Official Community Plan

B

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Area-Specific Profiles and Planning Directions

FLOODPLAIN

Policies 1. Discourage new development within the floodplains, recognizing that floodplains are suitable for certain developments that can be used at times of low water, and temporarily retreated during flood events. Agricultural and Parks and Recreational uses are considered appropriate and encouraged within the floodplain. 2. Respect foreshore sediment and flow processes through the prevention of hard shoreline development solutions, and using green approaches that mimic ecosystem functions for erosion protection. 3. Continue to develop and implement the Flood Management Plan in order managed retreat from vulnerable areas. The strategy shall include, but not be limited to, prioritizing the removal of key facilities and critical infrastructure to outside of flood hazard areas at the end of their current life cycle, and opportunistically retreating existing development. 5. Update the Floodplain Management Bylaw to ensure that it reflects the most recently available data and regulatory context. to minimize the safety risk, property damage, and environmental impacts associated with a flood event. 4. Develop a long-term strategy for

Flooding is a risk in a number of existing highly developed central areas within Courtenay due to their location within the floodplains of the Courtenay, Puntledge and to some extent Tsolum Rivers as well as the K’ómoks Estuary. Damage to property from flooding is expected to increase due to climate change from both increases in river flows during peak rainfall events, as well as sea level rise and more frequent storm surges from the ocean. For Courtenay, flooding is one of the most important climate adaptation risk management factors. At the same time, development within these vulnerable areas represent regionally important urban centres with significant public and private property investment and transportation connectivity. At the time of drafting the OCP, the Courtenay Flood Management Plan was concurrently being drafted. The Flood Management Plan strives to understand the flood risk, identify options to mitigate risk, facilitate decision-making, and implement mitigation measures. The flood management policies presented here are intended to manage flooding risk as Courtenay’s Flood Management Plan is developed over time. Planning Objective • Minimize the impacts of flooding through mitigation and adaptation planning policies and regulations.

PART B Managing Growth