South-end Halifax development proposal dies before council debate

A fight about development along Young Avenue in south-end Halifax fizzled out at a regional council Tuesday afternoon.

The councillor for Spryfield, Steve Adams, had proposed changes to planning rules that have only been in place for a couple of years.

Adams wanted to allow the developers, George and Steve Tsimiklis, to take a new proposal to the public that were, in Adams's words, "does not meet current development standards."

In 2016, the developers demolished two large homes along Young Avenue. Since then, new planning rules were adopted to preserve the character of the neighbourhood.

An online petition against the proposal to allow multi-unit buildings on Young Avenue had more than 300 signatures by the time the council meeting got underway.

'Never any malicious intent,' says councillor

The councillor for the area, Waye Mason, thought he had enough votes to defeat the motion, but Adams withdrew it before any debate took place.

"There was never any malicious intent or ulterior motive," said Adams.

Mason believes the latest proposal from the developers is now dead.

But afterwards, Adams said the discussion will now move to the upcoming public consultation on Package B of the Centre Plan, which will update the planning rules for residential neighbourhoods.