2.0 PROJECT CONTEXT 2.1 BACKGROUND SUBWATERSHED STUDY REPORT (SECOND DRAFT)

Transcription

1 2.0 PROJECT CONTEXT 2.1 BACKGROUND Consideation to develop the East Side Lands was initially identified though the Regional Gowth Management Stategy (2003), which identifies lands east of the Gand Rive and in the vicinity of the Region of Wateloo Aipot as a futue geenfield development aea. The aea was ecognized as a significant oppotunity fo development, equiing appopiate patneships and coodinated appoaches to land use and infastuctue planning. In 2004, the East Side Community Scoping Study was developed to ecommend an appoach to planning fo futue development within the East Side Lands. The study ecommended the development of a Stuctue Plan to coodinate wok between the Region of Wateloo, Township of Woolwich and the Cities of Cambidge and Kitchene. The East Side Community Stuctue Plan and Poposed Highway Industial Aea Expansion (2006) wee developed to identify staging fo the development of the East Side Lands. The Plan evaluates a seies of staging scenaios, and ultimately ecommends Scenaio 4, which conceptually identifies the staging of development, descibed geneally as follows: Stage 1 consists of lands within the vicinity of Middle Block Road, and was identified as a pioity Employment Lands aea. Stage 2 consists of the cental lands within the East Side Lands, inclusive of the Aipot as well as lands to the south and to the noth. Stage 3 consists of lands to the east and south of the community of Beslau. Stage 4 consists of land to the notheast of the East Side Lands. In June 2007, Regional Council appoved Regional Official Policies Plan Amendment No. 28 (ROPPA 28) to designate appoximately 150 net hectaes of land fo lage lot employment uses. As a esult of an Ontaio Municipal Boad (OMB) Settlement, additional land west of Fountain Steet and south of Allendale Road, and east of Speedsville Road wee included. In June 2009, Regional Council adopted the new Regional Official Plan (ROP), appoved June 15, 2015, which includes the land designated as pat of ROPPA 28, plus additional land fo a total of appoximately aces 300 net hectaes (741 net aces) as Pime Industial Stategic Reseve (PISR). The Stage 1 study is now complete and is biefly discussed below. The boundaies of the Stage 2 Lands, as being consideed fo uban development though this study, consists of lands in the nothely potion of Cambidge, south of the aipot and in poximity of Beslau within Woolwich Township. The boundaies fo the Stage 2 Lands ae not based on the staging noted above, but athe has been based on the Region of Wateloo s Official Plan policies, which equies an uban aea expansion to be contemplated beginning in 2016 fo these lands. Page 2

2 STAGE 1 LANDS MESP AND COMMUNITY PLAN The MESP and Community Plan study fo the Stage 1 Lands was initiated on June 14, 2011, with issuance of the Notice of Commencement and Notice of Public Infomation Cente #1. The pocess included extensive public and stakeholde consultation, including fou Public Infomation Centes (PICs). The MESP was inclusive of a subwateshed study fo Feepot Ceek and Tibutay to the Gand, a Maste Dainage Plan, Tanspotation System Assessment and Municipal Wate and Wastewate Sevicing Assessment. The Community Plan povided a famewok fo land use and community design and ecommended implementation of an Official Plan Amendment. The MESP was also complemented by a Fiscal Impact Analysis Repot, identifying costs and benefits associated with developing the Stage 1 Lands, and ecommending financing tools. In accodance with the ecommendations of pevious studies and the ROP, the Stage 1 Lands wee ecommended to be developed fo lage lot employment uses. The pocess concluded on May 14, 2014 with the issuance of the Notice of Completion. 2.2 STUDY AREA The focus of this study is a potion of lands within the East Side Lands in the Region of Wateloo. The boundaies of the Poject Study Aea, including the Stage 2 Lands, as well as the East Side Lands, ae illustated in Figue 2-1. Although the ultimate pupose of this study is to esult in a famewok fo development of just the Stage 2 Lands, it is ecognized that the boade aea must be consideed, as it will be impotant to conside the boade impacts and implications of development on suounding lands, including the subwatesheds. The study aea can be consideed to include the following components: The East Side Lands efe to the boad aea of appoximately 4,065 ha of land within the City of Cambidge and the Township of Woolwich, within the east side of the Region of Wateloo, east of the Gand Rive. The lands ae geneally bounded by the Gand Rive to the west, Shantz Station Road to the east, the new Highway 7 coido alignment to the noth, and as fa as Maple Gove Road to the south. The Poject Study Aea (PSA) has been identified to be geneally coincident with Randall and Beslau Dain subwatesheds. The aea extends fom the Gand Rive to the west and Shantz Station Road to the east, but only including lands as fa as the ail coido to the noth and Middle Block Road to the south. These nothely and southely boundaies ae intended to be geneally coincident with the boundaies of the Beslau and Randall Municipal Dain subwatesheds. A moe detailed aea of focus is the Stage 2 Lands, which will epesent the potentially developable aea. The Stage 2 Lands (the detailed study aea) consist of lands within the Poject Study Aea, including a potion of land in the City of Cambidge, and two potions of land in the Township of Woolwich. This aea consists of appoximately 616 ha of land. Lands in Cambidge ae located in the vicinity of Kossuth Road, south of the Aipot, at the noth end of the municipality and ae efeed to as the Randall potion of the Stage 2 Lands, efeing to the fact that they ae located within the Randall Dain subwateshed. In Woolwich, the two land pacels abut the community of Beslau, which is subject to the Beslau Seconday Plan. The lage of the two Page 3

3 aeas within the Township is immediately east of the existing Beslau community and is efeed to as the Beslau potion of the Stage 2 Lands; a smalle land aea is located west of the existing community and is efeed to as the Riveland aea, efeencing the naming convention used in existing epots fo this aea. All thee aeas of the Stage 2 Lands ae shown on Figue 2-1. The most detailed level of study will take place within the Stage 2 Lands, whee futue land use and development options will be consideed. Fo lands within the City of Cambidge, a Seconday Plan (Official Plan Amendment) will also be an outcome of this boade MESP study pocess. PROJECT STUDY AREA The PSA level of study will be used to detemine subwateshed suface dainage function, as well as boade natual heitage featues and functions. This was assessed pimaily though seconday souce infomation and econnaissance-level field analysis. Within the PSA the objective of this study is to chaacteize the existing conditions, pimaily though the collection and eview of seconday souce infomation including: Histoical ai photos Envionmental epots elevant to the study aea Databases and monitoing infomation (e.g., Natual Heitage Infomation Cente / Biodivesity Exploe, Ministy of Natual Resouces and Foesty) GRCA, Region, City, Township, Ontaio Beeding Bid Atlas (OBBA), Ontaio Hepetofaunal Atlas Othe elevant infomation (e.g., natualist goup species ecods / obsevations), as available The PSA study objective also applies to the Stage 2 Lands and foms the basis fo the moe detailed level of study undetaken within the Stage 2 Lands. Note that some detailed field suveys wee undetaken within the PSA whee potential implications fo land use planning within the Stage 2 Lands existed; scoped efinements to the desciptions fo some natual heitage featues in the PSA ae povided. STAGE 2 LANDS The objective of the Natual Heitage potion of the MESP within the Stage 2 Lands is to complete a detailed inventoy and assessment of existing conditions which will be used as the basis fo assessments and ecommendations on Natual Heitage management and povide input to othe aspects of the MESP. Specifically, this has included fou seasons of detailed field suveys following accepted potocols and guidelines. Field suvey components ae listed in Section 2.4 and descibed in detail in espective sections of the cuent epot. Page 4

4 Data analysis and evaluation has included pepaation of species inventoies, habitat assessments, and evaluations of significance and sensitivity using elevant guidelines and policy, as descibed in Section 2.5 and vaious aeas of the cuent epot. 2.3 SECONDARY SOURCE REVIEW Pio to field investigations, agency contact was initiated and elevant backgound mateial was collected and eviewed. The planning famewok was eviewed to ensue compliance with egulations and policy and guideline equiements, and to povide a focus to the field investigations. Specifically, the following souces of infomation wee eviewed to supplement and povide context fo field investigations: DIRECTLY RELATED TECHNICAL REPORTS (COMPLETED OR ONGOING) East Side Lands (Stage 1 Lands) MESP (including the MESP document, Community Plan, Fiscal Impact Analysis Repot and Appendices - Feepot Ceek and Tibutay to the Gand Subwateshed Study, Maste Dainage Plan, Tanspotation System Assessment and Municipal Wate and Wastewate Sevicing Requiements Assessment, Dillon et al. (2014)) East Side Lands (Stage 1 Lands) MESP Appendix B1 Final Daft: Feepot Ceek and Tibutay to the Gand Subwateshed Study. Aquafo Beech (Novembe 2013) East Side Subwatesheds Study: Hopewell, Chilligo and Feepot Ceeks, and Beslau and Randall Dains. Phase 1 Subwatesheds Chaacteization Repot GRCA (2014) East Side Subwatesheds Study: Annual Monitoing Repots fom GRCA Randall Dain Fluvial Geomophological Assessment. Novembe 28, Wate s Edge East Side Subwatesheds Study Fluvial Geomophological Chaacteization. June 5, 2008 (updated August 5, 2010). Wate s Edge Beslau Seconday Plan and suppoting documentation (on-going) Hespele West Subwateshed Study Summay Repot (2004) Hespele West Subwatesheds Study and Appendices (Septembe, 2004) Envionmental Study Repot fo the Fountain Steet Impovements (Faiway Road / Kossuth Road to Chey Blossom Road) Municipal Class Envionmental Assessment Dainage Investigation Along Regional Road 17 Middleblock Road to Kossuth Road (KSmat, 2003) Floodplain Mapping fo Beslau Dain and Hopewell Ceek, Beslau Settlement Plan (SCS Consulting, 2015) Page 5

5 Hydologic Chaacteization and Steamflow Analysis Memo (AquaResouce, 2011) Region of Wateloo Intenational Aipot SWM Repot (Stantec, 2003) Geenlands Netwok Implementation Guideline, Region of Wateloo Wate Supply Study fo the Fountain Steet and Maple Gove Aea Class Envionmental Assessment, Final Envionmental Study Repot (MTE, 2014) 2013 Biennial Goundwate Monitoing Repot, Fowell and Pompeii Well Fields (Bunside & Associates, 2014) 2013 Biennial Goundwate Monitoing Repot, H3 / H3A Hespele Well Fields (Bunside and Associates, 2014) 2013 Biennial Goundwate Monitoing Repot, H4 / H4A Hespele Well Fields (Bunside and Associates, 2014) 2013 Biennial Goundwate Monitoing Repot, H5 / H5A Hespele Well Fields (Bunside and Associates, 2014) 2013 Biennial Goundwate Monitoing Repot, Woolne Well Field (Bunside and Associates, 2014) Wateloo Intenational Aipot Maste Planning Study (MMM Goup Limited, 2014) Empie Riveland Aea 2 Scoped EIS Addendum (MMM Goup Limited, 2016) BACKGROUND / POLICY DOCUMENTS Regional Official Plan (2015) Region of Wateloo Gowth Management Stategy (2003) Regional Official Policies Plan (1995) City of Cambidge Official Plan (2012) Township of Woolwich Official Plan (consolidated, 2012) Region of Wateloo East Side Community Stuctue Plan (2006) Stomwate Management Planning and Design Manual, MOE (2003) Region of Wateloo Intenational Aipot Maste Plan City of Cambidge, Stomwate Management Policies and Guidelines (2011) Regulation of Development, Intefeence with Wetlands and Alteations to Shoelines and Watecouses Ontaio Regulation 150/06. (GRCA, 2006) Policies fo the Administation of the Development, Intefeence with Wetlands and Alteations to Shoelines and Watecouses Regulation (GRCA, 2015) MNR Technical Guide Rive & Steam Systems: Eosion Hazad Limit Page 6

6 COMPLETED OR ONGOING EAS Faiway Road EA (completed) Region of Wateloo Rapid Tansit EA (completed) Noth Cambidge Business Pak EA (ongoing) OTHER Aeial photogaphy, including histoic images GIS data (LIO, GRCA) Hydologic and floodplain models Ontaio Ministy of the Envionment and Climate Change Wate Well Recods Monitoing well infomation povided by the Region of Wateloo in thei WRAS+ Database These epots and data wee eviewed in ode to povide a desciption of the existing envionmental conditions within the Poject Study Aea and wee built into the Wateshed Chaacteization completed in this epot, as appopiate (Section 3). Backgound and othe data souces ae listed in the efeences section of this epot. 2.4 FIELD SURVEYS Compehensive multi-season field suveys have been undetaken within the Stage 2 Lands and potions of the PSA efe to elevant text and figues fo claification. Suveys wee undetaken on popeties whee Pemission to Ente (PTE) was ganted; whee PTE was not ganted, suveys wee undetaken fom oadsides whee possible. Effots to obtain PTE included multiple lette mail-outs and hand-delivey as well as some diect follow-up whee landowne contact infomation was available. Results of PTE effots ae shown on Figue 2-2. Suvey locations wee selected based on PTE, suvey coveage objectives and oppotunities fo oadside suveys (See Section 3 fo details). Suveys undetaken as pat of the subwateshed study include: Aquatic Resouces Suvey of baies to fish migation Compehensive eview of GRCA watecouse mapping and condition Vegetation and floa Ecological Land Classification (ELC) / Vegetation community desciption Botanical Inventoy Peliminay Wetland and Dipline Delineation Page 7

7 Wildlife Avifaunal suveys (beeding bids, heony use assessment, owl suveys, fall migant bid suveys, winte apto point counts) Hepetofaunal suveys (sping calling amphibians, Ambystomid salamande tapping, oad / motality, snake cove boad suveys, tutle basking / nesting / ovewinteing habitat) Species-at-Risk suveys (Blanding s Tutle, SAR bat matenity oost habitat assessment / cavity tee, Ban Swallow nesting, Bobolink and Easten Meadowlak habitat assessment) Winte wildlife aea seaches (Wild Tukey, White-tailed Dee and othe) Geneal Wildlife including: Incidental obsevations, Significant Wildlife Habitat and geneal wildlife obsevations. Field suvey methodologies and esults ae discussed in detail in Section 3.0 and a detailed field chonology is povided in Appendix A. 2.5 DATA ANALYSIS Data analysis and evaluation of field suvey findings and backgound infomation has included the following: Results pesented on 1:35,000 (o lage) cuent aeial photogaphy Pepaation of floal and faunal inventoies, keyed to vegetation communities and/o habitat units Identification / discussion of species and habitats of consevation concen (based on elevant municipal, povincial and fedeal lists most cuent at the time of epot pepaation) Discussion of floistic quality, using the Floistic Quality Assessment (FQA) fo Southen Ontaio (Oldham et.al., 1995) OWES Complexing Assessment fo unevaluated wetlands whee sufficient data was available within the Stage 2 Lands GRCA Wetland Policy Assessment fo non-psw wetlands evaluated in the OWES Complexing Assessment within the Stage 2 Lands Discussion of teestial vegetation, wetlands and wildlife habitat significance and sensitivity, including dependencies on natual featues within and extenal to the Development Study Aea Consideation of vegetation / featue hydogeological inteactions Discussion of fish and benthic communities and aquatic habitat availability Consideation of available Species-At-Risk (SAR) Recovey Stategies, as elevant to the Study Page 8

8 Assessment of species pesence, divesity and elative abundance and thei inteactions, use and movement within and between natual heitage featues Assessment of suface wate quality Evaluation of goundwate levels in elation to neaby suface wate souces, including hydaulic gadients Estimation of aquife popeties and echage capability of suficial soils Goundwate quality sampling 2.6 POLICY AND PLANNING FRAMEWORK This Subwateshed Study is being undetaken in accodance with elevant policies and guidelines of the Region of Wateloo, the City of Cambidge, the Township of Woolwich and Gand Rive Consevation Authoity. Additional elevant planning legislation and policy petinent to this study ae listed below and discussed futhe in Section 0 Policy Review / Assessment. Fedeal: Povincial: Fisheies Act (1985) Migatoy Bids Convention Act (1994) Species at Risk Act, SARA (2002) Endangeed Species Act, ESA (2007) Povincial Policy Statement (2014) Clean Wate Act, 2006, S.O. 2006, c. 22 (2006) Ontaio Regulation 150/06 Regional / Municipal: Region of Wateloo Official Plan (appoved July 14, 2015) City of Cambidge (1999, 2004 Consolidation and evised 2012 vesion) Township of Woolwich (2002, 2010 Consolidation updated to July 31, 2012) Consevation Authoity: Gand Rive Consevation Authoity Policies fo the Administation of the Development, Intefeence with Wetlands and Alteations to Shoelines and Watecouses Regulation, Ontaio Regulation 150/06 (2015) Eosion & Sediment Contol Guidelines fo Uban Constuction (2006) Page 9

9 L: \ P o jec t s \ 2016\ _St a ge2la nds \ MXDs\ 1 1x17_201610\ _St a ge2la nds_02_st udya ea s _ m xd Ho pe eek w e ll C t R es d yc Eb TOW NSHIP OF W OOLW ICH tn ia S o t Vic n Rd Fo unt a in StN io at z St Sha nt Menno St ee k Ko lb C B esla ud a in Lo nsda le Rd G a ndriv e G a nd1 G a nd2 ZelleD Co b erd CITY OF KITCHENER Fa i wa y od N d dlewo I R C eek h Rd sut Ko s e b a nk D Riv Ra a in D a ll d n G a nd3 Rd sville eed p S Fo unt a in StN Middle Blo c k Rd Allenda le Rd CITY OF CAM BRIDGE M idd le Elli sc eek P o jec tst udya ea St a ge 2La nds Ea s tside La nds Munic ipa lbo unda y Exis t ing Ro a ds Fut u e Ro a ds Ra ilwa y T a ck Regula t edw a t e c o u se W at e b o dy F eep o t Ea st C C ee k k ee Legend T ib. C k ee Rive b a nk D CW Minis t y o fna t u a lres o u c es,fug o Geo s pa t ia l-ra pidcit y Offic e FI GURE2 1 St udya ea s Stage2LandA eas B esla u Ra nda ll Rive la nd B esla ua ndra nda lld a inssw S kilo m et es 1: 22, 500 Figu e:2 1 P o jec tno. : Da t e C ea t ed:20july 2016 Da t e Mo dified:21dec em b e2016 Co o dina t e Syst em :NAD1983UTM Zo ne 17N So u c e:regio n o fw a t e lo o, Queen' sp int efo Ont a io,2016,p o duc edus ing info mat io n undelic ense wit ht he GRCA.Co py ight 2016,G a ndriv e Co nse va t io n Aut ho it y

10 Sha ntz Sta tio n Rd L:\P o jec ts\2016\ _sta ge2la nds\mxds\11x17_201610\ _sta ge2la nds_03_p TE_ m xd Eb yc estr d ewell Ceek Ho p TOW NSHIP OF W OOLW ICH Vic to ia StN Fo unta in StN Menno St Ko lb Besla uda in Ceek Lo nsda le Rd Ga ndrive Ga nd1 Ga nd2 Ze led Co b erd CITY OF KITCHENER Fa iwa yrdn Id lewo o dceek R iveb a nk D Ra nda lda in Ko ssuth Rd Ga nd3 Speedsvile Rd Middle Blo c k Rd nta in StN Fo u CITY OF CAM BRIDGE ElisCeek C W Tib. Alenda le Rd Middle Ceek Riveb a nk D Feepo t Ceek Ea stceek Legend P o jec tstudy Aea Sta ge 2La nds Ea stside La nds Munic ipa lbo unda y Existing Ro a ds Futue Ro a ds Ra ilwa y Ta c k Regula tedw a tec o use W a teb o dy PTEStatus P TEGa nted P TENo tga nted P TENo trequested No te:p TESta tussho wn fo SW Sstudy fieldwo k o nly. FIGURE2 2 P em issio n-to -Ente kilo m etes 1:22,500 Figue:2 2 P o jec tno.: Da te Cea ted:20july 2016 Da te Mo dified:21dec em b e2016 Co o dina te System :NAD1983UTM Zo ne 17N So uc e:regio n o fw a telo o, Queen'sP intefo Onta io,2016,p o duc edusing info m a tio n undelic ense with the GRCA.Co pyight 2016,Ga ndrive Co nseva tio n Autho ity