Gabriola LTC Regular Meeting Addendum

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GB-LTC-AGD-ADD-2014-02-20 
 
 
 
 
 
GABRIOLA ISLAND  
LOCAL TRUST COMMITTEE 
AGENDA
 
 
 
REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING  
OF THE GABRIOLA ISLAND LOCAL TRUST COMMITTEE 
held at 10:15 AM on Thursday, March 13, 2014 at    the Women’s Institute, 
476 South Road, Gabriola Island, BC 
 
 
LATE ITEMS, ADDITIONS 
 
 
AMENDMENTS/ADDITIONS 
TO ITEMS: 
 
11. DELEGATIONS 
11.1 Gabriola Citizens’ Rights Coalition – submission attached 
  
14. LOCAL TRUST COMMITTEE PROJECTS 
14.1 Official Community Plan/Land Use Bylaw Review 
 14.1.1  Riparian Areas Regulation Implementation Bylaw 265 Referral Response – deleted 
from agenda at time of meeting 
 

Page 1 of 2 
 
Gabriola Citizens’ Rights Coalition submission to the Gabriola Local Trust 
Committee regular business meeting, Feb. 20, 2014, re: proposed “riparian” ditch 
bylaws 265/6. 
Purpose: This submission notes two recent legislative and administrative developments 
affecting Gabriola’s proposed “riparian” ditch bylaws 265/6. In light of these 
developments and numerous related issues, the Gabriola Citizens’ Rights Coalition 
(GCRC) suggests what we believe is a superior issue management approach to the 
bylaws 265/6 controversy.  
New legislation affects Fish Protection Act 
In its Throne Speech Feb. 11, 2014 the BC Government announced, “After four years of 
detailed consultations with British Columbians, your government is ready to introduce a 
new Water Sustainability Act, to help ensure that our water stays healthy and secure 
for future generations.”  
The Water Sustainability Act (Legislative Proposal, Oct. 2013) “considers water in land 
use decisions.” It works with other legislation, “such as the Water Protection Act, the 
Fish Protection Act, and the Drinking Water Protection Act.” 
The new legislation specifies as a “key outcome” that “aquatic ecosystems are healthy 
and protected.” It includes “approvals for changes in and around streams.” “Provisions 
for prohibiting of the dumping of debris would be expanded and integrated (including 
not-in-force provisions from the Fish Protection Act) for surface water and ground 
water.” 
Clearly the proposed 2014 Water Sustainability Act materially affects bylaws 265/6. Its 
relevance to Gabriola is also underscored by residents’ critical dependence on ground 
water, as analyzed in the RDN’s local “Water Budget Report, Phase 1,” Dec. 13, 2012. 
Ombudsperson’s systemic investigation of administration of the Riparian Areas 
Regulation completed for release soon.  
As noted in the Property Rights Action Group’s PRAG) submission to the Sept. 4th, 
2013 LTC public hearing concerning bylaws 265/6, the Ombudsperson last year 
undertook a systemic investigation of RAR administration due to “complaints from 
people affected by the process.” The fact that the LTC is now in receipt of three field 
studies and two government directives concerning proposed bylaws 265/6, all 
conflicting in various ways, emphasizes the need for the Ombudspersons’ investigation. 
Her report 

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