Date:
Time: 5:00 p.m.
Location: HEMDCC Meeting Space, Main Floor Alderney Gate, 60 Alderney Drive, Dartmouth
Minutes: April 18, 2019 Regional Watersheds Advisory Board Minutes (PDF)
Agenda
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. COMMUNITY ANNOUCEMENTS FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – March 13, 2019
4. APPROVAL OF THE ORDER OF BUSINESS AND APPROVAL OF ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS
5. BUSINESS ARISING OUT OF THE MINUTES
6. CALL FOR DECLARATION OF CONFLICT OF INTERESTS
7. CONSIDERATION OF DEFERRED BUSINESS – March 13, 2019
7.1 Aquatic Vegetation Monitoring at Lake Banook & Lake Micmac Final Report – Shannon Miedema, Manager of Energy & Environment
- Staff Report [PDF]
- Staff Presentation [PDF]
8. CORRESPONDENCE, PETITIONS & DELEGATIONS
8.1 Correspondence
8.2 Petitions
9. INFORMATION ITEMS BROUGHT FORWARD – NONE
10. REPORTS
10.1 STAFF
10.1.1 Case 21402: Sackville Rivers Floodplain - Ben Sivak, Major Projects Planner, Planning & Development - Development Approvals
* Please note the information provided for this case is the same practice for Planning Advisory Committee agendas. What is required of the Regional Watersheds Advisory Board is indicated in bold.
Council initiated project to amend the appropriate planning documents to reflect the most recent floodplain mapping for areas surrounding the Sackville and Little Sackville Rivers.
On August 14, 2018, the municipality published the findings of the Sackville Rivers Floodplains Study (2017).This study involved an assessment of the Sackville River and the Little Sackville River, and their watersheds, to produce updated floodplain maps. Areas at risk of flooding were evaluated using updated information and computer modelling that accurately predicts the impact of rain storms on the rivers.
The new floodplain mapping shows a larger flood impact for the 1-in-20 and 1-in-100-year weather events when compared with older (1980s) flood risk mapping. The 1-in-20 flood event refers to floods that have a 5% chance of occurring in any given year, while the 1-in-100 flood event refers to floods that have 1% chance of occurring in any given year. The municipality is using this new information to update planning documents to regulate the type of new development that may be allowed to take place in the identified floodplain areas.
The major aspects of the project being considered are:
• the appropriate range and scale of new development to permit within the updated floodlines; and
• controls on the re-use and expansion of existing uses and structures located within the updated floodlines;
Relevant Policies:
The HRM Charter and Municipal Government Act sets out six Statements of Provincial Interest and requirements for all municipal planning documents to be reasonably consistent with these Statements. The Statement of Provincial Interest Regarding Flood Risk Areas specifically identifies the Sackville and Little Sackville Rivers and requires the Municipality to identify floodplains and establish land use policies and regulations that limit development and respond to flood risks.
Section 2.3.4 of the Regional Plan provides direction to limit development in floodplains to protect the public from property damage, potential loss of life and to reduce the need for costly flood control measures. Specific restrictions on development are to be implemented through the secondary Municipal Planning Strategies (MPS) and Land Use By-laws (LUB).
The Sackville and Little Sackville Rivers run through four different plan areas: Bedford, Sackville, Sackville Drive, and Beaver Bank/Hammonds Plains/Upper Sackville. While the specific names and provisions of the existing floodplain zones differ between the four Community Plan areas, all four Community Plans generally limit development to uses that are consistent with the Provincial Statement of Interest regarding Flood Risk Areas. These include conservation related uses, public and private parks and playgrounds, recreation uses, roadways, transit shelters and other uses of a similar nature. The existing zoning in the four plan areas is based on the 1980’s floodplain mapping.
In providing comments on the project, the Regional Watersheds Advisory Board is being asked to assess the potential impact on the community of updating the floodplain zoning and associated planning documents. For clarity, while any comments will inform project work, a recommendation to the Environment and Sustainability Standing Committee (ESSC) is not is not required as the ESSC does not have a formal role in this planning process.
The following is before the Committee:
- Sackville Floodplains Project Webpage
- Initiation Report
- Interactive Map showing existing and updated floodplains
- Sackville Rivers Floodplain Study – Phase II (2017)
- Statement of Provincial Interest Regarding Flood Risk Areas
Information at the above link will be updated as required. For a copy of the materials presented to the Regional Watersheds Advisory Board, please contact the Clerk’s Office.
10.1.2 Pollution Control Study Report – Shannon Miedema, Manager of Energy & Environment [PDF]
11. ADDED ITEMS
12. DATE OF NEXT MEETING – May 9, 2019, HEMDCC Meeting Space, Main Floor Alderney Gate, 60 Alderney Drive, Dartmouth
13. ADJOURNMENT
INFORMATION ITEMS