Sechelt council defeated a recommendation at committee of the whole Nov. 10 to increase business licence fees by $25 starting in 2011.
In previous discussions, council identified that the proposed increase would be set aside specifically to fund economic development initiatives.
Council voted on the matter after hearing a delegation from Best Coast Initiatives (BCI) which requested Sechelt's support in funding a Coast-wide economic development plan - an initiative which the delegation said would cost each Coast household $6 to $12 a year. Council added BCI's request to the agenda for its budget discussions in early 2011.
Coun. Ann Kershaw spoke against raising the business licence fees, saying that if Sechelt opts to support BCI's proposal, businesses would already be contributing twice the average household amount toward funding economic development, due to their higher taxation rate.
"I really support the whole [economic development] amount coming out of general revenue and not putting it on the heads of businesses that have been struggling for the last two years in the recession," she said.
Coun. Keith Thirkell spoke in favour of raising the fees.
"I'd rather see the businesses that are going to be benefiting from this marketing paying for this marketing," he said.
The motion was defeated, with Thirkell, Coun. Warren Allan and Mayor Darren Inkster in favour, and Kershaw plus councillors Alice Lutes and Alice Janisch opposed. Coun. Fred Taylor was absent from the meeting.
Geese variance
Committee passed a recommendation to grant a bylaw variance to allow a Sechelt resident to shoot Canada geese on his West Porpoise Bay property in order to protect agricultural crops.
In September, council passed a firearm and bow bylaw which prohibits hunting with, using, firing or discharging a firearm or bow within District boundaries; council's decision varies the bylaw.
During discussions, council established that a further required permit from BC Wildlife limits the number of geese that can be shot and the time window during which they can be shot. The variance also stipulates that conservation and the RCMP be notified of the timeline of the permit.
Inkster commended council on passing the variance.
"I'm glad that council gave what could be considered to be a variance because I believe when we passed that earlier law, we didn't recognize the fact that part of our community is rural and it did have some practices that we basically nullified when we brought in that rule," he said.
Wood First
Committee unanimously passed a Wood First policy which emphasizes using wood in the construction of municipal buildings.
