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Session One – Starting Points

1. To ensure the provision of an open space between the North Saskatchewan River

Valley/Ravine System and urban development. 2. To provide public access to the North Saskatchewan River Valley/Ravine

System. Existing (1985) Top of Bank Roadway Policy A. Introduction B. Project Overview and Basic Background

Primary task – revise, as necessary and complete new city-wide TOB Policy Direction(s) for new Policy:

1. 1993 (Municipal Planning Commission) 2. 1999-2004 (draft Policy) 3. 2007 (Transportation and Public Works Committee)

Evolution of TOB development setbacks and practices 1. 1907 - Fredrick Todd 2. 1970 – TOB roadway policy 3. 1985 – North Saskatchewan River Valley ARP and TOB Roadway Policy

Development setbacks – 3 types – non-scientific, semi-scientific, scientific; Edmonton context

Current TOB Roadway Policy implementation – Plan-subdivision-development permit-building permit

Why and how did the current TOB Roadway Policy unravel? What were the consequences?

Managing environmental hazard risk and the urban development line [illustration]

One city-wide policy must deal with different development situations 1. historic core area 2. development permit for existing single lot – redevelopment scenario 3. larger sites – redevelopment scenario 4. post-1985 suburban residential planned development 5. commercial and industrial areas 6. remaining unplanned and undeveloped areas of the city

Roundtable Discussion and Questions

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C. Stakeholder Consultation

outline and overview of sessions draft policy statement and four policy objectives exercise #1 – four policy objectives exercise #2 –starting positions on a. TOB roadway requirement b. Public access philosophy exercise #3 – discuss workshop for wildlife/habitat preservation, views and vistas

Roundtable Discussion and Questions

D. Next Meeting – date, assignments, description/overview Further Readings 1. Planning and Development Department 2007PDP035, Proposed Changes to Top-of-

Bank Roadway Policy, August 14, 2007.

Handouts Follow

1. Existing TOB Roadway Policy 2. Why and how did the current TOB Roadway Policy unravel?

What are the consequences? 3. Proposed TOB Policy: Development Setbacks from River

Valley/Ravine Crests

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Why and how did the current TOB Roadway Policy unravel? What are the consequences? The existing Top of Bank (TOB) Roadway Policy has unraveled. The Policy’s reliance on the TOB roadway as the primary implementation vehicle has been considerably eroded. The Policy’s four “exemptions” to the TOB roadway requirement – planning and engineering reasons, the location of spurs and promontories, public utilities and public parks – have now become the “rule.” In fact, many tentative plans of subdivision currently being submitted for approval show a TOB walkway, as a standard practice. Little or no reason is provided for the “exemption.” Overall, the TOB roadway accounts for about 25% of TOB situations since 1985 when the Policy was amended and incorporated into the North Saskatchewan River Valley Area Redevelopment Plan. Historically, Edmontonians have been comfortable with the use of a TOB roadway to create open space and public access between urban development and the river valley and ravine system. In 1907 Fredrick Todd, a Montreal Landscape Architect first proposed a “system of boulevards and driveways” along the top of bank to accompany a major river valley park for both Edmonton and Strathcona. The result is visible today in such roads as Ada Boulevard, Saskatchewan Drive and Strathearn Drive. In fact, the authors of the TOB Roadway Policy envisioned a TOB roadway in almost all TOB development situations. They assumed that the road would be constructed on stable land after a geotechnical assessment; that urban development would occur only fronting onto the TOB roadway, consequently on stable land and that publically owned open space on the other side of the TOB road would provide adequate public access. In those rare instances when a TOB road was not possible, a 7.5 m setback from the river valley/ravine edge [called a TOB line] was to be provided. The authors of the existing Policy did not contemplate, nor adequately provide for urban development backing onto the river valley/ravine edge (backing on TOB development). There were several important consequences. Defining environmental reserve – what land is stable and what is not – has become a key policy issue. The current practice of taking environmental reserve, largely on the slope only, is unscientific and arbitrary as well as misleading to the homeowner. Developers have sought to develop the open space behind the 7.5 m public upland setback, above the slope, or seek compensation for it through municipal reserve dedication. New corporate business practices have evolved to handle issues associated with urban development in close proximity to the top of bank. These practices are intended to better manage environmental hazard risk and include the use and enforcement of restrictive

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covenants on new development; new city bylaws to prevent unauthorized use of parkland (encroachments); lot grading controls and engineering standards for drainage infrastructure; revised zoning regulations and subdivision requirements. Despite these practices, the environmental hazard risk management is largely dependent on the awareness and compliance of existing and future home owners regarding the restrictive covenant. Restrictive covenants embody the recommendations of geotechnical reports, establishing additional building setbacks (from the Zoning Bylaw), where warranted and placing restrictions, typically regarding water usage in the back yard. Empirical studies and experience points out the weakness of this environmental hazard risk approach. In the main, urban development accelerates the rate of slope retreat and the incidence of greater loss to public and private property from slope instability and failure. Public access, originally intended for limited circulation and amenity purposes, now encompasses much more – slope repair and geotechnical monitoring, drainage control, fire fighting, public safety and protection from private encroachments onto public parkland. Unfortunately, public debate on TOB development has often focused on “public access” to the detriment of the more important environmental protection objective of ensuring the public and private property should be reasonably safe from slope instability and failure. In summary, the unraveling of the existing TOB Roadway Policy has resulted in much more backing on TOB development. With urban development in closer proximity to the top of bank, significant public policy issues have arisen regarding the absence of a scientific basis for determining environmental reserve, environmental costs to the City and the homeowner, private encroachments onto parkland, public access for a variety of purposes, and the effectiveness of a number of environmental hazard risk management tools such as restrictive covenants.

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Proposed TOB Policy: Development Setbacks from River Valley/Ravine Crests

Policy Statement * The City will require the design of development in all new or redeveloping areas Abutting the River Valley and Ravine System provide for the separation of development from the river valley or ravine as generally illustrated in Figure 1. This separation shall create sufficient open space to prevent encroachment upon and provide public access to the River Valley and Ravine System in order to achieve the purpose of this policy. Separation shall be accomplished by means of a Top-of-the-Bank Roadway or as otherwise provided for in this Policy, as well as a sufficiently broad Public Upland Area. The only exception shall be in the Downtown and the existing river valley communities where development has already occurred either on the slope or in the floodplain of the River Valley and Ravine System.

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Notes: The Urban Development Line distinguishes between serious and managed environmental hazard risk, or between Environmental Reserve and urban development. The Urban Development Line will be determined through technical studies, most likely using the formula called the Estimated Long Term Line of Stability which measures slope instability and failure. A minimum Public Upland Setback, along with the reintroduction of a Top-of-Bank roadway will ensure public access for circulation and amenity purposes, slope repair and geotechnical monitoring, fire fighting, emergency and public safety and drainage control and for dealing with encroachment issues. A TOB roadway will be planned for in neighbourhood plans, for a percentage of top of bank situations, but will be mandatory where slopes are steep and deep – essentially where environmental hazard risk is higher in order to provide an environmental buffer should slopes fail. Developers are compensated for providing a TOB roadway through a reduction in their municipal reserve requirement. Where a TOB roadway is not provided, a TOB walkway within a minimum Public Upland Setback will provide public access. In any event, optimal access should be provided for local residents and the general public to a continuous circulation system along the entire length of the Upland Area abutting the River Valley and Ravine System. A caveat placed by the City on the titles of all properties adjacent to the Urban Development Line sets out development conditions required to protect public and private property and forewarns prospective buyers that the stability of the Upland Area is not guaranteed in perpetuity. Since the proposed Policy will be city-wide in its application, the Urban Development Line cannot be achieved in the City’s core area and where subdivision has already occurred [dedication of Environmental Reserve not possible], other Policy and development control measures are included to ensure that public and private property is reasonably safe from slope instability and failure as well as other possible environmental hazards.

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