qathet Regional District’s (qRD) planning committee has recommended the regional board direct staff to proceed with a review and update of the Savary Island official community plan (OCP).
At the August 16 planning committee meeting, directors were presented a recommendation for the review and update of the plan, which Electoral Area A director and board chair Patrick Brabazon said were long overdue.
Electoral Area D director Sandy McCormick called the recommendation timely.
“It’s the next in line and the number of comments we’ve had about land use issues, conflicts, et cetera, knowing how small the lots are and how crowded it is there, it’s a really good opportunity,” said McCormick. “I totally support doing this OCP review.”
Electoral Area B director Mark Gisborne said he was not entirely sold on supporting the recommendation.
Gisborne said Brabazon has been the representative of Area A for many years, and Gisborne thanked him for his service. He said, however, he understands that this fall, there will be a new Area A representative and he expects that whoever represents the area will have their own ideas for the direction of the community, as well as their own priorities for the planning service staff.
Gisborne said after the October election, there will be a new regional board.
“The old board should not be committing staff resources when the new board may choose to follow a different direction,” said Gisborne. “While Savary Island’s OCP is from 2006, and an update is timely, we should roughly update OCPs every five years to keep them current and relevant; that’s what I’ve heard from other jurisdictions. OCPs south of town are already more than 10 years old, and due to their location, are experiencing significant growth and development challenges.”
Gisborne said the best way forward would be to send the consideration of Savary’s OCP to the next strategic planning session for the new regional board to determine whether it wishes to allocate planning department staff resources to Savary when there is a need in so many other parts of the regional community.
Brabazon said Gisborne was correct that he would not be around after the election, but added that qRD is an ongoing government, Savary Island is desirous of an OCP, and his replacement will have their chance to enter into the discussion.
“I expect that we will honour the fact that Savary is next in line and carry on,” said Brabazon.
Gisborne said a new board might want to go a different way.
Manager of planning services Laura Roddan said the recommendation, if supported by the regional board, would provide staff what it needs to prepare the draft budget for 2023, and the board has decision-making ability over adopting the final budget. She said it would be the new board adopting it so any final discussions could be addressed at that time.
McCormick said the current board had heard from the public about the concerns they have about land use on Savary. She said the existing board had reviewed the Let’s Talk Land Use process and heard again from the public.
“It’s appropriate that we make this motion and approve it and put it forward,” said McCormick. “What will happen in the budget process is up to the new board, but I think we have the responsibility to put it forward and I’m happy to support this recommendation.”
The committee voted to request the regional board proceed with a review and update of the Savary Island OCP, with Gisborne opposed.
