Waterways Recovery Task Force

September 8th, 2016

Rebuilding Options Considered

Status Quo

Flood Mitigation concerns

Land Use concerns

Internal Land Swap

Interest from residents?

Availability of Land outside the Flood Hazard Area

External Land Swap

Interest from residents?

Cost?

Availability of Land

Status Quo

Flood Mitigation

Flood Mitigation

Following flooding issues throughout the Province in June 2013 and the Government of Alberta’s subsequent announcement of its intent to restrict future development in areas designated as floodway, the Municipality:

Amended its Land Use Bylaw in August 2013, to require “flood proofing” of development in the Clearwater River Flood Hazard Area; and

Undertook preliminary designed of a flood mitigation system to provide protection from a 1:100 ice jam flood event for this flood hazard area.

In 2015 the Municipality requested, and received permission from the Government of Alberta (GoA) to defer its flood mitigation program for one year, while the GoA undertook additional study to confirm the 1:100 ice jam flood hazard elevation

While the flood hazard elevation is under review, the Municipality has undertaken to continue with its pre-2013 plan to complete flood mitigation to the 1:40 year elevation, to provide both some level of flood protection and needed transportation infrastructure in the Lower Townsite until the elevation of the 1:100 ice jam flood is verified

Current plans provides the ability to upgrade the 1:40 flood protection system to a 1:100 flood protection system in the future

Flood Mitigation

The 2016 wildfire introduced an unexpected and time-sensitive new

factor into the flood mitigation planning process

August 2013 Land Use Bylaw amendments that were intended to impose

“flood-proofing” requirements on any new developments in the Flood

Hazard Area, now impose such requirements on property owners who

wish to rebuild properties destroyed by the fire

For these residents, this is a significant out-of-pocket expense that is

not covered by their insurance policies

Municipality reviewing both its Land Use Bylaw and its flood mitigation

planning and timing

Impact to the residents of the area who lost properties to the wildfire

is severe and demands a prompt and coordinated response from both

levels of government, so that these residents will have certainty

around their rebuilding options

Flood Mitigation Request sent from Mayor Melissa Blake to Minister of Municipal Affairs and

Minister of Environment and Parks on August 18, 2016

Outlines a proposal to protect Waterways from ice jam flooding with demountable

walls

Asks that Waterways residents be allowed to rebuild to pre-existing construction

standards if the municipality enacts suitable flood mitigation measures that meet

provincial standards

Asks for assurance that Waterways will be eligible for Disaster Recovery Program

coverage if a flood occurs while the Municipality prepares the new flood mitigation

measures and if a flood elevation greater than the 1:100 event (or legislated

elevation) occurs

Asks for assurance that any regulations that may be enacted under the Municipal

Government Act or Emergency Management Act will not prevent residents from

rebuilding in the floodway or flood fringe areas without the need for extraordinary

flood proofing measures to individual structures, nor render residents ineligible for

funding under the Disaster Recovery Program, provided the municipality implements

acceptable flood mitigation measures for a 1:100 event (or other prescribed

elevation) within a reasonable time

Land Use Concerns: Bylaw 18/018 – Land Use

Bylaw Amendment to Repeal Bylaw 16/011

Bylaw 16/011 had the effect of preventing the start of rebuilding in

Waterways until the Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) deems

those neighbourhoods fit for human habitation

Events since the passage of Bylaw 16/011 have shown the remaining

CMOH restrictions on habitation in these neighbourhoods need not be

an obstacle to the commencement of rebuilding

Recommended that Bylaw 16/011 be repealed

Following approval of development and building permits in Abasand

and Beacon Hill, residents can start pouring foundations and installing

pilings. Work in Waterways cannot begin until this bylaw has been

repealed

First Reading occurred on August 30th and the public hearing will be

held on Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Land Use Concerns: Bylaw 16/020 – Land Use

Bylaw Amendment – Wildfire Recovery Overlay

Overlay applied to portion of Waterways that lies above the flood hazard zone

Proposed Bylaw Seeks to accomplish the following:

Remove uncertainty caused by the present “discretionary use” designation of all lands in Abasand and Beacon Hill and much of Waterways

Make clear that in residential zones within the Overlay area those who wish to rebuild to the same building footprint that existed prior to the wildfire will not be denied a development permit to do so; and

Establish with certainty what a property owner – or a group of owners working together – must do in order to be assured of receiving development approval when a proposed rebuild is not to the same building footprint that existed prior to the wildfire

First Reading occurred on September 6th and the public hearing will be held on Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Land Use Concerns: Slope Stability

Areas in Waterways, particularly in the Cliff Avenue area may have

slope stability concerns

Section 62 of the Land Use Bylaw: Development Setbacks from Slopes

does require that geotechnical reports be submitted at the time of

the development permit application

Outstanding concerns about slope stability

Understanding of what happens in the wider area

What are the mitigation measures and costs associated with those measures

Internal Land Swap

Potential Areas for Internal Land Swap

Internal Land Swap

The Industrial Minerals Salt Plant was located on the property that was

the Outdoor Hockey Rink – this may lead to building concerns on this

lot and further site investigation would be required for this area to be

considered as a land swap area

46 vacant lots located outside the flood hazard area (may have slope

stability issues). Not all are owned by the Municipality

Location of Land Swap

Land would need to be serviced, if servicing not already available

Subdivision of lots may need to occur

Considerations to waive the build in place requirement in many Insurance Policies

External Land Swap

External Land Swap

Commercial development may be redeveloped as flood proofing

requirements only apply to habitable space

Location of Land Swap

Land would need to be accessible and serviced

Considerations to waive the build in place requirement in many Insurance Policies

Questions?