City of Courtenay Official Community Plan - 2026 update

C

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Objective 3 Natural and engineered forms of green infrastructure are integrated to manage rainwater resources, protect water and air quality, maintain ecosystem function, provide flood control, and address and adapt to climate impacts

Policies

MI 16

Evaluate opportunity for green infrastructure specifications and best management practices to be included in the Subdivision and Development Servicing Bylaw and explore supporting green infrastructure opportunities in the Zoning Bylaw such as limiting impervious surfaces. Ensure that rain and stormwater management planning and infrastructure support both watershed health and public safety objectives by: a. Minimizing and mitigating cumulative impacts, working at the watershed scale across jurisdictional boundaries; b. Designing the stormwater system to maintain natural hydrology, by managing the volume and flow of stormwater runoff to match pre-development rates, accounting for climate change projections. This includes preventing small rainfall events from becoming surface run-off and ensuring the maintenance of base flows; c. Returning water collected in drainage networks to the natural waterbody it belongs in as close to source as possible; d. Supporting the integration of rainwater source control with community or natural amenity space where possible. Promote park and streetscape designs that provide rainwater management functions; e. Mimicking natural ecosystem processes in rainwater system design and construction as much as possible. This includes minimizing runoff, maximizing infiltration, preserving and protecting the water absorbing capabilities of soil, vegetation and trees particularly along riparian corridors, and minimizing impervious surfaces on both private and public lands; f. Encouraging the capturing of rainwater and discharging to ground where appropriate on public and private properties, while reducing impact to downslope properties; g. Ensuring stormwater meets applicable BC surface water objectives at the time it is discharged into receiving waterbodies; h. Restricting the use of pesticides, herbicides, and other substances that are harmful to water quality; and i. Applying best practices to land use management to prevent erosion and sedimentation during construction.

MI 17

PART C Thematic Policies