A draft of the Town of Cochrane’s Wetland Conservation Policy was presented to council July 8, but Mayor Truper McBride wasn’t completely sold on the direction the document appeared to be taking.
“If we’re saying we’re going to protect it,” questioned McBride of the town’s proposed attempt to safeguard wetlands, “then why are we making efforts to avoid it?”
McBride was referring to the various classifications of wetlands, and the projected significance of each based on that class.
The development of the new policy is to address Cochrane’s wetlands and to harmonize the potential bylaw with ongoing demand for development by maintaining no net loss of wetlands, apply environmental reserve to Class 4 wetlands and above (Class 3 as required) and set a process for development applications and the review of those applications. Presently in Cochrane, there are 204 wetlands; 20 per cent being Class 1; 25 per cent Class 2; 22 per cent Class 3; 12 per cent Class 4; 12 per cent Class 5; and a lone Class 6, found north of Sunset Ridge.
Karen Oldershaw, a biologist with Westhoff Engineering Resources, responding to the mayor’s concern over the apparent dismissal of Class 1 and 2 wetlands, said the City of Calgary created a similar policy, drawing a line at Class 3 as it made it easier to categorize wetlands that were environmental reserve.
McBride, however, queried why it was necessary to draw that line, saying that Class 1 and 2 wetlands could feed into a Class 3, 4, or 5, making it just as significant as the higher class variety.
The mayor also questioned one of the policy’s principles that states, “work with a ‘no net loss’ provincial approach and use compensation as a last option.”
McBride said that if Class 1 and 2 wetlands were not considered significant and therefore not protected in the policy, the town would not be adhering to the ‘no net loss’ principle.
As for compensation for lost wetlands, McBride said it was important the money paid by developers stay in the community to help remedy the loss and not be funneled to the province.
The mayor has voiced his concern with the loss of wetlands in the past, saying it is not only a matter of ecology, but also social significance, and that wetlands should be incorporated into the town’s Open Spaces Master Plan.
Nicole Tomes, development and environmental planner for the town, presented the draft policy to council, which as been in the works for eight months.
The policy would employ the Biophysical Impact Assessment Guidelines, which outlines details of the property to be developed, describes what naturally exists on the land and what impact development would have on the area.
The town had relied on the City of Calgary’s reporting guidelines in the past, but will be able to ensure accurate information is available with the creation of guidelines specific to Cochrane.
In addition to ‘no net loss,’ the draft policy identified several principles, including maintaining the integrity of local watersheds, find a balance for managing wetlands within the urban context, connect wetlands into the town’s open space system and encourage mitigating measures where possible.
Town administration plans to engage the public on wetlands, focusing on education, capturing local values and establishing common ground and knowledge for development applications.
