Summary of CBRM Industrial Parks

Environmental
Design and
Management
Limited

Land Use Plan &
Re-development
Strategy
Appendix D

D.2.1 Summary of CBRM Industrial Parks(Appendix D)

The following table summarizes the total supply of industrial land in CBRM; the data from the Glace Bay park has not been included. Currently, there is approximately 1,200 acres of land set aside for industrial use within CBRM. Of this total, roughly 45% or 528 acres have been serviced with roads, sewer and water. As of December 2001, 368 acres of land have been sold, with most of this activity split between the Sydport and the Northside parks. Very little land has been sold in the Cossitt Heights Industrial Park, although there are a fair number of businesses located on the lands surrounding this property.

Over the past three decades, an average of 15.5 acres of industrial land has been sold within the three municipal industrial parks. This would include peak years where land sales may have exceeded 50 acres, and other years where no land was sold at all. Although the data were not available on an annual basis, the sale of industrial land is highly correlated to the overall strength of the economy, and one would expect to see lots of activity during periods of strong economic performance, and little or no activity during a recession.

Summary of Industrial Parks in CBRM

			(a)	(b)	(c)	(d=b-c)	(e=a-b)
Park Name	Owner	Date Opened	Total Acerage	Acres Serviced	Sold or Leased	Acres For Sale	Acres Raw	Acres Per Year
Sydport	Laurentian Energy	1969	600	240	183	57	360	C.7
Cossit Heights	CBRM	1985	112	82	4	78	30	0.3
Northside	CBRM	1982	470	206	181	25	264	9.5
Sub-Total			1,182	528	368	160	654	1.C5

SYSCO	Prov. of NS	2001	488	488	50	438	0	50.0
Total			1,670	1,016	418	598	654

D.2.2 Future Industrial Absorption Rates

Assuming this past activity continues in the future (a tenuous assumption), the current supply of serviced industrial land in Northside, Sydport and Cossitt Heights represents a 10 year supply of land. Once the current supply of serviced land is sold, the 654 acres of reserve lands at these three parks could supply an additional 40 years of industrial development.

Taken in this context, the 445 acres of industrial land at SYSCO represents a three fold increase in the overall supply of serviced industrial land within CBRM (if all of this land is used for industrial purposes); a 45 year supply. If all of the SYSCO lands were dedicated solely to industrial use, this would create a 40 year supply of serviced industrial land before the reserve lands at Sydport or Northside would have to be expanded (70 years if the Northside and Sydport reserve lands are factored in). With this said, the SYSCO property is probably one of the best located industrial parcels in CBRM, and given its existing wealth of infrastructure, if developed properly, could become the premier industrial park in CBRM.

In addition to this potential supply, there has also been some discussion within CBRM of the potential to use the former Cove Ovens property for industrial use. At just over 140 acres in size, this site would add an additional 15 to 20 year supply to the local industrial land market. The distance of this property from the SYSCO wharf (one of the stated reasons to reserve this land for industrial use) also reduces its value for industrial use. From a community planning perspective, given the past industrial nature of the site, and the overwhelming existing supply of quality serviced industrial land, it would appear reasonable to look for other uses for this site that are more compatible with the surrounding neighbourhoods.

D.2.3 Configuration of Industrial Land

Determining the appropriate lot size and layout is not an exact science. Typically industrial parks are laid out with a common lot pattern, however each lot is not surveyed or staked out until the land is actually sold. As each proponent will have slightly different needs, this allows both flexibility to the end user, and saves the owner the additional cost of re-surveying a property when it is actually sold (i.e., we would like lot 4, with an additional 2 acres).

While it is hard to generalize, there are two separate and distinct development patterns for light and heavy industrial areas. Heavy industrial users typically require 5 hectares (11 acres) for small plants, 25 hectares (55 acres) for medium sized facilities such as AMCI, and 75 hectares (165 acres) for large facilities (the core part of SYSCO would have fit this profile). Lots for light industrial development typically include a large number of half acre (0.5 acre) and 1 acre lots, as well as some 1.5 and 2 acres lots. It would also be desirable to have a few 5 acre lots in the plan.