Title
Naturalization Policy C-AD62
Proposed Motion
That Council refer the Naturalization Policy to the February 4, 2014 Governance and Priority Committee meeting.
Body
Administration Recommendation(s)
That the Naturalization Policy be referred back to the Governance and Priority Committee and administration have an opportunity to further refine and clarify the policy before Council approval.
Alternate Recommendation: That Council approve the Naturalization Policy as amended.
Purpose
The purpose of the Naturalization Policy is to conserve, enhance and restore Parkland County's natural environment on County-managed lands, to protect environmentally sensitive and significant areas during parcel subdivision, and to promote the voluntary conservation, enhancement and restoration of the natural environment on privately owned lands.
Summary
At the December 17, 2013 Governance & Priorities Committee meeting, the Committee recommended the draft Policy summary be revised to include the word "voluntary" as it pertains to private lands, and to bring forward the revised draft Policy to the January 14, 2014 Council meeting for decision. During the discussion at Committee there was concern as to how and where the policy would be applied. Administration would like consider dividing the policy into three separate policies to provide greater clarification on how the policies would be applied. The three policy areas would include: 1) Naturalization of Stormwater Management Facilities; 2) The Protection and Enhancement of Natural Features and Environmentally Areas on Public Lands; 3)The Management of Natural Features and Environmentally Sensitive Areas on Private Lands.
The naturalization of stormwater management facilities pertains to the best management practices around low impact development and reducing the overall stormwater and water resource impacts as a result of new development. Best management practices highlight the environmental, social and economic reasons for the practices.
The second policy; the protection and enhancement of natural features and environmentally sensitive areas pertains to the approach the County will use to protect, restore, and enhance environmentally sensitive areas it has identified as being environmentally significant, and through either the purchase or dedication (MR, ER, ERE, Conservation Agreements), obtains these lands under the County's ownership or stewardship. The third policy pertains to the management of environmentally sensitive areas or natural features on private lands. Under this policy the County would reference how it would assist private land owners to be stewards of the areas on their lands that have high environmental value. This policy would highlight programs and initiatives such as ALUS in order to voluntarily work with land owners.
Strategic Plan/Policy/Legal/Staff Implications (As Required)
Strategic Plan - Economic Development: Goal 2 Strategy 3: Parkland County will take steps to further promote and foster sustainable development
Strategic Plan - Environment: Goal 1 Strategy 2: Parkland County will introduce practices to make operations more environmentally friendly
Strategic Plan - Environment: Goal 1 Strategy 4: Parkland County will encourage green development
Strategic Plan - Infrastructure: Goal 1 Strategy 1: Parkland County will adopt best practices in the management of infrastructure
Strategic Plan - Infrastructure: Goal 1 Strategy 3: Parkland County will increase the importance of environmental protection
Financial Impact:
Cost:
Source of Funding:
Other (As Required)