Sometimes private construction encroaches on public spaces. An HRM councillor wants it studied

A Halifax councillor is requesting a staff report at Tuesday's council meeting to examine whether developers should pay more to use sidewalk and road space when construction projects on private property occupy public spaces.

Developers currently pay a flat fee of between $60 and $150 to encroach on public space, plus a daily fee of $0.15 to $0.30 per square metre.

District 10 Coun. Kathryn Morse said other Canadian cities have increased their tariffs, leading to fewer hassles for both drivers and pedestrians.

"What they're finding is many buildings can be built completely on private property and the equipment and scaffolding does not need to be put in the street and sidewalk," Morse said.

"If they are required to use the street or sidewalk, they're using it for less time because they're being charged for it."

Morse said her research shows that where builders pay a premium to use public space, they have come up with new construction methods to keep their equipment on site.

Morse is the councillor for Halifax-Bedford Basin West. She said her constituents raised the issue because of a construction project that's installing cement barriers on Dutch Village Road.

"It caused a real bottleneck at an intersection that's already very busy," she said. "So when this came up, they said we really should have better access to the street on the sidewalk."

Morse said the construction boom happening in the city is making the closures more noticeable.

"We're a small, older city and in some cases there just isn't the room to build on site," she said.

According to the municipality's website, there are 44 road and sidewalk closures in the region, with more than half of those on the Halifax peninsula.

Morse wants staff to examine whether construction should be allowed on public property at all, and if it is necessary, what fee structure would minimize the timeline and extent of the encroachment.