1 PROPOSED GARDEN CITY NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT, KRAAIFONTEIN DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT Summary Document What is an Environmental Impact Assessment? Garden Cities Incorporated Association Not For Gain (referred to as Garden Cities) and Basil Read (Pty) Ltd (Basil Read) are proposing the development of Portions 3, 4, 7, 8 and 19 of Paarl Farm 724, Portion 3 of Paarl Farm No. 168 and Portion 15 1 of Paarl Farm No. 724, Paarl, for an integrated, mixed use township. In terms of the National Environmental Management Act (No. 107 of 1998) (NEMA) an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) must be undertaken, before the authorities, in this instance the Western Cape Provincial Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEA&DP), can make a decision on whether the proposed project should be authorised. An EIA is a process that evaluates, at the earliest possible stage, the environmental characteristics of a proposed project and the consequences of the project on the environment and the people that live in it. The purpose is to determine whether or not the proposed project can be authorised. Where negative impacts on the environment are likely to result because of the project, measures can be recommended to avoid, mitigate or lessen these impacts to an acceptable level. The EIA process also serves to identify and enhance the positive impacts of a project (those that improve the integrity and health of an ecosystem or human health and well-being). It also gives Interested and Affected Parties (I&APs) an opportunity to comment and to be kept informed about decisions that may impact on them or on the environment. This document provides a summary of the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The summary cannot replace the comprehensive Draft EIR, but it provides a non-technical overview of what is contained in the full document. What are the desired outcomes of the EIR? Specialist studies were undertaken to investigate certain of the potential impacts of the proposed new town. The findings of these studies, in conjunction with technical inputs from the rest of the project team and comments received previously from I&APs (including relevant authorities), contributed to the outcomes of this EIR, which include: The identification of environmental (biophysical and socio-economic) impacts which assist in informing the detailed design of the proposed development at the site; The identification of possible mitigation measures to be considered to reduce the significance of negative impacts and enhance positive impacts; and Recommendations for the way forward. What is the Public Participation Process? Public participation is an important part of the EIA process, as it allows I&APs to obtain information about the proposed project and to provide input and raise any concerns at defined stages throughout the project. 1 Note that Portion 15 of Farm No, 724 is owned by the City of Cape Town, who have authorized the inclusion of this portion within the current EIA process.
Proposed Garden City New Town Development, Kraaifontein 2 The Draft EIR for the proposed Garden City New Town development was made available for review from 16 November 2009 at the Fisantekraal and Durbanville Public Libraries and on the Aurecon website (http://www.aurecongroup.com/)(follow the public participation links). I&APs have until 25 January 2010 to submit comment on the Draft EIR. I&APs are invited to attend a Public Meeting/Open House on one of the following days, to discuss the findings of the EIR: Date Venue Time Event Wednesday, Fisantekraal Primary 17h00 18h30 Open House 25 November 2009 School, Fisantekraal 18h30 20h00 Public Meeting Durbanville Town Hall, 17h00 18h30 Open House Thursday, entrance on Church St, 26 November 2009 18h30 20h00 Public Meeting Durbanville Please note that the formal public meetings will begin at 18h30. Why is the proposed new town needed? There are a number of reasons why the proposed new town is needed. However, the main reason is the provision of affordable housing and accessible services to a range of income earners. In addition, such provision has to take account of the imperative for the City of Cape Town to densify and the proposed new town provides an opportunity to do this in a way that is sustainable. At least two thirds of the City s households are poor (monthly income less than R1 600), that is, approximately 630 000 households. An estimated 350 000 of these have inadequate housing (150 000 households are in informal settlements and 200 000 households renting in overcrowded formal housing or in yards). Therefore only 280 000 poor households have adequate housing. But these households must also accommodate the 200 000 unhoused households not living in informal settlements; thus, on average, for every 10 poor households another seven poor households live with them. At the current rate of housing supply and demand, there will be an average of two households living in each poor home or flat in 10 years time. The need for suitable housing for such disadvantaged residents of the greater Cape Town is thus unequivocal. Other benefits associated with the proposed development include economic benefits, such as an increase in GGP and provision of jobs, and social benefits, such as improvement of quality of living environment and improvement of health and the social environment. What is proposed? The challenge to which Garden Cities and Basil Read is responding is how to provide sustainable, integrated development, at scale, in a way that is affordable to residents and the municipality, aligns with the City of Cape Town s densification strategy, within a sound environmental and socio-economic framework. The proposed Garden City New Town concept comprises an integrated, mixed use, inclusionary housing settlement, with a full range of community, commercial and business opportunities, including: schools and créches, parks, places of worship, police station, clinics, sports facilities, a market area, retail and offices, and service industry. A range of house types is to be provided, including low income RDP/BNG 2 houses (for families earning less than R3 500 per month), finance-linked houses (R3 500 R10 000 per month) and bonded houses (greater than R10 000 per month). Social housing (i.e. rental units) are also proposed. It is estimated that 14 000 dwelling units could be provided within the proposed Garden City 2 Reconstruction and Development Programme/Breaking New Ground
Proposed Garden City New Town Development, Kraaifontein 3 New Town. It is anticipated that the single dwelling residential erven may be between 80 450 m 2. Furthermore, higher density general residential areas, such as town houses or group housing opportunities, are also being planned. The site is located on the Durbanville/Kraaifontein rural periphery and lies 10 km to the north east of Durbanville town centre along the R302. Paarl and Stellenbosch are located approximately 20 and 25 km, respectively, to the east. Portions 3, 4, 7, 8 and 19 of Paarl Farm 724, and Portion 3 of Paarl Farm No. 168 are owned by Garden Cities, whilst Portion 15 of Paarl Farm No. 724, Paarl, is owned by the City of Cape Town (the City). Is the proposed new town consistent with planning policies? A number of planning policies are applicable to the proposed new town. These have been summarised into Table 1 below and the consistency of the proposed new town has been indicated. Comment has been given were relevant. Table 1 Consistency of the proposed new town with planning policies Planning policy Consistent Comment Urban Structure Plan No 3 An application for the amendment to the Cape Metropolitan Area Urban Structure Plan has been submitted to amend the current designation of the site from agriculture to urban development. City of Cape Town Spatial Development Yes The project is in line with the guidelines of the draft SDF as per densities, integration of land uses, provision of low income Framework (SDF), housing, utilisation of public transport, a proposed growth corridor, 2009 (draft) etc. City of Cape Town Northern District Plan, 2009 (draft) No The project is in line with the guidelines within the draft Northern District Plan. However, an application would be required to allow for the proposed development should the draft Northern District Plan be approved, as it is currently proposed. The overarching draft SDF does however note that amendments would be considered for government-subsidised housing, as is proposed by this development. The applicant intends to motivate for the amendment of the draft Northern District s SDP in order to allow for urban development on the site. As can be seen above, while the proposed development is aligned with many of the aspects of the plans and policies it is not fully aligned with all the aspects. This is due to the timing of the proposed development. However, the proposed development would provide government subsidised housing and would be supported by future macro planning (see below) and therefore it is the type of development that an amendment of the Urban Edge would be considered for, by the relevant authorities. Is infrastructure available to service the proposed new town? A North East Development Corridor map was drafted to inform macro services investigations and to provide direction to development of this corridor. The currently proposed macro services include regional bulk water supply, regional bulk wastewater treatment, stormwater and transport infrastructure. These are described in the EIR in detail. The proposed development would be serviced by these proposed services. Where the proposed development s program is ahead of the services programs (e.g. water and wastewater), interim measures have been proposed. EIAs are likely to be required for the majority of the macro infrastructure required to service the broader area, and in some cases these are already underway. Where infrastructure alignments would cross 3 Note that a very small portion of the site is within the Urban Edge.
Proposed Garden City New Town Development, Kraaifontein 4 environmentally sensitive areas, a number of alternative options exist, or route alignments could be altered, to avoid these areas. The City has noted, in writing, that it considers the proposed new town key to unlocking the development potential of the North East Development Corridor. Which alternatives were considered? While various location and activity alternatives for the proposed development were considered and subsequently screened out during the EIA process, three separate layout alternatives were assessed in the Draft EIR. The main difference between the three layouts lies in the south eastern portion of the site. Layout alternatives A and C include a 100 m buffer zone opposite the chicken abattoir, whilst layout alternatives B and C incorporate a greater area of the wetlands found in this portion. Potential impacts identified Potential impacts (both positive and negative, indicated by (+) and (-), respectively) identified, which could result from the operation of the proposed new town, are: Impact on flora (-) Impact on aquatic ecology: o Impact of loss of wetlands (-) o Impact on wetland edge interfaces (-) o Impact of increased stormwater runoff from site (-) o Impact of pollution of wetland areas (-) o Impact of disturbance to aquatic fauna and flora and their associated habitats (-) o Impact of introduction of alien invasive plants (-) o Impact of alteration of the Mosselbank Rivers flow patterns (-) o Impact of fragmentation of wetland corridors (-) o Impact of off-site pipeline routes (-) Impact on ecology (-) Impact on groundwater resources (neutral) Impact on social fabric of surrounding communities: o Impact on housing (+) o Impact on households quality of living environment (+) o Impact on the community s health and social well being (+) o Impact of in-migration (+) Impact on local and regional economy: o Impact of new business sales (+) o Impact on the City s Gross Geographic Product (GGP) (+) o Impact on employment (+) o Impact on local authorities (+) Impact on heritage resources (-) Impact on visual aesthetics (-) Impact of loss of agricultural land (-) Impact on surrounding land use: o County Fair Foods (-) o Fisantekraal airfield (-) Impact on existing services infrastructure (-) Impact on traffic flows and road conditions (-) Potential impacts identified, which could result from the construction of the proposed new town, are:impact on fauna and flora (-) Impact on heritage resources (archaeology) (-) Impacts on aquatic ecology (-)
Proposed Garden City New Town Development, Kraaifontein 5 Impacts on the socio-economic environment (+) Each of these impacts were described and assessed in the EIR and the significance of each potential impact is summarised in Table 4. Key mitigation measures recommended A summary of the key mitigation measures recommended to reduce the significance of the potential negative impacts and enhance potential positive impacts is provided in Table 2 and Table 3 below. Table 2 Key mitigation measures recommended for potential operational phase impacts Impact on aquatic ecology Active planting of the wetland corridor as recommended by a botanist/aquatic ecologist. Landscaping of the corridor along the southern boundary of the site. Planting of the buffer areas with hardy indigenous vegetation. Compiling an Operational Environmental Management Plan (OEMP), which includes: Removal and control of alien invasive plants; Litter and waste management plan; and Stormwater Management Plan (detailed, after approval). Ongoing monitoring of the quality of stormwater entering aquatic ecosystems. Active management of wetlands over an initial period that spans at least two summers. Implement an education program to make residents aware of the importance of the wetlands. If possible, no physical structures to be placed in the river or the valley bottom wetland. If structure must be placed within the river of the valley bottom, their detailed design should be subject to input from a wetland ecologist. A continuous pipeline length should be used to cross the river. Impact on flora Maintain and increase corridors and open spaces, where semi-natural conditions remain. Implementation of an OEMP, to be implemented by a Residents Association. Impact on ecology Allow a 50 m wide corridor to connect the south eastern wetlands to the drainage lines on the adjacent property. Rehabilitate the south eastern wetland area with input from an aquatic ecologist. Maintain the ecological corridor along the Eskom servitude. Design river crossings such that the ecological functioning of the corridor is disrupted as little as possible. Rehabilitate all corridors, as far as possible, to include habitats comparable to those areas being connected. No fencing off of open spaces. Include appropriate culverts, underpasses, etc to allow for free movement of species onto and off site. Where possible, implement approaches to urban planning which would encourage a positive attitude to conservation areas among residents. Compile/implement an OEMP, including: A Conservation Management Plan; Appointment of full-time Environmental Control Officer; and Establish a Residents Association. Impact on groundwater Mitigation measures pertaining to founding conditions included in the geotechnical study should be implemented. Impact on heritage and visual aesthetics Restore and manage the Mosselbank River corridor as a scenic and ecological resource. Retain the remnant tree avenue towards the Patrysfontein homestead. Restore and manage the Patrysfontein homestead as a community resource.
Proposed Garden City New Town Development, Kraaifontein 6 Implement architectural guidelines which respond to the scenic drive requirements and avoid excessive height, scale and visibility. Include an appropriately vegetated berm 3 m high along the R312. Impact on surrounding land uses Include buffer areas (which could include landscaped services servitudes, building setback areas, etc.) between the various chicken farms and the proposed development. Ensure regular removal of waste which could be a breeding ground for diseases vectors such as rats. Establish an Environmental Monitoring Committee or similar to address and resolve relevant issues. Compile design guidelines which specify non-reflective materials for roofs or other upward facing surfaces. Impact on traffic flows and road conditions Develop and construct a pedestrian network and a cycling network. Include public transport routes inside the proposed development and link these to the potential future railway station. Prioritize public transport over private transport by incorporating Integrated Rapid Transit 4 design standards to public transport routes. Implement measures to prevent vehicle rat-running through Fisantekraal. Impact on social fabric of surrounding communities Communicate process of allocating housing units to the Fisantekraal community. Compile a Workplace Skills Plan in order to assist with the skills management of the labour force. Encourage the local authority to implement a services management plan to monitor demand on infrastructure services so that upgrades or new services can be installed in a timeous manner. Implement labour contracts whereby Contractors are required to employ a certain percentage of local labour. Table 3 Key mitigation measures recommended for potential construction phase impacts Compile a Construction Environmental Management Programme which, as a minimum, includes all mitigation measures listed below: Demarcate all areas not directly required for construction process e.g. wetlands, as no-go areas; Remove and stockpile topsoil for revegetation process; Rehabilitate areas such as the pipeline route back to its original state; Install silt traps and other erosion control measures to reduce the sediment loads to the wetlands of concern; Undertake regular water quality monitoring of water entering watercourses/wetlands; Establish the stormwater system as a priority, so that all runoff is led to the designated drainage from the site; Pipeline construction should take place during the dry season, if possible; and Signage and safety measures during the construction of the access roads should comply with the guidelines as set out in the latest issue of the SADC Road Traffic Signs Manual. Conclusions and recommendations The potential impacts associated with the proposed new town would result in impacts (both biophysical and social) that would negatively affect the area. The significance of these impacts without mitigation are deemed to be of high or lower significance. However, with the implementation of the recommended mitigation measures, the significance of most of the negative impacts would be minimized and would be medium or lower. More specifically, with regards to the potential impact on ecology (and aquatic ecology in particular), a number of disturbed wetlands would be negatively impacted by the proposed development. In addition, a 4 Integrated Rapid Transit and bus rapid transit is a mass road based public transport system.
Proposed Garden City New Town Development, Kraaifontein 7 number of existing ecological corridors will be impacted. The significance of these impacts would be reduced from high to medium or lower with the implementation of the recommended mitigation measures. While contrary to the opinions of the aquatic ecologist and ecologist, based on a number of reasons which are clearly described in the EIR, the Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP) considers this to be acceptable from the perspective of a net environmental gain. Furthermore, the intention of Basil Read/Garden Cities to create new wetlands and to enhance the quality of the existing wetlands in a way that promotes the long term respect of local residents for the natural environment, as they have done on their other developments, is also regarded as an important factor when considering the impact of the proposed development on the environment in general and wetlands in particular. The proposed development would also have a number of very substantial positive impacts, with the positive impact on the social and economic environments being the most significant, locally and regionally, being of medium or higher significance. Individuals on the City s housing list would benefit from the provision of RDP/BNG houses while individuals earning less than R10 000 a month would benefit from the provision of social housing. The economy of the Western Cape and the Fisantekraal/Durbanville area would benefit significantly from the injection of capital and the creation of employment opportunities. Based on the above, the EAP (Aurecon) is of the opinion that the proposed Garden City New Town development being applied for, should be authorised, as the substantial benefits to the region outweigh the localised negative impacts. Furthermore, the proposed development undoubtedly meets the principles prescribed in NEMA. The significance of most impacts can be reduced and the positive impacts enhanced with effective and appropriate mitigation, as summarised here and described in more detail in the EIR. The preferred alternative from a biophysical perspective is layout alternative C, which includes a larger conservation area in the south eastern portion with the adjacent buffer area. Layout B is the next preferred layout from a biophysical perspective, as it also incorporates a larger area of the south eastern wetland than layout A. From a socio-economic perspective, the preferred layout alternative is either A or B, as these have more housing (and therefore also greater capital expenditure) than layout alternative C. From an environmental perspective, which needs to consider both the biophysical and the socioeconomic environments, layout alternative C offers the best compromise. It is preferred from a biophysical perspective while still providing significant positive socio-economic benefits. Way Forward The Final EIR, incorporating I&AP comments received on the Draft EIR (as well as the project team s responses to these), will be submitted to DEA&DP for decision-making purposes. Registered I&APs will simultaneously be afforded a further 21 days to provide comment on the Final EIR. Further comments received will be collated by Aurecon and submitted to DEA&DP. Once DEA&DP have made their decision on the proposed project, all registered I&APs on the project database will be notified of the outcome of the decision within ten calendar days of the decision having been issued. Should anyone (a member of public, registered I&AP or the Applicant) wish to appeal DEA&DP s decision, a Notice of Intention to Appeal in terms of Section 62 of NEMA must be lodged with the MEC of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning within 10 calendar days of the I&AP being notified of the decision.
Proposed Garden City New Town Development, Kraaifontein 8 Table 4 Summary of significance of the potential impacts associated with the proposed development KEY: