HomeMy WebLinkAboutPSD-026-13 Ahon REPORT
Leading the Way
PLANNING SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Meeting: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
Date: April 8, 2013 Resolution #: - 1 By-law #: N/A
Report#: PSD-026-13 File #: PLN 17.13.3; PLN 17.2.27, PLN 17.13.1
Subject: WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLANS FOR
OSHAWA CREEK, BLACK/HARMONY/FAREWELL CREEKS,
BOWMANVILLE/SOPER CREEKS
RECOMMENDATIONS:
It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee
recommend to Council the following:
1. THAT Report PSD-026-13 be received;
2. THAT the Watershed Management Plans for Oshawa Creek, Black/Harmony/Farewell
Creeks and Bowmanville/Soper Creeks be received;
3. THAT the Staff of Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority and Ganaraska Region
Conservation Authority be thanked for their assistance in providing the necessary
background information and contributing towards the development of the methodology
of the Natural Heritage Discussion Paper based on the Watershed Management Plans;
and
4. THAT all interested parties listed in Report PSD-026-13 and any delegations be advised
of Council's decision.
Submitted by: Reviewed by:�._ . <`
David rome, RPP, MCIP Franklin Wu,
Director of Planning Services Chief Administrative Officer
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2 April 2013
CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON
40 TEMPERANCE STREET, BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO L1C 3A6 T (905)623-3379 F (905)623-0830
REPORT NO.: PSD-026-13 PAGE 2
1. BACKGROUND
1.1 In recent years, planners, decision makers and the public have developed a deeper
understanding of the cumulative negative impact that our use of the land has on the
natural environment that sustains us. This has required a fundamental shift from a focus
on protecting individual natural features to protecting the entire natural heritage system
and its vital ecological functions. In turn, this has resulted in an increased emphasis on
incorporating consideration of the natural heritage system into all aspects of land use
planning, from official plan policies and secondary plans through to zoning, subdivision
and site plan approvals.
1.2 Watershed planning is currently recognized as one of the most effective mechanisms for
the protection, management and enhancement of the natural environment. It uses a
holistic approach to managing all aspects of a watershed's natural heritage system,
including hydrological resources (groundwater and surface water), terrestrial resources
(wildlife habitat and habitat connectivity), aquatic resources and habitat (e.g. fish,
streams, wetlands), and the inter-relationships that exist between these resources.
Watershed plans are also locally based and therefore reflect, and are responsive to, the
unique conditions including human land uses that exist within each watershed.
1.3 Both the Durham Region and the Clarington Official Plans include policies that
recognize the importance of watershed planning to the protection and wise management
of natural heritage resources, and support the preparation of multi-stakeholder
watershed planning studies. The Regional and Clarington Official Plans include policies
to implement individual watershed plans.
1.4 In 2002, the provincial government, through the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan,
directed every upper-tier and single-tier municipality to prepare watershed plans for every
watershed whose streams originate on the Moraine; the Greenbelt Plan also endorses
watershed planning. In response to these legislative requirements, the CA's in
partnership with the Region of Durham and the Municipality of Clarington and other
watershed municipalities, have coordinated the preparation of watershed plans for the
lands regulated within their jurisdiction. GRCA prepared watershed plans for the
watersheds in Clarington in 2010 (PSD-043-10) which were referred to the Official Plan
Review process. KRCA have watershed plans for Blackstock and East Cross Creeks in
final draft. CLOCA has been working on the Oshawa, Black/Harmony/Farewell Creeks;
and Bowmanville/Soper Creek Watershed Management Plans (Attachment 1).
1.5 There are a number of small creeks that do not originate on the Oak Ridges Moraine and
carrying out watershed plans for these creeks is necessary prior to development being
able to proceed in that geographical area. As part of the Official Plan Review, Clarington
undertook the watershed planning exercise for Robinson and Tooley Creeks. Council
referred the results of this study to the Official Plan Review along with other site specific
recommendations as per Report PSD-006-12. The remainder of the small creeks not
originating on the Moraine will require watershed plans prior to being able to proceed with
the Secondary Plans for these urbanizing areas. Watershed planning and more detailed
sub-watershed plans are the basis for the Secondary Plans.
REPORT NO.: PSD-026-13 PAGE 3
1.6 All of the watershed planning background information and existing features work,
whether completed or in progress has been used as the basis for the Natural Heritage
Systems Discussion Paper, which is being released as noted in PSD-027-13.
2. WATERSHED PLANNING PROCESS
2.1 The process for preparing a watershed plan involves eight steps, as follows:
Step 1: Scoping
Step 2: Characterization of the watershed system
Step 3: Setting goals, objectives and working targets
Step 4: Developing management alternatives
Step 5: Evaluating management alternatives
Step 6: Selecting preferred management alternatives
Step 7: Finalizing targets
Step 8: Developing implementation and monitoring plans
2.2 Step 1 (Scoping) involves choosing a study area, identifying issues of concern and
information gaps, and creating a Terms of Reference for the study. Step 2
(Characterization of the Watershed) entails defining the historical and current conditions
of the study area (i.e. the watershed). CLOCA completed the scoping exercise and the
ABC (Abiotic, Biotic and Cultural) Background Reports for each of the subject
watersheds in the past 3 years. These background reports contain the scientific
information and local knowledge necessary for the preparation of the actual Watershed
Plans (Steps 3 to 8 of the process).
2.3 A successful watershed planning process is, by necessity, a cooperative process that
involves a variety of governmental and non-governmental stakeholders. CLOCA sought
public and stakeholder input during the preparation of the watershed plans. This public
input was at the existing conditions stage and when a final draft of the Watershed Plan
was available.
2.4 The planning process employed by CLOCA in preparing the existing conditions study
and Watershed Management Plan is employed throughout the province. It is consistent
with the process used by the other Conservation Authorities that have jurisdiction over
lands in Clarington.
2.5 The CLOCA Board endorsed "How Much Nature is Enough" as the approved
methodology for all of their watershed planning exercises at the June 2010 Board
meeting. The methodology for the determination of the functional natural heritage
system was completed using this methodology. However, detailed field investigation to
verify the table top mapping exercise will be necessary prior to undertaking the
Secondary Plans. A finer level of detail is required for the Secondary Plans that have
yet to be prepared.
REPORT NO.: PSD-026-13 PAGE 4
3. OVERVIEW OF THE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAINS
3.1 In general Watershed Management Plans divide watersheds into three separate
components to facilitate the presentation of information and the discussion of issues, as
follows:
• Water
• Natural Heritage Resources
• Transboundary Issues/Anthropogenic Influences
3.2 The discussion of these existing conditions and the results of the analysis (e.g. the
setting of targets) is then detailed in three categories: Watershed Targets (e.g. the
percentage of different types of natural cover and where they would most enhance the
watershed to meet sustainability goals), Implementation of these targets and Monitoring
and Evaluation of these targets.
3.3 Oshawa Creek
The Oshawa Creek watershed is mostly within the boundaries of the City of Oshawa
except for a small portion of the Enfield Subwatershed in the northern portion of
Clarington (Attachment 2). The portion of the subwatershed that lies within Clarington is
9.87 km and lies within the ORM and Greenbelt, as such urbanization is not anticipated
in this area. The activities recommended as part of the Watershed Management Plan for
the portion in Clarington is stewardship of the existing natural heritage features and
enhancement, protection of the high volume recharge areas and the support of best
management practices for agriculture.
The CLOCA Board approved the Oshawa Creek Watershed Management Plan at their
meeting of February 201h, 2013,
3.4 Black/Harmony/Farewell Creeks
The Black/Harmony/Farewell Creeks Watershed is located in the mid-south of Central
Lake Ontario Conservation Authority's jurisdiction and drains an area of approximately
108 km2 of which 71.14 km2 is in Clarington (Attachment 3). The northwest and western
parts of this watershed abut the Oshawa Creek Watershed, while the northeast portion
lies adjacent to the Bowmanville Creek Watershed. The southeast side of the watershed
borders along the Darlington, Robinson, and Tooley Creek Watersheds. Much of the
northern urban areas of Courtice are within this watershed.
The CLOCA Board approved the Black/Harmony/Farewell Creeks Watershed
Management Plan at their meeting of February 20th, 2013.
3.5 Bowmanville/Soper Creeks
The Bowmanville/Soper Creek Watershed are the east and west creeks that define the
edges of the historical portions of the Bowmanville urban area (Attachment 4). The
creeks and tributaries drain an area of approximately 170 km2 from the headwaters in
the Oak Ridges Moraine to Lake Ontario. In the middle of the watershed is the
REPORT NO.: PSD-026-13 PAGE 5
shoreline of glacial Lake Iroquois and at the southern extent is the Bowmanville Coastal
Wetland Complex, a provincially significant wetland. The watershed encompasses the
hamlets of Burketon, Enfield, Enniskillen, Haydon, Hampton and Tyrone.
The CLOCA Board will be asked to approve the Bowmanville/Soper Creeks Watershed
Management Plan in the near future. CLOCA staff are currently finalizing the document.
3.6 To implement the Watershed Management Plans the Conservation Authorities assist
and advise the Municipality during the Official Plan Review. While there are suggested
model Official Plan policies in the Watershed Management Plans it is not the intent of
the staff to amalgamate all of these policies; rather there will be a vetting process to
determine which policies are already addressed, additional policies that should be
included and policies that would reduce flexibility to address issues restrictively and
therefore will not be included as recommended.
3.7 One of the major concerns of the agricultural community and staff is the assistance and
support for the stewardship initiatives recommended in the watershed plans. The
identification of target naturalization areas in the rural countryside should be
accompanied by an overall Action Plan of how to implement the targets and a program
to work with the agricultural community plus other rural property owners. While Action
Plans are recommended in the CLOCA Watershed Plans they have yet to be developed.
When they are developed there should be like stewardship programs across the
Municipality offered by the respective CA's.
4. OFFICIAL PLAN REVIEW
4.1 The Watershed Plans whether completed or in final draft has been used in the Official
Plan Review process. The information regarding the existing natural heritage system is
part of the analysis for the Natural Heritage Discussion Paper which is the subject of
PSD-027-13.
4.2 Clarington through the policies in the 1996 Official Plan was a leader in the development
of the use of Watershed Plans to guide urban development. More specifically on
individual sites the use of Environmental Impact Studies to determine and assist in the
protection of ecological functions with the overall goal of developing and encouraging
sustainable communities was unique when implemented by Clarington in 1996. The
public consultation undertaken at the beginning of the Official Plan review reaffirmed
"preserving the natural environment" as the number one priority with a 93% approval
rating from the public.
4.3 The Natural Heritage Systems Discussion Paper takes the existing conditions
information from each of the Conservation Authorities and watershed areas to determine
the extents of the Natural Heritage System in Clarington and how it should be protected
for future generations.
5. CONCURRENCE - Not applicable
REPORT NO.: PSD-026-13 PAGE 6
6. CONCLUSION
6.1 The preparation of a Watershed Management Plans is the first step in the ongoing
process of managing and protecting the resources and ecological functions of a
watershed. In order to be effective in achieving its stated goals and objectives, the
management actions recommended by the Watershed Management Plans need to be
implemented by the various stakeholders to the watershed planning process. Provincial
legislation, the Provincial Policy Statement and the policies in the Durham Region
Official Plan require the Municipality to incorporate appropriate policies into its Official
Plan in order to implement watershed plans.
6.2 It is therefore appropriate that the Watershed Management Plans for Oshawa,
Black/Harmony/Farewell and Bowmanville/Soper Creeks be referred to Staff as they
continue their detailed consideration in the ongoing Clarington Official Plan Review
process.
CONFORMITY WITH STRATEGIC PLAN
The recommendations contained in this report conform to the general intent of the following
priorities of the Strategic Plan:
Promoting economic development
Maintaining financial stability
Connecting Clarington
X Promoting green initiatives
Investing in infrastructure
Showcasing our community
Not in conformity with Strategic Plan
Staff Contact: Faye Langmaid, Manager, Special Projects
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - Watersheds in Clarington
Attachment 2 - Oshawa Creek Watershed in Clarington
Attachment 3 - Black/Harmony/Farewell Creeks Watershed in Clarington
Attachment 4 - Bowmanville/Soper Creeks Watershed
The watershed plans can be downloaded from the CLOCA website.
List of interested parties to be advised of Council's decision:
Heather Brooks, Director of Watershed Planning and Natural Heritage, CLOCA
Mark Peacock, GRCA
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