Parks in our neighbourhoods and regions bring myriad
benefits to the environment and citizens.
They can protect environmentally sensitive areas, enhance our quality of
life as an urban amenity, and increase property values. Parks have recreation, scenic,
contemplative, habitat and ecological values.
They help maintain ecological functioning in built areas and form part
of the local government stormwater management system.
Planning for Parks
Both regional districts and municipalities have important roles in the
development of parks and the creation of greenways (linear green corridors that
connect natural areas such as wildlife habitat areas, parks and recreation
trails). Both regional districts and
municipalities own parks and can create greenways through various legal
tools. Planning for the creation of
parks and greenways is essential to realize most long term goals.
Some local
governments differentiate between “active” and “passive” parks. Active parks are managed primarily for
recreation values such as playing fields.
Passive parks are managed for ecological functions and their benefits as
natural space. Parks often form part of
a larger greenways or green spaces strategy at the municipal and regional
level, particularly through planning in the official
community plan.
Park planning and greenway
planning will often use similar tools and process. The ability of local governments to create parks that best serve the
environment and public needs requires careful planning. Planning for parks and greenways can occur
as part of a range of planning processes:
·
Official Community Plans – Official Community Plans are
required to include the approximate location and type of present and proposed
public facilities including parks.
Official community plans should also include clear policies and plans
for how local governments will acquire parks in the desired locations. For example, an Official Community Plan,
under local government powers requiring a contribution of land or money for
park purposes when a subdivision occurs, might require that subdivisions that
cross an area identified as future park land area designate land, while other
pay cash that can be used to purchase land for the identified future park.
·
Regional Growth Strategies - Where parks are of
regional significance, plans for their development should ideally be included
in a regional growth strategy, and the regional context statement of official
community plans.
·
Separate Park Planning – A local government may decide
to develop plans for parks or greenways through a planning process outside of
the formal planning processes mandated by the Local Government Act. Talk to the planning department with your
local government to find out how they plan for parks and greenspaces.
·
Capital Expenditure Programmes
and Financial Plans – The funding to purchase new parks should be included
in financial planning by a local government.
Implementing Park and Green Way Plans
For information on the powers of Local Government to acquire
and protect lands as park and greenways, see the Guide page on Local Governments and Parks.
Policies for Park and Green Ways
In addition to plans for where
and how parks should be created, it is important to have policies governing
critical aspects of park and greenway development and maintenance. Ideally these should be included in official
community plans. Examples of possible
policies include:
·
Policies regarding use of native species (both where
landowners or developers are required to restore vegetation, and by local
government).
·
Policies that, on Agricultural Reserve Land, trails should be fenced
and closed dawn to dusk, and located, where possible, to buffer urban
development from active agricultural operations.
·
Policies regarding the use of pesticides in local
government parks (and on other local government lands).
·
Policies that, trails should be located outside the
riparian zone as defined in the zoning bylaws or
development permit area guidelines.
·
Local Government Planning
·
Implementation of Local Government Plans
·
Local Government Parks
·
Official
Community Plans.
·
Regional
Growth Strategies
For
more information about Parks and Greenways:
·
Community Greenways Guide – Linking Communities to Country
and People to Nature, part of the Stewardship Series. Available from the
Department of Fisheries and Oceans. (Victoria: 1995). See: http: www.pskf.ca/publications/s-series.html.
·
Provincial Capital Commission, Greater Victoria Greenways Program
·
West Coast Environmental Law, Smart Growth Guide to Local Government Law and Advocacy,
Chapter 4, Greenspace and Smart Growth.
·
West Coast Environmental Law, Here
Today, Here Tomorrow: Legal Tools For The Voluntary Protection of Private Land
in British Columbia
