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Town of Truro
695 Prince Street
Truro, NS B2N 1G5
Contact us by Mail:
Po Box 427 Truro, NS B2N 5C5
Telephone: (902) 895-4484
Fax: (902) 893-0501
| Joint Planning Advisory Committee - Flood Issues |
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The Joint Planning Advisory Committee (JPAC) for Flood Risk Areas is a committee of Council who's purpose is to advise both the Town of Truro Council and the Municipality of the County of Colchester Council on flood related issues. The JPAC was originally organized to develop planning documents for the North and Salmon Rivers Floodplain. While this floodplain is protected by a Statement of Provincial Interest Regarding Flood Risk Areas, it is notable that this large floodplain falls within the two municipalities. It was determined to be in the interest of both jurisdictions and other levels of government to establish common development standards within the floodplain. The North and Salmon Rivers Floodplain has often been referred to as one of the most over studied floodplains, but these studies were often limited to very specific issues which offered little help in formulating a comprehensive view of the nature and characteristics of this floodplain and how it interfaces with property development. In the mid 1990's planning staff were brought together to review the circumstances and to put forward a comprehensive approach for the protection of the floodplain. It was the mandate of the Committee to establish a planning document that enlists development standards for the protection of the Floodplain, rather than land use criteria. The result was a "managed solution" involving a process of "cut and fill" based on development applications as they occur. It was envisioned that this could have numerous advantages that included:
These benefits are premised on two key factors: first that the flood plain outside of developed areas is relatively pristine and needs to be protected; and second that the flood way or naturally occurring drainage patterns need to be maintained and in some cases restored. To test the "cut and fill" concept, the Town of Truro, Municipality of Colchester and Province of Nova Scotia cost shared the Truro Flood Plain Study - 1997. The report was completed by Environmental Design & Management (EDM) in 1998 who enlisted a variety of sub-consultants with specialties in hydro-technical engineering, remote sensing, applied GIS, and land use planning. The report scientifically concluded that the cut and fill concept was a valid approach to flood plain management, had identified a series of flow way improvements and recommended a process through which the "cut and fill" process could be implemented. One key recommendation contained in the Study was the development of an inter-municipal planning strategy and land use bylaw consisting of policies and development standards common to both municipalities. At the direction of both Councils, a Joint Planning Advisory Committee for Flood Risk was formed in 1998 and assigned the task of developing inter-municipal planning documents for this purpose. Following an extensive public consultation process, the Committee forwarded the Draft Inter-Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use Bylaw for Flood Risk Areas Councils' consideration in April of 2000. The Town had supported the idea of a joint approach to flood plain management, but County Council reconsidered its involvement in the joint project and decided to pursue flood plain policy and regulation as part of their municipal planning strategy review process. Similarly, the Town will, through policy contained in the Municipal Planning Strategy, model its policy and regulations on work previously completed during the joint planning process. Contact: Attention: Joint Planning Advisory Committee Tel: (902) 895-1148 Â |