Forests, Politics

Area C Directors Report: Hoskyn Landing Update & Conservation Covenants

From the desk of Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney

Hello, and warm May greetings,
This report shares an update on the status of the Hoskyn Landing parking expansion and dock replacement, and an overview of a recent staff report regarding conservation covenants.

Hoskyn Landing parking

This topic is likely of particular interest for Outer Discovery Islands community members, many of whom transition from road and vehicle to wharf and vessel at Hoskyn Landing, to access supplies and their homes. While the conversation about expansion of the Hoskyn Landing parking area predates my tenure as Director, Board direction to have the SRD attempt to secure a Licence of Occupation for an access road and parking purposes began in March 2023.

The current land tenure for Hoskyn Channel Landing consists of a License of Occupation for the purposes of public moorage and a boat launch. The license area does not include the upland parking area or access road at the end of Surge Narrows Road.

SRD staff have been working through the many requirements of the License of Occupation application and reported at the May 7 EASC meeting that consultations with the woodlot owner & First Nations are complete, other requirements are being finalized, and they are hoping to submit the application within a month. As to a timeline for a response from the Province, staff suggested that a year would not be out of character with provincial applications.  While this timeline may not be what some folks would prefer, the good news is it’s in progress and hopefully edging closer to reality.

Hoskyn Landing dock

The Hoskyn dock is scheduled for replacement and in early March a notice was posted of of an upcoming wharf closure while this work took place. However, due to challenges beyond SRD control, the dock has yet to be installed. Fabrication of the dock is complete and awaits delivery by the contractor.

Staff shared that they are equally as anxious as the community to get the new infrastructure installed, and while they have sought potential help from other contractors, they had no specific insights regarding a timeline that they could share. Watch for updated notices, as the dock will be closed for a couple of days for installation.

Conservation Covenant

A conservation covenant is a legally binding agreement between a landowner and a qualified organization (government or land trust) that protects natural or heritage values. Registered on a land title, a conservation covenant may restrict certain types of development or land use, and is a tool for landowners to protect features of the land in perpetuity. Recently staff reported on conservation covenants within the SRD.

Historically, the Comox Strathcona Regional District entered into covenants to conserve land or protect features related to it, or to require that improvements be maintained on the property for the protection of natural environmental values. However, given the difficulty in interpretation and enforcement, the Strathcona Regional District has moved away from entering into these binding covenants.

Should a local government choose to register a covenant on title, it has the responsibility for enforcement of the covenant by ensuring development is in accordance with the wording. However, if development does not trigger a permit application within an Electoral Area, a review of title does not take place prior and the ability to ensure any development is compliant is extremely difficult.

Staff reported that there is no record of the covenants that are currently held by the SRD and no formal monitoring taking place. Follow-up is generally complaint-driven based on community knowledge of a covenant’s existence. If a development application includes a covenant request by the Province, SRD staff decline because it is the approving authority’s responsibility to hold the covenant.

Under the Land Title Act, a covenant can also be registered with approved land trusts, which generally provide ongoing monitoring. For those who have a conservation covenant on the land title, it may be beneficial to add an approved land trust as a third-party signatory to the covenant. You can read the entire staff report here: bit.ly/SRD-covenants.

Connect

Thank you for inviting me into your inbox, and thank you for the opportunity to serve our community. You’re welcome to connect with me with questions or concerns: you can email RMawhinney@srd.ca, or call 250.203.2468. If you’d like to chat in person, you can book a meeting at calendly.com/robynmawhinney. Catch up on SRD meeting agendas and minutes here: bit.ly/SRD-agendas-minutes.

Until next time,
Respectfully,
Director Robyn Mawhinney

Links of Interest

Photos in this report are from a recent low-tide exploration/hike on the south side of Small Inlet. I’m so grateful to live, work and play on the unceded homelands of the Ligwilda’xw