Draft Watershed Plan Review and Regulation Policies Manual
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We are updating our watershed planning and regulation policies to align with the Development, Interference with Wetlands, and Alterations to Shorelines and Watercourses regulation (O. Reg. 182/06) and changes in provincial legislation and land use planning policies, such as the Oak Ridges Moraine Act/Plan, Greenbelt Act, and municipal Official Plans.
These policies will help us provide the best service possible to our watershed municipalities and residents by clearly describing our mandate, setting out requirements that are easily understood, and streamlining how we do business.
We have a mandate to protect people and their property against natural hazards, and regulate activities that could impact floodplains, shorelines, wetlands, watercourses, and unstable slopes and soils. (See more about our planning and regulations services). The policies help us meet these objectives by providing an evaluation, assessment and decision-making tool for reviewing and providing advice to watershed municipalities on land use policies and development applications, and for issuing permits under the Conservation Authorities Act (section 28), Ontario Regulation 182/06.
The Watershed Plan Review and Regulation Policies Manual replaces the Watershed Management Policies approved by Kawartha Conservation in November 2002. It is expected that this document will be used by Kawartha Conservation staff, municipal planning and building department staff, developers and their agents, as well as private landowners who may be seeking approval under either the Planning Act or the Conservation Authorities Act.
This document is intended to provide information and guidance that is easy to understand and use. This is accomplished by:
- Consolidating all watershed planning and regulatory policies of Kawartha Conservation in one place;
- Providing watershed municipalities with a clear understanding of Kawartha Conservation's role, mandate, responsibilities and requirements regarding permit and planning applications and at the same time, offering an updated, comprehensive and complete set of watershed planning and regulatory policies that can be incorporated into Official Plans and Zoning By-laws;
- Providing applicants and their agents, private landowners and special interest groups with a clear understanding of Kawartha Conservation's role, mandate, responsibilities and requirements regarding permit applications and planning applications; and
- Providing Kawartha Conservation staff with a single document against which to review permit applications and provide planning advisory services to its municipal partners.
The document consists of the following chapters:
Chapter 1: Introduction - Provides an overview of the authorizing legislation and regulation that Kawartha Conservation is governed by. It also provides a summary of the role of Conservation Authorities generally and describes the other legislation and policies that Kawartha Conservation staff relies on to make regulatory and planning decisions and recommendations.
Chapter 2: KRCA's Approach to Watershed Planning - Outlines the key principles upon which the watershed planning and regulation policies are based. It organizes Kawartha Conservation’s policy platform into four key areas: watershed planning and management; natural hazards; resource use and management and strong communities.
Chapter 3: KRCA Land Use Planning Policies - Outlines those policies that Kawartha Conservation utilizes when providing plan input and review comments to municipal watershed partners and Provincial agencies. This chapter is to be read using the Planning Act definition of development (see Appendix A).
Chapter 4: Policies & Procedures for the Administration of Ontario Regulation 182/06 - Outlines the policies and procedures that Kawartha Conservation staff utilize when processing applications made pursuant to Ontario Regulation 182/06. Policies for the Administration of Ontario Regulation 182/06 describes the guiding, general and specific policies that Kawartha Conservation staff utilize when reviewing applications made pursuant to Ontario Regulation 182/06. This Section also includes additional guidelines that Kawartha Conservation staff use when reviewing regulatory and/or land use planning applications. This chapter is to be read using the Conservation Authorities Act definition of development (see Appendix A).