LEADING CHANGE IN BC: Environmental Protection and the Built Environment – Develop with Care 2014
Develop with Care 2014 promotes ways to retain and create environmental function and resilience
Develop with Care 2014: Environmental Guidelines for Urban and Rural Land Development in British Columbia replaces the 2012 version of this internationally acclaimed guidance document. This compilation of environmental principles is a valuable resource for local governments and the development community.
The document sets out the program priorities of the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, the Ministry of Environment, and other provincial and federal agencies.
Develop with Care has been prepared for use by local governments, the development community, landowners and environmental organizations as a comprehensive guide to maintaining environmental values during the development of urban and rural lands.
- How do you develop sites to preserve water resources?
- How far should development be set back from riparian areas?
- What steps should you take to manage the agriculture/urban interface?
- How do you support healthy built environments in your community?
- How do you prevent site contamination, which can be costly to remediate?
It features information on ‘green’ alternatives to standard urban development practices, riparian protection, climate change, waste management, the protection of Environmentally Valuable Resources, a Terms of Reference for conducting biological inventories, Checklists for streamlining review processes, species and land use based Fact Sheets, and much more.
Environmental Protection Mandate
“Develop with Care 2014: Environmental Guidelines for Urban and Rural Land Development in British Columbia is an indispensable tool for anyone involved in land development or community planning. The latest edition expands the document scope and includes new information on Provincial programs and direction, including more robust coverage of the Environmental Protection mandate,” states Helene Roberge (Unit Head, Clean Communities, BC Ministry of Environment).
“Many questions abound on how best to care for environmental values during land development and redevelopment, such as: How far should development be set back from riparian areas? What steps should you take to manage the agriculture/urban interface? Develop with Care 2014 answers them.”
Develop with Care & Design with Nature
“Develop with Care 2014 is a primer on the importance of preserving intact functioning ecosystems as an integral part of the strategy for addressing overall climate change and water wise issues,” continues Margaret Henigman (Ecosystem Biologist, Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations).
“Develop with Care has come a long way from its’ modest beginnings on Vancouver Island! The 2014 revision provides considerably more information about the Environmental Protection mandate – including Clean Communities, climate change, sea level rise as well as information on forage fish spp and shoreline ecosystems.”
A Look Back to 2008:
“Since 1996 I have been working across Vancouver Island, both reviewing development proposals and monitoring project implementation. In the last couple of years I have been really pleased to see a huge shift take place in the way projects are being done,” stated Margaret Henigman in October 2008 when she participated in the Comox Valley Learning Lunch Seminar Series hosted by the City of Courtenay and organized by CAVI-Convening for Action on Vancouver Island, an initiative under the umbrella of the Water Sustainability Action Plan for BC.
“As I reflect on the current situation (as of 2008), it strikes me that we have created a new social norm; and it is being accepted by the development community as a whole. The change in attitude is really gaining momentum. Everywhere I go I am seeing evidence of the new ethic. It is not that everyone is perfect, but the change is really coming along.”
2008 Comox Valley Learning Lunch Seminar #2 – Townhall Segment (note Peter Law standing)
Climate Change and Resilient Communities
“When we first conceived of creating a document which would collate all aspects of environmental issues around urban/rural land development, we had no inkling that the document would be recognized world-wide, nor that it would be embraced so thoroughly by so many different disciplines,” reflects Marlene Caskey.
Marlene Caskey was the project lead for both the original 2006 and 2012 update versions. Now retired from government, she also contributed input to the 2014 update.
“Clearly it was ‘the right information presented in the right place at the right time’! It is great to see it expanded and renewed to better meet the needs of today’s users. Develop with Care 2014 promotes ways to retain and create environmental function and resilience as communities grow.”
Implementing Provincial Policy
“Develop with Care 2014 is an implementation tool for the Living Water Smart and Green Communities initiatives. These initiatives provide an over-arching provincial policy framework that establishes expectations about how land will be developed and water will be used in BC,” states Peter Law. Formerly with the Ministry of Environment and now a Director of the Partnership for Water Sustainability, Peter Law was a member of the ‘Develop with Care 2006’ team. He also contributed content to ‘Develop with Care 2012’.
“Nested within Develop with Care 2014 is the ongoing Beyond the Guidebook initiative which is building on the technical foundation created by Stormwater Planning: A Guidebook for British Columbia, released in 2002. A desired outcome is healthy watersheds and streams. This is why it is important to implement Design WIth Nature standards of practice for development.” Peter Law was Chair of the Guidebook Steering Committee.
A Local Government Perspective
“We have found Develop with Care to be of immense help in supporting the sustainability goals and objectives of our Official Community Plan. It has become standard practice to include provisions which encourage developers to implement applicable guidelines
and recommendations in all our Environmental Development Permits. We anticipate making even more use of the updated version to supplement and enhance our environmental protection policies,” stated Alan Haldenby, Director of Planning with the City of Colwood, when Develop with Care 2012 was released.
To Learn More:
To download a copy of the latest release from the MOE website, click on Develop with Care 2014.
To download a copy of a webinar announcement scheduled for April 9th 2015, click here.
To download an earlier reference document released by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in BC, click on Land and Water Stewardship: Beyond the Guidebook Initiative Will Help Achieve “Develop with Care 2012” Outcomes.
