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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJanuary 20, 2009 Cillf (J~ Minutes I Meeting Summary Seaton Advisory Committee Tuesday, January 20,2009 9:30 am Main Committee Room Attendees: Rick Johnson, Regional Councillor, Chair Bonnie Littley, Regional Councillor, Vice-Chair Doug Dickerson, City Councillor Tom Melymuk, Director, Office of Sustainability Neil Carroll, Director, Planning & Development Cathy Grant, Director of Public Services, Library Catherine Rose, Manager, Policy, Planning & Development Steve Gaunt, Principal Planner, Policy, Planning & Development Grant McGregor, Principal Planner, Policy, Planning & Development Ron Taylor, Coordinator, City Development Reg Webster, The Sernas Group Inc. Graham Martin, ORC Rik Ganderton, RVHS John Connolly, Transport Canada Dorothy Skinner, Region of Durham Steve Heuchert, TRCA Carolyn Woodland, TRCA Lloyd Cherniak, Lebovic Enterprises Bruce Fischer, Metrus Development Tom Albani, Metrus Development Rodger Miller, Mattamy Homes Chris Matson, Brookfield Homes Kevin Morawski, Genivar Consultants Jim McCafferty, Durham Catholic District School Board Joan Wideman, Ajax Pickering Board of Trade Kathy McKay, Ajax Pickering Board of Trade Peter Rodrigues, Resident of Seaton Absent: Tom Quinn, Chief Administrative Officer Donna McFarlane, UOIT 1. Introduction & Welcome Councillor Dickerson welcomed everyone on behalf of Councillor Johnson. Page 1 2. Natural Heritage System - Presentation by Consultant - Management PI.an & Master Trails Plan Mark Schollen provided an overview on the Final Report of the Seaton Natural Heritage System (NHS) Management Plan and Master Trail Plan. Steve Gaunt Mark Schollen The overview is to provide an opportunity to respond to questions and discuss implementation recommendations. As stated in the Central Pickering Development Plan (CPDP) the purpose of the study is to establish the long-term uses, maintenance requirements and responsibilities, programs and associated financial implications for all elements of the Natural Heritage System as well as to address cultural heritage protection and archaeological resources within the NHS. The Study also generates a Master Trail Plan that will guide the implementation and management of a multi-use trail system within the Seaton Community. The Management Plan Document comprises: 1- Final Report - Executive Summary and NHS Management Plan and Master Trails Plan 2- Technical Appendices A. Significant Flora/Fauna and Restoration Plant Lists B. Principles of Crime Preventative Trail Design C. Consultation Meeting Reports D. Cultural Heritage InventoryNiewshed Analysis E. Archaeological Assessment Report F. Review of Regional Trail, Seaton Hiking Trail and Cycleway Strategies The Final Report for the NHS Management Plan provides recommendations to guide the management of Seaton NHS to ensure that natural heritage values are protected in the long term and areas reflecting past human disturbance are restored to natural habitats. The Final Report for the Cultural Heritage and Archaeological Resources Management Plan provides recommendations to guide how cultural heritage features and landscapes in the Seaton NHS are managed, celebrated, and interpreted. This plan also sets out a strategy and priorities for developing an Interpretive Plan for the Seaton NHS. Page 2 The Final Report for the Master Trails Plan illustrates a proposed trail system for the Seaton community that links neighbourhoods to each other and to the larger regional trail and open space network. The Implementation Strategy guides the staging of NHS restoration and trail construction activities. The strategy addresses natural heritage, cultural heritage and archaeological resources .and trails collectively, since the roles and responsibilities of the implementing partners include initiatives related to all components. The NHS Management Plan is divided by Management Units (MU), which will be utilized as tools to direct the development of the management prescriptions. The "Natural" MUs: . Native Woodlands . Swamp Communities . Marsh Communities . Aquatic Communities . Beach I Bars . Bluffs . Sand Barrens . Clay Barrens The "Cultural" (disturbed) MUs: . Cultural Communities . Cultural Hedgerow . Cultural Woodland . Plantation . Agricultural Communities . Manicured Communities . Quarry Sites The NHS Management Plan includes: Ecological Restoration I Management Prescriptions . Agricultural Lands . Riparian Corridors . Cultural Meadows I Woodlands . Open Habitat . Plantations Page 3 Fisheries Management · Implementation of Fisheries Management Plan · Restoration of terrestrial habitat to maintain base flow . Restoration of riparian habitat . Support of existing initiatives (Atlantic Salmon/Redside Dace recovery, barrier removal, in- stream habitat, etc.) The Cultural Heritage and Archaeological Resource Management Plan provides guidance to direct protocol for completing archaeological investigations to facilitate trail implementation and considers: A. Integration of resources within the NHS. B. Recommendation of protocols for protecting and managing archaeological resources. C. Identification of opportunities for interpretation. The Master Trails Plan provides: A. Goals and objectives for the Master Trail Plan B. Trail system layout C. Trail system hierarchy D. Trail head hierarchy E. Directives to guide integration with Seaton Hiking Trail F. Trail construction guidelines G. Integration of trail system with future neighbourhoods The Final Report recommends an Implementation Strategy: A. Priority NHS restoration and management prescriptions. B. Priority Cultural Heritage I Archaeological Resource management strategies. C. Implementation plan for the MTP. D. Roles and responsibilities. E. Implementation priorities. F. Order of magnitude cost estimate. G. Maintenance and monitoring recommendations. Summary of Implementation Strategy . Includes: A. 26 Natural Heritage System Restoration Prescriptions B. 12 Bike route and 26 trail Network Implementation Prescriptions C. 17 Cultural Heritage I Interpretive Plan Prescriptions Page 4 . Overview of costs include: A. Natural Heritage System Restoration $95-110 M B. Implementation of Trail Network $12-15 M C. Implementation of Bike Routes $12-15 M D. Trail Head Construction I Refurbishment $6-8 M E. Additional Studies $0.5-0.7M . Partners Include: - Provincial Government - Region of Durham - City of Pickering - Ontario Realty Corporation - Toronto and Region Conservation Authority - Heritage Pickering - Community Discussion Period Lloyd Cherniak noted that the Master Trail Plan identifies that many of the trails will be asphalt to make it easier to maintain year round, but it does not mention who will be responsible for the maintenance costs. Carolyn Woodland indicated that not all trails will be paved, and that this process would be phased in over a period of time. Peter Rodrigues noted that most of the trails are wider than the standard sidewalk and it may be more difficult to plow them. Peter indicated that this is a great study which raises many concerns. For example, will the current Seaton trails be paved or will it remain a nature path. All these trails will take up more land and will impact wildlife. When there are no trails, people make their own way through nature. Mark Schollen mentioned that it is recommended to have a trail to ensure that they can protect environmentally sensitive areas by placing barriers as needed. He also mentioned that parts of the trails will require policing and lighting, therefore becoming more like a road. Dorothy Skinner stated that accessibility is a key issue for the trails and enquired if there are any known trails like this one in other areas. Mark advised that the bike trails through the Don River valley are a perfect example. Page 5 Joan Wideman asked if the trails would lead to employment lands and would be safe for people to use on a regular day to day basis. Mark Schollen advised that the design is in place to provide access from the trails to the employment lands. Bruce Fischer stated that the lands are owned by the Province, but the expectation is that the City will be maintaining the trails and asked if any commitment has been made yet as operating expenses for these will be quite expensive. . Steve Gaunt stated that there have been no discussions on how the recommendations from the Final Report will be implemented. Bruce Fischer questioned what the Report recommends the developers' be responsible for. Mark Schollen stated that the developers are expected to provide trail heads and buffer planting on the Provincial land adjacent to the development. Bruce Fischer expressed concern with this recommendation and commented that the Province should protect the parks and trails without impacting any of the developers. Dorothy Skinner commented that the Region anticipated taking a report to their Planning Committee providing the Region's position on the study. Lloyd Cherniak questioned the costs identified in the Report as he believes they are too low. Councillor Litttley questioned whether community gardens are permitted. Mark Schollen confirmed they are. It was suggested that the Final Report should be put on the website and Steve Gaunt advised that they are currently looking into this, but need to ensure that there is sufficient memory space as the colored maps take a lot of digital space. Reg mentioned that copies of the Final Report are available on CD. 3. MESPUpdate Reg advised that they are proceeding at a slower pacer than originally anticipated. The Morrison Hershfield Study done by the Province was not as detailed as expected. Thus, new boreholes were dug and significant groundwater monitoring is underway now. Page 6 The consultants are moving forward on interfacing the NHS study recommendations with the MESP now that the consultants' NHS Report is completed. Consultations about the MESP still have to occur with the First Nations. Work on the community facilities is on-going. It is expected that this work will be presented at the next Oversight Committee. Energy Management Study - Finalization of the report on Tom to confirm Energy energy management and presentations should follow within Management Study the next month or so. It was suggested to invite the presentation for the consultants (Bill Wong) for a presentation at the next SAC next meeting. meeting. Reg advised that they anticipate having a completed MESP Report by mid to end of summer. Cathy mentioned that they requested an opportunity to meet Cathy to submit dates with consultants and are still interested in meeting with them. to Reg Webster. Reg advised Cathy to provide tentative dates and they would schedule a meeting accordingly. 4. Community Facilities - Discussion All Tom Melymuk advised that City staff are working on preparing comments and anticipate providing them in the near future. Update at next meeting. 5. Neighbourhood Planning Process - Update Catherine Rose Cathy reminded the group that a prerequisite to sending out the RFP was for an agreement to be entered into between the City and the Landowners Group. The draft ag reement was forwarded to the solicitor for the Landowners Group last Friday, January 16th and is currently under review. The Minister of Energy and Infrastructure is currently holding discussions on a number of important matters to be addressed for Seaton to proceed. ORC presented its position to the Minister and are waiting for a further meeting within the next few weeks. Graham Martin commented that Minister Smitherman considers Seaton a Provincial priority. Steve enquired if there were any consideration of the issues raised in the NHS report. Graham advised that the NHS is of provincial interest and part of the CPDP and will be part of the overall discussions on Seaton. Steve advised that discussions should be held between the City, the Region, Page 7 TRCA and the Province with regards to implementation of the NHS strategy. Peter Rodrigues enquired if the Minister is still committed to the employment lands being a priority before residential development is allowed and stated that in these current economic times, it will be a challenge to encourage businesses to relocate to create 35,000 jobs. Graham mentioned that the proposed Seaton development is part of the CPDP and the Minister is fully aware of these issues and they will not be changed. Councillor Littley noted that draft plan submissions have been made for most of the lands in Seaton, and wondered how the CPDP, the Neighbourhood Planning Program and OMS processes may come together. Graham indicated the Province is aware of the issue and the Province wants to find an amicable and progressive way to move forward. Lloyd commented that Seaton is not urban sprawl but a planned community. 6. Other Studies All Dorothy mentioned that the closing date of January 29m for the RFP for the Infrastructure EA has been amended to Thursday, February 1 ih and notification of award of the EA consulting contract should be made by Regional Council on April 1 51. 7. Next Meeting All Tentative date for next meeting is Thursday, February19tn at 9:30 am. Meeting Adjourned: 10:45 am Page 8