The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2004-06-10ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE MINUTES JUNE 10~ 2004 CITY OF KITCHENER The Environmental Committee met this date commencing at 4:30 p.m. Present: N.Sonder, Y. Fernandes and D. Lippert Councillor B. Vrbanovic - in attendace for part of the meeting. Staff: G. Stewart, General Manager, Development and Technical Services L. Masseo, Manager of Development and Design J. Given, Manager of Strategic Operations B. Steiner, Environmental Planner D. Ross, Senior Planner T. Boutilier, Senior Planner J. Billett, Committee Administrator. This meeting of the Environmental Committee commenced without a quorum present and Ms. Yvonne Fernandes was appointed Acting Chair. UPPER BLAIR CREEK FUNCTIONAL DRAINAGE STUDY / DOON SOUTH COMMUNITY PLAN (PHASE 2) The Committee was in receipt of a Study Summary of the Upper Blair Creek Kitchener Functional Drainage Study and Doon South (Phase 2) Community Plan - draft report May 2004. The Upper Blair Creek Subwatershed / Doon South (Phase 2) Community Plan areas are located at the southwest limits of the City at the headwaters of Blair Creek. Mr. Larry Masseo, together with Ms. Jennifer Passy, Planner, MacKinnon and Associates and Messrs. Steve Brown, Stantec Consulting Ltd. and Dave Naylor, Naylor Engineering Associates Ltd. attended to present details of the draft study. Mr. Larry Masseo advised that the Doon South area is designated for urban development in both the Regional Official Policies Plan and the City's Municipal Plan, and a Community Plan for the area was originally approved in 1997. The lands described as Phase 2 in the Community Plan are currently designated Limited Service Residential Development with the intent that the new development would be on large lots (1 acre or more) with individual private septic systems and piped municipal water. Environmental issues concerning management of the creek system were also addressed in the 1997 study, known as the Blair, Bechtel and Bauman Creeks Subwatershed Plan (BBB Study) and updated by commission of the GRCA in 2001. The BBB Study concluded that development should be restricted to no more than 25% impervious coverage because of the natural sensitivity of the area. Mr. Masseo stated that the City, in keeping with Regional Servicing Policies, determined that the lands may be serviced to the centralized municipal waste water system; however, system capacity will not accommodate large sized lots. He advised that in order to guide future planning decisions, consultants were retained to develop a functional drainage plan to assess whether alternative stormwater management techniques could achieve the same objectives of the BBB Study and still allow development on smaller sized lots. Mr. Steve Brown provided an overview of the technical components of the work undertaken to complete the functional drainage study and 4 alternative options for development / stormwater control of the subject area were presented to the public at an Open House held on May 18, 2004. Alternative 4 (Modified Development Approach) was selected as the preferred alternative, involving smaller scale development similar to existing areas to the north and east, and a wide range of stormwater management techniques to minimize impact to the Blair Creek system. Recommendations pertaining to Alternative 4 require: 100% infiltration of all post-development precipitation for the West Study area; maximize infiltration measures for the East Study area at lot levels, conveyance and end-of-pipe locations where soils permit, and 100% infiltration from roofs / rear yard run-off and 50% of front yard, driveway and road run-off; continual updates of the hydrologic model; implementation of a monitoring, maintenance and litigation program; and revision of the City and Regional Road Salt Management Program to limit applications to primary roads only and at a 25% reduction below current practices. The delegations responded to a number of questions, commenting on the following issues: · borehole testing: data was provided by Mr. D. Naylor and reviewed with members of the Committee; · water run-off: focus of the study is to achieve high infiltration and minimal run-off; measures ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE MINUTES JUNE 10, 2004 - 15 - CITY OF KITCHENER UPPER BLAIR CREEK FUNCTIONAL DRAINAGE STUDY / DOON SOUTH COMMUNITY PLAN (PHASE 2) (CONT'D) will be taken at outlets to cool down water reaching stormwater ponds; Stormwater Management Practices (drywells / greenways): multi-phase approach to be taken - use of drywells, infiltration facilities and greenways throughout subdivisions; Ecological changes: no development will take place in core greenspace areas; several smaller agricultural areas have been identified as environmentally sensitive and are planned for re-generation to a naturalized state over time to minimize ecological impacts. Mr. L. Masseo advised that the draft study report will be circulated to the study steering group in the near future and if no substantive issues are raised, the consultants will make arrangements to bring the matter forward for consideration by Regional Council and the GRCA Planning Committee and Board. Once approved by the Region and the GRCA, a report will be forwarded to City Council for consideration. In response to concerns raised respecting development in an environmentally sensitive area, Mr. Masseo advised that the purpose of the study is to ensure environmental features remain intact with minimal impact. Councillor B. Vrbanovic added that it is a matter of balancing the rights of private development and growth with preservation of naturally sensitive areas, and the process undertaken is an example of the how the City attempts to improve development and achieve good planning. It was agreed that in the event significant changes are made to the draft study as a result of review by the Steering Committee and / or the GRCA, a special meeting of the Environmental Committee would be called in August to review the revisions made. DTS-04-078 BRIGADOON COMMUNITY PLAN MUNICIPAL PLAN AMENDMENT - MPA 04/02/S/JG ZONE CHANGE APPLICATION - ZC 04/10/S/JG The Committee was in receipt of Development and Technical Services Department report DTS- 04-078, dated May 20, 2004 concerning revisions to the Brigadoon Community Plan and associated planning applications, Municipal Plan Amendment MPA 04/02/S/JG and Zone Change Application ZC 04/10/S/JG. The Brigadoon area is bounded to the south of Huron Road, east of Strasburg Road, north of Stauffer Drive and west of Biehn Drive. Ms. Barbara Steiner provided an overview of environmental features respecting the subject lands, advising that the Community Plan will be guided by the Strasburg Creek, Doon Creek & Blair, Bechtel, Bauman Creeks watershed plans. She noted that prior to the Provincial Planning Policy on wetlands, Biehn Drive was permitted to be constructed halfway through a provincially significant wetland within the Community Plan boundaries. Provincial policies are now in place and together with the City's watershed plans will regulate how development will proceed. She pointed out that developers will be required to complete environmental impact statements and undertake water management studies. Ms. Janice Given reviewed key changes to the Community Plan, including the following: · preservation of woodlands by redesignating zoning from Low Rise Residential to Open Space as a result of a land exchange with Hallman Construction limited bringing the woodlands into City ownership; · elimination of the need for a collector road to cross the wetland (identified as Collector Road 'C' in the existing Community Plan); · modifications to school / park locations and configurations to locate outside the wetland; and, · reconfiguration of the extension of Biehn Drive as a major collector road to distribute local traffic to the arterial road network at Strasburg Road. In response to questions, Ms. J. Given advised that the extension of Biehn Drive will be aligned through the narrowest portion of greenspace in the southerly limit of the subject area. She pointed out that the extension is needed to complete the transportation network and provide emergency / secondary access requirements, as recommended in the Doon South - Brigadoon Transportation Network and Corridor Study. Ms. Y. Fernandes suggested that Biehn Drive could still be serviceable to the arterial road network by remaining dead-ended at its current location and then start again on the opposite side of the greenspace. Ms. N. Sonder pointed out that JUNE 10, 2004 ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE MINUTES -16- CITY OF KITCHENER 2. DTS-04-078 BRIGADOON COMMUNITY PLAN MUNICIPAL PLAN AMENDMENT - MPA 04/02/S/JG ZONE CHANGE APPLICATION - ZC 04/10/S/JG (CONT'D) traffic could reach Strasburg Road by travelling Caryndale Drive to the proposed street 'A'. Ms. Given advised that Caryndale is a minor collector road and is not designed to handle large volumes of traffic. In response to Ms. Fernandes, Ms. Given advised that there is potential to install an extension of the trunk sanitary sewer underground, along the Biehn Drive alignment. Ms. N. Sonder questioned the necessity of extending Biehn Drive, suggesting that the environmental impacts of the proposed development are too great. Mr. L. Masseo pointed out that the recommendations take into consideration mitigation of environmental impacts while addressing transportation objectives. Mr. D. Lippert commented that while it may not appear that Biehn Drive is necessary at this time, pending developments north and south of the Brigadoon area will create need for the extension to accommodate future transportation needs. He stated that it is important to address the viability of the transportation network to meet the demands of auto dependency. Ms. Y. Fernandes requested to be recorded as opposed to the extension of Biehn Drive as it was her opinion that Biehn Drive could still be serviceable to the arterial road network without extending through the greenspace. Ms. Fernandes also suggested that the close proximity of three connecting roads (Biehn Drive and proposed Streets 'A' and 'B') to Strasburg Road could become a problem for traffic movement. Mr. L. Masseo advised that all options will be considered and the proposed extension will have to meet objectives of the Transportation Network Study. It was noted that the Brigadoon Community Plan report will be considered at the June 21,2004 Development and Technical Services Committee meeting and Councillor B. Vrbanovic advised that the Environmental Committee's comments will be forwarded by copy of the minutes of this meeting to members of the Development and Technical Services Committee. ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP GRANT PROGRAM - ADMINISTRATION The Committee received this date Development and Technical Services Department report DTS-04-095, dated June 9, 2004 concerning the Environmental Stewardship Grant Program. Mr. Terry Boutilier advised that since establishment of the grant program in 2001, the City has provided funding each year in the amount of $10,000 for environmental stewardship initiatives. He pointed out that the grant program has not met its objectives because of lack of public knowledge as to its existence and lack of a proper administrative process. A brief discussion took place and the following actions were agreed to: staff will proceed to advertise the grant program on the City's website to invite applications for consideration of the Environmental Committee at its October meeting; and in the interim the Committee will review the grant program Terms of Reference and proposed administrative procedures, as attached to report DTS-04-095, for consideration at the September 9, 2004 meeting. ADJOURNMENT On motion, the meeting adjourned at 6:25 p.m. Janet Billett, AMCT Committee Administrator