Gabriola LTC Special Meeting Minutes -DRAFT

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DRAFT 
 
Gabriola Island DRAFT   
Local Trust Committee Special Meeting Minutes 
March 28, 2025 
 1 
 
 
Gabriola Island Local Trust Committee 
Minutes of Special Meeting 
 
Date:  
Location:  
March 28, 2025 
Electronic Meeting 
 
Members Present: Laura Patrick, Chair 
 Tobi Elliott, Trustee 
 Susan Yates, Trustee 
  
Staff Present: Narissa Chadwick, Island Planner 
Stephen Baugh, Island Planner 
 Katherine Vogt, Recorder  
 
1. CALL TO ORDER 
Chair Patrick called the special meeting to order at 10:01 am. She announced that she had 
recently become the new Chair of the Gabriola Local Trust Committee (LTC), and 
introduced herself, trustees, staff, and recorder. 
2. TERRITORIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 
Chair Patrick acknowledged that the meeting was held on the territory of the Coast Salish 
First Nations. She spoke on trustee commitment to long-term relationship building and 
reconciliation with First Nations. 
3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA 
By general consent the agenda was approved as presented. 
4. BUSINESS ITEMS 
4.1 Major Project: Gabriola Island Official Community Plan Review - Connectivity 
and Economy Discussion - Staff Report  
Planner Chadwick presented the staff report, dated March 28, 2025, which reviews 
policy options regarding connectivity and economy for inclusion in the draft Official 
Community Plan (OCP), noting the following: 
• Focused engagement groups of up to 12 invited participants have been held for 
the OCP topic areas of housing, connectivity, and economy. 
• A survey on connectivity and economy is out right now, and its deadline has 
been extended to the middle of April to align with a recent invitation from the 

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Gabriola Island DRAFT   
Local Trust Committee Special Meeting Minutes 
March 28, 2025 
 2 
Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) to coordinate with their send out of 
information on water budget work.  
• Senior RDN Parks Planner Elaine McCulloch, who is currently working on the 
RDN Parks and Trails Plan for Gabriola, joined the connectivity focus group and 
has advised on policy language for the OCP to support RDN receiving funding for 
parks projects on Gabriola. 
• A highlight of the connectivity focus group was their support for more sports 
playing fields to enhance health and wellness. 
• The Gabriola Transportation Society has been invited to outline a plan of the 
critical community needs they have identified for inclusion in the OCP.  
• The economy focus group highlighted that housing affordability has significantly 
restricted business opportunities on Gabriola. 
• Many responses have been received by the planner regarding unsafe road 
conditions for pedestrians and cyclists traveling between hubs.  
 
Trustees responded to the staff report and the following questions and comments 
were noted: 
• Recommendations are still coming in for participants for the next 3 focus 
groups. 
• Two open houses, at which participants could discuss any OCP topic, have been 
held.  
• The RDN will have a meeting on Monda

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