Official Community Plan

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 15

Evaluate opportunity for green infrastructure specifications and best management practices for incorporation into regulatory tools such as Zoning and Subdivision and Development Servicing Bylaws . 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, and avoiding inter-basin transfer of water via the drainage network; b Designing new rainwater infrastructure to manage flows to pre-development rates including future climate change projections. This includes preventing frequently occurring small rainfall events from becoming surface run-off and ensuring the maintenance of minimum base flows, and in some instances augmented base flows, in water bodies; c Returning water collected in drainage networks to the natural waterbody it belongs in as close to source as possible. This includes exploring the opportunity for multiple small outfalls throughout the watershed to maintain adequate stream flow; d Supporting the integration of rainwater detention, infiltration, and conveyance systems with community or natural amenity space where possible. Promote park and streetscape designs that serve as temporary rainwater detention; 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 Ensuring that pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals with harmful water quality impacts are restricted or prohibited across all land uses where municipal authority exists to restrict such substances; and i Applying best practices to land use management to prevent erosion and sedimentation during construction.

MI 16

PART C Thematic Policies