Principle

Protect, conserve, and enhance natural features within St. Albert.

Photo: Derek McLagen

St. Albert’s natural features provide wildlife habitat and support the health and quality of life for residents. Maintaining a balance between development and the conservation of natural features is essential and may require limiting development within, and close to, natural features. The following policies ensure that the ecological benefits of natural features are conserved, and potential adverse effects are understood and avoided, or mitigated where avoidance is not possible.

“When we plan for the future generations to thrive on our lands, we must also plan for the future of all living beings that share the land with us. We must plan for the future of our life-givers for without them our future is in jeopardy.”

– Douglas Cardinal, Architect

Policies

5.1.1.

Require all development to adhere to provincial and federal acts and regulations relating to the environment, including, but not limited to those related to air quality, water quality, wetlands, wildlife, land use, and flood hazard lands.
 

5.1.2.

Protect and conserve natural features identified on Map 5, and sensitively integrate them into statutory plans and conceptual plans for development, where such plans are envisioned or proposed, as the foundation of an ecological network.
 

5.1.3.

Enhance the ecological network over time by:

1. Encouraging and supporting the protection, conservation, and restoration of natural areas in addition to the natural features shown on Map 5, as identified in the supportive technical documents associated with the preparation and amendment of statutory plans;
2. Encouraging and supporting the naturalization of open spaces; and
3. Prioritizing opportunities to create links within the local and regional ecological network when supporting the conservation and restoration of natural areas and the naturalization of open spaces.

5.1.4.

Protect and conserve natural features using the following means:

1. Environmental reserve dedication or easements, in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Government Act;
2. Municipal reserve dedication, in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Government Act and in alignment with the City of St. Albert Parks and Open Space Standards and Guidelines;
3. Conservation reserve dedication, in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Government Act; or
4. Any other means identified by City Administration, including, but not limited to, land exchanges, land purchases, transfer of development rights, donations and requests, and conservation easements.
    

5.1.5.

Prepare an acquisition strategy that prioritizes the protection and conservation of natural features and includes the establishment of a Conservation Reserve Fund.
 

5.1.6.

Require environmental reserve, conservation reserve, and environmental reserve easements to maintain ecological functions, while contributing to the City’s open space and trail system, where appropriate.
 

5.1.7.

Enable public access to environmental reserve, conservation reserve, and environmental reserve easement lands, where those areas have the capacity to sustain human uses without adversely affecting and degrading the functional integrity of the natural feature and overall health of the ecosystem.
 

5.1.8.

Establish appropriate buffer zones, setbacks, and other mitigation and design measures when enabling public access to environmental reserve, conservation reserve, and environmental reserve easement lands.
 

5.1.9.

Require development and construction areas that abut natural features to be separated by physical barriers during construction, protected through erosion control measures, and, after construction is complete, be clearly demarcated from abutting properties.
 

5.1.10.

Assess, and potentially require, restoration work to take place if grading or construction activity adversely affects natural features.
 

5.1.11.

Require satisfactory environmental studies to be included in statutory and non-statutory plan proposals that may impact natural features, ecological systems, or lands unsuitable for development.

5.1.12.

Identify relevant environmental studies as part of the statutory plan and development application submission requirements, as determined by the City. Such studies may include, but are not limited to:

1. Environmental impact assessments
2. Environmental site assessments
3. Biophysical assessments
4. Wetland assessments
5. Natural area assessments
6. Traditional ecological knowledge studies
7. Traditional land use studies
8. Environmental construction operation plans
    

5.1.13.

Require appropriate setbacks from identified natural features and lands considered unsuitable for development, to be established as follows:

1. Based on the greater of:
   1. A minimum 50-metre setback from the top-of-bank of the Sturgeon River or Carrot Creek to lot boundaries;
   2. A minimum 30-metre setback from conserved waterbodies to lot boundaries;
   3. The application of an ecologically appropriate tool, such as a Riparian Setback Matrix Model or Slope Stability Analysis.
2. Or as determined through appropriate studies and plans, as deemed satisfactory by the City. The cost of supporting studies and plans are the responsibility of the applicant.

5.1.14.

Require all lands that are considered unsuitable for development, including required setbacks from these areas, to be dedicated as environmental reserve, in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Government Act.
 

5.1.15.

Limit the removal of vegetation within riparian setback areas, unless removal is required for public hazard reduction, weed management, and general maintenance of parks and open spaces.
 

5.1.16.

Collaborate with neighbouring municipalities, public agencies, community organizations, Indigenous communities, and other levels of government to protect environmental features and ecosystems within and connected to the City of St. Albert.