1. GOULBOURN WETLANDS

TERRES HUMIDES DE GOULBOURN

Committee recommendations as amended

That Council direct staff:

1. To prepare a special policy for the Official Plan for the impacted Flewellyn Road area lands that implements Council’s direction in 2006 to not designate these lands, while also addressing the Provincial policy; and,

2. To develop this special policy in consultation with the Province, the Wetland Stakeholder group, and other interested parties for Committee’s consideration at the ARAC meeting of November 27, 2008.

Recommandations MODIFIÉEs du Comité

Que le Conseil charge le personnel :

1. prépare une politique spéciale pour le Plan officiel visant les terrains du secteur du chemin Flewellyn concernés, afin d’appliquer la directive émise par le Conseil en 2006 de ne pas désigner ces terres, tout en respectant la Déclaration de principes provinciale;

2. élabore ladite politique spéciale en consultation avec la province, le Groupe d’intervenants pour les terres humides et d’autres parties intéressées en vue de la soumettre au CAAR pour examen lors de sa réunion du 27 novembre 2008.

Documentation

1. Chair, Rural Issues Advisory Committee’s report dated 19 August 2008 (ACS2008-CCV-RIA-0002).

2. Extract of Draft Minutes, 25 September 2008 to be distributed prior to the Council meeting.

Report to/Rapport au :

Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee

Comité de l'agriculture et des questions rurales

and Council / et au Conseil

19 August 2008 / le août 2008

Submitted by/Soumis par : Richard Fraser, Chair, Rural Issues Advisory Committee /

Président du comité consultative sur les questions rurales

Contact Person/Personne ressource : Carole Langford,

Coordinator/Coordonnatrice, Rural Issues Advisory Committee

City Clerk’s Branch/Direction du greffe

(613) 580-2424 x28934, carole.langford@ottawa.ca

Rideau-Goulbourn (21)

Ref N°: ACS2008-CCV-RIA-0002

SUBJECT:	GOULBOURN WETLANDS

OBJET :	terres humides de goulbourn

REPORT RECOMMENDATION

That the Rural Issues Advisory Committee recommend the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee recommend Council request the City to withdraw all terms of designation for properties represented by the Goulbourn Landowners Group Inc. as previously approved at City Council on July 11 and 12, 2006.

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

Que le Comité consultatif sur les questions rurales recommande au Comité de l’agriculture et des affaires rurales de recommander à son tour au Conseil de demander à la Ville de retirer tous les termes de désignation concernant les propriétés représentées par le Goulbourn Landowners Group Inc., tel qu’il a été auparavant approuvé par le Conseil les 11 et 12 juillet 2006.

BACKGROUND

The mandate of the Rural Issues Advisory Committee is to provide advice and input to the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and Ottawa City Council on issues affecting the rural and farming community, including agricultural organizations.

At its June 17, 2008 meeting, a member of the Rural Issues Advisory Committee (RIAC) updated the Committee on the chronological list of events in relation to the Goulbourn wetlands.

After discussion, the Committee approved the following motion:

WHEREAS the City of Ottawa City Council on July 11 and 12, 2006 passed and accepted a recommendation by the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee that the City withdraw all terms of designation for properties represented by the Goulbourn Landowners Association;

AND WHEREAS the City of Ottawa declared a ‘cease and desist’ until five years after the remedy of improved drainage;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Ottawa hold to this accepted motion and carry out in as rapid as possible a fashion the remedy as previously approved.

DISCUSSION

At the subsequent meeting, the Chair requested that this item be included in the agenda for further discussion. At that time, Derrick Moodie, Rural Affairs Officer circulated information, which is included in the supporting documentation in this report.

In reference to the recommendation in this report, below is recommendation 5 of the Wetlands Resolution Workplan report, approved at City Council on July 11 and 12, 2006, which states the following:

5. Confirm that the Official Plan wetland designation process, initiated by the City in 2005, and the existing wetland evaluation study, are cancelled and withdrawn for those areas under review within the Flewellyn Road area of Goulbourn Ward, including those lands that are subject to the completion of new drainage works. Further, a re-evaluation of the wetland status of the subject lands, as defined in this report, will not occur unless the following conditions are met:

a. For those lands within the influence area of the drainage corrections proposed in this report and outlined in Document 3, the wetland status of the lands will not be re-evaluated any sooner than a period of five years after the undertaking of the drainage works (expected in 2007), nor will a re-evaluation occur before completion of recommendations 3, 4, 6 and 7 and initiation of recommendation 8;

b. For those lands outside the influence of the planned drainage corrections, the wetland status of these lands will not be re-evaluated before completion of the Ontario Wetland Evaluation System review by the Ministry of Natural Resources and completion of recommendations 3, 4, 6 and 7 and initiation of recommendation 8;

c. For those lands within existing designated Limestone Resource Areas, they shall remain as limestone resource through the 2008 Official Plan review.

CONSULTATION

Planning, Transit and the Environment

Staff will provide a verbal briefing at the Committee meeting.

Rural Affairs Office

The Wetlands Resolution Work Plan was the result of significant effort by the City, affected property owners and other stakeholders. Staff in Public Works and Services and Planning, Transit and the Environment have been working, and continue to implement the directions of this work plan.

With the inclusion of these areas in the updated wetland mapping provided to the City, as it updates the Official Plan, the Province is now requesting that these areas be designated in our Official Plan. Should Council refuse to implement this request, the Province may chose to modify our Official Plan to reflect the mapping and may also choose to modify our policies with respect to Provincially Significant Wetlands or other designations.

The Rural Affairs Office suggests that additional discussions with senior staff from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing should take place, with a summary provided to the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, prior the directions outlined in this report are provided to staff.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

There are no financial implications.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

Document 1 - A letter from the City of Ottawa to the affected property owners

Document 2 - A letter from the Ministry of Natural Resources describing how MNR identified wetlands

Document 3 - Frequently Asked Questions, which is posted on the City’s website http://ottawa.ca/residents/planning/wetlands/frequently_asked_questions_en.html

Document 4 - Wetlands Resolution Workplan (ACS2006-PMG-POL-0056) Held on file with the City Clerk

DISPOSITION

The Clerk’s Office to inform the Rural Issues Advisory Committee of the Council decision.