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Home My WebLink AboutCSD-13-038 - 2012 Best Bets for Air Quality - Final Report REPORT TO:Environmental Committee / Planning & Strategic Initiatives Committee DATE OF MEETING: April 18, 2013 SUBMITTED BY: Brandon Sloan, Manager of Long Range & Policy Planning PREPARED BY: Carrie Musselman, Senior Environmental Planner – 519-741-2200 x 7068 WARD(S) INVOLVED: All Wards DATE OF REPORT: March 28, 2013 REPORT NO.: CSD-13-038 SUBJECT: 2012 BEST BETS FOR AIR QUALITY: FINAL REPORT RECOMMENDATION: That Report CSD-13-038 (2011 Best Bets for Air Quality: Final Report) be received for information. BACKGROUND: In May 2006 the Environmental Committee presented a report entitled Air Quality in Kitchener to Kitchener Council. The report was the culmination of a year of deliberations by members of the Committee responding to direction from Council in November of 2004 to develop a long term comprehensive plan on the air quality in the city of Kitchener. In 2010, city staff, in partnership with the Environment Committee, revised the original Air Quality in Kitchener and presented Air Quality in Kitchener - 2010 to city council. The updated plan contains at least fifty short-term and long-term recommended actions to improve local air quality. Each year since 2006 five ‘Best Bets’ have been put forward by the Environmental Committee and approved by Kitchener Council for staff to investigate the feasibility and, if appropriate, pursue the implementation of each ‘Best Bet’. The Council approved process for selecting and reporting on the five annual Best Bets includes a final report on the previous year Best Bets at the April or May meeting of each year. This report constitutes the final report for the 2012 Best Bets for Air Quality. REPORT: On May 30, 2012 Kitchener Council approved the five Best Bets for 2012 that were recommended by the Environmental Committee. In accordance with the Council approved process, staff were asked to report on each of the five Best Bets for 2012 and these are provided below. Best Bet #1 - preserve and acquire parklands and natural lands Recommended Action 1.1a - The City should continue to preserve and acquire parklands and natural lands in existing developments Natural Lands –The Parks Strategic Plan (2010) identifies the importance of an acquisition strategy for acquiring target natural areas throughout the City and natural areas/parklands adjacent to the Grand River corridor as one of its six major themes. The new Official Plan (currently draft) incorporates the information from the Kitchener Natural Heritage System and continues to improve upon policies on natural area conservation and protection. When the opportunity exists through development or redevelopment opportunities, developers are encouraged to convey undevelopable and protected natural lands to the city at no cost. The City has a modest budget for the acquisition of natural lands which often requires multiple years to accumulate before utilizing. Parklands – The acquisition of parklands through development is an ongoing process through subdivision and site plan review and approval. The Planning Act authorizes municipalities to require the conveyance of land for park or public recreational purposes. Reported by: Dan Ritz, Supervisor, Design & Development Carrie Musselman, Senior Environmental Planner Best Bet #2 – provide creative measures to curb idling at traffic lights Recommended Action 3.3b - The City and Region should provide creative measures to curb idling at traffic lights by adjusting the timing of traffic lights during non-peak hours Traffic control signals in Kitchener are all controlled by the Region of Waterloo regardless of whether they are located on Regional roads or City roads. In order to reduce idling traffic, systems have off peak timing plans that reduce the cycle length, turn off unnecessary left-turn phases and semi-actuated signals will operate un-coordinated to minimize delay to the side street. Additional measures that have been implemented to reduce delays at all times of the day are: Annual corridor review of approx. 80 signals to ensure signal timings are up-to-date and signals are properly coordinated, Installation of right-turn arrows, Running different timings plans during the day based on turning movements counts and intersection demands (e.g. Crossing guard plans). Reported by: Ken Carmichael, Interim Director, Transportation Services Best Bet #3 – establish a Tree Planting and Partnership Program Recommended Action 1.2a - Encourage the City to establish a Tree Planting and Partnership Program by offering incentives to residents, community organizations, schools, business improvement areas and volunteers to expand resources for the planting, maintenance and care of trees Municipal tree planting resources are limited and focused on city lands (street trees, shade trees for parks & natural area plantings). Tree planting priorities are further stressed with the introduction of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in 2010, as the City of Kitchener projects that 80% (5,300) of its ash trees will be dead within 5 years and the remaining 1,200 ash trees dead in 10 years. During the 2013 capital budget process, a 10-year EAB tree removal budget and a first year only (2013) tree stumping and replanting fund was approved. Community engagement programs such as Kitchener’s Natural Areas Program (KNAP), works with a variety of groups and individual stewardship volunteers to engage them in active hands- on activities including tree planting in different natural areas across Kitchener. Other initiatives, like the Gator Bags are now standard on all new street tree plantings. Stewardship information is provided to the residents and includes how/when to fill the bag, but also information about the benefits of a healthy urban forest and how the things they do to their individual tree can affect the urban forest as a whole. Reported by: Dan Ritz, Supervisor, Design & Development David Schmitt, Environmental and Urban Forestry Project Manager Best Bet #4 – support community vegetable gardens Recommended Action 4.4c - Continue to support by way of education, signage, advertising support, and website updates private and/or community vegetable gardens within the City Community garden information has been updated on the City’s website with details such as eligibility criteria, procedures and process. Each grant can be awarded up to $2,000 in materials and in lieu services from city staff. Reported by: Tim Wolfe, Supervisor, Operations (Major Parks &Hort.) Best Bet #5 – promote ecological diversity Recommended Action 1.1c - Ecological diversity (primarily native species) should be promoted in City parks, private, commercial and industrial properties (e.g. butterfly habitat, wildflower sections, plants that attract and/or sustain pollinators and removal of invasive species.) Ecological diversity is an ongoing objective for city parks and promoted for private property planting projects. Restoration plantings (tree, shrub and herbaceous plants) that are conducted in Kitchener’s natural areas are primarily done using native species that have been sourced from native plant nurseries which use locally collected seed. Through our Kitchener’s Natural Areas Program (KNAP), residents are encourage to adopt similar practices around their homes and in their gardens. A native plant demonstration garden at the Huron Natural Area, features plantings of native species to demonstrate and educate people about native species including how easy they are to plant, that they are suitable for the home garden and can be attractive alternatives to non-native commercial nursery plants. This garden will be continue to expand and be used as a community teaching tool. Also currently City of Kitchener staff encourage the use of native low maintenance drought and salt tolerant species on private development sites that are subject to the site plan process. The City of Kitchener Urban Design guidelines also have specific planting requirements for all storm water management ponds that include the provision of native and local species within planting designs on private storm water management ponds. Reported by: Dan Ritz, Supervisor, Design & Development Sandro Bassanese, Urban Designer Joshua Shea, Natural Area Coordinator ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: The 2012 five Best Bets for Air Quality support the community priority ‘environment’ of the City of Kitchener Strategic Plan and supports initiatives found within the Strategic Plan for the Environment and Air Quality in Kitchener. The five Best Bets for Air Quality will also help achieve the Citizens’ Vision for the Environment (2027), in which our community focuses significant energy and resources on becoming more environmentally friendly. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: None at this time. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: The five Best Bets for 2012 were publicized in June via a media release to coincide with Clean Air Day. Information on the Air Quality in Kitchener report and the five Best Bets are available on the City website. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Alain Pinard, Director of Planning Community Services Department