n~<* Planning, Design & Development February 4, 2011 Brampton Environmental Planning Advisory Committee A20 BEPAC Date: fttUuA/L, &^j Brampton Environmental Planning Advisory Committee Contact: Susan Jorgenson, Manager, Environmental Planning Subject: Information Report - Brampton Environmental Planning Advisory Committee - Status Report OVERVIEW The Brampton Environmental Planning Advisory Committee (BEPAC) was created by Council resolution in September 2007 and held its inaugural meeting in May 2008. As approved by Council, BEPAC reviews strategic environmental planning initiatives of importance to the City of Brampton, including those undertaken by the City, Region of Peel, Conservation Authorities, and Provincial and Federal Governments. BEPAC provides comments and recommendations which help to form the City's position and responses to these initiatives. In accordance with the BEPAC Terms of Reference, staff has prepared this summary of accomplishments as information for BEPAC. A Status Report containing the same information was taken to the Planning, Design & Development Committee on September 8, 2010. BEPAC meets quarterly and to date, has had nine meetings. ACCOMPLISHMENTS Since September 2008, BEPAC has provided feedback to reports, presentations and verbal project updates regarding strategic environmental initiatives of the City of Brampton involving municipal and regional policies, master plans, and other studies; Toronto and Region Conservation Authority involving a sustainable neighbourhood retrofits, conservation areas, and eco-business parks; and Credit Valley Conservation involving urban watershed plans. As well, BEPAC has received delegations from the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ontario Streams and Sierra Club Peel, and attended workshops for various strategic initiatives. Of the numerous reports, delegations and presentations received by BEPAC since 2008 (as outlined in Appendix A), the following highlights some of the Committee's feedback to these strategic initiatives that have helped to inform the City's position and responses to municipal and agency policies, plans and programs. 62.-*. City of Brampton Growth Plan Conformity Official Plan Amendment 1. Brampton Presentation - Overview of the City's Response to the Growth Plan, including the Natural Heritage and Conservation Policy Review dated December 9, 2008. Following the presentation staff responded to comments and Committee discussion included the following: • The identification of a City environmental policy as a defined policy statement versus environmental policy statements in the City's Official Plan and various other City-approved policy documents and master plans, as well as provincial policy statements. • To clearly articulate the purpose and objectives of the proposed Environmental Master Plan. • The need for clear definitions for concepts to be considered in the Environmental Master Plan, such as "sustainable development", "ecological footprint", "tree canopy" or "watershed footprint" (TRCA watershed footprint calculator). • Parkland conveyance requirements and opportunities available through the development process, in accordance with the Planning Act, to protect natural areas (5% parkland dedication requirements versus suggested need for 30% natural areas coverage). Environmental Master Plan: 2. Information Memo December 9, 2008 outlining the status of the Environmental Master Plan, including the objectives, study scope, proposed RFP process and consultant work and role for BEPAC. Committee discussion included the following: • The need for a control plan against which to gauge program and environmental change. • The need to address all aspects of the environment including air, water, land, and natural resources. • The need for a management system approach to link objectives, targets, actions and results, as well as link to fiscal planning. • The need for a "lifecycle" approach to environmental management. • ISO 14001 standards and approach to environmental management. • The challenge in prioritizing actions for implementation as a result of the completed Environment Master Plan and affordability. Subsequent to this information memo, staff presented the draft terms of reference to the Committee for review; USI presented the initial findings of the background review and interviewed BEPAC; and staff presented an update of current progress and next steps in the EMP process. Natural Areas Inventory 3. Information Memo June 9, 2009 regarding Natural Areas Inventory. BEPAC requested that staff provide a breakdown on the funding that is received by Toronto e*^ Region and Conservation Authority (TRCA) and Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) from the City of Brampton through the Region of Peel and provide details with respect to the programs that are funded. Therefore, staff presented a report "Region of Peel and Cityof Brampton - Funding to the Conservation Authorities2009 Budget" that illustrated how the funding that the City provides to the CAs aids Brampton in fulfilling its land use planning and environmental management responsibilities to create a healthy community. Other 4. Information Memo dated September 15, 2009 regarding Environmental Advisory Committees of Ontario. BEPAC resolved to join the Environmental Advisory Committees of Ontario to provide an opportunity for BEPAC to participate EAC forums, live chats and bulletin boards, and to link the Brampton Environmental Planning Portal to the EAC website to share current information pertaining to BEPAC and the City of Brampton strategic environmental initiatives is maintained on the EAC website. Credit Valley Conservation 5. Delegation in September 2008 for the Fletchers Creek - A Strategy for a Sustainable Ecosystem (renamed Urban Watershed Project). BEPAC supported CVC's need to seek funding from the Region of Peel to expand the Green Cities project to Brampton, and directed to staff to liaise with CVC to ensure that the Green Cities project is integrated with the City's initiatives. As follow-up to this delegation, CVC have presented the Urban Watershed Project to City staff and a number of communication, stewardship and stormwater projects are underway. CVC have also met with PD&D and EDO, along with the Brampton Board of Trade to explore Greening Corporate Grounds (a Green Cities initiative), and staff will work together to examine retrofitting and/or installation of landscape in industrial, commercial and institutional lands in Brampton. Sierra Club Peel 6. Delegation in June 2009 for Protecting Natural Heritage. BEPAC directed staff to report back and respond to the Natural Heritage System planning issues raised in the presentation. Therefore, Staff brought forward "NaturalHeritage System Planning and Environmental Management September 200ST that outlined the diversity of the City's sustainable development and natural heritage system planning ranging from Official Plan policies and amendment, preparation of the Environmental Master Plan, partnerships with the conservation authorities, and involvement in Peel Climate Change Strategy. 6 3.-4 7. Delegation in May 2010 for Inclusion of Public Lands - Credit River Valley, Humber River and Claireville Conservation Area in the Provincial Greenbelt. BEPAC passed a motion that supported in principle, the addition of public lands in the Credit River Valley and Humber River Valley Corridors in the Provincial Greenbelt, and directed staff to review and a report back to BEPAC and Planning, Design and Development Committee regarding: • potential benefits, feasibility and opportunity of participating with the request to add these lands to the Greenbelt Plan; • implications and advantages of including the Claireville Conservation Area in the Greenbelt Plan, given the Urban Forest and nature first initiative presented by Mayor Fennell and endorsed by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority Board on April 30, 2010. Staff will begin to examine Growing the Greenbelt along the Credit and Humber Rivers and within the Claireville Conservation in 2011 in consultation with the Cities of Mississauga and Toronto, respectively, and the TRCA. CONCLUSION City staff gratefully acknowledges BEPAC's feedback and recommendations which have helped to form the City's position and responses to strategic initiatives of the City of Brampton, Region of Peel, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, and Credit Valley Conservation. Going forward in 2011, BEPAC will participate in the following projects in the City of Brampton: • Public consultation for the Environmental Master Plan, including a Mayor's Town Hall, and Youth and Public Workshops, etc., which will begin in early 2011; • Preparation and review of the draft and final EMP reports in the spring and summer of 2011. • Examine Growing the Greenbelt along the External (River Valley) Connections, including the Credit and Humber Rivers (and Claireville Conservation Area), in consultation with the Cities of Toronto and Mississauga staff, and the conservation authorities, and particularly, the implications of the Greenbelt designation and policies to existing public and private land uses within and/or adjacent to the valley systems. • Examine Credit Valley Conservation's Greening Corporate Grounds (a Green Cities initiative). Respectfully submitted, Susan Jorgenson Manager, Environmental Planning APPENDIX A ANNUAL SUMMARY OF REPORTS/PRESENTATIONS TO THE BRAMPTON ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING ADVISORY COMMITTEE 2008 • Delegation Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) - Fletchers Creek - A Strategy for a Sustainable Ecosystem.