HRM GRANTS 2012-13 DEADLINE
HRM’s Community Grants Program provides annual cash grants to
registered non-profit organizations and charities. These are one-time,
project specific grants. HRM does not provide multi-year grants or core
operating funding. There are two types of grants: (a) a project grant of
up to $5,000 and (b) a capital grant of up to $25,000. Presently, the
program provides assistance to specific types of projects in the
following categories: Environment; Recreation; Leisure; Affordable
Housing & Emergency Shelters; Emergency Assistance; Neighbourhood
Safety; Community History;  Community Diversity; and Arts & Crafts. The
HRM Community Grants Guidebook contains detailed eligibility criteria
for the program and for each of the funding sectors. Application
deadline is March 31st. The Guidebook and forms are available at HRM
Libraries and HRM Customer Service Centres or go on-line to:
www.halifax.ca/boardscom/bccgrants/CommunityGrantsProgram.html. For
more details, contact the HRM Call Centre at 490-5469

SEVEN LAKES DEVELOPMENT PLAN
Fieldstone Developments and Genivar have have filed a development
application with HRM – Case #17463 – for a new Open Space subdivision
concept plan known as “The Villages of Seven Lakes” that would connect
Alps Road in Porters Lake to Mosher Road in Conrod Settlement. They held
an open-house back on Sat. Jan. 21st and at least 70 people attended.
Now there will be an official HRM Public Information Meeting on Thurs.,
March 8th – 7 PM at the new Porters Lake Elementary School & Recreation
Centre by Exit #20. For more details on this application, please go to:
www.halifax.ca/planning/PlanningAppsDetailedInfo.html or at
www.sevenlakescommunity.com.

WEST CHEZZETCOOK CELL-TOWER
Eastlink recently erected a cell tower at 61 Blackberry Lane in West
Chezzetcook. It is identified as tower site – NSA223. There was a
Development Permit (No. 113519) issued back in September 2011 for a 76.2 metre tower. A communications tower is an allowable use  in the RE
(RURAL ENTERPRISE) zone under the local Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-laws for Halifax County Districts 8 & 9 ( Lake Echo –
Porters Lake – Chezzetcook ). The Industry Canada CPC-2-0-03 public
consultation and the telecommunication application process is not
required under these circumstances. The RE Zone is quite open for a host
of land-use opportunities as a right. Hence that is why we have a host
of towers on the high points of land in Lake Echo, Porters Lake, Head
Chezzetcook, and now in West Chezzetcook.

AFRICAN – NOVA SCOTIAN SURVEY
African Nova Scotians hold a unique place in the history and current
make-up of HRM. We are developing the first Social Heritage Strategy for
the municipality, which will define future heritage programs and
services offered by the municipality. Social heritage includes things
like monuments, special places, artifacts, documents, traditions,
stories, special skills, dance and music. Social heritage is about the
past, but more importantly it is about present and future generations.
It is important that the Social Heritage Strategy acknowledge the
history and present-day goals of all African Nova Scotians, who are
among the founding cultures of HRM. You are encouraged to participate by
providing your feedback on the survey. Please go to
www.halifax.ca/surveys/ and look up the link . Or you can print it
off and mail it in to HRM Heritage Planning Services, PO Box 1749,
Halifax, NS, B3J 3A5. If you have any queries, please contact Seamus
McGreal at 490-5113 or mcgreals@halifax.ca

WIND TURBINE ZONING MEETING
HRM will be conducting a Public Information Meeting on Thurs., March
22nd – 7 PM at the St. John’s Hall, Lake Major Road in Westphal to give
consideration of allowing future potential siting of small or medium
scale wind turbines on the lands adjacent to the powerline corridor. The
boundary for the area being considered for new wind turbine policy must
be: 1) within proximity to the power line there. 2) must not be less
than 250 metres of a habitable building and, 3) the area should have
sufficient wind speed. The maximum scale of turbine that could be
considered is at the medium scale (a maximum of 60 metres (197 ft) in
height and a maximum of 300 kilowatts). This is not the turbine that you
would normally associate with a wind farm. Large utility scale wind
turbines are not being considered here. Please note that the adjacent
properties in the Cherry Brook, Lake Major, Westphal, Ross Road and Cole
Harbour Basin area are already zoned as “RURAL WIND – RW 2 ” whereby
micro, small and medium wind turbines are allowable as long as the
setback requirements can be met.