Salt Spring Island OCP Bylaw No. 434 - Conservation Land Use Objectives and Policies

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Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee 63 Otober 2020 Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 434 – Volume 1 (Consolidated)

B.8 CONSERVATION LAND USE OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES

B.8.1 Watershed and Islet Residential Designation

B.8.1.1 OBJECTIVES

B.8.1.1.1 To develop land use policies that protect the quality of community water supply lakes and reduce or avoid the need for remedial water treatment.

B.8.1.1.2 To continue to provide for residential, commercial and institutional development in those parts of catchment areas where it is currently allowed, but to avoid an increase in development or activity within watershed catchments.

B.8.1.1.3 To identify small islets in the Plan area zoned for residential use, but with fragile and sensitive natural environments.

B.8.1.2 POLICIES

B.8.1.2.1 The lands designated as the Watershed and Islet Residential Designation are shown on Map 1.

B.8.1.2.2 Zones within the Watershed and Islet Residential Designation will continue to allow the uses allowed under current zoning. Existing commercial and institutional zones will remain, but zoning changes should not be made to locate additional new or higher impact developments on lands in this Designation.

B.8.1.2.3 Land that is presently zoned only for watershed protection should remain in such a zone and not have development potential.

B.8.1.2.4 The minimum size of lots that can be created by subdivision in this Designation will remain the same as indicated in the Local Trust Committee's current Land Use Bylaw. New lot sizes should continue to be no smaller than 12 ha in the Maxwell Lake watershed and no smaller than 4 ha in other watershed areas.

B.8.1.2.5 Zoning should continue to protect community water supply lakes from the potential impacts of septic field siting.

B.8.1.2.6 The Local Trust Committee should consider rezoning applications that would allow owners of undeveloped property within the Designation to transfer their development potential to more suitable locations. Such applications should follow the guidelines in Appendix 4. The Watershed and Islet Residential Designation is a Development Potential Donor Area.

B.8.1.2.7 The Local Trust Committee will support applications by conservation agencies such as the Islands Trust Fund Board to acquire the Crown Land adjacent to Cusheon Lake for watershed protection.

B.8.1.2.8 The Local Trust Committee should give consideration to the protection of community water system supply watersheds through designation as development permit areas.

Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee 64 Otober 2020 Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 434 – Volume 1 (Consolidated)

Others are encouraged to help achieve the objectives of this Section as follows:

B.8.1.2.9 Integrated Land Management Bureau is urged not to approve licenses, leases or sale of the Crown Land adjacent to Cusheon Lake for uses that would increase development or activity within the Cusheon Lake drinking water catchment area. Integrated Land Management Bureau is encouraged to approve applications to conserve that land for community watershed protection. Integrated Land Management Bureau is encouraged to recognize and accommodate First Nations interests when considering any application for a lease, license or sale of Crown Land.

B.8.2 Uplands Designation

B.8.2.1 OBJECTIVES

B.8.2.1.1 To continue to allow very low density residential use and other kinds of low impact development that will sustain the watershed recharge areas, wildlife habitat, forest resource, sensitive environments, open space and recreational potential of lands in the Uplands Designation.

B.8.2.2 POLICIES

B.8.2.2.1 The areas designated as Uplands are shown on Map 1.

B.8.2.2.2 Zones within the Uplands Designation will continue to allow the low and very low density residential development and the other land uses that are allowed by existing zoning.

BL488 (07/20) B.8.2.2.3 Existing commercial and general employment zones will remain, but zoning amendments should not be made to locate large new commercial, general employment, institutional or multifamily developments in the Uplands Designation.

B.8.2.2.4 The Local Trust Committee could consider rezoning applications from property owners wishing to locate home based industries or value-added processing of island wood products on land within the Uplands Designation. If such applications are considered, the Committee should ensure that any impacts on the natural environment and neighbouring homes will be minimized.

B.8.2.2.5 The minimum size of lots and the minimum average size of lots that can be created by subdivision in this Designation will remain the same as indicated by current bylaws. The minimum average size of lots should not be less than 8 ha except in areas zoned Rural, where the minimum average size of lots should not be less than 2 ha.

B.8.2.2.6 The Local Trust Committee should consider rezoning applications that would enable owners of undeveloped property within the Designation to transfer their development potential to more suitable locations. Such applications should follow the guidelines in Appendix 4. The Uplands Designation is a Development Potential Donor Area.

Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee 65 Otober 2020 Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 434 – Volume 1 (Consolidated)

B.8.3 Ecological Reserve Designation

B.8.3.1 OBJECTIVES

B.8.3.1.1 To provide maximum protection to sensitive environments and lands with high biodiversity.

B.8.3.2 POLICIES

B.8.3.2.1 The area designated for Ecological Reserves is shown on Map 1.

B.8.3.2.2 Zones within the Ecological Reserve Designation will continue to allow ecological reserves, and outdoor ecological education and research.

B.8.3.2.3 Zoning should continue to permit only ecological conservation uses on land in this designation.

B.8.3.2.4 The Local Trust Committee will not support the use of lands in the Ecological Reserve Designation for other than ecological conservation purposes.

B.8.3.2.5 The Local Trust Committee should not change the zoning on properties reached through the Ecological Reserve Designation if the change would increase traffic on access roads through the Designation.

B.8.3.2.6 The Local Trust Committee will support an application by B.C. Parks to add adjacent Crown land parcels to the Mt. Tuam Ecological Reserve.