Ridgewood South Natural Areas Priority Evaluation. Background Report

Transcription

1 Ridgewood South Nturl Ares Priority Evlution Bckground Report September 2013

2 Ridgewood South Nturl Ares Priority Evlution Bckground Report Ridgewood South Nturl Ares Priority Evlution Bckground Report Bckground The Ridgewood Precinct Pln recognizes the vluble nturl res tht exist within the Ridgewood Precinct. In keeping with relevnt policies within the pln (see Policy 6.4.6(1)) relting to nturl res 1, this bckground study shll be recognized s compnion document to the Precinct Pln nd shll inform the long term decision mking ssocited with ll future development pplictions within the Ridgewood South Precinct boundries, in n effort to focus preservtion efforts on the highest rnking hbitt res. This report hs been prepred through collbortive effort nd bsed on findings of Ntive Pln Solutions Bckground Reports, work of Nturlist Services Brnch of Public Works 2, the Citizens for Chrleswood Hbitt Preservtion (CCHP) Bird Survey, with inputs from the City of Winnipeg Plnning nd Lnd Use Division stff, nd the Precinct Pln pplicnt. Some bsic ssumptions shped the report. Firstly, tht overll dediction requirement for the Precinct will be bsed on the norml City of Winnipeg process, Chrter dictted minimum 10%, which by the City of Winnipeg s Development Agreement Prmeters, is in prctice chieved by the developer dedicting 8% of the net developble re to the City s prk lnds nd providing bsic prk improvements to those lnds, deemed to be n equivlent vlue s 2% lnd, 3. In the event tht improvements re not required (s in nturl re being preserved), the vlue for prk improvement my insted be tbulted s csh in lieu of lnd vlue pid to the City, nd dded to lnd dediction reserve fund to fcilitte lnd purchse in other precinct res, or my be provided by the developer s n dditionl 2% nturl re. Second, s working number, the net developble re of the Precinct is currently pproximted t 708 cres. Any reference to net developble re is qulified by noting tht the precise finl mount is dependent on number of fctors yet to be determined, such s pond sizes nd regionl streets, which long with existing prk spce, gets deducted from the gross developble re. Given the pproximte net re, minimum of 8% of lnd works out to bout 57 cres. Of the totl prklnd dediction requirement, pproximtely 42 Acres, or 6%, is estimted to be needed for constructed prks serving the Precinct (i.e. liner prks long lkes, smll ctive prks in ech sub re, lrger ctive prks, nd ny other community fcilities s required). Some of these my overlp nturl res, but s worst cse it is fir to ssume tht pprox. 2% of the net developble cres vilble my be pplied to nturl res preservtion within the dediction complement. 1 See primrily Section Nturl Ares 2 See Ridgewood South Precinct Biologicl Inventory Scientific Report, nd Ridgewood South Precinct Biologicl Inventory Hbitt nd Species Recommendtions 3 This prctice is recognized in the City of Winnipeg Development Agreement Prmeters s n equivlent vlue to undertke bsic improvements of the dedicted lnds

3 Ridgewood South Nturl Ares Priority Evlution Bckground Report To chieve lrger percentge of preservtion, other tools will need to be relied upon purchse, lnd swp, gifting etc. Prioritiztion for Nturl Lnds Preservtion With the bove s strting point, the nturl res within the Precinct were evluted, rnked nd group in 2% (re) equivlent increments, bsed on series of fctors/criteri: connectivity nd proximity to the Hrte Tril; biologicl vlue nd qulity; uniqueness of representtive hbitt; distribution cross the Precinct; socil vlue s evidence through public consulttion to dte; hbitt stbility/sustinbility (ptch size nd edge ffect) Recognizing tht the re will be developed, some considertion ws given to physicl constrints such s plnned nd existing rods or constructed fcilities. Once colour coded, this provided visul representtion of the highest to lowest priorities to totl of bout 24% of the net re. The rnkings were then orgnized into Priorities 1 5, some comprised of sub grouping, to rticulte the mens by which preservtion is nticipted to be ttined, s illustrted in the tble below. The size of the prcels ws intentionlly selected for its ese in visulizing wht 2% represents s you move from 6% to 8% to 10% or more nturl re preservtion. Additionlly, the size is considered mngeble both physiclly nd economiclly, with respect to cost to cquire. 3

4 Ridgewood South Nturl Ares Priority Evlution Bckground Report Tble 1.0 Nturl Ares Priority Evlution Appliction of the Mp nd Tble It s generlly ccepted tht not ll the nturl res within the precinct will be ttined through prk dediction process. Further, it is expected tht some lnd will need be purchsed if the Precinct is to bost more thn the typicl 8% open spce. Thus this report is intended both to ensure tht the highest rnked res become the priority for dediction nd cquisition, but lso to give decisions mkers rtionle to refuse offers of lower priority nturl re s dediction contribution nd insted opting to tke csh for use to cquire higher priority res. In theory, lower priority nturl res, shouldn t be considered until mens of cquiring higher priority res hs been secured. 4

5 Ridgewood South Nturl Ares Priority Evlution Bckground Report When subdivision/rezoning ppliction is considered for pprovl within ny sub re of the precinct, n ESNL evlution shll still be undertken, to confirm tht the conditions hve not chnged substntilly. The ttched priority res mpping shll fctoring significntly in finl recommendtions. Ares of subdivision tht overlp the nturl res identified on this mp, should be considered for preservtion either by prklnd dediction or by lnd purchse, lnd swp or gifting, s suggested in Tble Developers re encourged to consult with City stff erly in the process to discuss the potentil for nturl res within tht re. Since the precise mount of developble lnd cnnot be confirmed until subdivision designs for ech sub re re submitted, the chrt vlues must be considered representtive nd therefor pproximte. 4 Within Tble 1.0, the sub priority rnkings provided in column two indicte tht lower letter within precinct sub re would not be considered unless cquisition of higher rnking re ws lredy confirmed (gift issued, lnd purchsed or funding secured). 5

6 Ridgewood Precinct Nturl Ares Priority for Preservtion Priority d 3 5 Size % of Precinct (totl 708 c) 2% 2% b b c d b 3 2 4b 5 4% 8% 28 c 28 c 4d 4b 4 SubPriority 3 8%