[GREN-Exec] one more bit re green spaces

[Greg Michalenko]

One serious barrier to a successful transition to a city that is well treed with thriving green spaces is the bad compaction of soil during subdivision construction.  The use of heavy machinery causes such serious compaction, especially on city easements at the front of properties, that trees face miserable prospects of ever growing naturally, and city parks departments find themselves restricted to only a few less desired species, such as invasive Norway Maple, that can withstand severe compaction.  This seriously limits programs to shade streets and  reduce discomfort during heat waves.


When it was suggested that a bylaw was necessary to prevent such deleterious compaction, the response we got was "We couldn't do that - the developers would never hear of it."


Such temerity is astonishing.  A bylaw is necessary to reduce compaction;  soil compaction is very easy to measure. If the specified maximum is exceeded,  developers must take on the expense of rectifying the situation.


Compaction also affects the availability of good land for community gardens. There are currently about 75 community gardens in Waterloo Region.  However, demand for garden plots is growing quickly and greatly exceeds availability of space.  We recommend requiring that some space, with a good depth of fertile soil for community gardens be required in all new subdivisions.  In addition, there is need for allotment gardens to provide a good number of larger plots for particularly keen gardeners as well as groups growing food for food banks or other charitable destinations.


There may be other existing perverse bylaws and privately decreed covenants  that stand in the way of realizing climate-change goals.  For many years  developer-ordained covenants prohibited the use of outdoor clothes lines in many subdivisions until pressure by activists persuaded the Province to prohibit them.  However, some subdivisions are still saddled with private-sector prohibitions such as growing vegetables in front yards.


Greg
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