HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-13-081 - Class Environmental Assessment for Strasburg Road South from North of Stauffer Drive to New Dundee - Environmental Study Report
REPORT TO:
Planning & Strategic Initiatives Committee
DATE OF MEETING:
October 21, 2013
SUBMITTED BY:
Hans Gross, Director, Asset Management , 519-741-2416
PREPARED BY:
Binu Korah, Manager, Development Engineering, 519 741
2974
WARD(S) INVOLVED:
Wards 4 & 5
DATE OF REPORT:
October 15, 2013
REPORT NO.:
INS-13-081
SUBJECT: CLASS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (EA) FOR
STRASBURG ROAD EXTENSION FROM NORTH OF
STAUFFER DRIVE TO NEW DUNDEE ROAD –
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY REPORT (ESR)
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT the Strasburg Road Extension from North of Stauffer Drive to New Dundee Road
Environmental Study Report (ESR) prepared by SNC Lavalin Inc., dated October, 2013, be
received; and further
THAT the Strasburg Road Extension from North of Stauffer Drive to New Dundee Road
Environmental Study Report (ESR) be filed with the Ministry of the Environment for the
mandatory thirty (30) day review period as required by the Environmental Assessment
(EA) Act.
BACKGROUND:
In April 2010, the City of Kitchener appointed SNC-Lavalin Inc. as the City’s consultant to
complete the Class Environmental Assessment for Strasburg Road Extension from north of
Stauffer Drive to New Dundee Road. In May 2012, staff presented a Draft Environmental Study
Report for this project to Council and released it to the public for review and comments. Based
on comments received during the Draft ESR review period (May - September 2012), Council
determined that additional work was warranted to identify the Technically Preferred Alignment.
Further, staff presented a report on November 27, 2012 (INS 12-084) with an additional Scope
of Work to address the public concerns and to complete the Class Environmental Assessment
for the Strasburg Road Extension from North of Stauffer Drive to New Dundee Road. In
accordance with the approved scope of work, the Project Team and the consultant completed
the additional tasks and selected a new Technically Preferred Alignment (TPA) for this project.
The new TPA, comparative assessment and all the study findings for this project were
presented to the City’s Special Planning and Strategic Initiatives Committee meeting on May 22,
2013 for review and approval. This committee approved the alignment and it was subsequently
ratified by Council at its regular meeting on June 10, 2013. These were the Council resolutions:
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That the New Technically Preferred Alignment (W1) for the Strasburg Road Extension from
north of Stauffer Drive to New Dundee Road be approved; and;
That staff be directed to prepare Preliminary Design for the New Technically Preferred
Alignment, complete the Environmental Study Report (ESR) and present the final ESR at the
October 21, 2013 Planning & Strategic Initiatives Committee meeting to endorse the document
for filing in the Public Record for the mandatory 30-day public review period and further;
That vehicular access to 500 Stauffer Drive be maintained in a manner negotiated with the
owner of 500 Stauffer Drive, throughout the development process of the Strasburg Road
extension.”
That if a new alignment for Robert Ferrie Drive is to be determined through an Official Plan
Amendment and Plan of Subdivision process, it is the preference of the City of Kitchener to
require documentation and rigor that an Environmental Study Report requires to justify the new
alignment.”
That the alignment for Blair Creek Drive Extension from Reidel Drive westerly to the point of
Intersection with Strasburg Road Extension – South Section Alignment W1 (Blair Creek Drive
Extension) be determined through the Municipal Engineers Association, Municipal Class
Environmental Assessment for Municipal Road Projects (Class EA process).
REPORT:
In accordance with the Council resolution, the consultant completed a preliminary design of the
new Technically Preferred Alignment (TPA) and the Environmental Study Report (ESR).
As part of the preliminary design of the new TPA (refer to Appendix A) the project team had the
opportunity to refine the alignment further based on the following criteria:
Maximize the use of the existing city-owned property at the north limit;
Reduce overlap of the design over multiple properties; and
Provide greater distance to (buffer) natural heritage features in the Blair Creek corridor,
including the Jefferson Salamander regulated habitat.
The new Technically Preferred Alignment (refer Appendix B, alignment in red) has been refined,
based on discussions with the directly affected landowners, and developed to the Preliminary
Design level of detail, including road geometry, cross-sections, drainage and stormwater
management, municipal services and other utilities, and intersection design.
The initial screening of alternatives for the new Strasburg Road Extension intersections at future
Blair Creek Drive and Robert Ferrie Drive suggest that roundabouts may be a preferred option.
However, the Robert Ferrie Drive and Blair Creek Drive extensions must proceed through
separate planning and Class EA processes, respectively, to determine the appropriate
intersection controls.
As New Dundee road is a Regional road, the location, type of traffic control and design of the
connection with Strasburg Road is subject to the approval of the Region of Waterloo. Based on
the results of the Region’s roundabout screening process conducted by the consultant for the
new “T” intersection to compare a roundabout option with a traffic signals option, the project
team has identified the opportunity to move forward to the next step in the Region’s process
(i.e., an Intersection Control Study). Appendix C shows the preliminary design scheme for a
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roundabout, which is the option adopted for this ESR. During the Detail Design phase of the
Strasburg Road Extension project, the City has to complete the following tasks in cooperation
with the Region:
Undertake an Intersection Control Study (ICS) to complete a more detailed comparison of a
roundabout to traffic signals;
A preliminary design of both options, including associated revisions to proposed grading,
drainage and property impacts;
Present both options to the public for input regarding the preferred method of traffic control;
Region staff to document the preliminary design, assessment and consultation process in a
report to be presented to the Region’s planning and works committee;
All other requirements of the Strasburg Road Extension Class EA must be met; and
City and Region to investigate possible mitigation of the existing substandard sight
distances at the New Dundee Road/Cameron Road intersection, and develop a solution in
collaboration with the Township of North Dumfries and area property owners, before
opening of the Strasburg Road Intersection at New Dundee Road.
In accordance with the aforementioned Council resolution, a Schedule “C” Class Environmental
Assessment (EA) for the extension of Blair Creek Drive from the proposed Strasburg Road
Extension to Reidel Drive will be completed. As part of this EA, a detailed intersection analysis
will be completed to determine the final configuration of the Blair Creek Drive intersections at
Strasburg Road and Reidel Drive. The implications of closure of Riedel Drive south of Blair
Creek Drive will also be investigated.
City staff met with the consultant representing the owner of 500 Stauffer Drive to discuss the
access issues. City staff’s recommendation is to keep existing Caryndale Drive and Reidel Drive
open until a solution has been derived through the upcoming studies for the Blair Creek Drive
Extension and the Robert Ferrie Drive Extension and implemented. This is an acceptable
solution for the landowner’s consultant, as per the recommendation.
The City’s Planning Department received an application from the landowners within the Robert
Ferrie Drive Extension area for an Official Plan Amendment to identify the precise alignment for
Robert Ferrie Drive Extension from its current terminus east of Caryndale Drive and west of
Elmbank Trail to Strasburg Road. The application for the Official Plan Amendment and the
supporting documentation will be circulated by the City with the official notice of the
commencement of the integrated Planning Act and EA Act approach. City staff recommended
that the applicant complete a Schedule “C” Class Environmental Assessment for the Robert
Ferrie Drive Extension from the current terminus to Strasburg Road as part of the integrated
planning process in accordance with the Municipal Engineers Association’s Municipal Class
Environmental Assessment (October 2000, as amended in 2007 & 2011) document, Section
A.2.9, Integration with the Planning Act. This process will identify the preferred alignment for the
Robert Ferrie Drive Extension, including the appropriate details for the Strasburg Road and
Robert Ferrie Drive intersection.
The design of proposed Strasburg Road along the new technically preferred alignment design
has the potential to result in environmental condition changes within the project area and will
require the implementation of mitigation treatments and additional environmental and
engineering investigations during the Detail Design phase. The principal mitigation treatments
incorporated in the Preliminary Design scheme at this time include:
Incorporation of measures to avoid or minimize indirect impacts to wetlands, woodlots and
hydrologic attributes that constitute Jefferson Salamander functional habitat (i.e., those
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features in the regulated area east of Alignment W1) will be investigated further and
confirmed during the Detail Design phase in consultation with MNR.
Maintenance of natural surface drainage and groundwater flow across the road corridor to
retain downstream baseflow contributions in Blair Creek.
Collection of roadway runoff by storm sewers and direction of runoff to stormwater treatment
facilities (3 stormwater management ponds, oil/grit separators and enhanced/grassed
swales) prior to discharge to receiving watercourses.
Conducting strategic pre-construction baseline surveys of potable water wells; implementing
a construction phase Complaint Protocol in response to water well quantity/quality concerns;
and engaging in appropriate post-construction environmental groundwater effects
monitoring.
Protection of vegetation communities not scheduled for removal; and ecological restoration
of disturbed areas using compatible vegetation species.
Maintenance of access to affected residential accesses (500 Stauffer Drive; 271 Reidel
Drive), and existing agricultural operations by maintaining the travelled thoroughfare on
Reidel Drive from the south and introducing new agricultural field entrances.
Introduction of landscaping for aesthetic purposes (reduction of headlight glare) adjacent to
residential property. This may include both earth berms and vegetative plantings (trees and
shrubs).
Environmental compliance monitoring (inspection) during construction phase
An existing conditions assessment (including Traffic Analysis, Natural Environment, Scio-
Economic Environment, Cultural Environment, Transportation and other Municipal
Infrastructure); the development and assessment of conceptual alignment alternatives; selection
of the Technically Preferred Alignment; Preliminary Design of the new Technically Preferred
Alignment; commitments to environmental protection, mitigation and monitoring and additional
investigations associated with the Preliminary Design scheme; and the conduct and results of
the stakeholder consultation program have been documented in the Environmental Study
Report. As such, staff recommend that the Strasburg Road Extension from North of Stauffer
Drive to New Dundee Road Environmental Study Report (ESR) prepared by SNC Lavalin Inc.,
dated October, 2013, be received.
Further, staff recommend that the Strasburg Road Extension from North of Stauffer Drive to
New Dundee Road (South Section) Environmental Study Report (ESR) be filed with the Ministry
of the Environment for the mandatory thirty (30) day review period, as required by the
Environmental Assessment (EA) Act. This will provide the opportunity for the public and
agencies to review the document and provide comments to the Ministry of the Environment and
City, if any.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
As part of this Class EA project, four (4) Public Information Centres were conducted to provide
the public, agencies, stakeholders, interested and affected parties with an opportunity to review
and comment on the study findings including the preferred alternative, along with the other
alternatives considered. The direct mail-outs, along with the newspaper advertisement advising
the public and property owners of the project commencement and the Public Information
Centres, provided a project overview, as well as contact names and information for those
interested. Furthermore, many meetings were conducted to discuss specific issues with
stakeholders and affected landowners. The City staff and consultant also presented the study
findings to the City’s Environmental Committee and Heritage Committee to obtain their valuable
input.
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All the comments received from various PICs were evaluated and addressed, as appropriate,
and were included in the revised Environmental Study Report.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
The cost estimate for the new technically preferred alignment (W1) for the Strasburg Road
Extension and associated infrastructure is $14.322M, which includes all roadwork, sewers,
illumination, watermain, stormwater management ponds, contingencies and engineering and
administration costs, but excludes the local road extensions. The Strasburg Road portion of the
project is approximately $9.282M and exceeds the cost estimate included in the current capital
forecast by $3.182M. Any additional cost will be included in the upcoming 2014 Development
Charge Background Study and will either impact the development charge rate or require a
deferral of other projects.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
The Strasburg Road Extension project is aligned with the City of Kitchener Strategic Plan; refer
to Strategic Plan document, community priorities – Development sections 1 & 3. Further, this
project is also one of the priority projects identified in the Kitchener Growth Management Plan,
as it provides service to lands identified as Priority B
CONCLUSION:
In accordance with Class Environmental Assessment process together with studies and detailed
assessment completed by the Consultant Team, the Project Team has selected a new
Technically Preferred Alignment for the Strasburg Road Extension from north of Stauffer Drive
to New Dundee Road, which was approved by Council on June 10, 2013.
There were several Public Information Centres and other consultation process mechanisms
used to solicit stakeholder input from April 2010 to September 2013 to review the detailed study
findings and receive comments on this project. As part of the Class EA process, staff also met
with various agencies and affected property owners to address their concerns. In conclusion,
staff recommend that the Strasburg Road Extension from North of Stauffer Drive to New
Dundee Road Environmental Study Report (ESR) prepared by SNC Lavalin Inc., dated October,
2013, be received.
Further, staff recommend that the Strasburg Road Extension from North of Stauffer Drive to
New Dundee Road Environmental Study Report (ESR) be filed with the Ministry of the
Environment (MOE) for the mandatory thirty (30) day review period, as required by the
Environmental Assessment (EA) Act.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Pauline Houston, DCAO,
Infrastructure Services Department
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Appendix A: New Technically Preferred Alignment
(TPA) (Alignment W1)
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Appendix B: New Technically Preferred Alignment
(Refined – Alignment W1)
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Appendix C: Strasburg Road Extension/New Dundee
Road Roundabout Design Scheme
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