Ecosystem Based Offsets for Local Governments

WHEREAS local government signatories to the BC Climate Action Charter may wish to invest in valid ecosystem based offset projects within their respective jurisdictions; AND WHEREAS baseline scenarios for ecosystem based offset projects can reasonably be derived from current zoning and established regulations that govern land uses, development patterns, the acquisition and dedication of park land and conservation areas, or other aspects of land development, including: i. zoning and land use regulations, as established by bylaw; ii. statutory requirements for the provision of park land and conservation areas through the subdivision of land, as stipulated by Section 941 of the Local Government Act; or iii. other relevant regulations or statutes; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Province of BC recognize that any land provided to the local government as park land or conservation areas through rezoning, subdivision or other land development process that: i. is in excess of that which is required by current regulations; and ii. meets the definition of forest land as provided in the BC Forest Offset Protocol including instances in which multiple parcels are bundled together to meet minimum area thresholds is additional to the baseline scenario, and constitutes a valid avoided conversion project with a verifiable quantity of carbon that can be counted against a corporate emissions inventory; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if the local government is a regional district, that regional district can allocate monies raised for the purpose of purchasing offsets toward the maintenance of the additional parkland provided, rather than raising the necessary maintenance monies through a parks maintenance tax requisition, or other commonly used fees and charges.