I have had a unique experience sitting on both the Green Plan Steering Committee from (2000-2005) and the Technical Steering Committee for the Natural Heritage Strategy (2008). A key intent of these committees and the River System Advisory Committee is to create and/or maintain integrated and sustainable environmental systems. Accordingly, community concern over OPA 42 and OPA 48 warrants your attention so that Guelph can continue to uphold a system that combines healthy remnant fully natural features with explicit connections made to open space parkland and ultimately a sustainable greenway system. This system is imperative for both environmental system function and community livability.
I hope that you will consider the following items in advance of the meeting this evening:
1. The Linked Open Space Concept is a highly effective approach to the identification, protection and enhancement of a multi-faceted greenway system with the environment and community in mind. This system is equally vital to the long-term health of natural ecosystems and the individual health of residents.
2. The linkage of natural heritage features and open space was introduced into Guelph planning over a decade ago and formalized by the River Systems Advisory Committee and the Green Plan Steering Committee (with extensive additions made to the 2001 Official Plan based on much work and recommendations put forth by these committees).
3. The Natural Heritage System was developed with the understanding that a Linked Open Space Concept was also in place. OPA 42 deals only with the natural heritage features component of the combined concept and in no way invalidates or diminishes the importance of having open space components in the greenway system or reduces the crucial role of open space lands in forming a connected, sustainable and biodiverse total greenway system.
4. The Town of Oakville adopted a linked Natural Heritage/Open Space system as the First Priority in the Official Plan (2008) which supports citizen recommendations that the Linked Open Space Concept be increasingly vital in Guelph (especially with urban growth in southern Ontario), rather than less important.
5. It is prudent to delay OPA 48 until the Linked Open Space Concept (linked Natural Heritage/Open Space System) has been adequately/openly discussed and recognized appropriately in the Official Plan.
Thank you for considering these items. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any additional questions. GL