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| Section | Plan Recommendation | Implementation |
| 6.1 | ACCESS | |
| 6.1.1 | Where animal fatalities are
occurring, the Town will consider erecting wildlife crossings signs to
alert motorists of the potential for animal crossings in the area
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Signs will be erected as situations develop. Streets operations policies will be amended. |
| 6.1.2 | That the planning and
development of future roadways be evaluated, and where they are proposed
within or adjacent to Rank 1 priority areas as identified in Appendix A,
shall require a process to mitigate environmental issues. Where practical,
unnecessary roadways and accesses into natural areas should be limited.
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Mitigation process will be included in any
future Town roadway planning. Developers will be required to
identify environmental impacts and provide plans for mitigation as part of
subdivision applications.
The Town's Subdivision Design Guidelines and Construction Specifications will be amended to include reference and instructions concerning environmental mitigation. |
| 6.2 | PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT | |
| 6.2.1 | That the development of
Rank 2 or Rank 3 lands conform to the recommendations contained within
Appendix A, and that developers be encouraged to follow the following
environmentally based development/construction guidelines:
a. Topsoil removed from a development site should be located where it can be subsequently recovered and reapplied on the same site or used for a naturalization project in order to maintain the seed bed and reduce revegetation costs; b. Retain vegetation buffer zones, specifically when open water is a landscape feature (natural or constructed); c. If natural areas are destroyed during construction, a provision to restore or create a natural areas within the vicinity should, where practical, be included; and d. Retain natural areas as marketing features, adjacent lots may have higher prices or taxation levels.
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On going regulatory. The Town's Subdivision
Design Guidelines will be amended to include the listed environmentally
based development/ construction guidelines.
Consequential amendments to the Town's statutory plans, Municipal Development Plan, North, West and South East Area Structure Plans to reflect provisions of Natural Spaces Management Plan have been completed. Plan to be amended to remove phrase "adjacent lots may have higher prices or taxation levels" |
| 6.3 | TRAILS | |
| 6.3.1 | That no off-highway vehicles be
allowed on the Town trails and that appropriate
signage be posted
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Town bylaws presently do not allow off-highway vehicles
to be operated anywhere within the Town limits. As some operators of off-highway vehicles will not be influenced by the presence of signs, signs will be posted to a limited extent in areas where problems with off-highway vehicles occur. Direct intervention by Bylaw Officer with offending individuals will also be employed. |
| 6.3.2 | That a program involving the
general public be initiated to educate and assist the policing of the
trails to prevent use of off-highway vehicles
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Will be addressed as part of Public Education process under 6.5 |
| 6.3.3 | That trail design beside
wetlands provide for adequate space for a vegetation buffer zone and where
appropriate provide direct access to the open water by providing
"lookout" points
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On going regulatory. The Town's Subdivision
Design Guidelines will be amended to include pathway location and
construction guidelines.
Potential sites for lookout sites to be developed by the Town will be examined as part of next Open Space Plan review. |
| 6.3.4 | That trail design minimize
erosion by taking into consideration the location of the
trail and surface water drainage
|
On going regulatory. The Town's Subdivision Design Guidelines will be amended to include pathway location and construction guidelines. |
| 6.3.5 | That signage be provided on the
natural trails that encourages trail users to stay
on the developed trail, and an educational awareness program citing the negative environmental impacts of this action
be developed
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Signage
will be installed.
Awareness program will be addressed as part of Public Education process under 6.5 |
| 6.3.6 | That use of the
"lookout" points be prohibited during critical periods of
wildlife nesting
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Parks operation policies will be amended to provide for closing of lookout points. |
| 6.4 | SAFETY | |
| 6.4.1 | That the general public be
encouraged to report any safety concerns on the trails
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Will be included as part of public education under Section 6.5 |
| 6.4.2 | That the Town conduct regular
seasonal assessments of the condition of the trails and address any safety
issues arising from use or weather related events
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Parks
Operations policy will provide for inspections of trails each
week to determine if any safety issues exists and if any repairs are
required. An assessment of each trail will be completed each year as part of the annual Sidewalk and Trail Plan and Open Spaces Plan review. |
| 6.5 | PUBLIC EDUCATION | |
| 6.5.1 | That an education program be
developed
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This
is a new area not presently addressed in the corporate operations and
would require the development of new policy and amendments to plans.
This is to be addressed by a partnership of the Recreation Board, community group(s) such as the Natural Areas and Green Space Committee (NAGS) and land developers. Recreation Services will initiate process. |
| 6.5.2 | That an interpretive program in
conjunction with the trail system be developed that
focuses on the attributes and natural history of the areas
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| 6.5.3 | That the existing annual clean
up program be continued and enhanced to involve
more groups
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| 6.6 | PUBLIC STEWARDSHIP | |
| 6.6.1 | That local organizations and
adjacent landowners be encouraged to become involved
in re-vegetation or conservation projects identified in the various natural
areas
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Involvement of organizations and land owners together with the public in such projects will be addressed as part of the Public Education initiatives in 6.5. |
| 6.7 | CONTAMINANTS | |
| 6.7.1 | That a review of the
Environmental Overlay Consolidation be undertaken to ensure
it is in keeping with current best practices.
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Overlay policy will be reviewed as part of major strategic objective of Council concerning environmental matters. |
| 6.8 | NATURAL LANDSCAPING | |
| 6.8.1 | That the Open Space Plan review
the present mowing practices and identify areas
having potential to be reverted to a more natural vegetation which requires
lower maintenance and may provide a cover for animal movement
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Potential reversion areas and maintenance practices will addressed as part of the next review and revision to Open Space Plan. |
| 6.8.2 | In areas where shrub and tree
species are encroaching on grassland areas and
where restoration of natural disturbances is required, these areas be mowed annually, during the period from July 15
to August 15 which would allow any
nesting to be completed and still allow grass time to recover in time for next spring.
|
Parks operating procedures will be modified to reflect time restrictions. |
| 6.9 | STORMWATER MANAGEMENT FACILITIES | |
| 6.9.1 | That where possible existing
natural wetlands be incorporated into the subdivision
design and consideration be given to connectivity to adjacent natural
areas
|
The Town's Subdivision Design Guidelines and Construction Specifications will be amended to include use of natural wetlands for storm water management. |
| 6.9.2 | That where storm water ponds are
constructed to mimic natural wetlands and are
integrated into a residential development, an education program may be required to inform the residents regarding the
function and importance of the emergent
vegetation in filtering contaminants.
|
The Town's Subdivision Design Guidelines
and Construction Specifications will be amended to address specifics of
developing storm ponds as natural areas.
The need for a public program will be addressed as part of any proposal to develop storm pond as a natural area. |
| 6.10 | NATURAL AREA CONSERVATION | |
| 6.10.1 | That the landowners within the
Subject Area be made aware of the conservation
options available
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Will be incorporated into the subdivision approval process. A standard template conservation easement will be prepared. |
| 6.11 | TOURISM | |
| 6.11.1 | That the tourism potential of
Lacombe becoming destination for bird watching and
other outdoor pursuits be investigated
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This will be referred firstly to the Lacombe Regional Tourism Marketing Committee and secondly to the Natural Area and Green Spaces Committee for examination of potential. |