HomeMy WebLinkAboutOctober 20, 200810
and Members of Council
Chief Administrative Officer
DATE: October Ei2008
FILE NO:
AJTN: COyVV
SUBJECT: Environmental Sensitive Area Mapping Project
In 2005. an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) study was carried out to determine areas,
features, and functions within the District which were considered environmentally sensitive,
significant, or potentially vulnerable with respect to risks. A municipal wide inventory was
carried out to identify the location and condition of significant features at a municipal and
watershed wide scale to establish some baseline information on terrestrial and a0umUo
areas, features, and functions that were potentially ofsignificance tothe District.
By 2007' the District had further developed its Environmental Mapping and Information
Management System to include information on environmentally sensitive areas outside of
aquatic ecosystems in order to help improve decision making capability of the District and to
share this information with the development community.
The ESA information management system and mapping project has been utilized over the
past several years to help understand hmvv to protect and develop significant features and
landscapes responsibly, equipped with more up to data and comprehensive environmental
information. As demonstrated in the Committee of the Whole presentation to Council in
February of 2008, the ESA mapping and information management system currently helps the
District turecognize the value ofenvironmentally sensitive areas and features that contribute
positively to the quality of life in the community, to assisting staff with decision making to
ensure sustainable development p/actines, and to maintain and improve ecosystem health
and human safety.
Preparation of municipal environmental management strategy is the next step to ensure
Maple Ridge continues to support responsible management of our community's natural
areas and resources: toensure there is continuity of biological diversity; tocreate healthy
ecological systems, to provide safe environments for deve|opments, and to work with the
natural services the environment has to offer.
That information collected through the Environmentally Sensitive Area mapping project be
used as baseline information for the Environmental Management Strategy for Maple Ridge.
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BACKGROUND
In December 2O04.the District passed a resolution through its Official Community Plan to(U
identif/ its environmentally sensitive areao, features. and functions and (ii) establish
planning priorities in order to facilitate the development of coordinated strategies to
conserve its critical ecological resources and protect its 'green infrastructure' so /t could
move towards becoming amore sustainable community.
In 2005. the District of KAmp|e Ridge began an ESA study to identify critical eoniog|coi areas, `
features, and functions at a municipal wide level. This ESA framework would help facilitate
planning at the municipal or watershed wide scale and to:
• Define the soope, s|Qnifinence, and characteristics of environmentally sensitive
areas, features, and functions throughout the District,
• Expand upon the municipal environmental information management system to assist
with decision making capability;
• Provide environmental baseline information to help identify where more detailed
surveys or studies need to occur at the regional, municipal, watershed, and site
This study incorporates the phnci[dea, techniques, and standards from various models that
have been endorsed and applied by federal, provincial, regional and municipal governments
over the last decade. The ESA review is also tailored to the unique physical characteristics
and p|ennin�reguirennentsofthe municipality.
The new environmental information layers include an updated inventory of floodplain
elevation boundaries determined by new provincial agency elevation rnode||ing, new
watercourses and wetlands identified by rnunioipal environmental staff using high end GPS'
anassessment ofsteep slopes and significant erosion concerns throughout the District, and
an inventory of unique or significant habitats and movement, corridors throughout Maple
Ridge.
Project Description
Planning for 'sustaimabi!b/ and from an 'ecological' perapeobve, means that before anything
is designed mrdeveloped, the District is able to help identify, mmnage, and potentially protect
significant environmentally significant features, funotiono, and areas at the nnunicipa|,
watonshed, and site specific scales. It can help to reduce impacts through appropriate site
design and building form. It can help to idendfy, enhance and restore potential sensitive
areas. It can also help to protect those areas, features, and functions that the community
values as essential to environrnente! sustainability. In general, the ESA study oen help to
make informed decisions about how and where we can work with the environment and
landscape to help uaachieve a unique and diverse natural community.
The key goals of the ESA study were to (i) formally identify the location and condition of
"environmentally sensitive areas", and (ii) to identify and utilize various planning tools to help
protect o, enhance the integrity and biodiversity of unique or significant terrestrial
ecosystems, features, and functions within the municipality.
The specific objectives ofthe review are to:
1. Provide a biological and ecological framework for }and noanegennen1, particularly the
conservation of the most vulnerable and rare apeoies, significant habhata, and
important ecological functions inthe landscape.
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1 Identify and prioritize habitat sensitivity in terms ofsignificant wildlife habitat areas,
natural features, ecological funcbons.andvu|nenab|ean*aapotenha|\yetrisk.
3. Develop an information management system that can be used to protect, manage, or
enhance ecologically sensitive areas, functions, and features.
4. Increase awareness and understanding of (|) habitats at risk; (ii) the r0|8 of
significant ecological functions; (iii) the distribution and abundance of priority
habitats and features; and (iv)the impacts ofland management activities.
5. Provide a historic record of environmental conditions at a municipal level that can be
used as an indicator for monitoring ecosystem response to ongoing municipal
management and development practises; and
0. Create a planning and management tool for portraying ecosystem and landscape
diversity, uniqueness, and to continue encouraging use of environmental services.
The criteria. roethods, and standards selected for this study servo an important role in
ensuring consistency of data collection and classification to facilitate the exchange of
information between the District of Maple Ridge and other agencies or municipalities. The
Maple Ridge ESA Review is currently based on the methodologies and standards taken from
federal, p/ovinda|, regional and local municipal models. The District of W1op\e Ridge ESA
Review methodology nasa\soboenrevievvedondendonsedbythop/ovinrainc)uding a letter
of support from the Ecosystem Section Head from Ministry of Water. Land, and Air Protection.
Project Framework
The Environmental Sensitivitv Review project consists of three phases.
Phase 1. The initial phase of the ESA Review included developing the conceptual design of
the ESA framework and for the environmental mapping and information rnamsgennenl
system. This first phase included the compilation of digital information repository for CSA
related materials using existing information from various sources. It also included carrying
out data collection and field verification of ESA candidate areas. GPS mapping, and GIS
analysis for the municipality.
Phase . In phase two, an evaluation of information requirements, @nrur@oy' and
-------classification was carried out for all of the information layers. The information generated
during this second phase helped formed the basis for the expansion of the District's
Environmental Mapping and Information Management System which has been utilized for
the past several years to help with the development application management process.
Phase Ill. Phase three will help the District create aframework for dealing with broader
environmental programs and specific environmental management recommendations
associated with the Environmental Sensitivity Review. The third step in this study istofoster
the short and long term management of environmentally sensitive areas within the context of
haUera|' provincial, and municipal environmental obj8o1ives, regulations, and best
management practises.
Types ofEnvironmental Information Collected
The types of information collected and verified for the District ESA review includes:
Data on surficial geology, soils, topography, and hydrology
Data on existing protected areas, natural parks, conservation covenant areas
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• Data describing significant ecosyutenns, vegetative communities. natural features,
significant |endfonns, wildlife movement corridors' and where app|ioab|e, their
uniqueness, vulnerability, diversity, and regional significance.
• Data on significant ecological functions that are known to occur within the
boundaries of the District such as aquifer bounda/ies, foreshore habitat areas.
wetlands, etc.
• Data on the distribution of unique ecosystems and rare species of flora and fauna
• Data on habitat size, oundi1ion, and fragmentation
• Data on significant habitat movement corridors and network connectivity
• Data on terrain hazards and slope assessments
• Data on natural landscape heritage items or scientific narrative associated with
specific geological features and areas.
• Environmental Development Permit Areas
• ESA photo gallery mapping
Maple Ridge ESA Review Information Layers
The seven major information layers in which information was collected, processed, mapped,
and evaluated for the Maple Ridge ESA study include:
1. Protected Areas and Features. An area that contains sensitive |ands, spenies, or
features already protected under municipal, provincial, or national regulations and/or
they already exist within designated conservation areas or 'green parks'.
2. UniqueEcos}sterne/Habitatm. The ecosystem and/or wildlife habitat communities of
the area are designated as 'sensitive' or 'significant' by the federal and provincial
agencies Sensitive Ecosystem Inventory strategy including riparian 8reae, wetlands,
lakee, mature orold growth forests, old fields, and tidal foreshore areas.
3. Significant Euu|o6doa| Function. The ecological function of an area or feature is vital
to the healthy maintenance of @ natural system beyond its boundaries such as
watercourses, wetlands, and aquifer boundaries,
4. Local Landform Significance. The area has anunusual landform, landscape feature,
or vegetative community with limited representation in the municipality, province or
oountry, or there is high natural heritage value associated with a feature within the
municipality usually associated with rock bluffs, canyons, or natural heritage sites.
5. Habitat Size and Element Occurrence. An area that is abundant in size, relatively
undeveloped, and that has an unusually high diversity of biological communities and
associated plants and animals within its boundaries with connectivity to nnejor rivers
and major habitat reservoirs.
6. Significant Movement Corridors. The area provides an important linkage of suitable
or restorable habitat between significant natural biological communities typically
along riparian corridors, utility right ofways, and along equestrian trail networks.
7. Terrestrial Hazards. The area is already set aside due to the presence of on-site or
nearby hazard lands that would suffer degradation if the area were to be further
disturbed including f|oodp1aine, steep slopes, and areas vulnerable to erosion or
slumping
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The ESA review was designed to provide a basic level of information upon which the District
of Maple Ridge and consultants can build a more detailed assessment. Itksdesigned to
provide a guide that can help determine where land uses may or may not be compatible with
future development p}ena' The information collected is designed to support the preliminary
evaluation of candidate sites and classification of sensitivity at a landscape level. The
following factors must betaken into consideration when using the information.
1. Timing: It is important to note that data sources are not designed or intended for
final determination of site specific evaluations. Furthermore, some of the bio-
physical characteristics associated with environmental reports and studies are likely
to change over time as we are working in a dynamic system when dealing with
ecosystems.
2. Appropriate Scale: To ensure the protection of these valued natural features, there
will need to be continued collaboration with qualified environmental professionals
and other kinds of professionals to identify specific conservation issues and
opportunities, risk management onnoerns, and appropriate mitigation at the site
level. The level of detail associated with the site evaluation typically depends on the
sensitivity of the specific site as well as the scale and type of development activity
that isoccurring inthe area.
3. Jurisdictional Constraints. Due to legal oonatnaints, the management
recommendations that are derived from the Environmental Management Strategy
may not be applicable to Managed Forest Land subject to the Private land Forest
Practices Regulations o/ in some cases to "Agricultural Reserve Lands~ under the
jurisdiction of the Agricultural Land Commission. For the purposes of this study
however. @ cursory level inventory of these areas was included as part of the
Sensitive Ecosystem Review project.
4. Mitigation. This study does not take into account whether or not technology or
engineering exists to prevent or mitigate the impact ofdevelopment or ensure safe
development design. !tioatthe application and permit stage for development where
there is greater ability to provide detailed site specific studies on potential impacts,
mitigation, protection, and restoration opportunities.
committee that consisted of members from federal, provinciaL and non-governme
organizations. This included members from the federal Department of Fisheries and Ocea
and Canadian Wildlife Service; the provincial ministry of Ministry of Water, Land, and
Protection; the Greater Vancouver Regional District; and wildlife biology consultants, Do
Community groups were contacted and consulted in the study include various environmental
stewardship groups operating in dna District of Maple Ridge such as the AJouette River
Management Society, Kaneka Education and Environmental Partnership Society, the
A|ouette Field Natura|ista, Pitt Polder Preservation Society, and the Haney Horsemen.
Informal encounters with landowners and public stakeholder also occurred frequently while
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working in the field and this created opportunities to discuss the project as well as collect
valuable information.
Maple Ridge has a wide variety of topographic features, ecosystems, and species within its
boundaries which contribute towards a unique, diverse, and valued natural community. Th
citizens for the District of ! .14Q1 'i Hid IrMIP
""Raving a coinprenensive sTrategy for dealing with these features and functiol
before, during, and after development takes place to balance growth with environmentz I
Bvcontinuing tOincorporate the existing environmentally sensitive areas, features, and
functions into acomprehensive planning and decision making framework, there ks
continuous investment in smart development practices and sustainable management of the
natural environment for ourselves and for future generations. This includes continuity of
investment in biological diversity, healthy ecological systems, the provision of safe
environments, and the enjoyment of the natural economic, social, and ecological services the
environment has tooffer the community.
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