State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference 1996 Background Paper IMPACTS OF CHANGING LAND USE Steve Thorp Great Lakes Commission Ann Arbor, Michigan Ray Rivers Environment Canada Burlington, Ontario Victoria Pebbles Great Lakes Commission Ann Arbor, Michigan October 1997 ISBN 0-662-26034-1 EPA 905-R-97-015d Cat. No. En40-11/35-4-1997E ii Impacts of Changing Land Use—SOLEC 96 SOLEC 96—Impacts of Changing Land Use iii Table of Contents Acknowledgments ................................................................ vi 1.0 Overview, Findings, and Conclusions ............................................... 1 1.1 Introduction ............................................................ 1 1.2 Brief History of Land Use .................................................. 2 1.3 Trends in Land Use ...................................................... 3 1.3.1 Urban and Rural Development Land Uses .............................. 3 1.3.2 Industrial Land Uses .............................................. 4 1.3.3 Agricultural Land Uses ............................................ 6 1.4 Land-Use Concerns ...................................................... 7 1.4.1 Nearshore Development ........................................... 7 1.4.2 Urban Sprawl ................................................... 7 1.4.3 Brownfields .................................................... 8 1.4.4 Conversion of Farmland ........................................... 8 1.4.5 Local Land-Use Decisions and Regional Impact ......................... 9 1.4.6 “Hardening” of the Landscape and Stream Degradation .................... 9 1.4.7 Auto and Truck Transportation ..................................... 10 1.4.8 Agricultural Land Management ..................................... 10 1.5 Indicators ............................................................. 11 1.6 Findings and Conclusions ................................................. 13 2.0 Land Use and Its Impacts ....................................................... 14 2.1 Development .......................................................... 14 2.1.1 Coastal Population and Development ................................. 15 2.1.2 The Advancing Urban Frontier ..................................... 16 2.2 The Trend to Sprawl ..................................................... 17 2.2.1 Land-Use Planning .............................................. 18 2.3 Changing Urban Structure and the Benefits of Renewal ........................... 20 2.3.1 Changing Urban Structure ......................................... 20 2.3.2 The Economics of Urban Form ..................................... 22 2.3.3 Industrial Restructuring and Industry Relocation ........................ 22 2.3.4 The Benefits of Renewal .......................................... 23 2.4 Industrial and Municipal Activity ........................................... 24 2.4.1 Wastewater and Stormwater Treatment Discharges ...................... 25 2.4.2 Industrial Water Use and Discharges ................................. 26 2.4.3 Air Discharges ................................................. 27 2.4.4 Opportunities and Challenges ...................................... 27 2.5 Transportation ......................................................... 28 2.5.1 Pollution Issues and Solutions ...................................... 29 2.6 Agriculture ............................................................ 31 2.6.1 Soil Erosion and Sedimentation ..................................... 32 iv Impacts of Changing Land Use—SOLEC 96 2.6.2 Pesticide Use ................................................... 33 2.6.3 Manure Management ............................................ 33 3.0 Lake By Lake Perspective ....................................................... 34 3.1 Hydrologic and Natural Features ........................................... 34 3.2 Land Use ............................................................. 37 3.3 Land Use Trends and Their Impacts ......................................... 39 3.4 Key Future Issues ....................................................... 47 4.0 Case Studies of Best Practices, Trends, and Issues ..................................... 50 4.1 Farmland Conversion: A Major Issue for the Basin .............................. 50 4.2 Planning for Sustainable Growth in Cottage Country: Tay Township ................. 53 4.3 Dredging and Confined Disposal Facilities .................................... 56 4.4 Redevelopment of Cobourg Harbourfront ..................................... 63 4.5 Watershed-based Planning and Innovative Land Use in Northwest Michigan ........... 65 4.6 Planning North Aldershot Development ....................................... 71 5.0 Land-Use Planning Across the Border .............................................. 74 5.1 Binational ............................................................. 74 5.2 United States .......................................................... 75 5.2.1 The Framework ................................................. 75 5.2.2 Planning Roles and Responsibilities .................................. 80 5.2.3 Tools and Techniques ............................................ 84 5.3 Canada ............................................................... 91 5.3.1 The Framework ................................................. 91 5.3.2 Planning Roles and Responsibilities .................................. 94 5.3.3 Tools and Techniques ........................................... 101 5.4 Conclusions .......................................................... 104 5.4.1 Background .................................................. 104 5.4.2 Extending the Tool Kit .......................................... 104 5.4.3 The Challenge for the Future ...................................... 105 6.0 References ................................................................. 107 List of Figures Figure 1. Land Use in the Great Lakes Basin ............................................. 1 Figure 2. The Five Individual Lake Basins of the Great Lakes Basin .......................... 34 Figure 3. Land Use and Urban Buffer Zones in the Great Lakes Basin ......................... 53 Figure 4. Township of Tay Shoreline Cottage Growth ..................................... 55 Figure 5. Location of Confined Disposal Facilities (CDF) US Great Lakes ..................... 58 SOLEC 96—Impacts of Changing Land Use v List of Tables Table 1. Land-Use Indicators ....................................................... 12 Table 2. Land Needed for Sprawl and Central Forms of Development, Greater Toronto Area 2021 ... 21 Table 3. Potential Benefits of Restoration and Renewal for Areas of Concern (1991 and 93 values) ... 24 Table 4. Great Lakes Basin Land And Water Areas and Populations .......................... 37 Table 5. Farming Intensity in the Great Lakes Basin ...................................... 43 Table 6. Percent Changes in Agricultural Land Use Between 1981/82 and 1991/92 ............... 45 vi Impacts of Changing Land Use—SOLEC 96 Acknowledgments This paper is the product of a collaborative effort. Its several principal authors developed the format, contributed text, and coordinated the efforts of the many contributing authors. The project management team consisted of Mike Donahue and Steve Thorp, Great Lakes Commission; and Ray Rivers, Environment Canada. All the authors express their thanks to the many reviewers for their comments and suggestions. Principal Authors Victoria Pebbles, Program Specialist Ray Rivers, Senior Economist Transportation and Economic Development, Environment Canada, Ontario Region Great Lakes Commission Steve Thorp, Program Manager Transportation and Economic Development, Great Lakes Commission Contributing Authors Paula Arvo and Jake VanderWal Gregg Bluth Lake Superior Programs Office, Michigan Technological University Environment Canada Jim Bredin John Barr Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto Nick Close Suzanne Barrett Ontario Ministry of Transportation Waterfront Regeneration Trust (Toronto) Peter Croskery and Associates (Grimsby, Tony Wagner Ontario) Waterfront Regeneration Trust (Toronto) Wesley Crown Judith E. Beauty C.P.G. Township of Tay (Ontario) Indiana Department of Natural Resources Leo DeLoyde Ian Bender City of Burlington County of Simcoe (Ontario) Dick Draper Pamela Blais New York State Department of Environmental Metropole Consultants (Toronto) Conservation SOLEC 96—Impacts of Changing Land Use vii Jim Ford Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission Carol Johnston Natural Resources Research Institute (Minnesota) Blair Orr Michigan Technological University Larry Schut Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Keith Sherman, Judi Barnes, Peter Templin, and Dr. Gary Westlake Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy Janet Silbernagel Washington State University Heather Stanworth and Don Greer Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Wayne Warren Ohio Department of Natural Resources viii Impacts of Changing Land Use—SOLEC 96 Notice To Readers This Background Paper is one of a series of such papers that were prepared to provide a concise overview of the status of the nearshore conditions in the Great Lakes. The information they present has been selected as representative of the much greater volume of data. They therefore do not present all research or monitoring information available. The Papers were prepared with input from many individuals representing diverse sectors of society. The Papers provided the basis for discussion