Salish Sea Marine Trail
The Sunshine Coast Regional District is offering a letter of support for the Salish Sea Marine Trail.
John Kimantas of BC Marine Trails Network Association told the July 21 meeting of the planning and development committee that the trail would link 275 kilometres of established kayaking and paddling routes through the Gulf Islands, the Strait of Georgia and Howe Sound. The goal is to have most of it established by July 1 next year.
One question raised by directors was about the difficulty of the section between Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast, which would take paddlers across the Strait in the general area of Jedediah, Lasqueti and Texada islands.
“In terms of British Columbia’s coastal waters, with the exception of tidal currents that come through some of these areas, the water is considerably more protected than, say, the west coast of Vancouver Island,” said Kimantas. “So, by kayaking standards it’s not a particularly tough route [although] some sections will be for [higher] skill levels.”
New agriculture zoning
SCRD directors were expected to vote July 28 on third reading of the zoning bylaw amendment that would have seen a new Agriculture (AG) zone replace the existing RU3 (Rural Use 3). The idea is to encourage agriculture and bring local zoning in line with the Agricultural Land Reserve regulations.
The proposed amendment has already been through two public hearings and a few changes, but SCRD chair Garry Nohr raised another area to look into at the July 21 planning and development committee meeting – bees and bee keeping.
Steve Olmstead, GM of Planning and Development, said it’s an area where the SCRD is still a bit out of step, but the issue is being addressed.
“The keeping of bees is going to be part of the zoning review for agriculture in the rural and residential zones,” he said.
Living Heritage Society withdraws application
The Pender Harbour Living Heritage Society is withdrawing its application to have the old forestry service site in Madeira Park (sometimes called the ranger station) added to the heritage register.
The buildings at the site are home to the Pender Harbour School of Music, an art gallery, a day care, and the Pender Harbour Reading Room.
The Living Heritage Society wrote to the SCRD explaining that the Pender Harbour Music Society (which runs the music school) was worried a heritage designation would be too limiting when it came to future uses for the building and the site in general.
Instead the Society wants to honour the history of the forestry service in the area by putting up special signage.
