Draft South Saskatchewan Regional Plan 2014 - 2024
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Draft South Saskatchewan Regional Plan 2014 - 2024 Draft South Saskatchewan Regional Plan 2014-2024 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1 Background ............................................................................................... 1 Purpose ..................................................................................................... 1 Land-use Planning in Alberta .................................................................... 2 Informing Land-use Decisions ................................................................... 5 Plan Structure ............................................................................................ 6 Regulatory Details Plan: Part 1 General .................................................... 7 STRATEGIC PLAN ....................................................................................... 12 The Region Today ....................................................................................... 12 Economic Development ........................................................................... 13 Ecosystems and Environment ................................................................. 21 Environmental Management .................................................................... 27 Human Development ............................................................................... 31 The Future of the Region ............................................................................ 35 Regional Vision ........................................................................................ 35 How We Will Achieve the Vision .............................................................. 37 Strategic Directions for the Region ........................................................... 37 Conserving and Maintaining the Benefits of Biodiversity ......................... 38 Advancing Conservation and Integrated Management of Crown Land ... 39 Supporting and Enabling Stewardship and Conservation for .................. 44 Private Lands Advancing Watershed Management ....................................................... 45 Managing Air Quality through Continued Collaboration .......................... 48 Strengthening Communities .................................................................... 49 Providing Recreation and Tourism Opportunities .................................... 51 Inclusion of Aboriginal Peoples in Land-use Planning ............................. 56 IMPLEMENTATION PLAN ............................................................................ 57 Strategies and Outcomes ........................................................................... 57 Outcome 1: The region’s economy is growing and .................. 59 diversified Outcome 2: Biodiversity and ecosystem function are ............. 66 sustained with shared stewardship. Regulatory Details Plan: Part 2 Conserved Land ........................................ 71 Regulatory Details Plan: Part 3 Conservation Areas ................................... 72 Outcome 3: Air quality is managed to support healthy ............ 75 ecosystems and human needs through shared stewardship Regulatory Details Plan: Part 4 Air Quality .................................................. 78 Outcome 4: Watersheds are managed to support healthy ...... 81 ecosystems and human needs through shared stewardship. Regulatory Details Plan: Part 5 Surface Water Quality ............................... 84 i Draft South Saskatchewan Regional Plan 2014-2024 Outcome 5: Community Development Needs Are ................... 91 Anticipated and Accommodated Outcome 6: The quality of life of residents is enhanced .......... 96 through increased opportunities for recreation, active living, and the preservation and promotion of the region’s unique cultural and natural heritage Regulatory Details Plan: Part 6 Recreation and Parks Areas ...................... 98 Outcome 7: Aboriginal peoples are included in land-use ..... 100 planning Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting ......................................................... 102 Regulatory Details Plan: Part 7 Monitoring and Reporting ........................ 104 Table 1: Regional Outcomes and Supporting Indicators .. 105 Table 2: Regional Outcomes and Action Items ................ 107 Appendix A: Longer Term Transportation Initiatives (for ........ 110 Consideration) Appendix B: Overview of the Approved Water Management ..111 Plan for the South Saskatchewan River Basin Appendix C: Alberta’s Natural Sub-regions ............................ 113 Appendix D: Overview of New Conservation Areas and ........ 114 Recreation and Parks Areas in the South Saskatchewan Region Appendix E: Iconic Tourism Destinations: Kananaskis, ......... 116 Canadian Badlands and Southern Rockies Appendix F: Overview of Biodiversity Management ............... 118 Framework Appendix G: Consolidation and Expansion of Public Land ..... 123 Use Zones in Green Area Public Land Appendix H: Conversion of Grasslands – White Area ............ 127 Public Lands – Policy Guidelines Appendix I: Proposed Reclassification and Consolidation .... 130 for Alberta Parks Sites in the South Saskatchewan Regional Planning Area Appendix J: Overview of the South Saskatchewan ............... 131 Regional Trail System Plan ii Draft South Saskatchewan Regional Plan 2014-2024 Schedule A: Air Quality Management Framework Limits ....... 132 and Triggers Schedule B: Surface Water Quality Management .................. 134 Framework Limits and Triggers Schedule C: SSRP Land Uses ............................................... 143 Schedule D: South Saskatchewan Digital Map ...................... 157 ISBN: 978-1-4601-1293-9 (Printed Version) 978-1-4601-1294-6 (Online Version) Printed October 2013 iii Draft South Saskatchewan Regional Plan 2014-2024 iv Draft South Saskatchewan Regional Plan 2014-2024 Introduction Background Alberta’s Land-use Framework (LUF), released in December 2008, sets out a new approach to managing our province’s land and natural resources to achieve Alberta’s long-term economic, environmental and social goals. The LUF establishes seven new land-use regions and calls for the development of a regional plan for each. The Alberta Land Stewardship Act supports the LUF and establishes the legal basis for the development of regional plans. Regional plans reconcile provincial policies and set explicit regional outcomes and objectives. Regional planning is part of the Government of Alberta’s Integrated Resource Management System (IRMS). The IRMS supports responsible development of the province’s resources and realization of its desired outcomes. The system is founded on setting and managing to clear policies and cumulative outcomes (through regional plans), providing assurance and a monitoring and measurement system to measure the achievement of outcomes. The system is dynamic and adaptive as necessary to reflect new information and also collaborative – achieving desired outcomes requires working with stakeholders and partners. Contributions from the South Saskatchewan Regional Advisory Council, aboriginal peoples, stakeholders, municipalities and the public have informed the development of the draft South Saskatchewan Regional Plan (SSRP). Development of the draft SSRP utilized input and feedback received through two phases of public consultation: • input on the region’s issues; and • feedback on the advice from the South Saskatchewan Regional Advisory Council. Prior to approving the SSRP, the government will review and consider the feedback received during phase three consultations for the draft SSRP. Purpose The SSRP sets the stage for robust growth, vibrant communities and a healthy environment within the region over the next 50 years. With that long-term horizon in mind, the SSRP identifies strategic directions for the region over the next 10 years. The regional plan will be assessed and, if necessary, updated every five years to maintain its relevance and effectiveness while maintaining certainty, stability and commitment to regulatory intent. Any subsequent revisions to the plan require consultation with Albertans. 1 Draft South Saskatchewan Regional Plan 2014-2024 The SSRP: • Establishes a long-term vision for the region; • Aligns provincial policies at the regional level to balance Alberta’s economic, environmental and social goals; • Reflects ongoing commitment to engage Albertans, including aboriginal Elements of a Cumulative peoples, in land-use planning; Effects Management System • Uses a cumulative effects management approach to balance economic Outcome-based: development opportunities and social and environmental considerations; Driven by clearly defined outcomes for the desired quality • Sets desired economic, environmental and social outcomes and or state of the environment now objectives for the region; and in the future, while recognizing • Describes the strategies, actions, approaches and tools required to the economic, environmental and achieve the desired outcomes and objectives; social implications of meeting those outcomes. Activities will be • Establishes monitoring, evaluation and reporting commitments to assess managed to achieve outcomes. progress; and Place-based: • Provides guidance to provincial and local decision-makers regarding Different regions may have land-use management for the region. different needs and outcomes. Through regional planning, as well as other initiatives, Alberta is shifting Knowledge-based: