[Bedford_DJ]

This can be for any future talk on viewplanes/sightlines around HRM since we seem to have a fair number of them and there is another one proposed;

Council approves protection for Northwest Arm sightline
PAUL MCLEOD, METRO HALIFAX
December 10, 2008 05:00




The Halifax Harbour sightlines have been a valuable tool for heritage activists and a thorn in the side of some developers.


Yesterday, council took a step toward maintaining sightlines, but this time in the Northwest Arm. The sightlines would prevent anything from blocking certain viewpoints.


“It’s a beautiful spot and to me it’s just as important as protecting views in downtown, the harbour and Citadel Hill,” said Purcell’s Cove-Armdale Coun. Linda Mosher. Mosher said everything from pedways to signs to new trees could threaten the view.


Mosher proposed a motion to have HRM staff develop plans for new sightlines for the Arm. Council approved the motion unanimously, meaning HRM staff will bring a report back to council for a vote.

[Keith P.]

I watched this last night when she raised it at council -- one of the more ridiculously dysfunctional council meetings in recent memory, BTW -- and the concept is totally absurd. What she was talking about was the kind of restriction that would prevent, for example, the construction of a pedestrian overpass on Dutch Village Rd., the planting of a tree in the center of the roundabout, erection of signage in the roundabout, you name it. Apparently her theory is that nothing should impede the view of the Arm for drivers coming down Dutch Village towards the roundabout. Frankly I'd rather they be looking at traffic rather than the scenery. There is no chance of anything being built on the shoreline by the roundabout or along that stretch of Quinpool that could possibly impede the view, so I fail to understand why these measures are even necessary.

[worldlyhaligonian]

I doubt this will really have any impact... although it is like giving the anti-development people another weapon for their arsenal.

[Barrington south]

The shore line of Quinpool is very barren....it could definitely use some tree's ....to bad

[HaliStreaks]

The shore line of Quinpool is very barren....it could definitely use some tree's ....to bad

I think we should all rally together to protest that viewplane and that trees are badly needed in that area :rolleyes:

[Jonovision]

Not too mention that strip of Quinpool would be great for some really cool small apartment buildings.

[HaliStreaks]

Not too mention that strip of Quinpool would be great for some really cool small apartment buildings.

Shhhh! You'll let them on, "trees" in that area can be our new code word for these small apartment buildings lol.

Seriously though, this has made me totally look down even more on council than I have before... ugh. :hell:

[Barrington south]

Thanks for your sarcasm Halistreaks...I guess i care about the aesthetics of Halifax a little more than you. Sure I love skyscrapers, but I don't want Halifax looking like Sao Paulo, we need some greenery!

[spaustin]

I guess this would kill a bridge across the Arm at some point too. I think the bigger threat to the Arm is unrestricted infilling of the water (the Arm has a lot of waterlots from what I understand) and monster homes replacing stately old mansions. That house and the infilling that occurred by the public dock at the end of Oakland Street is a disgrace.