Rick Shellinick has been trying to subdivide his property for more than ten years and it now looks like he will not be able to have a public zoning meeting anytime in the immediate future. At their last meeting, the Strathcona Regional District Board passed a motion postponing all public zoning meetings on Quadra Island until the province removes restrictions on public gatherings.
This is a controversial project, which in its current incarnation calls for developing 51 residential lots, a campground, marina and two waterfront parks in Gowland Harbour.
The opposing vote
Though this was a meeting of the whole board, it is a rural issue and only the four Regional Directors could vote. All but one of them voted in favour of suspending public meetings.
Cortes Island’s Regional Director Noba Anderson, explained why she opposed the motion: “ I would support a delay for a few months, but it seems very likely that we won’t be able to have mass indoor gatherings for a year or more and I do not think it is appropriate to delay the core business of community land use planning, which is arguably the reason Regional Districts exist, indefinitely.”
Two Campbell River Directors speak
Though the Campbell River Directors do not have a vote, they can express their opinions.
Claire Moglove said she was “somewhat disappointed with this [motion], for the reasons Director Anderson stated.”
She went on to remind the board that Campbell River has been holding virtual meetings, on and off, for almost a year. They have been going better than she expected. It gives people an opportunity to voice their concerns and allows the business of government to move forward during the pandemic.
“Once COVID is over, I think there will be a combination of virtual and in person. Some people actually prefer the virtual public hearing because it is less stressful. They don’t have to be in front of an audience. They are just looking at a computer screen,” she said.
Charlie Cornfield pointed out that while there are seven Campbell River Directors, only three Rural Directors attend public meetings.
(The fourth Regional Director, Anderson, was censored for showing her lawyer ‘confidential SRD documents’ to get his legal opinion. She is no longer permitted to attend a public zoning meetings unless they pertain to Cortes Island.)
“I think you could socially distance and mask and have public attendance – even if you did set up a plexiglass that they came to. We did a by-election here in Campbell River; we had a provincial election … that met COVID restrictions,” said Cornfield.
“I don’t think there is any reason we can’t have an in person and virtual [meeting] simultaneously, then people can make their choice. To say no public hearings means no changes at any time, if there is a requirement for a public hearing – you have just eliminated anything there. If it is a by-law change to support somebody putting in something to do with their house, to bring it up to standard, you’re now preventing them from doing that. I think you are opening it up to challenges, by putting up a bylaw that prohibits public hearings, in which case you have now negated any kind of development. I think it is not a wise move.”
Abram Responds: ‘Move on’
“This has nothing to do with inhibiting growth or development. This has to do with the safety of the public and the ability of the public to be able to appear in person an a major development; the biggest development ever on Quadra Island,” responded Quadra Island’s Regional Director, Jim Abram.
“This is not an addition to your deck Charlie. This is 54 houses etc, etc, etc. The public of Quadra wants to see this [in person meeting] happen. You had a delegation at the last [Electoral Areas Services Committee] meeting of four very disparate groups come and tell you they want an in-person meeting because we are expecting more than a couple of hundred people that will want to attend. They will not attend virtually.”
He reminded Director Cornfield, “This is what we are coming for but then, as you said, you won’t be voting in it – so just move on.”
The other Directors do not ‘move on’
The other Directors did not ‘move on.’
Campbell River Director Colleen Evans reminded Abram that there is value in obtaining the council of the whole board and reiterated the fact that virtual meetings are working in Campbell River.
Mayor Julie Colborne of Zeballos, a rural village with 107 inhabitants and poor internet connection, said, “I just don’t understand why it is just Area C. If we are holding [public meetings] in some areas and not other areas, I am just worried about messaging. That was all, just a quick question to staff”
Chief Administrative Officer David Leitch replied, “Yes, well it is not consistent and this is just for Area C.”
Director Leigh supports the motion
“Having heard from the Directors from Campbell River about how they appreciate their virtual experiences at public hearings, we in the electoral areas have not had the same experience. Possibly because of the communications problems in the electoral areas: where a lot people do not have access to good internet connections, or good phone connections,” said Regional Director Brenda Leigh.
She pointed out that very few people attended the last half dozen public hearings. Only the applicant showed up at a recent virtual meeting for Sayward.
“There has been no real participation in our public hearings in the electoral areas. We know that this [Gowland Harbour Views] application is a large one and attract a lot of attention on Quadra Island. We want people to be able to express their interest in property, as is their right under the local Government Act,” said Leigh.
“And I personally see virtual hearings as an impediment to people in the electoral areas … A public hearing is for people to not only express their own view, but [also] to hear what other people have to say and have a transparent and accountable process.”
She conceded that meetings could be hybrid, but people need the opportunity to express their views in person.
Gold River’s experience
Chair Brad Unger, Mayor of another village with substandard internet connection, weighed in, “In Gold River we’ve had five public meetings now. We have more people show up to our virtual public meetings than we ever did [in person] … We have information by email; virtual meeting; they can phone us. Like I said, we have a better turn-out virtually than we did in the past. We elected to move our communities forward. Stalling on process, in my opinion, would be slowing down business in our area.”
He added, “When I look at the motion for Area C and I hear the Director simply talk about one project, it concerns me.”
Regional Director Gerald Whalley raised a point of order. Chair Unger should have stepped down from the Chair before giving his personal opinion.
Chair Unger apologized and said it would not happen again.
Cortes Island’s experience
Cortes Island is another rural community with substandard internet connection, yet Director Anderson responded to the pandemic with a series of virtual community meetings that were also broadcast live over the local radio station.
She agreed that some of the virtual public zoning meetings have been poorly attended, but added the meeting on Cortes was ‘relatively decently attended.’ There was also the opportunity for people to attend in person and enter Mansons Hall one at a time.
“In one door, out the other, address the politicians who were online. I think this kind of hybrid is doable.”
Motion’s wording changed
Director Anderson had a procedural question.
She noted that the wording of the motion before them had changed.
When it was passed at the recent Electoral Areas Service Committee (EASC) meeting, the motion had been:
The words “related to Local Government Act Part 14 initiatives affecting land within Electoral” had been added, so that the motion was now:
Is this appropriate?
Senior Manager Thomas Yates explained, “The motion that was passed at EASC was quite broad. Public hearings can cover many, many different areas of authority within the Regional District. Part 14 refers to land use, development permits, those kind of things – which is the domain of the Electoral Area Directors. A motion broadly seeking to deal with public hearings of any type within Area C would have been up to the whole Board to make that decision.”
Anderson responded, “So if EASC’s motion were put forward to the Board, the whole Board would be voting on it. This seems to be a way of having only EASC vote on the matter and, indeed, getting at a subset of public hearings. My concern is that are we actually trying to get at the Shellinick proposal, or land use proposals as opposed to what I am hearing from Director Abram is a concern for public safety. If it is a concern for public safety, it should be all public hearings and the whole board should be voting on that. So I am asking the Chair if maybe this should be postponed while he looks into this. I rarely see a motion changed with this much substance.”
Mr Leitch stated he had changed the wording of the motion so that it more closely aligned with EASC’s intention.
“What is at hand is public gatherings and the safety thereof,” replied Anderson.
“The intent of the resolution was clear. It was about land use, not all public gatherings in general,” replied Leitch.
“Mr Chair, I am asking that you rule on the appropriateness of this,” said Anderson.
Chair Unger found it difficult to make a decision, “because it is a land use and the reasoning is health issues.”
Director Abram has the floor.
“Mr Chair, may I please?” asked Abram.
“Go ahead,” responded Unger.
Abram began, “Thank-you Mr Chair. I think Mr Yates, or sorry, Mr. Leitch said it quite clearly and Director Anderson knows full good and well this was strictly about land use. She is trying to subvert the process. I object to that.”
“Objection, this is about health,” said Anderson.
“This is about having public hearings on massive issues that cannot be participated in by the general public,” replied Abram. “In our area we have held three public hearings virtually. Two of them had no one show up and they were contentious issues, but they were small. One was a one lot subdivision …”
Chair Unger attempts to speak
“Okay,” interjected Unger.
“Excuse me, Mr Chair. The point was that we don’t have decent internet on Quadra Island. We don’t have everybody with access to internet of any kind, decent or otherwise. We don’t have everybody savvy on internet. They want to participate on this, but they will not participate if it isn’t in a public building. You have to look at all those issues combined. And our [SRD] program itself, as we have seen with our own Directors at our meetings, have been cut off. We can’t have that happen in a public hearing, with something so massive and so important,” said Abram.
”The direction at the EASC meeting was absolutely clear; the write-up on your Agenda is very clear. It is electoral area only voting. It is simply not to have any public hearings …”
“Thank-you,” interjected Chair Unger.
“You know, cutting me off in the middle of a sentence really does not help Mr Chair,” said Abram.
He continued, “The public gatherings, participation etc were strictly about land use issues that are up for adoption, or otherwise. I am asking that we just move ahead with the by-law as it stands.”
“Okay, thank-you,” said Unger.
Postponing all public zoning meetings
“I call the question,” said Director Leigh.
“Thank-you very much, I was just going to call the question. We’ve had enough discussion. So question on the motion, is anyone opposed?” said Chair Unger.
As this was a rural issue, only the four Regional Directors (Abram, Anderson, Leigh and Whalley) were permitted to respond to this question.
One did: “Anderson.”
“Seeing one, call it carried,” said Unger.
Links of interest
- (Cortes Currents) articles about the proposed Gowland Harbour Views development
- (Cortes Currents) Delaying the zoning hearing until Quadra Islanders can meet in person (the April 14 EASC meeting)
- (SRD) the most recent application for Gowland Harbour Views with the Staff report, and recommendations, of Feb 18, 2021.
- (Cortes Currents) articles mentioning Jim Abram
- (Cortes Currents) articles mentioning Quadra Island
- (Cortes Currents) articles about, or mentioning, the SRD Board
Top photo credit: (The Directors, proceeding from top left) Chair Brad Unger; Campbell River Director Charlie Cornfield; CAO David Leitch; Regional Director Brenda Leigh; Regional Director Noba Anderson; Regional Director Jim Abram; Campbell River Director Claire Moglove; Campbell River Director Colleen Evans; Mayor Andy Adams of Campbell River – from the SRD YouTube recording
Sign-up for Cortes Currents email-out:
To receive an emailed catalogue of articles on Cortes Currents, send a (blank) email to subscribe to your desired frequency:
- Daily, (articles posted during the last 24 hours) – cortescurrents-daily+subscribe@cortes.groups.io
- Weekly Digest cortescurrents – cortescurrents-weekly+subscribe@cortes.groups.io
Why is it that Director Anderson has a bean up her butt about this, when it has no bearing whatsoever on her constituency? i can absolutely guarantee that Anderson’s attitude would be totally different if the proposal were for a development of this size on Cortes!