Fish plant to become spa
The West Coast Wilder-ness Lodge in Egmont got the green light to convert a vacant fish processing plant into a health and wellness spa. The SCRD board passed third reading and adoption of a zoning amendment to the Egmont and Pender Harbour Official Community Plan. A public hearing, held in July at the Egmont Community Hall, was attended by 15 people. Director Frank Mauro said there were some concerns raised at the meeting; however, he said the project has broad support in the community.
UBCM resolutions
The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) presented two resolutions to the annual Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) convention held this week in Vancouver.
West Howe Sound director Ian Winn spoke to the SCRD resolution about inequities between Agricultural Land Commission rules that apply to wineries and cideries versus the rules that apply to breweries, distilleries and meaderies.
Roberts Creek director Mark Lebbell spoke to the second SCRD resolution, regarding BC Transit expansion and funding certainty. SCRD asked the UBCM to “urge the provincial government to provide a rolling three-year commitment to BC Transit in order to provide and secure longer term funding assurances necessary for local governments to adequately budget and plan for transit expansion beyond the current year.”
Time capsule
To mark its 50th anniversary, the SCRD is looking for public input on potential items and artifacts to put into a time capsule. A white board has been set up in the reception area of the SCRD office at 1975 Field Road, where members of the public can add their ideas for the time capsule.
The SCRD has dedicated a website page to mark the 50th anniversary celebration that features historical information and key milestones for the SCRD through the years. See www.scrd.ca/50th-anniversary
Foreshore tenure
The SCRD board accepted a recommendation from the planning and community development committee on Sept. 14 to support a provincial referral for foreshore tenure for industrial use by Lafarge Canada Inc. in Area A. The aggregate mine in Sechelt Inlet has been a mining operation since the mid 1980s.
The planning committee supported the application subject to a reclamation plan being developed to address site clean-up when the mine closes and that funds set aside for reclamation and restoration be increased to ensure the tenure area is adequately restored.
Dock repairs
Green Wave Marine Services has been contracted by the SCRD to do repair work at some of the nine ports and docks in the region that the SCRD is responsible for. Repair work is slated for Hopkins Landing, Port Graves and Eastbourne in September and at Halfmoon Bay and Vaucroft in October.
