From Halifax Chronicle Herald writer Larry Haiven: "In the debate over development on the Halifax peninsula, much has been made of the need for increased population density. In documents by and about HRM by Design, there are scores of repetitions of the words 'dense,' 'density,' 'densification' and variations thereof. But there is no target for density on the peninsula. And thus, the discourse has been captured by developers. 'We’ll give you density downtown. But the only way to achieve it is to build up.' "Much of that discourse makes the false distinction between single-family homes at one end of the spectrum and tall buildings at the other, with nothing in between. There is a growing opinion among urban planners that density has its limits. There is a 'sweet spot,' a point at which density and livability are both maximized while keeping negative externalities of tall buildings in check. Now there is evidence that denser does not necessarily mean taller." Full article here.