KEEPING IN TOUCH
I hope everyone had an excellent
summer. I have been busy on your
behalf with issues like the Province’s
proposal to charge rural area policing
costs, above the approximately 30% of
your Provincial Rural Tax you already
pay on your Rural Property Tax Notice.
We won a
reprieve, when
the Solicitor
General
announced that
rural policing
charges would
not be
implemented
until 2007. As
Chair of the
RDN Community Policing Committee,
we will now begin work towards
building consensus throughout all BC
communities to influence the Province
to ensure that any rural policing cost
formula developed is fair, equitable and
for service provided. As can be seen by
the Province’s decision, the rural
communities are a powerful voice
when they work as a team.
There are also a number of important
Electoral Area ‘H’ issues to resolve in
the next quarter. These include a new
OCP, development of a common sense
and fiscally responsible septic/sewer
strategy that supports sustainable
growth in the Village Nodes, drafting a
Noise Bylaw that covers those areas in
Electoral Area H where there is
majority support, resolving numerous
land development versus economic,
social and environmental concerns and
bringing on our three new Beach
Access Sites.
OCP
 |
| After eight months of input and consultation the draft Area H OCP is ready for public review. |
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Another important issue for our area is waste management to support future growth in our Village Centres of Bowser, Qualicum Bay and Dunsmuir. To support development, a septic/sewer strategy is needed that is affordable, supportable and takes us from the septic systems of today to a full area sewer system over time, say 20-30 years. As you remember, the RDN in 2001 did a study of the requirement and cost of a full-blown sewer system in our area. The cost was unaffordable, as there would need to be a major increase in taxes to operate and maintain the system. I am therefore forming a subcommittee of the OCP Working Group made up of interested citizens from our Village Centres and RDN staff to develop some "made in Lighthouse Country solutions."
NOISE BYLAW
I have had numerous requests from residents in the Village Centres and on the oceanside of Hwy 19A to bring in a Noise Bylaw. On the other hand, the residents outside the Village Centres and on the landside of Hwy 19A are generally opposed. There are many reasons for such a Bylaw, but primarily it would be to protect property owners by having a Bylaw in place, thereby having some ability to enforce
infractions against the bylaw. As it stands today, noise complaints in Electoral Area H are ignored by the Police and cannot be enforced by the Regional District, as there is no bylaw to control or prohibit excessive noise during the late evening and early morning hours. Investigation has revealed that it is possible to have a Bylaw effective for only one part of an Electoral Area. The cost for that area would be approximately $4.50 per $100,000.00 of property assessment. I will have a draft Bylaw written and available on the RDN website under Electoral Area H and at the Site Office for your review and comment.
BEACH ACCESS
We have made application to the
Ministry of Highways for access to the
three new Beach Access sites on
Shoreline Drive, Buccaneer Beach Drive
and Crane Rd. We hope to have them
available for public use in the fall.
Thanks to Ann Copas of Deep Bay for
the help in the development of the
Shoreline Drive Access.
BOWSER LIBRARY
Diane Sampson of Deep Bay submitted a proposal to the Vancouver Island Regional Library to start a Regional Library in Bowser to cover the area from Qualicum Beach to Union Bay. As a result of this outstanding initiative a Bowser Library is now part of their five-year plan and we are working hard to move that date forward. Funding is obviously the issue.
BYLAW 500
I have devoted the rest of this newsletter to Bylaw 500 (the RDN’s Land Use and Subdivision Bylaw) and its applicability in Electoral Area H. Please let me know if there is other land use, zoning or other Bylaw questions you would like to see addressed in future newsletters.
What is a Development Permit and how does this differ from a Building Permit?
An Official Community Plan can designate lands for a higher level of development consideration. Lands can be designated (Development Permit Areas) to protect the environment, to protect development from hazardous conditions, to protect farmland, to revitalize a commercial area, to establish conditions for intensive residential development, or to set out form and character objectives for commercial, industrial or multi family developments. The local government may set out guidelines and special conditions for any land use or construction within these Development Permit areas. For example, all watercourses/streams (Bylaw 500 definition and Fisheries Act definition) in Electoral Area H are proposed to be within the Watercourse Development Permit Area in our new OCP. On the other hand, a Building Permit verifies that a building or structure conforms to the BC and National Building Codes. The RDN’s Building Inspection service provides for inspections and advice to ensure that construction is proceeding according to the Building Permit. Currently, we do not have building inspection in Area ‘H’ so building permits are not required. However, Provincial Law requires everyone to register under the Provincial Home Owner Protection Act for the construction of new residential dwellings thereby placing the legal responsibility to build to code on the shoulders of the homeowner. For more information on building in areas without building inspection visit the RDN website at Click Here
What is a Variance and why are they necessary?
Under the Local Government Act, a local government can vary the siting or height of a building or structure on a property through a ‘Development Variance Permit’. The Local Government Act allows for the consideration of variances to recognize siting constraints or personal preferences on a property. Variances can also allow the property owner to maximize their use and enjoyment of the property or to minimize the impact of a development on surrounding properties. Neighbouring property owners are notified directly by mail when a variance is requested and have an opportunity to comment on the requested variance.
The planning staffs at the RDN are are an excellent sources of information and can help if you have land development questions. I would also encourage you to drop by the Site Office in Magnolia Court, Bowser and talk to your RDN planning staff.
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