreed with any proposed height changes, there was support, including the executive director of the Quinpool Road Mainstreet District Association.
Karla Nicholson presented councillors a letter from the association's board supporting the proposed development at 25 storeys.
“We have continued to review and discuss the many revisions they've made in response to the city's and local citizen's feedback,” she said.
The board feels in the company's most recent presentation that all issues surrounding wind, shade, pedestrian, traffic and parking had been addressed, Nicholson said.
She said affordable housing, commercial space, a covered bus shelter and other things were added to the design in keeping with how the association envisions the area's future.
“In other words, their goal is to build to accommodate small local businesses, which is in keeping with the very fabric of Quinpool Road,” she said.
After the public hearing portion of the discussion wrapped up around 10 p.m. Tuesday, council decided to defer debate on the issue until Wednesday morning.
