District 8 Update #33 – Robie Street construction, Young-Kaye-Isleville changes, 2020 Election information, Construction Noise Survey, and more!

Hello all,

I hope you are staying safe and healthy. Last week I announced that I will be seeking re-election this fall. It is hard to believe that it has been almost four years since first being elected and I am looking forward to sharing my vison with you as we get closer to the election. You can expect to see another email that will connect you to the campaign. If you do not want to receive campaign related emails, please make sure you unsubscribe for updates.

It has also came to my attention that some subscribers to my news letters have been replying to this email info@Lindellsmithhfx.ca and looking for information or asking to address concerns related to HRM. This came to my attention after I began preparing this email for the election. This email (info@lindellsmithhfx.ca) is used to manage my e-newsletters – which are prepared and managed by me, and anything outside of HRM (Election, press releases, etc). I ask that all HRM related email inquiries be sent to Lindell.Smith@halifax.ca or to my coordinator Quentin Hill P. 902.490.1463 or Hillq@halifax.ca

Thanks!

List of events and notices – here’s what is included:

Update:

Response to COVID-19: Halifax Mobility Response – Streets and Spaces
Public Libraries now fine-free!
HRM Parking Permits
Halifax Transit service adjustments
Robie Street/Young Street Transit Priority Corridor construction
Changes at Young-Kaye-Isleville
Centre Plan Package B
2020 Election information
Construction Noise Survey & Grade alteration bylaw review survey Extended to August 31st
Public Hearing Regarding Secondary Suites

Items of Interest:

RoadWorks Map (Sidewalk/street Closures & Disruptions)
Sign up for hfxALERT
Halifax Water Board Reports
North End Business Association
Quinpool Road Business Association
Regional council – Next meeting: Tuesday, August 18^th, 2020, 10 am | Virtual Meeting
Board of Police Commissioners – Next meeting: Monday, August 17^th 2020, 12:30pm | Virtual Meeting

Contact me:
Phone: 902-579-6975
Email: Lindell.Smith@halifax.ca
Website: www.LindellSmithHfx.ca
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LindellSmithHFX/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LindellSmithHFX

311 – HRM’s Call Centre
HRM’s call centre is open 8am-8pm Mon-Fri, 9am-5:30pm weekends to respond to routine inquiries and complaints from HRM residents. Please use this service since it helps HRM keep track of issues that are of concern for residents (missed solid waste pickup, sidewalks not cleared, transit info or complaints, etc.) For more information please visit http://www.halifax.ca/311/

Please send your feedback on issues before Community Council and Regional Council – and on any municipal issue. If you would like to send your comments to all Regional Councillors please email the Clerk’s Office (clerks@halifax.ca) so that your comments are shared and are part of the public record.

If you would like to send events or information to be possibly included in my e-newsletter, please email with the subject line “E-Newsletter”

Update:

Covid-19 Related Information

Response to COVID-19: Halifax Mobility Response – Streets and Spaces
The first phase of the Halifax Mobility Response plan began earlier this week with the widening of sidewalks in high traffic areas, traffic signal modification and the implementation of temporary loading spaces for businesses in downtown Halifax and Dartmouth. Learn more about these changes, here.

Public Libraries now fine-free!
Halifax Public Libraries announced on August 5^th that they will be going fine-free effective immediately. This means all outstanding overdue fines with Halifax Public Libraries have been wiped from the system, and any future fines will not occur. Learn more here. All branches of Halifax Public Libraries have opened again to offer in-person services specific to their location. Click here for branch hours and information.

HRM Parking Permits
Typically, parking permits are purchased and processed in person at our Customer Service Centres, but due to Covid-19 closures we can accept applications and scanned documentation via email. Purchased permits are being mailed to residents until our Customer Service Centres reopen. Residential and monthly parking permits that expired in March through to July will no longer be valid after Monday, August 31^st. Parking restrictions related to monthly and annual residential permits will be enforced effective Tuesday, September 1^st.

More info: https://www.halifax.ca/transportation/parking/parking-permits

Halifax Transit service adjustments
Halifax Transit is continuing to adjust service levels and make changes to keep inline with public health guidelines. Bus service will return to regular schedules as of Monday, August 31^st, and March and April passes will be honoured until August 31^st .

Ferry service adjustments will go into effect on Tuesday, September 8^th.

Woodside service will increase to 15 minute frequency on weekdays at peak periods (6:37 a.m. – 9: 37 a.m. and 2:37 p.m. – 5:22 p.m.) 30 minute service will also be restored mid-day.
Alderney service will increase to 15 minute frequency on weekdays at peak periods (6:30 a.m. – 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.).

For the full schedules, visit www.halifax.ca/transportation/halifax-transit/coronavirus

Halifax Transit staff will continue to hand out masks periodically, through pop-up events at select locations across the municipality. Times and locations will be announced in advance, via @hfxtransit on Twitter.

HRM Meetings/Updates

Robie Street/Young Street Transit Priority Corridor construction
The construction that you are seeing on Robie Street is related to the Robie Street/Young Street Transit Priority Corridor project. I have received may inquiries related to the constriction taking place on Robie Street, specifically around the Cunard street intersection. This work is related to the Robie Street/Young Street Transit Priority Corridor project that will allow for additional bus lanes on Robie and Young. The construction around the Robie/Cunard intersection is focused on the southeast corner of this intersection, which abuts the Halifax Common. The two existing eastbound lanes are being reduced to a single lane, and the right turn channel is being reduced in size. These changes will also improve alignment through the intersection and reduce pedestrian crossing distance. As an added benefit, the northwest corner of the common will increase in size, absorbing the space that was formerly used for the right turn channel.

You can find more information in the project webpage. Currently the links are being updated so they may be broken, I have also for more diagrams to be added to the page to help easy visualization of the changes.

https://www.halifax.ca/about-halifax/regional-community-planning/transportation-planning/transit-priority/robie-young

Concept design details for the Robie-Cunard intersection

Changes at Young-Kaye-Isleville
The changes that have been made in the area of Young-Kaye-Isleville are related to the North End AAA Bikeway project. Since Fall of 2018 there has been public engagement related to this work, you can find all of the engagement materials online and the ‘What We Heard Reports’ here: https://www.shapeyourcityhalifax.ca/NWbikewayconnections.

We heard in 2018 that the originally proposed designs did not go far enough and that residents wished to see an intersection treatment that greater prioritized walking, rolling, and cycling. Many of the comments were related to the intersection width, crossing difficulty, poor sightlines for pedestrians, drivers, and cyclists. In October 2019 HRM hosted two pop-up events and an information session to gather feedback on this next set of conceptual designs with 1,480 dwellings being notified about these sessions by mail. Between 50-60 residents attended these sessions and you can find the ‘What We Heard’ summary for the most recent sessions here. We have heard more recently from folks that they would like to continue to be able to keep turning left from Young onto Isleville, this is something staff are monitoring to better understand how traffic patterns have changed, this means nearby side streets are being monitored to see if there are any significant impacts on motor vehicle volumes that could be mitigated. The curbs, bollards, and paint can be changed should Staff conclude that the intersection trial needs to be adjusted or removed. Also, back-in angle parking along Kaye Street in front of the Hydrostone was added, this created Nine new parking spaces.

An online survey was launched on August 17^th https://www.shapeyourcityhalifax.ca/NWbikewayconnections . Please take some time to fill out this questionnaire to provide us with further feedback.

Centre Plan Package B
HRM is currently in the process of completing Centre Plan Package B is the second part of the Centre Plan that will replace all of the existing established residential zoning in Dartmouth inside the Circumferential, and Peninsula Halifax, create new zoning for Park and institutional areas, and update the Downtown Halifax Plan. COVID-19 has disrupted the scheduled public engagements which means that the goal of completing Centre Plan Package B in September 2020 will not be met while ensuring that the public is adequately consulted. The project timeline will be updated when there is greater certainty on when these important public consultations can be safely completed.

To still be able to gather feedback from residents, the Centre Plan team has created a series of surveys. Fill out the surveys and provide feedback here.

2020 Election information
The 2020 elections for Mayor, Council, as well as the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial will be held on Saturday, October 17^th with telephone and electronic voting running from October 6^th to 14^th. Advanced Polling dates are October 10^th and 13^th.
Make sure you are on the voters list or to make any necessary changes by calling 902-490-VOTE (8683) or you can use the Online Voters’ List search tool, to verify if you are on the Voters’ List.

Due to COVID-19, the election candidate workshop is being hosted virtually this year for anyone interested in running for a seat on Halifax Regional Council or the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial. The 30-minute presentation will touch on everything from how to get nominated, key dates leading up to the Oct. 17, 2020 election, and what time commitments can be expected both in running for office, and after being elected. No sign-up is required, and potential candidates can take part at their own pace.

For more information, visit Halifax.ca/election

Construction Noise Survey & Grade alteration bylaw review survey Extended to August 31^st
Two surveys are currently available to provide feedback: Grade Alteration and Stormwater Management By-Law Online Survey, applying to grading, excavation and topsoil removal and the Construction Noise Survey. Please take a moment to provide feedback. https://www.shapeyourcityhalifax.ca/by-law-changes

Public Hearings

Public Hearing Regarding Secondary Suites
Tuesday September 1^st, 2020 6:00pm and Thursday September 3^rd, 2020 6:00pm if required.
Council will hold a public hearing regarding a by-law to allow secondary suites (backyard and granny suites) in all areas of HRM, subject to building and lot size among other controls. More information here: https://www.halifax.ca/sites/default/files/documents/city-hall/regional-council/200707rc11111.pdf

Items of Interest:

RoadWorks Map (Sidewalk/street Closures & Disruptions)
View the RoadWorks map to see current and upcoming sidewalk and street closures.

Sign up for hfxALERT
hfxALERT is our mass notification system for the municipality, keeping residents informed about emergencies and operations updates. Sign up here

Halifax Water Board Reports
Please find below the link that will take you to the location where all of the Halifax Water Board meeting reports are posted (with the exception of In-Camera reports

https://www.halifax.ca/home-property/halifax-water/about-your-water/board-commissioners

North End Business Association
For an update on what is happening with businesses in the north end please visit the North End Business Association http://gonorthhalifax.ca/ and sign up for their monthly email.

Quinpool Road Business Association
For an update on what is happening with businesses on Quinpool Road please visit their website: www.quinpoolroad.ca/
https://quinpool.shop/

My other Committee and Board commitments:

Regional Council
https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/regional-council
Next meeting: Tuesday, August 18^th, 2020, 10 am | Virtual Meeting