The Truth About the Kanata Lakes Golf Course Development Proposal

Many of you probably see the opposition to replacing the Kanata Lakes golf course with housing as just a NIMBY response of a bunch of privileged entitled suburbanites living in their low density paradise. After all golf courses are not usually considered environmentally friendly and there is a real need for more housing, though whether we need more low density suburban housing is a different question.

However there is a much bigger backstory to this whole issue relating to larger issues of environmental protection and land developers' powers over communities and municipal governments.

All of Kanata Lakes (originally referred to as Marchwood-Lakeside in planning documents), including the golf course, was zoned as Environmental Protection before the developers flexed their muscle threatening to go to the Ontario Municipal Board to get them to overrule the environmental zoning unless the municipal authorities allowed them to develop the land. The result was the flawed 40% agreement applying to Kanata Lakes/South March Highlands.. This was supposedly to protect the most environmentally sensitive lands yet the municipal authorities allowed the developer to include a golf course in that 40% protected “greenspace”. Much of the rest of the 40% was lands the developer did not want to develop anyway. I suppose we should be thankful homeowners lawns were not also included in the 40%.

The fact is we only have the South March Highlands Conservation Forest because the municipality bought those lands as that was the only way to protect them as environmental zoning is almost meaningless in Ontario.

For example a portion of the South March Highlands Conservation Forest within the Trillium Woods was zoned Environmental Protection. When the municipality denied permission to develop it the developer went to the OMB and had the zoning overturned and the municipality was forced to buy the land to protect it from development.

The golf course represents a contractual agreement by the developer (passed on to it's successors) to protect 40% of the total Kanata Lakes/South March Highlands lands as “greenspace”. To allow that 40% protected “greenspace” to be reduced even further would be to admit that communities have absolutely no control over land development and that there are virtually no protections for environmentally important lands in Ontario. It would be to say to the land development industry - go ahead do whatever you want, we are not even going to try to give communities a say in local development decisions anymore.

The solution is not to just acquiesce because trading a golf course for housing might be a good idea but to use this as an opportunity to further strengthen the 40% agreement by swapping the protected golf course lands for more environmentally important lands in the South March Highlands. While most of the KNL (Urbandale/Richcraft) lands are probably too far along in the development stage to be protected there is an environmentally significant portion of lands north of the South March Highlands Conservation Forest including a significant block of land owned by Metcalfe Realty that is zoned Environmental Protection.

The 2008 Brunton report said this about these lands:

Even at 400 ha, the Conservation Forest is presently too small to fully represent South March Highlands natural features and functions. A substantial proportion of that deficiency, however, is represented in the area immediately east and north of Heron Pond. Were the contributions of that area included within those of the present Conservation Forest, total protected floristic representation would rise to 98%. Significant species representation would also increase considerably, rising to 85% of the South March Highlands total. Substantially better representation of Blanding’s Turtle breeding habitat would also be achieved. Conservation management of this adjacent landscape is clearly a desirable objective of impact mitigation for the Conservation Forest.

It is recommended that management planning consider mechanisms for incorporating and protecting the ecological contributions of adjacent lands, particularly those to the north, to minimize negative impacts of the unnatural shape of the Conservation Forest.

Natural environment assessment (existing conditions):

South March Highlands Conservation Forest, Kanata,Ottawa, Ontario, May 2008, Daniel F. Brunton, Brunton Consulting Services, Ottawa, Ontario)

My understanding is that the municipal government has been trying to purchase that land but the landowner wants to sell it as a price suitable for development lands and the municipality wants to buy it at it's value as land zoned Environmental Protection.

I would propose that the current owner of the Kanata Lakes golf course purchase that land and donate it to the city (for inclusion in the South March Highlands Conservation Forest) to replace the golf course lands within the 40% agreement and that the golf course lands then be zoned for housing.

This is not quite a win win situation as no doubt it will not satisfy most of the current neighbours of the golf course, but it will allow for new housing and protect more environmentally important lands while strengthening the spirit of the 40% agreement.

Note: the terms municipality and municipal authorities, etc. are used above because over the time period involved the municipal jurisdiction went through numerous reorganizations from City of Kanata to a regional government model to the current enlarged City of Ottawa. It should also be noted that the ownership of lands comprising Kanata Lakes have passed through several developers over the years.

Further Background Information

Kanata Lakes 40% Plan, City of Ottawa

(click/double click on image to enlarge)

South Mach Highlands Zoning Map
 

(click/double click on image to enlarge)

 Zoning Codes Used on Map
RESIDENTIAL ZONES
Residential Third Density Zone R3
Residential Fifth Density Zone R5
OPEN SPACE AND LEISURE ZONES
Parks and Open Space Zone O1
ENVIRONMENTAL ZONE
Environmental Protection Zone EP
RURAL ZONES
Agricultural Zone AG
Rural Residential RR
Rural Countryside Zone RU
OTHER ZONES
Development Reserve Zone DR


Comprehensive Map of the South March Highlands

(click/double click on image to enlarge) 

THE FIFTH COLUMN: Saving the South March Highlands: Looking to the Future

THE FIFTH COLUMN: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About The South March Highlands

THE FIFTH COLUMN Everything I have written on The South March Highlands and The South March Highlands Management Plan

South March Highlands: The New Map

click on map to enlarge

The Struggle to Protect The South March Highlands Simplified

What is the Most Important Thing to Know About the South March Highlands

The key things to know about the South March Highlands are:

• it is a popular all year recreation destination for people from all over Ottawa and an international mountain biking destination

• while, within the City of Ottawa, it feels like wilderness when you are in it

• it is a candidate Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI)

• it is the most biodiverse area within Ottawa

• it is the home to a huge number of species of flora and fauna, including many endangered and threatened species

• it contains old growth forests and provincially significant wetlands

• it includes Canadian Shield geology and other significant geological features

• it is the site of numerous pre-contact (pre-European) archaeological sites and may be eligible for UN World Heritage Site status

• it has been declared sacred by Algonquin First Nations chiefs and elders

• the area considered the most environmentally significant, Trillium Woods, is under great ecological threat because KNL's development plans will cut it off from the rest of the city-owned Conservation Forest

• while the privately owned land north of the city-owned Conservation Forest is zoned Environmental Protection, that has been proven not to be enough to protect the land from the threat of development

But the most important thing that you need to know about the South March Highlands is that it is one ecosystem and harm to one part of it harms all of it and if you want to protect part of it you must protect all of it.

South March Highlands Trail Plan – Where Are The Environmentalists

Foreword:

After having time to reflect on the March Open House and read over more carefully the Display Boards, that are now posted on the City of Ottawa website, I have further reflections.

Unfortunately there is still not the detailed information available on the website that would be required to do a real comprehensive analysis of the proposed trail plan.

The Proposed Trail Plan and the Environment

When this process first began my main concern was reports of overzealous environmentalists wanting to close off all access to the South March Highlands. Ironically, the opposite seems to be the problem at the moment – an apparent lack of concern (as far as I can see) from environmentalists over the proposals to denaturalize significant portions of natural rugged single track trail. The more I look at the trail map the more I realize just how extensive the proposed denaturalization is.

The most glaring and troubling proposal involves the Trillium Woods, which has been identified as the most environmentally significant and sensitive portion of the management area. In the Trillium Woods the plan calls for turning the narrow natural trails into 2-3 metre wide compacted granular surface stone dust paths. One can only ask what are they thinking. The only possible reason for that is because of it's proximity to development and houses. As an environmentalist I find this to be unconscionable.

But the Trillium Woods is not the only part of the management area where the city plans to denaturalize narrow trails and turn them into wide hard packed paths as the map below shows.

Perhaps some compromise is necessary. And in that spirit I would propose that such paths be limited to Zone 3, the least significant environmental zone, and the zone that includes the area that attracted the broadest public interest, the Beaver Pond Area, and is thus, self-identified as the area where most people would want easy access.

In the more environmentally significant areas we need to do all we can to protect the natural environment, and that does not include building wide hard-packed paths through it.

As I have stated several times before on this subject in The Fifth Column:

As an environmentalist and serious hiker and mountain biker my first and primary concern is that the trails be kept in their natural rugged state and be retained as natural surface single track trails.

I call on all Ottawa environmentalists to rally together to protect this natural area and it's natural rugged single track trails.

Map of SMH Environmental Zones

Map of Proposed SMH Trail System

Description of Proposed SMH Trail Types

Further Information Resources
City of Ottawa - South March Highlands Conservation Forest Management Plan

Brunton Report 2008 - South March Highlands

Brunton Report 2004 - South March Highlands

THE FIFTH COLUMN: Submission re: South March Highlands Conservation Forest Management Plan Draft Trail Plan

THE FIFTH COLUMN: Submission re: South March Highlands Conservation Forest Management Plan

Submission re: South March Highlands Conservation Forest Management Plan Draft Trail Plan

This document is being submitted to the City of Ottawa South March Highlands Conservation Forest Management Plan public consultation process.

If you attended the March 2, 2009 public meeting please let the city know your views on the plan. If you could not attend the meeting become informed and make your views known.

For more information, or to make your views known, please contact:

David Miller
Program Manager, Environmental Sustainability
City of Ottawa
4th floor, 110 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 1J1
Phone: 613-580-2424, ext. 21447
Fax: 613-580-2459
E-mail: david.miller@ottawa.ca

You may also wish to let your city councillor know about your views.

Contact Information for City Councillors

Introduction

I am a lifelong environmentalist and outdoorsperson who hikes, mountain bikes, skis and snowshoes in the South March Highlands.

In this document “trail” will refer to natural rugged single track trails and “pathway” will refer to wide hard packed gravel-stone dust pathways. As there are no official trail names provided in the plan I will refer to trails according to the names on the Ottawa Mountain Bike Association (OMBA) Trail Map.

Reference Maps (click on maps to enlarge)

Ottawa Mountain Bike Association (OMBA) Trail Map


City of Ottawa Map of Proposed Trail System Annotated by Richard W. Woodley

(unfortunately the city's full colour-coded map of the proposed trails and pathways is not available to the public)

Overall Impressions of the Trail Plan

I have to say that the most important aspects of the plan are that it recognizes the principle of a shared trail system and the legitimacy of mountain biking as an activity on the trails. It also maintains the bulk of the existing trail system.

I do have concerns with some of the public perceptions out there and some calls for separate trail systems. My experience on the trails, whether on my bike or hiking, is that everyone shares the trails well with no problems.

Trillium Woods

The Trillium Woods Trail is currently a naturally rugged trail and a very enjoyable trail for beginner and intermediate level mountain bikers, as well as hikers. It would fit the yellow classification in the city's plan.

In my original submission to the city I stated:

As an environmentalist and serious hiker and mountain biker my first and primary concern is that the trails be kept in their natural rugged state and be retained as natural surface single track trails.

The Trillium Woods is described in the city's plan as the most environmentally important and sensitive part of the South March Highlands. That being the case I might have expected possible trail closures in that area. Indeed the Trillium Woods Trail has begun to widen and my recommendation would be for mitigation measures to be taken to restore the trail to its natural single track state.

However the draft plan proposes the most environmentally damaging option for the Trillium Woods Trail, and that is to turn it into a widened hard packed gravel-stone dust pathway.

The only possible reason for that is because of it's proximity to development and houses. As an environmentalist I find this to be unconscionable.

The Beaver Pond

The area along the Beaver Pond will have pathways.

I stated in my original submission:

There has also been the possibility of wheelchair access pathways suggested. Despite the potential benefits of this, I do not wish to see the natural ruggedness and wilderness-like nature of the protected area compromised. One possibility is to build such a pathway around the “Beaver Pond”. This would also provide a place for casual walkers to enjoy the forest without ending up on the rugged natural trails in their high heels or sandals.

Kanata Lakes

The remaining protected Kanata Lakes lands on the other side of Goulbourn Forced Road will also have pathways.

It will be sad to see the eventual loss of the natural trails in the old Kanata Lakes system but due to it's proximity to development and housing, it's distance from the main natural rugged trail system, and the small amount of area left and the desire to provide a balanced mix of trails and pathways, this may be a reasonable place to put pathways. To be honest, I really do not want to see the loss of these natural rugged trails but I am trying to be balanced and open minded here.

The Hydro Cut and New Pathway

The Hydro Cut is unsustainable as it is, being a mud hole for much of the hiking and biking season. It is appropriate to turn it into a pathway.

I have no comments on the new pathway at the end of the hydro cut.

Second Line Extension and Bear Claw Trail

The Second Line Extension was a forest road, although it has started to narrow in sections. I have no objections to it becoming a pathway.

Bear Claw Trail is a different matter. It is a wonderful fun beginner to intermediate level mountain bike and hiking trail. It would fit the yellow classification in the city's plan.

While I can accept the need for some easy pathways to serve all members of the public. I think what has been provided, including giving up all the natural rugged trails in the old Kanata Lakes System, is sufficient and another wonderful natural trail should not be sacrificed.

Trail Closures

It would have been nice to have some documentation on the reasons for the trail closures, though one can speculate that some of it was done to rationalize the system and eliminate duplicate parallel trails.

Closure of Easier Trails: Rockhopper Jr., Rockhopper Extension and M-Line (and Widening Bridges on Inner and Outer Thigh)

I can only speculate that these trails are being closed as a form of trail rationalization as they are relatively short sections of trail and overall the bulk of the trail system remains. M-Line may indeed be untenable due to its proximity to Terry Fox Drive (when built). However it is unfortunate as there is a limited amount of beginner level trails in the system.

As a mitigating measure, to increase the amount of beginner-friendly trails, I would propose that the Inner Thigh and Outer Thigh loops be made more beginner-friendly by widening the bridges to 24 inches, or eliminating them. There will still be sections of trail that are not beginner-friendly but that is the nature of natural trails and it provides an incentive to try something harder. However, the bridges are particularly intimidating to beginners because of their length and their narrowness.

Closure of the Southwestern Section of Rock Hopper

The plan proposes to close part of Rockhopper Trail, turning what was a loop trail into a dead end. Unless there is significant environmental reason (and none was given at the public meeting when I asked) it does not make sense to turn a loop trail into a dead end. This proposed trail closure needs to be rethought and the trail restored to its original loop. Incidentally the section of trail that is being closed is the easiest section of the trail.

Multiple Trails Combined Into One

There are a number of trails leading to Outback (Garter Belt, Ridgetop, Annex, Pasture and Gateway, etc.) where there are sections of separate trails running parallel and close to each other. While each of these trail does provide different terrain and riding experiences they are not all necessary to provide access to that part of the forest and I assume their conversion into one trail is based on the principle of trail rationalization.

Former Dark Side Trails

A number of trails that existed on former private property that has just recently been added to the city owned lands have been off limits for a number of years and were known as the Dark Side. The plan does not propose to reopen these trails but rather to close them. It would be useful to know the reasons for this decision. Without knowing that I cannot really support or oppose that decision.

Winter User Conflicts

As a cross-country skier I know that winter is the time when there are potential trail user conflicts, particularly with walkers who walk on the ski tracks making big holes that make skiing difficult.

Snowshoers tend to make their own separate trails, but even if they do go over the ski trails, they just flatten them rather than punching deep holes, making it still possible to ski the trail without too much difficulty.

Mountain bikers, on the other hand, tend to avoid the trails when they are skiable, because of the difficulty riding (and the fact that they would prefer to be skiing when the trails are skiable). Mountain bilkers prefer windows of opportunity when there is a freeze after a thaw (before more snow falls) and the trails are hard and frozen making ideal conditions for biking with studded tires but lousy conditions for skiing.

Public Education

The final, but perhaps most important part of the plan, should be public education on environmentally friendly and sustainable trail use, including respect for other trail users - share the trail. The education campaign should stress that trail users should stay on the designated trails. As well it should encourage trail users to avoid wet muddy trails but advise them to use the centre of the trail, not go alongside and widen it, if they do need to go through wet muddy sections.

Public education should also address the winter user conflicts and how to avoid them (don't walk on the ski tracks).

Signage at the trail heads should include large trail maps on the signs along with responsible trail use guidelines. As well pamphlets with a map of the trails and the guidelines should be available.

The Public Consultation Process: Lack of Information

In my response to the city's presentation at the April 30, 2008 Open House I stated:

Afterwards, I immediately went to the City of Ottawa website to see if I could review the maps and other documentation. However, as is usual whenever I go to the City of Website to look for planning or development information, I found it to be woefully inadequate.

It would be very useful if the public could access more details and background information on the City of Ottawa website in order to make better informed comments and suggestions.

The response I received from the city on May 12, 2008 was:

I noted your comment on the web site and I agree that we need to get materials there as we proceed with the process so I will be working to get material posted as soon as possible.

However nothing was posted and only recently very sparse information was posted on the City of Ottawa website at the link below.

City of Ottawa - South March Highlands Conservation Forest Management Plan

None of the information or maps from the Open House or the recent presentation of the draft plan are available online. At the March 2, 2009 meeting I was assured again that they will look into making more information available on the website.

It is very difficult for a member of the public to participate meaningfully in this process without adequate information. In particular, not knowing any of the actual reasons for trail closures has left me having to speculate in preparing my response to the draft plan. This weakens the public consultation process, and some may argue renders it meaningless. I would not go that far but my ability to fully participate in the process has certainly been reduced by the lack of information available.

For more general comments see also:

Submission re: South March Highlands Conservation Forest Management Plan

The South March Highlands - Kanata’s Outdoor Wonderland

For information on mountain biking in Ottawa see:

Ottawa Mountain Bike Association Web Site.