The WCIA has reviewed the…

The WCIA has reviewed the Official Plan as adopted for the purpose of ensuring that it contains
adequate protective land use and environmental policies which appropriately balance the need
to accommodate growth with appropriate long-term protection of the County’s natural heritage
system and its component features and functions. The adopted Official Plan has implemented
many of recommendations made by the WCIA to County Council in 2020. However, the WCIA
submits that the following remaining recommendations should be implemented:

• The WCIA submits that the term “Waring’s Creek Sub-Watershed” should be modified to
“Waring’s Creek Watershed” throughout the Official Plan for the following reasons. First, the
Waring’s Creek Watershed is a watershed not a sub-watershed, as is indicated in Schedule
‘B’ to the adopted Official Plan. Second, in the WCIA’s submission, this modification is
necessary as the Official Plan defines “watershed” but not “sub-watershed,” and the policies
of the Official Plan refer only to watersheds; as such the use of “sub-watershed” allows for
potential confusion as to whether policies relating to watersheds apply to the Waring’s Creek
Watershed.

• The WCIA submits that a sentence should be added at the end of section 3.1.4(16) of the
Official Plan to state that an Environmental Impact Study is required as part of an application
for proposed development on lands adjacent to the Waring’s Creek. The following wording is
suggested for this addition to section 3.1.4(16):

An Environmental Impact Study (EIS) in accordance with section 5.1.9 of this Plan shall
be required as part of any application for development or site alteration adjacent to the
riparian area extending a minimum 50 metres out from the top of bank of the Creek and
any tributaries, and any additional wetlands or other features providing groundwater
discharge to the Creek and its tributaries.

It is respectfully requested that these changes be implemented to ensure the Official Plan
contains sufficient protections for the Waring’s Creek Watershed.