Parker Lands
Ecological Lands Parker 3 Habitat Information and Plants Found at the Site
Ecological Report - Adopted by Council February 21, 2007
4.2.2 The Development Review Process (Subdivisions, Rezoning, etc.)
Once a parcel enters the development review process a number of steps occur as it relates to NA. This process is coordinated by Planning, Property and Development’s Strategic Parks Planner with expertise and technical support provided by the Naturalist Services Branch, Public Works.
- The area is compared to the NA Inventory to determine if a NA exists on the property. If the existing information requires updating a natural heritage assessment will be conducted.
- Using Multi Criteria Evaluation, the natural area is reviewed by an interdepartmental committee to make a recommendation on whether the area should be recommended for protection as a designated ESNL.
- If the site is deemed worthy of protection all possible options are considered in cooperation with the developer of the land.
The primary basis for designating lands as ESNL is the natural heritage assessment described in the previous section. However, there are many other factors which may also be used to determine the importance of an area. While not all natural areas are considered ESNL, all riverbank areas proposed for development shall be strongly considered for protection as ESNL irrespective of their natural heritage grade. Riverbank areas are extremely important for aesthetics, erosion control, water quality, aquatic and terrestrial habitat, corridors, greenways and maintaining ecosystem health. They are therefore always considered ESNL. The multi-criteria evaluation process encompasses this and other factors.
4.2.3 The Multi-Criteria Evaluation Process
The multi-criteria evaluation process employs the model portrayed in Figure 1, on the following page. The process begins with the ESNL categorized as A, B, C or D as described in the previous section. Each of these parcels is then assessed on the basis of rarity, quality and ecological services provided to place them in one of the four quadrants of the diagram - I, II, II or IV. This effectively provides a priority rating for the parcel.
Figure 2 lists the criteria used in the priority-setting analysis under the categories of rarity, quality and ecological services.
The following table lists the criteria used in analyzing each parcel to assess its priority for protection. In addition to the categories of rarity, quality and ecological services, another category is listed as “Human Interaction”. This last category is shaded in the table to reflect that it is not fundamental to the initial priority-setting for protection but is rather an overlay which occurs following initial priority-setting. That overlay then assists in determining which of the high priority parcels can most productively and efficiently receive protection
TABLE 1 - MULTI-CRITERIA EVALUATION MATRIX
TABLE - THE APPLICATION OF THE CRITERIA TO THE PRIORITY-SETTING MODEL
4.2.4 Implications for Zoning and Future Land-use
ESNL acquired by the City of Winnipeg shall be zoned PR1 and follow acceptable management procedures as stated in this Strategy. ESNL managed on private land though conservation agreements or already otherwise zoned on City of Winnipeg land shall not be rezoned unless agreement is made to transfer the land to Parks.
Future land use shall follow guidelines set out by the Zoning By-Law, management practices stated in this Strategy and guidelines laid down by any conservation agreement that may be put in place.
Last update: October 25, 2010
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