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Policy Id:

SPR/SPA:

Risk:

BC-MC-14.1

Grand River

Significant

Implementing Body

Legal Effect

Policy Tool

Threat Type

Status

Comment

Brant County of - (Municipality)

Conform with

Land Use Planning Approaches

Future

In progress/some progress made

County of Brant has successfully finalized a New Official Plan, which has fully integrated Chapter 14 of the Lake Erie Source Protection Plan, along with associated Schedules. The Plan has been formally adopted by County Pursuant to Section 17(23) of the Planning Act, County Bylaw 61-23, adopted May 30, 2023. The Official Plan was sent to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing for final approval in June 2023. At this time of annual reporting January 2024, the County is still waiting on approval from the Province. The New Comprehensive Zoning By-law will commence on Provincial approval of the New Official Plan. As per Section 16 (20) of the Planning Act, no later than one year after the official plan policies

Policy Text:

To ensure that any future activity that reduces the recharge of an aquifer within the WHPA-Q never becomes a significant drinking water threat, the relevant Planning Approval Authority shall:

a. Require new development for lands zoned Low Density Residential or zoned Agricultural to implement best management practices such as Low Impact Development (LID) with the goal to maintain pre-development recharge.
b. Require that all site plan (excluding an application for one single family dwelling) and subdivision applications for new residential, commercial, industrial and institutional uses provide a water balance assessment for the proposed development to the satisfaction of the Planning Approval Authority which addresses each of the following requirements:
i. Maintain pre-development recharge to the greatest extent feasible through best management practices such as LID, minimizing impervious surfaces, and lot level infiltration;
ii. Where pre-development recharge cannot be maintained on site, implement and maximize off-site recharge enhancement (within the same WHPA-Q) to compensate for any predicted loss of recharge from the development; and
iii. For new development (excluding a minor variance) within the WHPA-Q and within an Issue Contributing Area (for sodium, chloride or nitrates), the water balance assessment must consider water quality when recommending best management practices and address how recharge will be maintained and water quality will be protected.
c. Only approve settlement area expansions as part of a municipal comprehensive review where it has been demonstrated that recharge functions will be maintained on lands designated Significant Groundwater Recharge Areas within WHPA-Q.
d. Amend municipal planning documents to reference most current Assessment Reports in regards to the Significant Groundwater Recharge Areas within WHPA-Q.

Monitoring Text:

BC-CW-1.10: Where the County is required to amend their Official Plan and/or Zoning By-law to bring their planning documents into conformity with the Source Protection Plan, the County shall provide proof of compliance to the Source Protection Authority and shall provide a copy of such compliance within 30 days of the amendment(s) coming into effect or, where the matter has been appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board, the date of their decision to approve.