Council Meeting/Documents/Application Review: Sensitive Terrestrial Areas Development Permit Area

Appendix

Application Review: Sensitive Terrestrial Areas Development Permit Area

April 15, 2025Pages 421–4262 sections

A staff review of the development application against guidelines for sensitive terrestrial areas and wildland/urban interface.

1 CALL TO ORDER- Mayor Tobias called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

Application Number: 3060-20-2025-02Highland RoadReviewer: Jeff Chow, Senior PlannerDate: Feb 20, 202510m fuel free zone proposedAttachment 3 of Item 9.1c

Application Review: Sensitive Terrestrial Areas Development Permit Area


Application Number:	3060-20-2025-02
Address and Legal Description	Highland Road
Reviewer:	Jeff Chow, Senior Planner
Date:	Feb 20, 2025
Plans	January 6, 2025

GUIDELINES – GENERAL

Guideline	Proposal
i. Identify critical areas containing important, rare or fragile sensitive ecosystems or habitat.	n/a
ii. Avoid locating development in areas containing important, rare or fragile sensitive ecosystems or habitat where reasonable alternative sites exist	Complies
iii. The area cleared and disturbed for development should be minimized.	Complies
iv. Fewer, but larger, undisturbed areas should be retained, rather than small or isolated undisturbed areas.	Complies
v. Buildings and associated infrastructure should be sited with sufficient undisturbed space around significant mature or established trees to protect root systems.	Complies
vi. Undeveloped buffer areas should be retained around sensitive ecosystems, features or habitat where feasible. Buffer areas should be of sufficient width to limit access by invasive plants.	Complies
vii. Natural features should be retained through incorporation into the design of the development. In particular, unique or special natural features such as native grasses, rare plants, unique land forms, rock outcroppings, mature trees, spits and dunes should be protected.	Complies
viii. Connections and corridors should be maintained to provide continuity between sensitive ecosystems and important habitat	Complies
ix. Use of drought resistant and native plants in landscaping is encouraged.	Complies
x. The planting or introduction of non-native plants should be avoided
xi. Avoid the introduction of invasive species.	Complies
xii. Soil removal or deposit within or adjacent to a sensitive ecosystems or habitat should be avoided.	Complies
xiii. Alteration of natural drainage systems in ways that increase or decrease the amount of water available to a sensitive ecosystem should be avoided.	Complies
xiv. Septic fields should be located in such a manner to avoid the possibility of polluting sensitive ecosystems or habitat.	Complies
xv. Driveways and other accesses should be limited to the number required for safe access, with shared driveway access where feasible. Driveway lengths and widths should be limited to the minimum necessary. If possible, the use of impervious surfaces should be discouraged.	Complies
xvi. The permit conditions may include: Construction of permanent or temporary fencing around sensitive features; Fencing, flagging and posting of notices during construction; Limits on blasting in sensitive areas; Limits on construction timing; Provision of works to maintain or restore the quantity or quality of water reaching environmentally sensitive areas or habitat; Restoration or enhancement of disturbed sensitive ecosystems and habitat; and Registration of restrictive covenants.	n/a - previously approved cleared area

GUIDELINES –WILDLAND/URBAN INTERFACE AND STEEP SLOPE AREAS

Guideline	Proposal
i. Building and site design should seek to minimize fire risk in the Town of View Royal Community Wildfire Protection Plan area.	Complies
ii. Development in wildland/urban interface areas should follow BC FireSmart principles with specific consideration given to the following: Use tile, steel or other non-combustible material for roofing. Include closed-in soffits. Keep roofing clear of combustible material accumulation. Use siding materials such as stucco, steel, aluminum or cementitious material. Avoid decks and porches, or construct with non-combustible material. Alternatively, build using wood materials with underside fully enclosed. Underground wiring should be installed for power supply to the building or structure. If overhead wires, avoid physical contact with adjacent trees. Ensure availability of water for entire building, exterior and roof. Ensure vehicle access to adjacent forest land. Avoid dead-end access roads with no turn-around provision. Establishing a 10 metre fuel free zone around buildings and, where landscaped, planted with lawn or native fire resistant species and irrigated. Remove coniferous trees within 10 metres of buildings.	Complies. Building materials consist of: Metal roof Cisterns provided for sprinkling 10m fuel free zone proposed
iii. Development should avoid siting on steep slopes wherever possible.	Complies
iv. Where steep slopes cannot be avoided development should seek to minimize alteration of existing topography through excavation and blasting and employ building designs that work with existing topography.	Complies – one set of retaining walls north of dwelling previously approved
v. All development on or adjacent to steep slopes must be certified safe by a geotechnical engineer.	No steep slopes in development area; storm water management plan prepared a by geotechnical engineer in previous approval

GUIDELINES FOR DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS

Page 421–426

Guideline	Proposal
i. Development applications shall include an impact assessment report, following recognized best management practices, prepared by a registered professional biologist with the following information:	Complies
• Detailed identification of all environmentally sensitive areas within the site;	No ESAs identified, instead development is focused in once location with remainder of the site left in a natural state
• Criteria used to define the boundaries of ESAs;	See above
• Inventory of significant fish species, red and blue list species, sensitive ecosystems wildlife trees and related habitat classification within the site;	While a full site environmental inventory was not conducted, the development is in the most disturbed part of the site and the plans to not propose disturbance to the remainder of the site
• Impact statement describing effects of the proposed development on natural conditions;	Complies
• Recommendations for mitigating habitat degradation, including management of sedimentation and erosion, stabilization and re-vegetation of degraded or impacted areas, identification of areas that should remain free of development or be subject to special conditions, and recommendations as to any rearrangement of proposed development activities on the site that would be beneficial to the protection of ESAs Guidelines for mitigating habitat degradation, including limits of proposed leave strips and buffer zones.	Complies
• Recommended development permit conditions under s. 920(7) [sic] of the Local Government Act, to be considered by the Town in issuing a development permit, including any recommendations regarding the timing and sequence of development activities and the monitoring of those activities by the professional biologist	Complies
ii. Where development is in proximity to this environmentally sensitive area, design details of proposed mitigating measures are to be provided in an environmental management plan prepared by qualified project consultants with the assistance of a registered professional biologist. Minimizing sedimentation and erosion, stabilizing and re-vegetating impacted areas, and monitoring requirements must also be addressed in the management plan.	Complies
iii. Where development will encroach on this Development Permit Area, a storm water management plan must be prepared by a qualified engineer in consultation with a registered professional biologist.	Complies
iv. Where steep or unstable slopes exist or there is risk of flooding, a report from a geotechnical engineer must be provided.	Complies
v. Where required by the Riparian Area Regulations, the completion and submittal of a Riparian Area Assessment Report.	n/a
vi. In the area north of Thetis Lake Regional Park and the lands in the vicinity of Mill Hill Regional Park, a Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Smart risk assessment and management plan must be provided.	Provided

Page 421–426

Extracted from: 2025 04 15 Council Agenda - Agenda - Pdf