By Thia James

Mayor ready to take province to task over flood line

Mar 24, 2015 | 6:34 AM

Mayor Greg Dionne is anticipating the meeting the City is hosting to discuss the flood plain and he’s looking to question the province about its adoption of the one-in-500 year flood elevation standard.

On Thursday, the City and the provincial ministry of government relations will have representatives on hand at an information session at East End Community Hall. The topic of discussion – the flood plain – is one that affects upwards of 2,000 Prince Albert homes, particularly those in the East and West  Flats and in the Hazeldell area.

“People have been waiting for that meeting,” Dionne said on Monday evening.  

“But I think the first thing I’m going to challenge them (the province) on is … there is no current data. So, how could you make such a drastic change without current data?”

Dionne is referring to the lack of up-to-date information about the flood plain area.

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That is also a point echoed by planning and development services director John Guenther at Monday’s executive committee meeting. As he presented highlights of the flood plain section in the draft Official Community Plan (OCP), Guenther reiterated the lack of historical data.

“We have projected forward, at least the province has, with their statement of provincial significance, one in 500 years, without having definitive data or how that should be done,” he said.

Guenther said he thinks we need data in order to manage this, since “most of the time they’re considered an act of God.”

As the City looks to gather more data about the flood plain, it needs $65,000 to have that research conducted. Guenther said the City is hoping to talk to the province about the funding for this project.

The next step would be to look at mitigating flood risk, and Guenther presented members of council with a few suggestions for how this could be done. His suggestions included reinforcing the riverbanks so they don’t deteriorate, or armouring them.

Under provincial requirements, as posted on its website, development in cities is “prohibited in the floodway of the 1:500 year flood elevation of any watercourse or water body and that new development in the flood fringe of a 1:500 year flood be flood proofed to an elevation 0.5 metres about the 1:500 year flood elevation.”

The City is looking to allow residents to make changes to their properties on a lot-by-lot basis. Dionne said this means that a resident looking to add an attached garage to their home will be able to do so with a building permit, but they will have to sign a waiver first that would exempt the garage from Provincial Disaster Assistance Program (PDAP) coverage.

“I know why the province is doing it – because if all those homes flood, the province is, under PDAP will be responsible for 75 per cent. So, what they want to do is limit their costs.”

He vowed to be “really forceful” with the government to get it to allow residents living within the flood plain area to build attachments to their homes.

The City has two other meetings scheduled that will give residents a chance to voice their concerns and ask questions about the flood plain. It will be holding an OCP meeting on April 30 and a second flood plain information session on May 7.

The OCP will be the over-arching document meant to guide future planning and development in the city – and the flood plain will form a significant piece of that document.

Dionne is encouraging residents to attend Thursday evening’s meeting.

“Because this is going to devalue your property, so you better get out there and find out what’s going on.”

tjames@panow.com

On Twitter: @thiajames