Integrated Watershed Management: - The Canadian Association on ...

<strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Watershed</strong> <strong>Management</strong>:
Incorporating Public Input to the Science
and Policy Table, Caledon Case Study
Hazel Breton P. Eng.
Water <strong>Management</strong> Project Manager
44 TH Central Cnd Symposium On Water Quality Research
Science Meets Research (Feb 2009)

POLICY
• Town of Caleon’s Official Plan requires a
Village Study for each of its villages
• <strong>The</strong> process is intended to result in a
Community Plan, Servicing Plan and an
Environmental <strong>Management</strong> Plan
CCSWQR February 2009

COMMUNITY PLANNING
ISSUES
• Residents place great value in the
character of a community
• Provincial & Region of Peel policy
directions strongly promote the use of
Communal Sewage Disposal Systems for
new development which greatly influences
the type of development
CCSWQR February 2009

POLICY / LEGISLATION /
GUIDELINE CONTEXT
• Provincial Policy
Statements
• Environmental
Assessment Act
• Ontario Water Resources
Act
• Niagara Escarpment Plan
• New Provincial Policy
Initiatives
• Region of Peel Official
Plans
• Region of Peel Water
Protection Strategy
• Town of Caledon Official
Plan
• CA Watercourse & Valley
Land Protection Policy
• CA <strong>Watershed</strong> Study
• CA Regulation Lines
CCSWQR February 2009

STUDY PROCESS
October 2004 – November 2005
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Phase 4
Study
Definition
Public
Notice
Background
Review
Community Meeting
Review of
Alternatives
Liaison
Group
Meeting
Liaison
Group
Community Meeting
Liaison
Group
Conceptual
Plans
Open House
Community
Meeting
Community
Servicing &
Environment
Plans
Final
Public
Meeting
CCSWQR February 2009

COMMUNITY DESIGN
PRINCIPLES
• BE GREEN: protect natural
features & systems,
incorporate open space
and green corridors
• Accessibility:
Connections between
existing new development,
linkages to Credit River &
trail system, enhancing
pedestrian passage
through village. CCSWQR February 2009

COMMUNITY DESIGN
PRINCIPLES
• Have a Focus: sense of neighbourhood,
new & existing streetscapes should reflect
village character
• Diversity: introduce variety of housing
types, lot sizes & densities
• Well Serviced: safe and efficient supply of
water and wastewater
CCSWQR February 2009

BRINGING IN THE SCIENCE
Incorporate the principles of <strong>Integrated</strong>
<strong>Watershed</strong> <strong>Management</strong>:
• Recognize the uncertainties due to
complexities associated with ecosystem
features & functions
• Plan for long term outcomes & account
for existing & future stressors in
analyses
Water
People
• Recognize the importance of scale
• Integrate science components & identify
agency & stakeholder responsibilities
Land
CCSWQR February 2009

STEPS IN THE PROCESS
• Characterizing the
features, functions &
linkages of the ecosystem
by adopting a multidisciplinary
approach
• Performing impact
assessments from a variety
of stressors such as
proposed alternative
planning scenarios and
associated water &
wastewater options
CCSWQR February 2009

STEPS IN THE PROCESS
cont..
• Assessing the results against the
environmental objectives
• Providing advice on the preferred
development, water, & wastewater
servicing options
CCSWQR February 2009

STEPS IN THE PROCESS
cont..
• Developing an Environmental
<strong>Management</strong> Plan that outlined:
criteria for development form
stormwater management criteria,
including low impact development
effluent criteria and location of
outlet for a communal sewage
disposal system
pumping requirements for the
groundwater-based water supply
CCSWQR February 2009

CONFLICTS
• Be Green – who pays for loss of
development potential
• Accessibility – who pays for costs,
maintenance of trails and loss of privacy
• Have a focus – Who has the mandate to
enforce?
• Diversity – Who has the mandate to
enforce different housing types? What
about affordability?
CCSWQR February 2009

Conflicts cont..
• Well Serviced – concerns
over:
– cost of servicing leading to
higher density development
– Costs to existing
homeowners
– ‘not in my backyard’
– Impacts to existing
landowners
CCSWQR February 2009

CONFLICT RESOLUTION
• Using science to dispel
myths
• Listening…Learning…&
adjusting ideas
• Address issues raised
• Build relationships and
credibility
• Show how you will
implement through policy:
Official Plan Amendment
CCSWQR February 2009

PEOPLE
WATER
LAND
<strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Watershed</strong> <strong>Management</strong>