Delaying the zoning meeting until Quadra Islanders can meet in person?

Four Quadra residents are seeking to have the public rezoning meeting for the Gowland Harbour Views development, on Quadra Island, delayed until it is possible to meet in person.

Photo credit: Mic by Michael Rehfeldt via Flickr (CC BY SA, 2.0 License)

Just because it can be done virtually doesn’t mean it should be

Jean Stahnke told the SRD’s Electoral Areas Services Committee (EASC), “I believe this application is one which cannot be adequately addressed with a virtual public hearing. Just because it can be done virtually, doesn’t mean that it should be. We have all seen the technical difficulties with virtual meetings. We have also seen a noticeable reduction in public participation in virtual public hearings – certainly compared to our history on Quadra Island of large turn-outs for public hearings. In some cases lately, there have been no attendees to these virtual hearings. I believe these virtual hearings are an impediment to representation and participation.”

The full Audio starts at 6:40

Using my daughter’s computer

Mark Nighswander described their trial run, “It took four of us and eventually going to my daughter’s computer to make [our test meeting] work. It kind of makes my point about the inappropriateness of a virtual meeting for this issue on Quadra. This is the largest development yet proposed on Quadra, with great impacts in many ways. So it is important that all Quadra Islanders are able to participate. Meeting over computer does not do this.”

He may be able to attend himself, “if my daughter’s computer is tied up in a lecture.”

There were questions, “around how Mr Schellinick left Denman Island and ended up here on Quadra.

Nighswander suggested that “anything less than a full and open public meeting will just enhance these suspicions.”

A right to be heard

Michael Stahnke said, “The Schellinick proposal has been an important and contentious issue for more than a decade. It has been almost proposed, and then withdrawn, at least three times. It has been here so long that the last time it was before you, you debated whether or not Mr Schellinick should be made to submit a completely new application.”

After going through a trial run, he and the other presenters concluded virtual hearings are not an option on Quadra.

“Public hearings on Quadra Island are often attended by more than 200 people. An in person public meeting for this proposal would be one of those,” Stahnke continued.

“Many people on our island do not have cell phones. They don’t have computers, they don’t text and they don’t have skype. But they attend public hearings and sometimes they stand at the microphone. They have an interest in property and a right to be heard.”

In person hearing might be possible in the Fall

George Murdoch pointed out that his audio had dropped several times during the course of this EASC meeting.

“It appears likely that an in-person hearing might be possible in the Fall. Considering the time that has already elapsed since this proposal was brought forward, and I cannot remember how long that was – at least ten years – it would be reasonable to wait until then.”

Rick Schellinck’s proposal

Land owner and applicant, Rick Schellinck, originally approached the Strathcona Regional District in the summer of 2010

The current rendition of his application is to develop 51 residential lots, a campground, marina and two waterfront parks in Gowland Harbour.

According to the Strathcona Regional Development staff report, this application “has undergone a number of changes to address issues raised by the local electoral area director.”

Regional Director Jim Abram let the four residents explain their concerns.

Regional Director Brenda Leigh echoed their belief that virtual meetings do not work.

*The areas considered – Courtesy SRD staff report*

Not responsible to put off for a few years

Cortes Island Regional Director Noba Anderson said she completely understood the delegation’s concerns, and had heard similar concerns on Cortes. The Gowland Harbour proposal was complex and needed to be gone over in depth.

“I also would not be surprised if mass gathering restrictions carry on for a couple of years. We don’t know. We are in a completely unknown situation, but with variants and variants of variants – it may be a very long time. The vaccines aren’t getting rid of the variants and the variants continue to morph. It might be quite awhile.”

“My quandary is this, we also do need to do business in this time of disruption, in this time of COVID. I don’t mind putting this off for a few months, but I don’t think it responsible to put it off for a few years. This may be the situation we are faced with.”

Anderson pointed to the recent zoning meeting for Rainbow Ridge on Cortes Island, which was virtual – with an option for people who wanted to express their concerns in person. A mic was set up in Mansons Hall and people who wanted to use it were allowed in one at a time. While lacking the full interactive discussion of a larger in person meeting, it was a step in that direction.

She added, “So my question to the delegation is can you imagine a scenario where we could follow the provincial health guideline (about virtual hearings) and do a public hearing in a good way?

The delegation’s response

The delegation conceded this could be a possibly.

“First off, let us wait and see what happens, Are we in a good position to have our standard meetings in the Fall? If not, maybe something like you suggested may be reasonable,” said Nighswander.

Michael Stahnke suggested that, if necessary, the grass area at Rebecca Spit could be used for a public meeting.

Murdoch said it might be better to erect a large screen outside the Quadra Island Community Hall.

*Details of the rezoning proposal – Courtesy SRD staff report*

Links of Interest

Top photo credit: One of the trails on Rebecca Spit – close to one of the proposed spots for an in person meeting – by Taz via Flickr (CC BY SA, 2.0 License)

Cortes Currents