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8. UPDATE ON The CITY'S ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE
AREAS ACQUISITION FUND
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That
Council receive this report for information.
Que le Conseil reçoit
le rapport à titre de document d'information.
DOCUMENTATION
1. Planning
and Growth Management, Deputy City Manager’s report dated
19 May 2006
(ACS2006-PGM-POL-0036).
Report
to/Rapport au :
Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee
Comité des services organisationnels
et du développement économique
and Council / et au Conseil
Submitted by/Soumis par : Ned Lathrop, Deputy City Manager/Directeur
municipal adjoint,
Planning and Growth Management/Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance
Contact
Person/Personne ressource : Carol Christensen, Manager/Gestionnaire,
Environmental Sustainability Division, Planning, Environment and Infrastructure
Policy/Politiques d’urbanisme, d’environnement et d’infrasturcture
(613) 580-2424 x21610, Carol.Christensen@ottawa.ca
0036
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SUBJECT: |
UPDATE ON The CITY'S ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCE AREAS ACQUISITION FUND |
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OBJET : |
MISE À
JOUR SUR LE FONDS D'ACQUISITION DES RESSOURCES SECTORIELLES EN MATIÈRE
D'ENVIRONNEMENT DE LA VILLE |
REPORT RECOMMENDATION
That the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee recommend that Council receive this report for information.
RECOMMANDATION DU
RAPPORT
Que le Comité des services organisationnels et
du développement économique recommande au Conseil qu'il reçoive le rapport à
titre de document d'information.
BACKGROUND
During
consideration of a recommended acquisition of the urban natural area, known as
the Fernbank Wetland, on January 25, 2006, Council asked for a review of the
reserve funds available for environmental land acquisition. This report provides an overview of the
Environmental Resource Areas Acquisition Fund, capital account #900138,
including its history, a summary of environmental lands acquisitions, current
status and anticipated future.
DISCUSSION
The Environmental Resource Areas Acquisition Fund was established in 1974, within the former Region of Ottawa-Carleton, to provide an ongoing source of funds for purchase of environmentally significant lands. Since the fund's inception, the account has been allocated a total of $15.55M of capital authority, including the most recent addition of $1.95M through the 2006 budget. An additional $3.4M exists within Environmental Areas Acquisition Capital Reserve account, established during the 2003 budget process. At present, a total of $4.7M is available within the capital account (#900138) and reserve fund. Underway negotiations for acquisition of additional lands, both in the urban and rural area will likely use up the majority of this existing authority.
Over the history of environmental lands acquisition, the municipality has acquired a total of 10,450 hectares of environmental lands at a total cost of $14.2M, mainly within designated Natural Environment Areas such as the Carp Hills/South March Highlands and the Marlborough Forest as well as along river corridors. Of this total 757 ha have been acquired at a cost of $3M since the City was amalgamated.
The majority of the 10,450 hectares of environmental lands secured through this acquisition fund consists of properties within the rural area. These include a variety of parcels within the Natural Environment Areas of the Marlborough Forest, Carp Hills/South March Highlands, Long Swamp, Corkery Woodlands, The Pinery and Constance Bay as well as lands along river corridors. Document 1 summarizes the property purchases by area since the fund's inception in 1974 to 2006 as well as including some Marlborough Forest lands purchased between 1966 and 1973 (1892 hectares).
To
date, the budget additions to the acquisition fund have kept up with the demand
for environmental lands purchase. This
is due in part to the reactive nature of the City's current acquisition policy
which is to purchase eligible lands when approached by a willing seller. With increasing land development pressures
as well as pending completion of the City's Greenspace Master Plan and
associated Urban Natural Areas evaluation, the City is contemplating a more
proactive approach to environmental lands acquisition. This change in approach, which will be
discussed over the next few months, has the potential to increase the required
funds for environmental lands acquisition.
Within the rural area, the City has committed to working through a
number of recommendations related to wetlands protection that arose during last
year's Rural Summit. Items to be
considered include a potential wetlands compensation policy. Upon resolution of strategies for urban
natural features and wetlands securement, staff are also contemplating an
enhanced strategy for acquisition of rural environmental lands as part of the
2008 Official Plan review process.
Upcoming Committee and Council reports include Planning and Environment Committee consideration of the completion of the Urban Natural Areas Environmental Evaluation Study (UNAEES) in June 2006. The first phase of this study and its methodology were approved by Committee and Council in May/June of 2005. This study has evaluated the relative ecological significance of 177 wooded sites within the urban area of the City. Pending approval of this study's addendum, Committee and Council will consider approval of an implementation strategy that will propose a priorized process for securing high and moderate non City-owned sites that are not part of a pending development application. Potential options for resolving wetland issues will be before the City's Agricultural and Rural Affairs Committee in June 2006.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS
This report outlines the City of Ottawa's progress over the past 30 years in acquiring environmentally significant lands. Although other mechanisms for environmental lands' securement do exist, such as land trusts, conservation agreements and ecogifts, municipal acquisition has proven to be an effective mechanism for protecting significant environmental features for the long term. To date, the Environmental Resource Areas Acquisition Fund has funded the purchase of 10,450 hectares of environmental lands within the City.
The majority of environmental lands purchased by the City through this fund are located in the rural area. These public spaces allow enjoyment of natural areas by local rural residents as well as those from all across the City.
CONSULTATION
A copy of the information in this report was shared with the Ottawa Forests and Greenspace and Environmental Advisory Committees.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
There are no financial implications associated with this report.
To date, this fund has expended a total of $14.2 million for the acquisition of 10,450 hectares of City environmental lands, with $12.4M spent on direct land acquisitions and the remainder for the conduct of studies, appraisals, payment of taxes and other costs associated with land acquisition. At present, the Environmental Resource Areas Acquisition Fund contains $1.3M with an additional $3.4M in the Environmental Areas Acquisition Capital Reserve.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 1 - Summary of the City's Environmental Lands Purchases by Area
DISPOSITION
The Environmental Sustainability Division will keep Committee and Council updated on the status and needs for the Environmental Resource Areas Acquisition Fund through the annual budget process and the Long Range Financial Plan.
|
Natural
Environment Area |
Purchase 2001
to 2006 |
Between (April) |
Purchase
Amalgamation |
Before (1966-2000) |
Total |
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|
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|
$ |
Hectares |
$ |
Hectares |
$ |
Hectares |
Avg.
$/ha |
|
Marlborough
Forest |
$187,100.00 |
561.40 |
$3,840,028.00 |
8138.70 |
$4,027,128.00 |
8700.10 |
$462.88 |
|
Carp
Hills/South March Highlands |
$771,327.00 |
140.32 |
$2,185,251.00 |
874.37 |
$2,956,578.00 |
1014.69 |
$2,913.76 |
|
Long
Swamp |
0 |
0 |
$219,724.00 |
404.70 |
$219,724.00 |
404.70 |
$542.93 |
|
Corkery
Woodlands |
$0.00 |
0.00 |
$139,611.00 |
8.30 |
$139,611.00 |
8.30 |
$16,820.60 |
|
The
Pinery |
$0.00 |
0.00 |
$32,500.00 |
64.70 |
$32,500.00 |
64.70 |
$502.32 |
|
River
Corridors |
$0.00 |
0.00 |
$2,928,080.00 |
201.90 |
$2,928,080.00 |
201.90 |
$14,502.63 |
|
Constance
Bay |
$885,000.00 |
52.02 |
$0.00 |
0.00 |
$885,000.00 |
52.02 |
$17,012.69 |
|
Urban
Natural Area |
$1,191,630.00 |
3.04 |
$0.00 |
0.00 |
$1,191,630.00 |
3.04 |
$391,983.55 |
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Total
- City-wide |
$3,035,057.00 |
756.78 |
$9,345,194.00 |
9,692.67 |
$12,380,251.00 |
10,449.45 |
$1,184.77 |
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Please
note that this table summarizes municipal purchases of environmental
lands. It does not include land areas
conveyed to us from the
Ministry of Natural Resources, from tax sales or through the subdivision or
site plan process. |
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