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Urban Natural Features Strategy

Planning and Environment Committee April 24, 2007. Urban Natural Features Strategy. Purpose. The purpose of the report is to present for Council approval the Urban Natural Features Strategy.

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Urban Natural Features Strategy

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  1. Planning and Environment Committee April 24, 2007 Urban Natural Features Strategy

  2. Purpose • The purpose of the report is to present for Council approval the Urban Natural Features Strategy. • This strategy sets out the City’s intentions for protecting a priority list of natural areas in the urban area to be secured through acquisition or other means.

  3. Background • The Official Plan and Greenspace Master Plan identified the need for Council to adopt an Urban Natural Features Strategy. • The objectives of the Strategy is to prioritize remaining natural areas that are worthy of protection based on the Council approved Urban Natural Areas Environmental Evaluation Study (UNAEES).

  4. Strategic Directions • The Urban Natural Features Strategy applied the following strategic directions to identify priority areas for protection: • Protect High or Moderate-rated natural areas; • Protect City-owned Natural Areas • Recognize planning status • Promote stewardship of low-rated sites

  5. Categorization of Natural Areas • Based on the overall environmental rating and planning status of the natural area, four categories have been established: • Category 1 – Protected Urban Natural Area • Category 2 – New Urban Natural Area – Protect through Securement • Category 3 – Development Approved • Category 4 – Environmental Evaluation Outstanding

  6. Application of Categories • Each of the the 192 urban natural areas has been assigned, in whole or in part, to one of the four categories. • The Category Tables found in Appendix A of Document 1 show the applicable category or categories assigned to each of the 192 sites.

  7. How much is Protected? • The UNAEES identified 192 natural areas in the urban area regardless of ownership, zoning or planning status for the area. • The 192 natural areas total 2,776 ha, representing 7.9% of the urban area. • Category 1 – Protected Urban Natural Featurestotal 1,613 ha or 4.4% of the urban area.

  8. Currently Protected • There are 6 protected sites that are designated Urban Natural Feature in the Official Plan that are in private ownership. • Based on our OP acquisition policy, the City is required to purchase these six urban natural features.

  9. How much natural area will be lost? • A total of 89 sites, in whole or in part, will be lost to development. • This represents 920 ha or a loss of 33% of remaining natural areas in the urban area.

  10. Protection Priorities • There is an opportunity now to protect 13 new urban natural features through acquisition or other means (Category 2). • These 13 sites rated high or moderate for environmental value and there is still an opportunity to protect these natural areas if the City secures them.

  11. Priority Areas for Securement • A total of 19 urban natural features are identified as priority areas to protect through acquisition or other means. • The list of priority sites includes the 13 new urban natural areas and the 6 privately-owned designated Urban Natural Features in the Official Plan. • Of the 19 areas, four are in federal ownership with the remaining 15 sites privately-owned.

  12. Acquisition Strategy • The 4 federal priority sites will be subject to further planning studies to determine protection requirements as directed in the Greenspace Master Plan. • The 15 privately-owned priority sites are recommended for protection through acquisition or other means.

  13. Acquisition Strategy • The cost to purchase the 15 privately owned sites based on 2006 land value estimate is $38,090,000. • For the 15 privately owned sites, a staged acquisition plan to purchase these sites over ten years is proposed – this is addressed in the Long Range Financial Plan 3 (LRFP 3). • Council has approved funding for 2007 to purchase urban natural areas in the amount of $4,718,000.

  14. 2007 Purchase Priorities • Based on development pressure and planning status, four sites have been identified for purchase in 2007: • Innes Park Woods (UNA #87) – Council approved • Portion of Cardinal Creek Valley (UNA #94) • Fernbank Wetland (UNA #132) • Bridlewood Core Park (UNA #22)

  15. 2008 Capital Budget Process • As per Recommendation 2 of the report, the capital budget requirements to implement the Urban Natural Features Strategy for 2008 and beyond, as outlined in this report and the LRFP 3, will be referred to the 2008 Capital Budget process.

  16. Achieving Ottawa 20/20 • Many of the natural areas form part of the broader Greenspace Network that contributes to the City’s quality of life. • Approval of the Urban Natural Features Strategy moves the City forward on implementing Ottawa 20/20 direction for a Green and Environmentally Sensitive City.

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