REQUEST FOR DECISION
DATE: May 11, 2016 Report No. DEV-16-035
TO: Laurie Hurst, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Bill Brown, Director of Development Services
SUBJECT:
Title
Initial Review of Version 1.5 (March 2016) of Draft Regional Growth Strategy
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That Council send a letter to the Capital Regional District Board outlining their initial comments on Version 1.5 of the Draft Regional Growth Strategy.
Body
RELEVANT POLICY:
Local Government Act
STRATEGIC RELEVANCE:
The review of the Draft Regional Growth Strategy is not related to any of Council’s strategic priorities.
BACKGROUND:
At its March 9, 2016 meeting, the Capital Regional District Board passed a motion to invite municipal councils to provide comments on the draft 2016 Regional Growth Strategy. The deadline for comments is May 18, 2016. The CRD has also provided a “frequently asked questions” brochure which provides some context for the process so far (Schedule B). Staff has done a quick overview of the latest draft Regional Growth Strategy. A far more thorough review will be completed when the Strategy is circulated as part of the statutory approval process. Staff’s initial comments are as follows:
- Overall this version is a significant improvement over the previous regional sustainability plan;
- The Strategy frequently refers to “environment and natural resources” as if the two concepts are mutually exclusive. However, natural resources are typically a part of the environment (e.g. forests, fish, water, etc.). A more accurate phrase is required.
- The Strategy states that Victoria will be the primary regional employment centre along with the major centres of Langford, Colwood, Saanich and Sidney. Conspicuous by its absence is any reference to Esquimalt, home of the majority of CFB Esquimalt and the Graving Dock. The CRD should provide empirical data to support their contention that Langford, Colwood, Saanich and Sidney are major employment centres but Esquimalt is not.
- The strong growth management provisions in the draft Strategy should be supported.
- Staff has concerns about limiting sewage collection but not water supply beyond the urban containment boundary. This could lead to significantly increased domestic water use without the concomitant increase in the capacity of septic fields which could potentially lead to the contamination of soils and ground water.
- The policies related to the protection of Blue Space should be strongly supported. The policy should be reworded to make it clear that protection of the Blue Space includes the protection of the adjacent foreshore.
- Missing from the economic development section is any reference to the Graving Dock which brings millions of dollars into the regional economy every year.
- The Strategy suggests that wetlands be used to sequester carbon dioxide. Wetlands are also a significant source of methane which is a greenhouse gas. The CRD should provide a detailed analysis to prove that wetlands sequester more greenhouse gasses than they emit.
- The Strategy contains a target to acquire 100 % of the green/blue belt but does not say how much it will cost or how they will amend the necessary legislation to allow them to acquire the bed and shore of the various water bodies in the blue belt. This information should be provided before Council agrees to it.
- The Strategy contains targets to reduce greenhouse gas emission but does not contain a methodology by which it will calculate whether or not the targets are being met. One example of a methodology that might help the CRD to understand if its policies are having the intended effect would be to monitor whether the greenhouse gas emissions from commuter traffic increases or decreases after the Strategy is implemented.
ISSUES:
1. Rationale for Selected Option
The points identified by staff are based on a cursory overview of the document. A far more detailed review will be conducted when the document is circulated as part of the statutory approval process.
2. Organizational Implications
Due to current workloads staff cannot provide Council with a more detailed review of the Strategy at this time.
3. Financial Implications
The potential financial implications of the Strategy will be reviewed in far greater detail when it is referred to the Township as part of the statutory approval process.
4. Sustainability & Environmental Implications
The Strategy contains a number of policies related to sustainability and the environment.
5. Communication & Engagement
The Capital Regional District is responsible for communications and engagement.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. That Council send a letter to the Capital Regional District Board outlining their initial comments on Version 1.5 of the Draft Regional Growth Strategy.
2. That Council decline the opportunity to submit comments to the Capital Regional District at this time.