Gospel Rock discussions heated up to the boiling point at the April 10 Gibsons committee of the whole meeting as councillors reacted to a letter that called into question the validity of a guiding report on the area's ecological sensitivity.
At the April 3 council meeting, a letter was received from Terry McIntosh, a botanist whose resume claimed to have over 35 years of experience in botanical research, ecological consulting and public education.
McIntosh's letter went on to say that a report prepared for the Gospel Rock refinement working committee by consultant Paul van Poppelen was not only a confusing document, but is also biased and only loosely based on science and logic.
I believe that the Town of Gibsons deserves a better assessment of these properties in order to more fully understand their ecological value and relationships with the forest above Gower Point Road, McIntosh wrote.
Listing off a number of what he called inaccuracies and unfounded conclusions, McIntosh described the van Poppelen report as superfluous and scientifically weak poorly written and at best, unreadable.
McIntosh said he had been contacted by the Friends of Gospel Rock to investigate their concerns related to the van Poppelen report. His conclusion was that habitats along the waterfront had been misrepresented.
During the April 10 committee of the whole, Coun. Dan Bouman, the former executive director of the Sunshine Coast Conservation Association (SCCA), echoed McIntosh's conclusions.
I think as elected people we have a right to expect the highest quality of information from resource professionals. I think we would all like to be properly informed for whatever decisions we're going to make, Bouman stressed, describing McIntosh as one of the pre-eminent biologists in British Columbia today.
In particular, Bouman was concerned that a description of the waterfront as having low value for conservation was misleading.
He submitted an April 2007 letter from van Poppelen that, in Bouman's view, presupposed the conclusions and direction of future Gospel Rock development.
Another serious consideration [is] some of the more contentious issues with respect to Gospel Rock, in particular the rare plant communities issue, which is the focus of resistance from SCCA and others, van Poppelen wrote to then-mayor Barry Janyk in 2007. I think it would be politically naïve to think we could get away with that here.
Bouman was particularly concerned with van Poppelens statement on political naïvety, declaring it to be seriously inappropriate for a scientific consultant to offer political advice to the Town.
Coun. Gerry Tretick jumped into the discussion to question Bouman's credibility in turn.
To have somebody come along and say my scientist is better than your scientist is not acceptable, Tretick said. You were lobbying on behalf of the [SCCA]. I'm not surprised you're now supporting the fact that you're not in agreement.
But Bouman was unswayed, arguing that to find out after the fact that conclusions were already made, well, that brings local government into disrepute, and I'm a little concerned about that.
Following that discussion, it was moved to pass a recommendation to council to amend the draft Gospel Rock neighbourhood plan to include designations for the Gospel Rock, Little Africa and Cross areas as park, while changing previous park areas into green space.
That recommendation was moved by Tretick and seconded by Coun. Charlene San Jenko. Bouman and Coun. LeeAnn Johnson were the opposed in a three to two vote.
Johnson said she would continue to be opposed to waterfront development, citing the overwhelming, science-based information we have highlights it as an area deserving of protection.
When I look at this situation, I'm not clear how the Town is going to secure benefit for the public in exchange for this massive land lift, Bouman stressed, requesting an explanation.
I happen to agree with you, by the way, on this one, said Mayor Wayne Rowe, promising that the Town's director of planning was already working on a revised amenity policy to negotiate for amenities far beyond what you might expect right now.
