An inventory of 27 environmentally significant areas in Red Deer County, updated for the first time since 1990, was accepted by council Tuesday.The inventory, compiled by professional biologists, verified boundaries of the previously identified environmentally significant areas (ESA) and identified others not noticed before.Areas identified include the Bowden Slough, six Penhold/Innisfail wetlands, the Little Red Deer River Sandhills, and Cygnet Lake.Along with the inventory, was a proposed municipal development plan (MDP) policy review of the natural capital section to be included in the 2012 MDP. Policy statements to be incorporated into the land-use bylaw will be presented to council following the adoption of the 2012 MDP.ìThis isn't by any means meant to tell the farming community how to farm their land,î said Mayor Jim Wood after a presentation by consultant Frank Liszczak of Matrix Planning during last Tuesday's council meeting.ìWhat it is meant to do is show the land as something else than farming, whether it be commercial lots or residential subdivisions. These are the steps we're taking today,î he said of protecting land that might be developed in the future.The inventory was completed in November 2011 and looks at two basic natural features ó the lay of the land and the presence of water, explained Liszczak.ìThe ESA inventory is an important link to long-term understanding and protection of environmentally significant areas,î he said to council.It can be used as a reference for when applications for planning area structure plans and development plans come forward, he said as an example. It also serves as a baseline for future environmental research.ìWe came across some information gaps such as a wildlife inventory. The staff and public can come up with a menu of future environmental research that would come forward as need be.îThe policy review is meant to protect significant areas from inappropriate development. Now that the policy has been accepted by council, the next step will be to implement an environmental review process for lands containing ESAs as part of the statutory planning, subdivision and development process.ìWe want more of a checklistî to determine when an environmental review is necessary, said Cynthia Cvik, director of planning and development.The project was undertaken in 2009 with an initial draft completed and released to the public in January 2010. Since then six public meetings were held for feedback, with a total of 595 people attending the events.
