Discussion Paper #3 - Elgin Natural Heritage Systems Study, Source Water Protection, and Environmental Policy Amendments
A discussion paper on the Elgin Natural Heritage Systems Study, Source Water Protection, and Environmental Policy Amendments has been prepared for your review.
Appendix A - Excerpts from County Official Plan
Appendix B - DRAFT Elgin Natural Heritage Systems Study
Appendix C - DRAFT Source Protection Plan
Please click heading to open the full post. From there you will be able to click the button to view the Elgin Natural Heritage Interactive Map. Use this map to review the proposed changes to the Natural Heritage System. Use address search or find my location tool to find the desired property. Once zoomed on the subject site, use the swipe tool to compare the changes between 2018 and 2013 Natural Heritage.
As part of the adoption of the 2013 Official Plan for the County of Elgin, a policy was added (D1.2.4) which states…”It is a policy of this Plan that the establishment of a natural heritage system be considered at the time of the next Official Plan Review.” There was a commitment to completing a Natural Heritage Systems Study at the time of the next Official Plan Review. The Elgin Natural Heritage Systems Study (ENHSS) was commissioned in 2016, and is a terrestrial science-based study that provides a landscape level assessment of existing natural heritage features and functions. The draft 2019 study provides analysis and maps showing the existing vegetation patches that meet criteria for ecological importance.
The Clean Water Act, 2006 was approved by the province as a result of the contaminated water tragedy in Walkerton Ontario in 2000. Source Protection Plans were developed across the province and include policies to protect municipal drinking water supplies from land uses that may be a risk to them. A firm was retained to assist the County in the implementation of Source Protection Plan (SPP) policies through the preparation of new policy text that would form the basis of future amendments to the County Official Plan and to the Official Plans and Zoning By-laws of local municipalities that have municipal drinking water systems that are regulated by a Source Protection Plan.
As per Council’s direction, the public will have an opportunity to review the draft Elgin Natural Heritage Systems Strategy (2019), and the Source Water Protection Implementation Plan (2017), and provide their feedback and input on the recommendations from these reports.
Review the documents linked above and tell us what you think in the comments!
When reviewing this document, questions to ask include:
• Why did the County of Elgin do a Natural Heritage Study when the Official Plan already has Natural Heritage policies?
• What Natural Heritage features and areas are included?
• How does this affect my property?
• Was my property affected before this update?
• What can be done with this new information?
