Making Space for the New Family Farm CPAA Conference April 12, 2010 MPS Municipal Planning Services(2009) Ltd

Making Space for the New Making Space for the New Family FarmFamily Farm

CPAA ConferenceCPAA Conference

April 12, 2010April 12, 2010

MPS Municipal Planning Services(2009) Ltd.

MPS Municipal Planning Services (2009) Ltd.

Provide assistance to municipalities Provide assistance to municipalities in preparing statutory planning in preparing statutory planning documents, master planning documents, master planning documents and Land Use Bylawsdocuments and Land Use Bylaws

Provide assistance to our client Provide assistance to our client municipalities in the assessment of municipalities in the assessment of land development proposals, land development proposals, including both individual site including both individual site developments and subdivisions developments and subdivisions

OverviewOverview

11.. Framing the ConversationFraming the Conversation

2.2. Offensive vs. Defensive Strategy DebateOffensive vs. Defensive Strategy Debate

3.3. The Way Forward: Reframing the ConversationThe Way Forward: Reframing the Conversation

4.4. Case Study: Smoky Lake County Case Study: Smoky Lake County

Framing the Framing the ConversationConversation

How do we implement best planning practices for How do we implement best planning practices for minimizing the fragmentation of agricultural land minimizing the fragmentation of agricultural land without negatively impacting agricultural communities?without negatively impacting agricultural communities?

The Future of Agriculture -Toma and Boma

The Fiscal Implications of Land Use - Greenaway and Sanders

Base line data relating to growth in these areas and recommendations for mitigating some of the negative impacts associated with urban residential and country residential growth on or near agricultural areas.



The basic underlying assumptions in the The basic underlying assumptions in the “corridor area agriculture” reports do not “corridor area agriculture” reports do not reflect the current realities facing rural areas reflect the current realities facing rural areas with the following characteristics:with the following characteristics:

Not adjacent to a large or medium urban area and/or;Not adjacent to a large or medium urban area and/or;

Agriculture (the business of growing crops and raising Agriculture (the business of growing crops and raising animals) has been the major economic driver; andanimals) has been the major economic driver; and

Farmland isn’t disappearing rapidly, instead it is the Farmland isn’t disappearing rapidly, instead it is the farmersfarmers who who are disappearing. are disappearing.


CO-SMOK

CO-FLAG

CO-THOR

CO-WHEAT

CO-STRATH MD-ROCK

CO-RED DEER

2006 POP. 3,367 3,506 3,042 8,164 82,511 34,171 19,108

CHANGE -24% -5% -2.50% 3.5% 14.6% 14.9% 3.3%

KM to large urban 116km 83 km 86 km 0 km 0 km 0 km 0 km

FARMS UNDER 129 ac. 8.03% 7.66% 9.25% 22.38% 48.32% 32.92% 19.27%


Common planning assumptions and Common planning assumptions and regulations that target reducing the regulations that target reducing the fragmentation of agricultural land:fragmentation of agricultural land:

Limiting the amount of ‘subdividable’ land from a quarter Limiting the amount of ‘subdividable’ land from a quarter section for agricultural and country residential uses in section for agricultural and country residential uses in Agricultural Use areas; and/orAgricultural Use areas; and/or

Restricting the number of agricultural and country Restricting the number of agricultural and country residential parcels which may be subdivided per quarter residential parcels which may be subdivided per quarter section in an Agricultural Use Areasection in an Agricultural Use Area


Municipality Total No. of Titles per Quarter*

Min. Farm Size 80 ac. Splits No. of Res’l parcels

Max Vacant Res’l Parcel Size

Athabasca 4 ½ quarter Yes 2 3 ac.

Barrhead 2 ½ quarter Yes 1 10 ac.

Flagstaff 2 or 3 (plus fragments)

quarter** No 1 3 ac.

Lamont 2 or 3 quarter** No 1 or 2 3 ac

Smoky Lake 4 ½ quarter Yes 2 10 ac

St. Paul 4 ½ quarter Yes 2 3 ac

Thorhild 4 ½ quarter Yes 2 10 ac

Two Hills 4 ½ quarter Yes 2 10 ac

Vermillion River

4 quarter** No 3 5 ac

Wainwright 3 quarter** No 1 5 ac

Westlock 4 ½ quarter Yes 2 5 ac


Successfully limit subdivision and Successfully limit subdivision and fragmentationfragmentation

May also:May also:

Discourage community and rural economic growth by Discourage community and rural economic growth by making it difficult for adult children from farm families to making it difficult for adult children from farm families to move home move home

Discourage small-scale farming activities that encourage Discourage small-scale farming activities that encourage food security, and food security, and

Undervalue or under-emphasize other rural industries that Undervalue or under-emphasize other rural industries that are important to the prosperity of rural areas (forestry, are important to the prosperity of rural areas (forestry, resource extraction)resource extraction)

Offensive vs. Offensive vs. Defensive DebateDefensive Debate

Common arguments against preservation Common arguments against preservation oriented agriculture policies and regulationsoriented agriculture policies and regulations

Who are we protecting agricultural Who are we protecting agricultural land for?land for?a.a. Local FarmerLocal Farmer

b.b. Local Food SecurityLocal Food Securityc.c. Rural LifestyleRural Lifestyled.d. Urban ExpansionUrban Expansion

e.e. Working LandscapesWorking Landscapesf.f. All of the aboveAll of the above

Offensive vs. Offensive vs. Defensive DebateDefensive Debate

Argument for preservation-Argument for preservation-oriented agriculture policies oriented agriculture policies and regulationsand regulations

Fragmentation of land jeopardizes working Fragmentation of land jeopardizes working landscapes and can create conflicts landscapes and can create conflicts between incompatible land usesbetween incompatible land uses

Reframing the Reframing the ConversationConversation

SWITCH SWITCH

From talking about preserving agricultural From talking about preserving agricultural land (objectifying land) to talking about land (objectifying land) to talking about offensive and defensive strategies for offensive and defensive strategies for managing land and the dynamic and managing land and the dynamic and interconnected systems within agricultural interconnected systems within agricultural areasareas

Case Study:Case Study:Smoky Lake CountySmoky Lake County

Vicious Circle: Focusing on Vicious Circle: Focusing on residential parcel size and density residential parcel size and density was getting us nowhere and directing was getting us nowhere and directing our attention away from achieving our our attention away from achieving our goals.goals.

Back to the drawing board: Re-Back to the drawing board: Re-evaluating our guiding principles and evaluating our guiding principles and

goalsgoals


25% population decrease25% population decrease Does not contain a large or medium urban centreDoes not contain a large or medium urban centre North Saskatchewan RiverNorth Saskatchewan River Beautiful Lakes, poor soilsBeautiful Lakes, poor soils National and provincially recognized heritage sitesNational and provincially recognized heritage sites Unique ecological assetsUnique ecological assets


Assumptions & Values that we agree onAssumptions & Values that we agree on

1.1. Land uses and developments should be assessed in Land uses and developments should be assessed in relation to land suitability relation to land suitability

2.2. Growth must be managed and directed in a compatible, Growth must be managed and directed in a compatible, equitable manner that recognizes the diverse equitable manner that recognizes the diverse communitycommunity

3.3. Smart Growth principles can be applied in a rural areaSmart Growth principles can be applied in a rural area

4.4. The rights of individual citizens and landowners should The rights of individual citizens and landowners should always be a consideration in the decision making always be a consideration in the decision making processprocess

5.5. Planning activities should be carried out in a fair, open, Planning activities should be carried out in a fair, open, consistent, and equitable mannerconsistent, and equitable manner

Rural Smart GrowthRural Smart Growth

Unique IdentityUnique Identity Citizen EngagementCitizen Engagement Redevelopment of developed areasRedevelopment of developed areas Transportation choicesTransportation choices Housing choicesHousing choices Efficient infrastructureEfficient infrastructure Urban development in urban areasUrban development in urban areas Identification & Preservation of significant open spacesIdentification & Preservation of significant open spaces Green building technologiesGreen building technologies Economic development through economic renewalEconomic development through economic renewal


Agriculture vs. Working LandscapesAgriculture vs. Working Landscapes

Working Landscapes are ‘lands that are used for Working Landscapes are ‘lands that are used for agriculture, forestry or other resource industries’agriculture, forestry or other resource industries’

The range of land uses that occur in rural areas The range of land uses that occur in rural areas

Essential human practice rather that an objectEssential human practice rather that an object


““De-objectified, the notion of land, as an De-objectified, the notion of land, as an essential human practice, involves the physical essential human practice, involves the physical and conceptual organization of our and conceptual organization of our surroundings into a coherent, enduring surroundings into a coherent, enduring landscape. Working landscapes then represent landscape. Working landscapes then represent so much more than ‘land,’ they represent the so much more than ‘land,’ they represent the people, practices, organizations and activities people, practices, organizations and activities that frame the rural way of life.that frame the rural way of life.””

- Peter F. Cannavo. 2007. - Peter F. Cannavo. 2007. “Working Landscape: “Working Landscape: Founding, Founding, Preservation, and the Politics of PlacePreservation, and the Politics of Place


Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

The language that we are employing in our documents The language that we are employing in our documents reflects the values and goals that we are trying to achieve.reflects the values and goals that we are trying to achieve.

Embracing working landscapes helps us to ‘unload’ the Embracing working landscapes helps us to ‘unload’ the baggage and ambiguity surrounding the word ‘agriculture’ baggage and ambiguity surrounding the word ‘agriculture’ and avoid the development/preservation debate. and avoid the development/preservation debate.

Allows us to frame what we are trying to achieve in a more Allows us to frame what we are trying to achieve in a more equitable manner because it encompasses a larger range of equitable manner because it encompasses a larger range of activities and employment drivers that affect rural areas.activities and employment drivers that affect rural areas.


Begin working towards Begin working towards identifying significant identifying significant cultural and working cultural and working landscapeslandscapes

Adopt a strong approach to Adopt a strong approach to environmental management environmental management and the management of and the management of cultural resourcescultural resources


The County supports a The County supports a LowLow Net Negative Net Negative Environmental Impact approach to environmental Environmental Impact approach to environmental managementmanagement Support the County’s natural and built heritage and the Support the County’s natural and built heritage and the

processes that connect themprocesses that connect them Mitigate the Mitigate the cumulative impact of developmentcumulative impact of development decisions decisions

Ensure that any negative environmental impacts are as low as Ensure that any negative environmental impacts are as low as is reasonably possible is reasonably possible

Adopting a Low Net Environmental Impact approach to Adopting a Low Net Environmental Impact approach to environmental managementenvironmental management



Environmental Management StrategyEnvironmental Management Strategy Preserve Significant Ecological SitesPreserve Significant Ecological Sites

inventory of significant and unique ecological sites inventory of significant and unique ecological sites and resourcesand resources

establish environmental quality targets establish environmental quality targets

require developers to submit a Cumulative Effects require developers to submit a Cumulative Effects Assessment with proposed subdivision and Assessment with proposed subdivision and development applicationsdevelopment applications

require an environmental impact assessmentrequire an environmental impact assessment


Collaborate with provincial and not-for-profit Collaborate with provincial and not-for-profit partners to identify and monitor indicators partners to identify and monitor indicators

Agricultural Use Area PoliciesAgricultural Use Area Policies Goal: protect where appropriate, but also enhance Goal: protect where appropriate, but also enhance

the agro-economy and rural lifestylethe agro-economy and rural lifestyle

Allow for a broader range of parcel sizes in the Ag AreaAllow for a broader range of parcel sizes in the Ag Area

encourage good stewardship of the land through the encourage good stewardship of the land through the provision of information and the use of beneficial provision of information and the use of beneficial management practices (BMOs)management practices (BMOs)

To provide opportunities for Low Net Environmental Impact To provide opportunities for Low Net Environmental Impact

Country ResidentialCountry Residential


Encourage low net multi-lot residential Encourage low net multi-lot residential developments in locations which generate no or developments in locations which generate no or low impacts on the County’s working and cultural low impacts on the County’s working and cultural landscapeslandscapes



Additional policy initiativesAdditional policy initiatives

Density bonusesDensity bonuses

Conservation easementsConservation easements

Intensive agricultural uses on small agricultural parcels (40 Intensive agricultural uses on small agricultural parcels (40 acres)acres)

Encourage the development of hobby farmsEncourage the development of hobby farms

Community Economic Development OfficerCommunity Economic Development Officer

Concluding RemarksConcluding Remarks

1.1. If you allow small agricultural parcels how do you ensure they If you allow small agricultural parcels how do you ensure they will be used appropriately? will be used appropriately?

2.2. If they are not used for agriculture how do you mitigate potential If they are not used for agriculture how do you mitigate potential conflicts between residential/acreage property owners and conflicts between residential/acreage property owners and agricultural land users?agricultural land users?

3.3. How do you keep it equitable while still protecting and How do you keep it equitable while still protecting and supporting the different interests in your community?supporting the different interests in your community?

Concluding RemarksConcluding Remarks

4.4. How much of the preservation/protection should be the How much of the preservation/protection should be the responsibility of the municipality and how much should be the responsibility of the municipality and how much should be the responsibility of residents and landowners?responsibility of residents and landowners?

5.5. How will environmental quality targets be established and who How will environmental quality targets be established and who will be responsible for evaluating whether or not they have been will be responsible for evaluating whether or not they have been met?met?

6.6. What do we mean by Cumulative Effects Assessment? How will What do we mean by Cumulative Effects Assessment? How will they be monitored targets and who will be the monitoring?they be monitored targets and who will be the monitoring?

Documents

Making Space for the New Family Farm CPAA Conference April 12, 2010 MPS Municipal Planning Services(2009) Ltd