Best Management Practices - Land Development

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B. SITE ASSESSMENT AND DESIGN PHASE

Historically, applications for land development or subdivision provided only rudimentary lot and road layouts and the basic engineering design necessary to develop a property and safely convey stormwater from a development site. These application packages lacked the necessary terrain and habitat information needed to adequately assess the potential impacts on environmental values (fish and wildlife habitats, sensitive ecosystems, etc).

If the decline of fish stocks and identified wildlife species that are affected by human settlement are to be effectively addressed, future development needs to be planned in a manner that identifies and preserves sensitive environmental values prior to applying layout and engineering standards to the landscape. The importance of clearly identifying sensitive environmental resources as well as management and protection mechanisms for sensitive habitats and ecosystems in a plan prior to the design layout stage cannot be overstated. Understanding what information and standards are required at the application stage may also help a developer avoid costly delays.  

1. Biological Inventories

Objective

Environmental inventory information should be incorporated into a proponents’ development proposal at the planning stage and protection measures need to be implemented during the project.

Locations with Existing Environmental Inventories

Sensitive habitat atlases have been completed for the Regional District of Comox-Strathcona, the Nanaimo Regional District, the Cowichan Regional District and the District of Saanich. Another atlas is underway for the Capital Regional District. These atlases are a good source of inventory information including spatial information specific to fish and wildlife habitats and sensitive ecosystems.

Sensitive Ecosystem Inventory (SEI) identified large patches of remnant native plant communities (i.e., sensitive ecosystems) unique to the populated south-eastern portion of Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. These ecosystems support a higher proportion of rare plants and plant communities than the surrounding landscape. The SEI is available on hardcopy maps or in electronic form and documents a major decline in the abundance and quality of the selected sensitive ecosystems. SEI update forms are also available to trained personnel for confirmation of, or changes to, the existing inventory.

In addition to the sensitive habitat atlas products and SEI information, the following inventories are available from the MELP regional office in Nanaimo:

• nest site data and annual monitoring reports for bird species identified in Section 34 of the Wildlife Act, including great blue heron, bald eagle, goshawk and peregrine falcons (Note: falcon nest locations are not made public due to their extreme vulnerability);
• freshwater fish inventories (lake surveys and stream assessments, may be MELP-based or by others). See the BC Fisheries website for Fish Inventory Stream Summary (FISS).

Biology, general habitat requirements and probable distribution of selected "species at risk" have been included in Appendix C.

Inventories for many other species are collected or added to periodically. New information will be provided to land development approving agencies from this ministry as it becomes available. Contact regional staff for more details.

Locations With No Apparent Existing Inventory

Best Management Practice

Where existing inventories are unavailable or incomplete, we recommend that the developer be required to commission a biological inventory for both aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Copies of general terms of reference for biological inventories are available and have been included in Schedule 2. These inventories should then be used to assess the potential impacts from a proposed development. Once completed, specific inventory forms, such as "Conservation Evaluation and Visual Inspection Forms" should then be forwarded for inclusion into MELP data inventory.

1. Recommended ‘Triggers’ for Bio-Inventories

• sites under 2 hectares, with no known sensitive features or complex issues: use existing inventory information from the local watershed atlas, Bald Eagle and Heron inventories, SEI, FISS, and other available inventory sources
• sites over 2 hectares but under 5 hectares, OR where the potential intensity of the development could destroy a sensitive ecosystem: carry out a site quality survey to help determine whether a more detailed inventory is needed
• sites over 5 hectares, OR sites with known highly sensitive or complex issues or features: a detailed bio-inventory should be carried out.

For further information regarding inventory requirements, see Schedule 2.

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