Bylaw 1217, 2015 to establish inter-community business licensing between the District of Sechelt, the Town of Gibsons and the Sechelt Indian Government District was given three readings at the Dec. 1 Gibsons council meeting.
Chief corporate officer Selina Williams said that it will likely be adopted at the next council meeting on Dec. 15.
“Basically it’s a free inter-community licence for the first year, and then they would determine the fees at a later date,” Williams said. “So if you have a mobile business you can operate in Sechelt or in Gibsons.”
Up until now – pending adoption – a mobile business like a food truck or a self-employed electrician that services multiple communities on the Coast would have to apply for a business licence in each of the areas they worked.
“Under the new scheme they would just need this inter-community business license,” Williams said. “It’s just a way of reducing costs and making it a little easier for businesses that travel up and down the Coast.”
Public market variance permit
Gibsons council approved five variances to the zoning bylaw for the expansion of the Gibsons Public Market requested by the Gibsons Community Building Society (GCBS).
The requested variances are for rear setback, lot coverage, roof sign and frontage requirements.
GCBS requested that council waive all frontage requirements for Gower Point Road and Bay Road. The costs of frontage works was estimated at $110,000. The applicant stated in the staff report that the additional costs for frontage requirements had not been budgeted for.
“The frontage property for the public market represents an insignificant area of the comprehensive long term plans to Gower Point Road frontage requirements and does not seem appropriate in our view to carry out work at this time,” the applicant stated.
The design of the expanded market includes a roof sign, which is restricted under sign bylaw 526. The applicant argued that the roof sign of the market would act as a way-finding tool and landmark that could be seen from the water.
The applicant also requested that the rear lot line be reduced from three meters to a little over one in order to maximize the floor area.
Council voted to approve the development variance permit. The next step is for Town staff to inform the residents neighbouring the public market of council’s decision.
Chlorination
The Town of Gibsons is temporarily chlorinating the drinking water in zones 1 and 2, which draw water from the aquifer.
Director of engineering Dave Newman said this is simply a precaution after a water main at School Road was replaced.
“We’ve run chlorine through the system because a lot of bits and pieces are stirred up when you change direction and flow and have water mains shut off that aren’t usually shut off,” Newman said.
Newman said that chlorine levels will be monitored until the Town receives the all clear from the drinking water officer.
“We’re hoping that it will be shut off this week, but we won’t know for sure until we talk with [the drinking water officer],” Newman said.
Sean Eckford recognized
Coast FM’s news director Sean Eckford was recognized for his service to the community by Gibsons Mayor Wayne Rowe at the council meeting on Dec. 1.
Rowe presented Eckford with a Town of Gibsons clock and wished him well in his future endeavours.
“Sean, we’ve certainly appreciated the time you’ve spent with us, you’ve always been fair to us,” Rowe said.
Eckford was one of two original staff members still at CKAY 91.7 Coast FM. Eckford said that he was their first and only news director.
Eckford said that he does not have any solid plans for his future as of yet, but that he will be staying on the Sunshine Coast.
“I’ll actually be able to have breakfast with my wife in the morning, which is something I have not done in many, many years,” Eckford said. “So I’m looking forward to that part of it.”
