Politics

Special Area C Director’s Report: action needed to save rural independence

From the desk of Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney

This is a Special Edition Director’s Report with “breaking news” and an action request. Recently I reported that municipalities in the SRD were discussing joining the Electoral Area Land Use Planning Service, something which could impact the independence of our community. This item has now been referred to each of the SRD’s five municipalities & the Kyuquot-Checleseht Nation for their consideration.

As a reminder, the Land Use Planning Service controls all the land use decisions in the electoral areas. This includes applications for rezoning, official community plan amendments, development permits, and land use bylaws like our OCP.

Many rural residents I’ve heard from say it’s outrageous that Campbell River could choose to pay $500,000/year ($5 Million over 10 years!) of their taxpayers hard-earned money for a vote on land use decisions outside their municipal boundaries.  This would give Campbell River five votes on all land use decisions in the electoral areas (vs the four votes of the Electoral Area representatives) which sounds like a ‘hostile takeover’ to many islanders.

Some folks have asked how this is possible: it’s due to the way provincial legislation is written. If you, like me, want land use planning decisions to remain with rural directors, our current recourse is limited. Critically, Campbell River council needs to hear from their constituents that there are more important priorities within city limits for their tax dollars to be invested in.

Here’s the action request: I’m asking you to send a quick email to folks you know that live in Campbell River, sharing the news that their elected council is considering this.  Ask your Campbell River contacts to email their city council on the priorities they’d rather invest their hard-earned tax dollars on within the city – perhaps housing, downtown safety, restoring recent cuts to non-profits, police service, arts and culture, and recovery services for people experiencing homelessness and addiction. The email address to connect with Campbell River city council is mayorandcouncil@campbellriver.ca; you’re welcome to BCC me, rmawhinney@srd.ca.

The Area Directors for Cortes Island (Area B) and the Sayward Valley (Area A) and myself are working hard to inform residents across the SRD about this. We appreciate & echo the concern of rural residents that land use decisions in our rural areas are decided by rural area Directors, not municipal councillors. We are also exploring the potential for changes at the provincial level to prevent this takeover from taking place.

There are more details and context in two recent news articles published about this issue: Cortes Currents provides background and quotes from municipal and electoral area directors; the Campbell River Mirror has also reported on it.

Thanks for reading and taking action by digging deep into your Campbell River connections and letting them know about this important issue. There’s a short sample letter below which may be helpful for folks, I encourage personalizing it.

As always, you’re welcome to connect with me with questions or concerns: email RMawhinney@srd.ca, or call 250.203.2468.

In solidarity for rural independence,

Director Robyn Mawhinney

Sample email…

To: mayorandcouncil@campbellriver.ca
Bcc: rmawhinney@srd.ca


To Campbell River Mayor and Council:

I’ve read that city council is considering joining the Electoral Area Land Use Planning service at the Strathcona Regional District, something which would cost me and my fellow taxpayers almost $500,000 a year (or five million over 10 years!).

In these uncertain times fiscal constraint is in order, in personal and city budgets. Why then are you contemplating spending our hard-earned tax dollars to control land use decisions in neighbouring rural communities when there are so many projects needing attention here in Campbell River?

Improving access to housing, downtown safety, supporting arts and culture, better parks, restoring funding to non-profits, and improving recovery services for people experiencing homelessness and addiction are priorities I’d prefer you invest my tax dollars in, rather than controlling land use decisions an island or two away.

As a Campbell River resident, tax payer, and voter I am asking you not to join the SRD land planning service and instead spend our tax dollars in OUR community on issues that matter here at home.

Thank you for your consideration,

Full NameFull Campbell River Address

Links of Interest:

All photos by Robyn Mawhinney