2.             OTTAWA FORESTS AND GREENSPACE ADVISORY COMMITTEE – 2007 ANNUAL REPORT, 2008 WORK PLAN

 

COMITÉ CONSULTATIF SUR LES FORÊTS ET LES ESPACES VERTS D’OTTAWA – RAPPORT ANNUEL DE 2007, PLAN DE TRAVAIL 2008

 

 

 

Committee RecommendationS

 

That Council:

 

1.         Receive the 2007 Annual Report of the Ottawa Forests and Greenspace Advisory Committee as detailed in Document1;

 

2.         Approve the objectives contained in the 2008 Workplan, as detailed in Document 2.

 

 

RecommandationS du Comité

 

Que le Conseil :

 

1.         reçoive le Rapport annuel de 2007 du Comité consultatif sur les forêts et espaces verts d’Ottawa, tel que décrit à la pièce jointe no 1;

 

2.         approuve les objectifs qui sont présentés dans le plan de travail 2008, tel que décrit à la pièce jointe no 2.

 

 

Documentation

 

1.   Chair, Ottawa Forests and Greenspace Advisory Committee’s report dated 5 May 2008 (ACS2008-CCV-OFG-0001).

 

2.   Extract of Draft Minutes, 13 May 2008.

 

Report to/Rapport au:

 

Planning and Environment Committee

Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement

 

and Council/et au Conseil

 

5 May 2008 / 5 mai 2008

 

Submitted by/Soumise par:  Chair/présidente Iola Price

Ottawa Forests and Greenspace Advisory Committee/

Comité consultatif sur les forêts et les espaces verts d’Ottawa

 

Contact/Personne-ressource:  Brenda Emond

Committee Coordinator/coordonnatrice du comité

580-2424, ext/poste 21801 brenda.emond@ottawa.ca

 

 

Ref N°:  ACS2008-CCV-OFG-0001

 

SUBJECT:      OTTAWA FORESTS AND GREENSPACE ADVISORY COMMITTEE – 2007 ANNUAL REPORT, 2008 WORK PLAN AND REVISED TERMS OF REFERENCE

 

OBJET:          COMITÉ CONSULTATIF SUR LES FORÊTS ET LES ESPACES VERTS D’OTTAWA – RAPPORT ANNUEL DE 2007, PLAN DE TRAVAIL 2008, ET MANDAT RÉVISÉ

 

REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS

 

That the Ottawa Forests and Greenspace Advisory Committee recommend that the Planning and Environment Committee recommend Council:

 

1.         Receive the 2007 Annual Report of the Ottawa Forests and Greenspace Advisory Committee as detailed in Document1;

2.         Approve the objectives contained in the 2008 Workplan, as detailed in Document 2.

 

RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT

 

Que le Comité consultatif sur les forêts et les espaces verts d’Ottawa recommande au Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement de recommander au Conseil :

1.         de recevoir le Rapport annuel de 2007 du Comité consultatif sur les forêts et espaces verts d’Ottawa, tel que décrit à la pièce jointe no 1;

2.         d’approuver les objectifs qui sont présentés dans le plan de travail 2008, tel que décrit à la pièce jointe no 2 .

 

BACKGROUND

 

City Council, 6 December 2006, reconfirmed its governance structure.  This included the advisory committees, and the requirement for each to complete a Workplan outlining proposed projects and activities for the upcoming year.  The Workplan is to identify each and every activity the Committee plans to undertake in the upcoming year, whether they have a budgetary impact or not.  The item should be identified with a brief description of the project or activity. 

 

The Lead Department Representatives are to provide the Committee with information on the departmental Workplan and priorities, where the Workplans of the Committees tie into that Workplan, and where the Committee can assist the Department.  The Lead Department Representative will also advise on what staff and/or financial resources are available as part of departmental priorities.

 

There was no funding approved for the advisory committee 2007 Workplans.

 

DISCUSSION

 

At its meetings of 31 March 2008, the Ottawa Forests and Greenspace Advisory Committee approved its 2007 annual report and 2008 Workplan. 

 

The mandate of the Ottawa Forests and Greenspace Advisory Committee is to help safeguard the environment of the City through the use of trees, forests and greenspace.  The complete revised Terms of Reference can be found at Document 3 of this report.

 

CONSULTATION

 

The following departments were consulted and following comments were received:

 

Planning,Transit and the Environment:

 

Planning, Transit and the Environment continues to work closely with the Ottawa Forests and Greenspace Advisory Committee and benefited from their help and constructive advice in 2007 on policy initiatives such as the Official Plan review process and various development proposals, specifically in South Barrhaven.  The work program proposed for 2008 reflects several priority projects for the Department including the continuation of the Official Plan review, the Fernbank Community Design Plan, and stewardship and tree conservation initiatives. Staff can support the work plan with respect to the projects identified under the jurisdiction of Planning, Transit and the Environment.

 

Public Works and Services - Surface Operations

 

The Department works closely with the Ottawa Forests and Greenspace Advisory Committee in a shared goal to effectively manage the City's trees and forests. 


 

The Department concurs with the 2008 Workplan and 2007 Annual Report, prepared by the OFGAC, and acknowledges the value provided to the Department in terms of providing comments and advice from the rural citizen’s perspective on various projects.  Therefore, staff looks forward to working with OFGAC within the Committee’s mandate, and as staff resources permit.

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

There are no financial implications associated with this report.

 

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

 

Document 1 –      2007 Annual Report

Document 2 –      2008 Workplan

Document 3 –      Terms of Reference (on file with the City Clerk)

 

DISPOSITION

 

The Advisory Committee will work to complete the workplan tasks approved by City Council.

 

 

 

OTTAWA FORESTS AND GREENSPACE ADVISORY COMMITTEE – 2007 ANNUAL REPORT, 2008 WORK PLAN AND REVISED TERMS OF REFERENCE

COMITÉ CONSULTATIF SUR LES FORÊTS ET LES ESPACES VERTS D’OTTAWA – RAPPORT ANNUEL DE 2007, PLAN DE TRAVAIL 2008, ET MANDAT RÉVISÉ

ACS2008-CCV-OFG-0001                                City Wide / À l'échelle de la Ville

 

Councillor Doucet read an excerpt of the Annual Report, which raised issues with the lack of attention paid to the principles enunciated in the Official Plan in regard to the preservation of natural features and the failure of proponents to “design with nature”.  The report also touched on the continuing problem with frequent clearance of a site before a site plan is approved and landscape plans that feature exotic species, some of which are invasive.

 

In response to questions from Councillor Doucet, Iola Price, Chair of the Ottawa Forests and Greenspace Advisory Committee, emphasized that advisory committees were created to provide advice to Council and encouraged councillors to seek it, noting the members serve as volunteers.  She commented on the importance of designing with nature, suggesting it should be enforced as a key Official Plan policy.  Ms. Price advised that the City of Ottawa should develop and enact three by-laws to assist with the preservation of trees and greenspace:  site alteration, tree protection and soil removal.

 

Members thanked Ms. Price for her years of service as a volunteer member and Chair of the advisory committee.

 

That the Ottawa Forests and Greenspace Advisory Committee recommend that the Planning and Environment Committee recommend Council:

 

1.         Receive the 2007 Annual Report of the Ottawa Forests and Greenspace Advisory Committee as detailed in Document 1;

 

2.         Approve the objectives contained in the 2008 Workplan, as detailed in Document 2.

 

                                                                                                            CARRIED