Halifax regional council plans to "pause" new development approvals while it considers changes to its municipal planning strategy.

Coun. Jennifer Watts introduced the motion at Tuesday night's council meeting and says city staff have discussed having so-called interim development controls.

Council voted 13-4 in favour of the idea. The Halifax Regional Municipality must now ask the province for its charter to be amended to include the mechanism.

The timing for the proposal comes just as the Steele Auto Group is under fire for plans to expand its parking lot and car display area at its Robie Street Honda location. It recently bought 25 mostly residential properties and has permits to demolish 17 of those.

Temporary halt to new approvals

"It's a tool that can be put in place when you're going through a comprehensive planning strategy, to sort of put a pause on any new development for changes that may be affected by the upcoming planning process," Watt told CBC's Information Morning.

The move would not change the outcome of projects that meet the zoning regulations and have the appropriate permits in place, Watt said.

Watts says she understands concerns that interim development controls take away from owners' land rights to do what they want with a property.

But she says the municipality also has the right to good community planning and there is a need for the rights of both to be balanced.

"We certainly also uphold the right for the community to see, be part of a process that allows for good, sound comprehensive planning and to see that have integrity and come forward in a way that supports the larger interests of the community," she said.

Fear of new planning strategy

Watts says if interim development controls were applied, it would be up to council to decide in which cases to use it.

Asked if there is concern projects are being pushed through that might not go forward under the Centre Plan, Watts says that's a possibility.

"Certainly, in some circumstances, it may be seen that people own property want to push something through because they're afraid that with the new plan, or any new plan, it's going to limit their ability," she said.

In a separate motion, Watts called for a staff report to identify zones outside the Centre Plan area where a cluster of car dealerships could be located. The motion was defeated 9-8.