May 9, 2019 Regional Watersheds Advisory Board

Date: May 9, 2019

Time: 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Location: HEMDCC Meeting Space, Main Floor Alderney Gate, 60 Alderney Drive, Dartmouth

Minutes: May 9, 2019 Regional Watersheds Advisory Board Minutes (PDF)

Agenda

1. CALL TO ORDER

2. COMMUNITY ANNOUCEMENTS FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – April 18, 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 – April 18, 2019
7.1 Case 21402: Sackville Rivers Floodplain - Meaghan Dalton, Planner I, Planning & Development

* 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:

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.

8. CORRESPONDENCE, PETITIONS & DELEGATIONS
8.1 Correspondence
8.2 Petitions

9. INFORMATION ITEMS BROUGHT FORWARD – NONE

10. REPORTS
10.1 STAFF
10.1.1 Regional Centre Secondary Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law (Package A) Staff Report [PDF]

Attachment A: Proposed Regional Centre Secondary Municipal Planning Strategy (Package A) [PDF]
Map 1: Urban Structure [PDF]
Map 2: Maximum Floor Area Ratio (D, CEN-2 and CEN-1 Zones) [PDF]
Map 3: Maximum Height (CEN-2, COR, HR-1 and HR-2 Zones) [PDF]
Map 4: Downtown Dartmouth Precincts [PDF]
Map 5: Lake Banook Canoe Course Maximum Height Precinct [PDF]
Map 6: Dartmouth View Planes [PDF]
Map 7: Halifax Citadel View Planes [PDF]
Map 8: Halifax Citadel Ramparts [PDF]
Map 9: Downtown Dartmouth View Corridors [PDF]
Map 10: Proposed Heritage Conservation District Study Areas [PDF]
Map 11: Future Growth Node Land Use Concept - Shannon Park [PDF]
Map 12: Future Growth Node Land Use Concept – Penhorn Lands [PDF]
Map 13: Future Growth Node Land Use Concept – Young Street Lands [PDF]
Map 14 Future Growth Node Land Use Concept – Dartmouth Cove [PDF]
Map 15: Dartmouth Cove Dundas Street Extension Transportation Reserve [PDF]

- Staff Presentation [PDF]

Motion:
That the Regional Watersheds Advisory Board recommend that Environment and Sustainability Standing Committee recommend that the Regional Council:
1. Give First Reading and schedule a public hearing to consider the Regional Centre Secondary Municipal Planning Strategy, and the Regional Centre Land Use By-law, as contained in Attachments A and B of the staff report dated April 3, 2019.
2. Give First Reading and schedule a public hearing to consider the proposed amendments to the Regional Municipal Planning Strategy and the Regional Subdivision By-law, as contained in Attachments C and D.
3. Adopt the Regional Centre Secondary Municipal Planning Strategy, and the Regional Centre Land Use By-law, as contained in Attachments A and B.
4. Adopt the proposed amendments to the Regional Municipal Planning Strategy and the Regional Subdivision By-law, as contained in Attachments C and D.

11. ADDED ITEMS

12. DATE OF NEXT MEETING – June 13, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. in the HEMDCC Meeting Space, Main Floor Alderney Gate, 60 Alderney Drive, Dartmouth

13. ADJOURNMENT

INFORMATION ITEMS – NONE