A presentation by two men from Pender Harbour at the May 14 Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) board meeting led to a motion asking the province for more time and consideration of comments by residents impacted by the proposed Pender Harbour dock management plan.
Ronald Malcolm and Bill Hunsche appeared before directors saying the draft dock management plan for Pender Harbour came as an unwelcome surprise to most residents in the area.
“The process to formulate the plan appears to be a two-party process between the Sechelt Nation and the provincial government, with the third party, the landowners, the party most impacted by this plan, excluded in the formulation of the plan,” Hunsche said.
“Engage and assist us, the residents and property owners in Pender Harbour, to obtain due process before the provincial government implements this Pender Harbour draft dock management plan.”
Director for the Sechelt Nation, Coun. Chris August, noted the Nation had already “delayed and approved an extra month and a half for comments.” That comment period will close on June 10.
Pender Harbour director Frank Mauro said he appreciated the extension but suggested if the next scheduled meeting about the dock plan happens sometime around June 7, the June 10 comment closing date would be “too early.”
“Two weeks past that point is, I think, a starting point unless there is some major misunderstanding,” Mauro said.
He moved that the board write a letter to the province “requesting a process that includes full meaningful discussion, consultation and consideration of comments from Pender Harbour residents before moving forward with the Pender Harbour dock management plan and that the letter be copied to the Sechelt Nation.”
All but Elphinstone director Lorne Lewis voted in favour of the motion and it passed.
Marijuana zoning
Directors have decided to suspend work on creating new zoning and form and character guidelines for medicinal marijuana production facilities in Elphinstone and Roberts Creek in light of a pending court case.
The issue was set to go to public hearing next month, but directors decided at their May 14 planning and development committee meeting to put the process on hold as the result of a federal court trial around the legality of new Health Canada regulations could change things.
“The result of the case may have a significant impact upon the Health Canada regulatory framework,” a staff report read.
“Staff use the word ‘may’ as it is likely that there will be an appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada regardless of the decision. However, the federal court decision will provide a strong indication of how the regulations may evolve.”
Goldmoss
The views on whether or not to allow Goldmoss Gallery to run out of a home in Roberts Creek have been varied and passionate, so the SCRD is sending the issue to public hearing.
Senior planner Andrew Allen explained that staff have been working on the Goldmoss issue for nearly a year now and that some changes have been made to the plan in response to community concerns; however, no community consensus has been found.
For that reason, Allen recommended sending the issue to public hearing.
Roberts Creek director Mark Lebbell was in favour of the idea, but he wanted to add some stipulations to what would be presented at the public hearing.
The changes he asked to have included are to prohibit amplified music on site and to ensure owners of the gallery don’t run events for more than eight hours a day during a maximum of four gallery openings a year.
“I’m confident in this day and information age that the planning department will be able to inform the public and respond to queries, and I will do that too,” Lebbell said.
The tentative date for the public hearing is June 17.
