|
3. URBAN NATURAL FEATURES
ACQUISITION CARACTÉRISTIQUES NATURELLES URBAINES |
Committee recommendations
That Council direct staff:
1.
To pursue the short-term acquisition of Urban Natural Areas within
the parameters established by Committee and Council, subject to 2009
budget approval;
2. To bring a report on the overall Urban Natural
Feature Acquisition Strategy, including priorities and funding options, to
Planning and Environment Committee in March 2009.
Que le Conseil enjoingne le
personnel :
1. de poursuivre l’implémentation de
l’acquisition à court terme des zones naturelles urbaines conformément aux
paramètres établis par le Comité et le Conseil; sujet à l'approbation du budget
2009;
2. de présenter un rapport sur la
stratégie globale d’acquisition de caractéristiques naturelles urbaines,
notamment les priorités et les modes de financement, au Comité de l’urbanisme
et de l’environnement en mars 2009.
Documentation
1.
Deputy
City Manager's report, Infrastructure Services and Community Sustainability,
dated 18 November 2008 (ACS2008-ICS-ECO-0031).
Report
to/Rapport au :
Planning
and Environment Committee
Comité de l'urbanisme et de l'environnement
and Council / et au Conseil
18 November 2008 / le 18 novembre 2008
Submitted
by/Soumis par : Nancy Schepers, Deputy City Manager
Directrice municipale adjointe,
Infrastructure
Services and Community Sustainability
Services d’infrastructure et Viabilité des
collectivités
Contact
Person/Personne-ressource : Carol Christensen, Manager/Gestionnaire,
Environmental Sustainability/Durabilité de l’environnement, Economic and Environmental Sustainability/Viabilité économique et de la
durabilité de l’environnement
(613)
580-2424 x21610, Carol.Christensen@ottawa.ca
|
SUBJECT: |
|
|
|
|
|
OBJET : |
REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
That
Planning and Environment Committee recommend that Council direct staff:
1. To implement the short-term
acquisition of Urban Natural Areas within the parameters established by
Committee and Council, subject to 2009 budget approval;
2. To bring a report on
the overall Urban Natural Feature Acquisition Strategy, including priorities
and funding options, to Planning and Environment Committee in March 2009.
RECOMMANDATIONS DU
RAPPORT
Que le Comité de recommande au Conseil
d’enjoindre le personnel :
1. de
poursuivre l’implémentation de l’acquisition à court terme des zones naturelles
urbaines conformément aux paramètres établis par le Comité et le Conseil; sujet
à l'approbation du budget 2009
2. de
présenter un rapport sur la stratégie globale d’acquisition de caractéristiques
naturelles urbaines, notamment les priorités et les modes de financement, au
Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement en mars 2009.
BACKGROUND
Urban trees provide the residents of Ottawa with many environmental, social, and economic benefits. Trees are the city’s first line of defence against climate change and pollution. They store CO2 and provide oxygen. The urban tree canopy in Ottawa removes over 600,000 kilograms of pollutants from the air per year, including particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and other smog forming compounds. This reduction in air pollution helps to protect vulnerable populations and is estimated to provide just under $4 million in reduced health care costs and other savings to society.
Trees decrease stormwater volume through intercepting, slowing down, evaporating, and storing water. In Ottawa, the urban forest provides the equivalent of close to four million cubic metres of stormwater storage. The construction of stormwater management facilities for that volume would cost the city over $200 million. Trees also filter surface water and prevent soil erosion, both of which improve the quality of water running into the streams and rivers within the City.
Energy conservation is becoming more and more important. Trees can help us to conserve energy, save money and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Through summer shading and winter wind protection, trees can increase comfort and reduce energy costs for residents of Ottawa year round. Urban trees and forests have also been shown to enhance the market value of residential properties.
An urban environment is a stressful place for a tree or a forest to live. Adequate growing space for roots and branches and sufficient water and nutrients are hard to come by in the city. Winter salt treatments, soil compaction or lack of soil, collisions with lawnmowers, construction equipment, and snow plows all cause problems for trees. Newly planted trees are particularly vulnerable to these stresses, making it all the more important to protect established trees wherever possible.
Many of the developing areas of the city are relatively flat and contain sensitive marine clay soils. Both of these conditions often result in the placement of large amounts of fill, making it difficult to impossible to preserve existing trees in these new subdivisions. The sensitive soils in combination with higher density requirements also limit the opportunities to plant full size trees. All of these challenges accentuate the importance of preserving parcels of existing forest in the new communities outside the greenbelt.
The City has recognized the value of trees and put in place programs, commitments, and strategies that work together to enhance our urban trees and forests. In addition to the City's tree planting and tree maintenance programs, the acquisition of Urban Natural Features as approved by Council in 2007 is key to protecting larger tracts of existing forest land in greenfield areas. These woodlots provide all the numerous benefits of trees described above as well as wildlife habitat and examples of native vegetation communities. They are important community amenities.
The 2007 report to Council may be found at this link:
http://www.ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa/citycouncil/occ/2007/05-09/pec/ACS2007-PTE-POL-0002.htm
When the Urban Natural Features Strategy was proposed, staff cautioned that it would be challenging to complete the proposed acquisition process. The estimated cost of the program was $38 million, which reflected the estimated costs of the properties in 2006. The total cost estimate and the annual budget requested to provide this amount did not factor in increases in land costs over the 10-year acquisition period. Furthermore, successful implementation would depend on a phased sequence of acquisitions and property owners accepting the proposed time line for acquisition.
DISCUSSION
Of the 15 privately owned sites identified for acquisition in the Urban Natural Features Strategy, Innes Park Woods has already been acquired with funding approved in 2007 and most of another, Fernbank Wetland (UNA #132), was acquired in 2004. Council approved funding of $4.7 million in 2007 and $3.7 million in 2008 for acquisition of Urban Natural Areas.
o the sites that are to be acquired on a priority basis; and
o staff to bring back a report in March 2009 with a more complete discussion of the issues regarding the acquisition of Urban Natural Features and other approaches to secure these sites.
The recent confirmation of Emerald Ash Borer in
Ottawa has created a major new cost for the removal and proper disposal of dead
ash trees on City property. Ash trees
are native to Ottawa and found across the city. Ash trees are not the dominant tree species in any of the forest
types in the areas recommended for acquisition. It is not clear at this time whether the City will be required to
remove dead ash trees in natural areas.
One acquisition mechanism, land exchange, requires discussion at this time, because it has been specifically requested by at least three landowners.
Land exchanges were used in the past to acquire natural lands in the West Ridge area of Stittsville that formed part of the Fernbank Wetland (UNA #132) in 2004, the Chapman Mills Woodlots (UNA #60 and #61) in 2006 and Innes Park Woods (UNA #87) acquired in 2007. However, the City has been selling its surplus land to create revenue for other purposes and the Housing First policy has identified social housing as a priority in the disposal of surplus properties. The supply of land for land exchanges is also very limited and the City has recognized the economic and social benefits that can be accomplished through a more strategic approach to leveraging corporate (land) assets than land exchanges. This can be best accomplished through competitive sale, or in appropriate circumstances, taking on the role of developer.
Staff will recommend a land exchange to Council only if there is a clearly demonstrated benefit that exceeds the value the City might obtain by a competitive sale.
The estimated cost of the remaining 14 privately owned urban natural features identified for acquisition in the Urban Natural Features Strategy has risen significantly. The report to be brought forward in March 2009 will discuss all aspects of securing the protection of urban natural features, including tools under provincial legislation and potential funding sources. Funding sources under review include: special services levies, local improvement charges, provisions under the Planning Act, Ecogift tax incentives, grant programs and land exchange. The report will also present criteria for establishing priorities among the remaining privately owned sites.
Protection of urban natural features provides important wildlife habitat within urban areas and maintains native vegetation. The woodlots also provide major environmental benefits in terms of mitigating climate change by storing carbon dioxide, reducing air pollution, and retaining stormwater. They contribute to energy efficiency and comfort through summer shade, winter wind protection and reducing the urban heat island effect. These features are valued community amenities.
CONSULTATION
Preparation of the Urban Natural Areas Environmental Evaluation Study and the Urban Natural Features Strategy included public consultation. There has been no additional consultation on this report.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Particulars with regard to the proposed property acquisitions will be provided separately by way of a confidential memo.
Approval of the recommended priority acquisition option will require approval of additional funds of $7.75 million in the 2009 budget. The recommended list of Strategic Initiatives in the budget tabled on November 4, 2008 includes $7.75 million for this purpose in 2009.
The operating costs of Urban Natural Features for Forestry Services are primarily linked to the length of boundary along private property. The costs are for tree trimming, removal and risk inspection. Dead trees or branches are removed if they may fall on private property. The anticipated annual operating cost for Forestry Services of the recommended areas is $7,000. Forestry Services Division will attempt to manage this amount within their existing resources and envelope of dollars but may identify a pressure in the 2010 budget,
Eventually management statements should be prepared for each of these areas. It is anticipated that these statements will cost from $10,000 to $25,000 and will cover issues such as control of invasive species and site interpretation. Most statements will be prepared by City staff. Costs will be related to consultation with surrounding communities.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 1 Priority
Urban Natural Areas
Document 2 Confidential Memo on this matter (distributed separately and on
file by the City Clerk)
PRIORITY URBAN NATURAL AREAS DOCUMENT 1
UNA Site #
|
Site Name |
City District
|
Ward #
|
Rating
|
Size of Priority Area (ha)
|
Securement Timeline
|
|
87 |
Innes Park Woods |
East |
2 |
Moderate |
8.7 |
Acquired in 2007 |
|
96 |
Notre
Dames des Champs Woods |
East |
2 |
Moderate |
10.2 |
medium |
|
97 |
East |
2 |
High |
6.3 |
short |
|
|
50 |
Highway 416
|
South |
3 |
Moderate |
14 |
medium |
|
57 |
Cambrian Road Woods |
South |
3, 21 |
High |
22 |
medium |
|
13 |
Whalen Park
|
West |
4 |
Moderate |
2.2 |
medium |
|
27 |
Poole Creek Corridor |
West |
6 |
Moderate |
2.4 |
medium |
|
132 |
Fernbank Wetland
|
West |
6 |
High |
3.7 |
immediate |
|
94 |
Cardinal Creek Valley |
East |
1,
19 |
Moderate |
13.2 |
immediate/ medium |
|
95 |
Nantes Street Woods |
East |
19 |
Low |
4.6 |
medium |
|
63 |
Jockvale Road Woods |
South |
22 |
Moderate |
5.9 |
medium |
|
98 |
Riverside South Forest |
South |
22 |
High |
12.8 |
medium |
|
99 |
Spratt Road Woods |
South |
22 |
Moderate |
15 |
medium |
100 |
Armstrong Road South Woods |
South |
22 |
Moderate |
21 |
medium |
|
22 |
Bridlewood Core Park
|
West |
23 |
High |
3.4 |
immediate |
The sites designated as Urban Natural Features in the Official Plan are shown in bold type. Innes Park Woods was designated after City acquisition.