1st set of recomendation on changing the township ordinances

Hi All, here's the output from the last meeting of our working group looking at how to improve our ordinances around housing.. Next meeting we are going to look at ways to improvide our ordinances to support conservation

1st draft recommendations around housing ordinances

General issues

The present ordinances have many contradictions and ambiguities, introduced as the edina ces

have evolved over the years.

We recommend

1: that the ordinances be systematically reviewed to eliminate these shortcomings.

We have many good ordinances but little ability to discover when they are being broken or

ability to enforce them.

We recommend

1: that a clear process be laid out for who can and how ordinance violations can be

reported, who investigates potential infringements followed by systematically applied

enforcement and penalties.

Recreational space

We have ordinances on recreational space, particularly for PRDs, but little guidance of what

constitutes rec’ space as opposed to “open space”.

We recommend

1: better definition of recreational space, including the options of children's playgrounds,

trails, pic-nic areas and other creative use of land.

2: A minimal size cut off, in large (non PRD) developments, above which common

recreational space must be included.

Housing density

In general, ordinance lot-size regulations allow for smaller lots than we would like, particularly in

agriculture zones.

We recommend

1: We recommend using Transfer of Development Rights, as an incentive for developers

in non agricultural zones, to build more densely, in return for paying into a township fund

to support the expansion of agricultural easements.

‘2: Lot sizes in agricultural zones be increased to at least 5 acres.

3: Provision for developments over 10 houses to be able to build more densely in return

for implementing “conservation by design” on the development.

Buffer Zones

Buffer zones are mandated to “buffer” adjacent land uses which create incompatibilities

between their respective activities. Our ordinances seem appropriate apart from their lack of

protection for natural vegetation in buffer zones.

We recommend

1: Mandating the protection of trees in buffer zones.

2: The requirement to plant buffer zones with native species only.

3: Improved design standards to allow for the preservation of the local landscape.

Flood zones

Our present ordinances use the FEMA 100 year flood map to define flood zones. This is the

minimum standard. Given the projected increase in the frequency anf severity of rainstorms in

our area,

We recommend

1: increasing our protected flood zone area by, for instance, using the FMA 500 year

flood maps, and/or commissioning a survey of locally known flood areas to be

incorporated into the protected flood zones.

2: Adding specific ordinances on the protection of wetlands in the township.

3: Adding specific ordinances on the protection of riparian zones, right across the

township.

Steep slopes

Our ordinances variously define steep slopes as 15%, 25% and 45%, and contain little on the

protection of steep slopes, post development.

We recommend:

1: defining steep slopes as anything above 15% with a ban on building on all steep

slopes unless specifically negotiated.

2: Allowing building on slopes between 15 and 25%, in return for concessions from the

developer on the conservation of land and control of runoff water.

3: Absolutely no development on, or alteration of, slopes above 25%

4: Ordinances requiring the terracing of steep slopes created in a development, to

control runoff.