A HEALTHY GREEN SPACE STRATEGY - Oakville

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H E A L T H Y G R E E N S P A C E STopic AreaTrails System &Natural HeritageConnections(continued)C26C27C28C29C30C31RecommendationWherever possible, trails, pathways and bike lanes should travel to or from public transitstops (including GO stations) and appropriate bike racks should be provided at majortransportation hubs.Trails through woodlots, natural areas, and top-of-bank setbacks should continue to becovered with limestone screenings, with only steep slopes being paved. Walkways andpathways in Neighbourhood Parks and Village Squares north of Dundas Street shouldhave an asphalt or hard surface of another type.The Town should establish as a high priority allocating additional resources to trailmanagement, as this is a service that most Oakville residents value and would like tosee expanded.The Town should continue to promote and enhance its Adopt-a-Trail program as a wayof improving maintenance and offsetting some costs.For the benefit of all Oakville residents and to ensure continuity with Waterfront Trailstandards in neighbouring municipalities, the Town should upgrade the Waterfront Trailthrough paving and improving the continuity of facilities and the quality of signage andcrossings.The Town should consider establishing a paved trail loop/route in a park (or a combinationof connected parks) in North Oakville in order to provide additional opportunities forinline skating, biking, walking, etc. in the community (particularly the north end asthe south has the Waterfront Trail). This trail should be linked to the Town-wide trailsystem.1 8
The opportunities included within the Urban Forest Effects Model (UFORE) report are:Summary of Action ItemsACTION ITEM 1:Obtain detailed outputs on the human health benefits fromOakville’s urban forest by combining the results of the AirQuality Benefits Assessment Tool (AQBAT) and UFORE modelsin conjunction with the Halton Region Health Department.ACTION ITEM 2:The Finance Department and the Parks and Open SpaceDepartment should review the 10 Year Capital Forecastto ensure that operating costs for street trees and parktrees and woodland parks are captured based on amaintenance standard recommended in the Urban ForestStrategic Management Plan (UFSMP).ACTION ITEM 3:The UFSMP will develop a private urban forest stewardshipeducation program.ACTION ITEM 4:The UFSMP should outline the creation of a proactiveunder planting program in those communities at risk ofdecreasing urban forest canopy cover due to aging trees.ACTION ITEM 5:It is recommended that the U.S. Department of Agriculturemodify the UFORE plot tally sheet to record the type of energyused for heating (gas, electricity, oil, etc) on each householdwhere trees are over 20 feet tall and within 60 feet ofresidential buildings three storeys or less in height in order tomore accurately calculate the value of energy savings.ACTION ITEM 6:The Town should prepare an Emerald Ash Borer Action Plan.ACTION ITEM 7:It is recommended that UFORE consider incorporatingLeaf Area Density and Potential Leaf Area Density.ACTION ITEM 8:The Town should investigate the feasibility of an incentiveprogram for private large stature trees in order tomaximize filtration of criteria pollutants and greenhousegas emissions.ACTION ITEM 9:The Forestry Section should work with the Forest GeneConservation Association to create a gene conservationprogram for the Town.ACTION ITEM 10:The Parks and Open Space Department should identifyopportunities for parks naturalization that contributesto the forest canopy and prepare capital budget costs.ACTION ITEM 11:The Forestry Section should Chair an interdepartmental/interagency Technical Advisory Committee to recommend:a) Urban forest canopy cover targets for Oakville and; b)How key Town Departments can contribute to achievingthese targets.ACTION ITEM 12:The Town should undertake a pilot rooftop gardendemonstration project that can contribute to forestcanopy coverage.ACTION ITEM 13:The Town should investigate the feasibility of tradingcarbon credits.ACTION ITEM 14:Amend the Town’s Official Plan, Part C, Section 10.4 torecognize the municipal urban forest as a component ofthe municipality’s “infrastructure.”ACTION ITEM 15:The Tree Habitat Design Guidelines for Oakville should bereviewed with the interdepartmental Technical AdvisoryCommittee identified in ACTION ITEM 11 to incorporatethem into the Town’s urban design standards of keyTown departments.ACTION ITEM 16:Town Council should endorse the initiative of theInternational Society of Arboriculture, Ontario Chapter,which calls upon the Ontario Ministers of MunicipalAffairs & Housing and Natural Resources to supportA H e a l t h y G r e e n S p a c e S t r a t e g y f o r P u b l i c L a n d s 1 9
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A HEALTHY GREEN SPACE STRATEGY - Oakville

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