Salt Spring LTC Regular Meeting Minutes

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Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee 
Regular Business Meeting 
November 6, 2025 ADOPTED Page 1 of 9 
 
 
   Salt Spring Local Trust Committee 
Minutes of Regular Meeting 
 
Date:  
 
Location:  
November 6, 2025 
 
Meaden Hall 
120 Blain Road, Salt Spring Island  
 
Members Present: Timothy Peterson, Chair 
Laura Patrick, Local Trustee 
 
Members Regrets: Jamie Harris, Local Trustee  
  
Staff Present: Chris Hutton, Regional Planning Manager 
 Oluwashogo Garuba, Planner 2 
Kalyaan Selvakumar, Planning Team Assistant 
 Lisa Millard, Meeting Coordinator (electronic) 
Carly Bilney, Recorder (electronic) 
  
Others Present: Kent Bittorf, Capital Regional District 
Gary Holman, Capital Regional District (CRD) Salt Spring Island 
Electoral Area Director  
Dan Ovington, Senior Manager, Capital Regional District 
 
There were 24 members of the public present. 
 
1. CALL TO ORDER 
Chair Peterson called the meeting to order at 12:35 p.m. He acknowledged that the meeting 
was being held in the territory of the Coast Salish First Nations. 
2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA 
Discussion was held about the timeline related to the Policy Statement referral and 
response deadline. Staff noted a community engagement is anticipated to take place in 
December or January, and details are to be determined. 
 By general consent, the agenda was approved as presented. 
3. TOWN HALL AND QUESTIONS 
Chair Peterson noted that the Public Hearings for the Proposed Bylaws 543, 544, & 545 had 
been held and as per Meeting Procedure Bylaw No. 391, the Local Trust Committee must 
not permit a delegation to address a meeting of the Committee regarding a bylaw in respect 
of which a public hearing has been held. 

 
 
Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee 
Regular Business Meeting 
November 6, 2025 ADOPTED Page 2 of 9 
Several members of the public expressed concern about the proposal for a 
telecommunication tower at 131 Knott Place for the following reasons: 
• Studies have been done that show negative impacts of electromagnetic fields on the 
environment and human health 
• The proposal has lacked stakeholder engagement 
• The importance of transparency, public trust and the use of the precautionary principle 
in municipal planning was emphasized 
• The Local Trust Committee was asked to engage with Lyackson and Halalt First Nations 
on the proposal 
• The island already has enough telecommunication towers and there is a need to protect 
Salt Spring’s nature and culture 
• Trustees were encouraged to seek impartial research on the science of electromagnetic 
fields 
• There is a need to defend the younger generation and the proposed tower would be too 
close to a school, daycare facility, and swimming pool  
• The negative impact of electromagnetic fields increases with exposure time and 
intensity  
• Alternative locations for a tower should be examined so it would have less impact on its 
surroundings 
• The proposed tower will affect the community in a very negative way 
4. DELEGA

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