Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee regular meeting, May 13, 2021

[0:00:00] Planner Mayes: Uh, we also have, uh, our trustees, Trustee Patrick and Trustee Grove, as well as Doug

[0:00:06] Planner Mayes: Pepper, um, on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture.

[0:00:10] Planner Mayes: Um, I'll also note, uh, staff members in attendance, uh, myself.

[0:00:14] Planner Mayes: So I'm Planner 1, Christine Mays.

[0:00:17] Planner Mayes: There's also, uh, Jordi Gordon, Planner 2, as well as Louisa Garbo, and she's our Island

[0:00:21] Planner Mayes: Planner.

[0:00:22] Planner Mayes: Um, so in the absence of a chair, uh, we can walk through the approval of the agenda.

[0:00:27] Planner Mayes: agenda. I'm hoping that you guys are amenable to a couple minutes presentation each on two of their

[0:00:33] Planner Mayes: newest projects. So that's Ganges Village and Ganges, the sort of the Housing Action Program.

[0:00:39] Planner Mayes: And just by raising your hand if that works for you guys to pop that in at 3.3 and 3.4.

[0:00:45] Planner Mayes: I see yes from Jan, yes from Bree, and yes from Brent. Thank you very much.

[0:00:52] Planner Mayes: um so draft minutes of the march 5th agenda for adoption you guys good with that was general

[0:01:04] Planner Mayes: consent i

[0:01:05] Voice 8: wasn't there you

[0:01:07] Planner Mayes: weren't there did you give those a read-through i

[0:01:10] Voice 8: had a look yeah

[0:01:11] Planner Mayes: they look great

[0:01:12] Planner Mayes: great fine i guess if three of you guys say yay yeah

[0:01:19] Voice 3: i move that we approve the

[0:01:20] Voice 3: the minutes of March 5th, 2020.

[0:01:23] Voice 3: I second that move motion.

[0:01:28] Planner Mayes: And Ken looks like he's nodding.

[0:01:30] Planner Mayes: So it looks like we're good to go.

[0:01:31] Planner Mayes: All right, so we'll walk into our business items.

[0:01:33] Planner Mayes: First will be the election of the chair.

[0:01:35] Planner Mayes: I will note, this is just for this meeting.

[0:01:38] Planner Mayes: We do a new election of a chair after our new applicants

[0:01:45] Planner Mayes: or sorry, commissioners come on board.

[0:01:47] Planner Mayes: So fairly straightforward.

[0:01:48] Planner Mayes: forward if you guys remember from the last time what we're looking to do is have someone

[0:01:56] Planner Mayes: nominate someone in this group of four and this will again just be for this meeting

[0:02:03] Planner Mayes: so the nominations do need to be made by someone other than the nominee

[0:02:07] Planner Mayes: and that nominee nomination requires a seconder so in that case I am hoping that someone will

[0:02:14] Planner Mayes: nominate someone else okay

[0:02:17] Voice 5: uh i nominate brie because she's been at the most meetings

[0:02:23] Voice 5: seconded no

[0:02:27] Voice 8: by far not the most meetings that's ken but

[0:02:31] Voice 5: oh all right all

[0:02:33] Planner Mayes: right so i'll say

[0:02:34] Voice 5: i've attended brie i'll

[0:02:37] Planner Mayes: say that commissioner eagle was

[0:02:40] Planner Mayes: was nominated by Commissioner Brent,

[0:02:42] Planner Mayes: or sorry, Bruce Ingram.

[0:02:44] Planner Mayes: And it was seconded by Commissioner Steinman.

[0:02:49] Planner Mayes: Would anyone else like to put someone's name forward?

[0:02:54] Planner Mayes: I'm seeing some head shaking.

[0:02:56] Planner Mayes: No.

[0:02:59] Planner Mayes: No?

[0:03:00] Planner Mayes: All right.

[0:03:01] Planner Mayes: So in that case, nominations are closed

[0:03:03] Planner Mayes: and I'm going to congratulate Commissioner Eagle.

[0:03:07] Planner Mayes: She's been elected chair for this meeting by acclamation.

[0:03:11] Planner Mayes: and now

[0:03:12] Voice 8: in this case

[0:03:13] Planner Mayes: here you do need a vice chair even just for this meeting

[0:03:16] Planner Mayes: i am sorry um so would i be able to ask for a nomination for vice chair can

[0:03:24] Voice 8: i nominate ken

[0:03:25] Voice 8: for vice chair you

[0:03:28] Voice 4: know i'd rather not if you don't mind thank you anyways okay

[0:03:35] Voice 4: i've done it for so many years i'd kind of rather step back a little bit even for this meeting

[0:03:41] Voice 8: you're just out but

[0:03:44] Voice 4: if you don't mind I would like to nominate Jen I'll second

[0:03:50] Voice 8: that I

[0:03:51] Voice 3: don't have to do anything unless you die right I

[0:03:53] Voice 8: think I think you're

[0:03:54] Voice 8: safe yeah

[0:03:55] Voice 3: yeah

[0:03:56] Voice 8: during

[0:03:57] Voice 3: this meeting right well

[0:04:00] Planner Mayes: that case then I will say that

[0:04:02] Planner Mayes: Commissioner Steinman has been nominated by chair Eagle and then that nomination

[0:04:08] Planner Mayes: was seconded by uh commissioner byron would anyone else like to put someone's name forward for chair

[0:04:14] Planner Mayes: for vice chair no all right well in that case congratulations uh commissioner steinman you are

[0:04:21] Planner Mayes: uh you've been elected the vice chair so and that's by acclamation so thank you very much

[0:04:26] Planner Mayes: all right um so in that case we will move into our agenda item um so i've got a presentation

[0:04:37] Planner Mayes: available for you guys and I will share that with you. All right so the purpose of this

[0:04:50] Planner Mayes: particular application so this is an agricultural land reserve non-farm use and subdivision

[0:04:56] Planner Mayes: application and it's addressing the proposed creation of three lots and one of those is

[0:05:01] Planner Mayes: proposed to be in the ALR as well as a common property access across the ALR and thus requiring

[0:05:07] Planner Mayes: a subdivision application and non-farm use application for the proposed common property

[0:05:11] Planner Mayes: access route and potential placement to fill. So you can see on the bottom that is the subject

[0:05:18] Planner Mayes: property. It's indicated in yellow there and as well as there's an ortho photo that's to the right

[0:05:25] Planner Mayes: of that. So there's some site plans as well so that you can visualize the proposed common property

[0:05:32] Planner Mayes: property access route, and the subdivision, as well as the approximate farm use of the subject

[0:05:37] Planner Mayes: property. So a little bit of background. It's located in South Sillspring Island, and that's

[0:05:42] Planner Mayes: in the Fulford Valley. It's 28.2 hectares in area. It's also split zone to Agriculture 1 and rural.

[0:05:52] Planner Mayes: So this is mainly sort of referencing this common property access route that you can sort of see

[0:05:58] Planner Mayes: along this section here. The proposed subdivision seeks to create proposed strata lot 1 which will

[0:06:05] Planner Mayes: be 2.41 hectares and proposed strata lot 2 and that's proposed to be 1.65 hectares and that's

[0:06:10] Planner Mayes: going to be in the rural zone portion of the lot which is up in the corner here that you can see.

[0:06:16] Planner Mayes: It will also create remainder lot B which is going to be split by a proposed common property access

[0:06:21] Planner Mayes: access route, which will be 1.5 hectares in area, as well as the remaining lot, which will be B,

[0:06:29] Planner Mayes: which is going to be a split lot across that potential common property access. So just a

[0:06:35] Planner Mayes: couple photos of the property. You can see the road access right there, headed upward towards

[0:06:42] Planner Mayes: the property, then down towards the Fulford Valley. The bottom photo on the left is the house,

[0:06:49] Planner Mayes: the single family dwelling that's currently on the property and on the left bottom sorry right

[0:06:54] Planner Mayes: bottom you'll see that's the proposed strata lot to boundary um this is these are some pictures of

[0:07:00] Planner Mayes: some of the uh farming that's currently on the property uh so there's a holly orchard sheep

[0:07:04] Planner Mayes: pastured um some icelandic sheep as well as a small fence garden and heritage orchard

[0:07:11] Planner Mayes: um hay is also a predominant use of the property so there's uh upper fields and lower fields

[0:07:17] Planner Mayes: As well, Fulford Creek goes by sex and as well as goes alongside on the neighbouring property.

[0:07:24] Planner Mayes: As well, there's a 1950s dam up in the northwest corner of the property.

[0:07:31] Planner Mayes: So at the Local Trust Committee meeting of April 27th, the LTC passed the following resolution and that was provided for you in the memorandum.

[0:07:38] Planner Mayes: uh the ltc is asking uh the commissioners to uh go through 10 policies and objectives

[0:07:48] Planner Mayes: sorry six policies and objectives um from our official community plan and as well as uh in

[0:07:55] Planner Mayes: consideration of the salt spring area farm plan um so certainly i can bring this back forward

[0:08:00] Planner Mayes: and these are those six policies and objectives uh in front of you to to have a discussion on so

[0:08:06] Planner Mayes: So hopefully we can go through each point and we can discuss those.

[0:08:11] Planner Mayes: This will again be something that we can move backwards to in terms of what your recommendations are for the local trust committee.

[0:08:20] Planner Mayes: So just to note, you know, the original staff report, you know, explored various issues. So that included subdivision regulations, non-farm use fill, access routes through agricultural land reserve to landlocked densities, as well as agricultural activities on the subject property.

[0:08:37] Planner Mayes: So happy to turn this over to the chair to move forward with discussion.

[0:08:44] Planner Mayes: session hey

[0:08:46] Voice 8: thanks very much uh so uh let's just have an open table it sounded like brent you had

[0:08:51] Voice 8: some some things to say do you want to start

[0:08:53] Voice 5: sure uh brie uh thanks to the uh planning staff of the

[0:08:59] Voice 5: islands trust staff this is very clear and um really helped me a lot so really uh great work

[0:09:08] Voice 5: work there. What I want to get to are one is the long-term implication of this very wide

[0:09:24] Voice 5: 20 meter wide what is it called property access route all right and that is

[0:09:37] Voice 5: is combined with a worry about the famous landlocked parcel

[0:09:48] Voice 5: that is due south of the two stratas.

[0:09:56] Voice 5: The line between strata one and strata two is actually a stream

[0:10:01] Voice 5: uh as per uh the uh crd uh maps and is virtually the only easy way uh now to get into the um that

[0:10:17] Voice 5: upper uh landlocked uh landlocked parcel which i don't think is connected to your father brie uh

[0:10:25] Voice 5: correct me if I'm wrong so is

[0:10:27] Voice 5: that correct

[0:10:29] Voice 8: I'm pretty sure that it's not you mean the

[0:10:32] Voice 8: the proposed strata a is not touching my dad's land right

[0:10:36] Voice 5: right and so what I'm looking at is a

[0:10:39] Voice 5: the lower part of strata one would touch Fulford Creek Commons the upper part of strata one and

[0:10:48] Voice 5: and all of Strata 2 is the only cost-effective way

[0:10:56] Voice 5: to get into a landlocked parcel,

[0:10:59] Voice 5: which has been the subject of proposing access routes

[0:11:05] Voice 5: to neighbors for a number of years.

[0:11:09] Voice 5: Is it all right if I share folks these three maps

[0:11:14] Voice 5: to bring up the issues?

[0:11:23] Voice 5: Madam Chairperson?

[0:11:24] Voice 8: I don't know if that's...

[0:11:26] Voice 8: Is that okay?

[0:11:28] Voice 8: Is it up to me?

[0:11:29] Voice 8: I don't

[0:11:30] Voice 5: know.

[0:11:31] Voice 5: I don't know.

[0:11:32] Voice 5: Do people have three minutes to look at three maps that are...

[0:11:37] Voice 5: As

[0:11:38] Voice 8: far as I'm concerned as the Chairperson, it's fine with me.

[0:11:41] Voice 8: Staff probably has an opinion on this,

[0:11:43] Voice 8: so I'll turn it over to staff to say whether or not it's appropriate.

[0:11:47] Planner Mayes: Yeah, and so I'll note, you know,

[0:11:48] Planner Mayes: the AAPC shouldn't be considering new information.

[0:11:52] Planner Mayes: so

[0:11:53] Voice 8: if it wasn't

[0:11:54] Planner Mayes: part of the new the original staff report um you know it can i guess be a

[0:12:00] Planner Mayes: bit problematic in that sense certainly brent if if you wish to send uh to the local trust committee

[0:12:07] Planner Mayes: a letter with those maps um as as correspondence i think that might be probably a more appropriate

[0:12:13] Planner Mayes: route

[0:12:14] Voice 5: that's just fine then i'm going to keep it really brief um what we've got is a situation

[0:12:20] Voice 5: where the narrow boundary between strata one and strata two is a stream.

[0:12:28] Voice 5: And that leads to a series of roads into a parcel called Property ID 009723.

[0:12:50] Voice 5: 7 8 8 4 and that property is being progressively more landlocked uh because of the Bryant Park

[0:13:02] Voice 5: Bryant Hill Park and Andrea Voigt and that province of BC old growth forest reserve so

[0:13:14] Voice 5: So really the only practical way to get into that, you know, significant area would be through straddle lot two or on the line between one and two.

[0:13:32] Voice 5: And that would really, in my estimation, combined with this particularly wide common property access road, be a threat to the current level of agriculture.

[0:13:55] Voice 5: And I'd like to point out that, you know, it's well known that the landowner on the other side has not wanted a road to connect to this family's piece of land because it would degrade their sheep herding.

[0:14:13] Voice 5: So a road this wide is through the property is a concern for me.

[0:14:22] Voice 5: And I'll leave it at that for now.

[0:14:23] Voice 5: Thank you.

[0:14:24] Voice 5: okay

[0:14:25] Voice 8: um thanks for that Brent uh Jan or Ken anything uh concerns or thoughts yeah I'm just

[0:14:33] Voice 4: wondering you say a road I think it says 20 meters um I think that standard for a government

[0:14:41] Voice 4: road is 66 feet so 20 meters but from what I was reading I don't believe the road will be

[0:14:49] Voice 4: be 20 meters. I think that's just the allotted amount of land. So I'm not sure if that road is

[0:14:57] Voice 4: actually going to be 20 meters wide. Just a little bit of information. Maybe I'm wrong.

[0:15:06] Voice 8: Christine, do you know the answer to that? Is it just sort of a proposed size? Then you have

[0:15:12] Voice 8: any additional thoughts on that sizing?

[0:15:15] Planner Mayes: Yeah. So the intent is that there's not going to be

[0:15:18] Planner Mayes: any increase in the width so so can absolutely correct um that 20 meters will encompass

[0:15:25] Planner Mayes: sort of the ditch the telecommunications poles that will be shared by these applicants by the

[0:15:30] Planner Mayes: owners the proposed lots and so that's sort of where it is um you know as is it's a single

[0:15:37] Planner Mayes: track road um with some potential uh passing lanes uh so the proposal isn't to increase the size

[0:15:45] Planner Mayes: however you know as noted in the staff report you know it's unknown whether or not uh the

[0:15:51] Planner Mayes: approving officer may require additional works so

[0:15:57] Voice 4: i have a question go right ahead

[0:15:59] Voice 4: is the entire property in the alr or is it a split zone yeah

[0:16:07] Planner Mayes: so it's it's split zone so

[0:16:08] Planner Mayes: there's a rural portion and i can take that uh take that back uh so if you can see this uh the

[0:16:20] Planner Mayes: zoning. Oops, sorry. The zoning map here. So that's going to be

[0:16:24] Planner Mayes: the one that shows the green. So the portion of the ALR is the

[0:16:27] Planner Mayes: green portion. And the split zone rule portion will be the

[0:16:31] Planner Mayes: portion that's in that orange.

[0:16:35] Voice 4: Thank you.

[0:16:41] Voice 8: Go ahead. Yeah. Do you have some thoughts? Me?

[0:16:46] Voice 8: Yeah. Oh, yeah.

[0:16:48] Voice 4: Oh, yeah. No,

[0:16:50] Voice 8: you're muted. Yeah, you got to

[0:16:53] Voice 8: unmute.

[0:16:54] Voice 8: no

[0:16:55] Voice 3: sorry don't you guys know how i read lips okay so there appears on the yellow outline to be

[0:17:04] Voice 3: a separate outline uh next to fulford ganges road is that a separate title or can christine

[0:17:11] Voice 3: perhaps you can explain why that is uh separately outlined sure

[0:17:15] Planner Mayes: um so what it is is uh there's a

[0:17:17] Planner Mayes: portion of the property that's bisected by fulford creek um so you'll note in this particular

[0:17:23] Planner Mayes: particular picture right here there's quite a significant area that's covenanted and that is

[0:17:31] Planner Mayes: the entirety of Fulford Creek as it moves through the property and so that area there

[0:17:38] Planner Mayes: is is titled separately well not sorry not separately I'm sorry there's a a registered

[0:17:45] Planner Mayes: um legal notation or easement against that property and covenant okay so the ownership

[0:17:56] Planner Mayes: remains it's just you know there are other interests in the in that area and in this

[0:18:01] Planner Mayes: case i believe it's it's ecological understood

[0:18:04] Voice 3: and

[0:18:07] Voice 8: so in terms of what you uh what the trust

[0:18:11] Voice 8: trustees would like the most from us today are you um most interested in us uh providing feedback

[0:18:19] Voice 8: back on the road itself or or the actual the actual subdivision the straddle laws or both

[0:18:26] Voice 8: yeah

[0:18:29] Planner Mayes: so so i suppose um you know the the referral to the aapc asked them to consider

[0:18:35] Planner Mayes: each of these policies that are um hopefully that you can see it does say i'm screen sharing

[0:18:40] Planner Mayes: so you'll note you know policy b4424 um notes that the local trust committee will continue to

[0:18:46] Planner Mayes: to ask emergency response organizations to comment on emergency access and safety issues

[0:18:52] Planner Mayes: when they're considering the local trust committee is considering rezoning applications

[0:18:55] Planner Mayes: development permits for subdivisions so these six policies and objectives the application is

[0:19:04] Planner Mayes: potentially a variance with them and so if the apc sorry apc maybe would go through each and

[0:19:11] Planner Mayes: every one of them and make any comments in accordance with those and then those could

[0:19:16] Planner Mayes: potentially be wrapped up in your response to the ltc okay

[0:19:24] Voice 8: um so if we're going to just move

[0:19:27] Voice 1: through them quickly it doesn't

[0:19:28] Voice 8: appear that the first one has much to do with us um it's it looks

[0:19:32] Voice 8: like mostly uh b6 2214 uh which has to do with the agricultural land commission and the alr which

[0:19:40] Voice 8: which is what we're here to talk about, and the following one as well. Anybody have anything to

[0:19:51] Voice 8: say? Go ahead.

[0:19:54] Voice 5: Well, I think there would be the, no, I'm going to leave it. Excuse me.

[0:20:08] Voice 8: Okay, Jan, it also looked like you had something. Go ahead.

[0:20:10] Voice 3: Yeah, I share Ken's concern about, well, maybe it wasn't a concern as much about going from

[0:20:19] Voice 3: from six meters to 20 meters.

[0:20:21] Voice 3: And I understand that they're claiming

[0:20:24] Voice 3: that it's going to be for drainage

[0:20:27] Voice 3: and power pole and utility access.

[0:20:30] Voice 3: However, that's changing basically a farm road

[0:20:35] Voice 3: into something less than a highway.

[0:20:38] Voice 3: So I'm concerned at the amount of land taken out

[0:20:42] Voice 3: of the ALR under that it's going to be

[0:20:46] Voice 3: over three times the current area.

[0:20:49] Voice 3: so it said I think 1.5 hectares that means that they're taking an additional hectare out of farm

[0:20:55] Voice 3: use by adding these additional services and things so I don't I don't know what to say other than

[0:21:02] Voice 3: that that bothers me and the second thing I might as well get this in now because it's not

[0:21:07] Voice 3: uh attached to any of these items is I think we were suffering death by a thousand cuts I remember

[0:21:14] Voice 3: I remember when Daryl Snacek cut off that Southwest portion,

[0:21:19] Voice 3: it used to be a square property line.

[0:21:21] Voice 3: And I believe the other portion below the residential lot

[0:21:28] Voice 3: used to also be part of this.

[0:21:30] Voice 3: And so I just am concerned in general

[0:21:33] Voice 3: when all these large parcels start getting chopped up.

[0:21:38] Voice 3: So that's all I have to say right at this point.

[0:21:41] Voice 3: I have some other things on other points,

[0:21:43] Voice 3: i'll wait till we get to those uh bullet items yeah

[0:21:49] Voice 8: yeah if i might just offer my own uh two

[0:21:51] Voice 8: cents here i i completely agree i think uh it's hard to imagine the alc uh supporting this

[0:21:58] Voice 8: application i i it just it feels impossible it doesn't comply with any any reason to uh to split

[0:22:07] Voice 8: up land like that so yeah i'm feeling i have misgivings too well

[0:22:14] Voice 4: ken um i don't see uh as an

[0:22:19] Voice 4: item a um how that is going to improve the farming capability if the road proposed road is actually

[0:22:31] Voice 4: actually taken up taking up that ALR land I think if there was a way they could put the road in on

[0:22:39] Voice 4: the non-agricultural part of the property then it may have it may have some benefit but

[0:22:50] Voice 4: personally I don't see it and I agree with you Bree I don't think the ALC would go along with

[0:22:57] Voice 4: that anyway that's for them to decide right yeah

[0:23:03] Voice 8: um unless anybody has anything else major to say

[0:23:09] Voice 8: it feels like we're all pretty much on the same page with this and maybe we can move towards uh

[0:23:14] Voice 8: crafting our whatever it's called motion resolution recommendation um

[0:23:21] Voice 4: i have a comment

[0:23:23] Voice 4: to that so i don't know um what their end game is here but um just reading item b here the

[0:23:32] Voice 4: subdivision is to provide a house up to a site up to 0.6 hectares um the government is provincial

[0:23:45] Voice 4: government is changing regulations around housing on farmland that may allow them to build a house

[0:23:54] Voice 4: another house on that property

[0:23:56] Voice 4: without having to go through subdivision.

[0:24:01] Voice 4: So I don't know whether they propose to subdivide

[0:24:04] Voice 4: and sell off those lots or what their end game is,

[0:24:07] Voice 4: but there could be other ways for them to do this.

[0:24:13] Voice 7: Sorry to interrupt this Doug

[0:24:14] Voice 7: with the Ministry of Agriculture's support.

[0:24:17] Voice 7: It's just saying that Bill 52,

[0:24:19] Voice 7: the residential flexibility portion of that

[0:24:23] Voice 7: is still being revised.

[0:24:26] Voice 7: But as you said, part of that is that you can have a secondary residence.

[0:24:37] Voice 7: I think it's up to 1,000 square feet or something on a parcel.

[0:24:42] Voice 7: So as you said, if you subdivide it, now you've got room for two extra residents or something like that.

[0:24:50] Voice 7: It's definitely something to consider.

[0:24:52] Voice 7: They're still working forward that.

[0:24:54] Voice 7: that. But one thing to note is that the local government still can have more restrictive,

[0:25:00] Voice 7: put in place more restrictions than the ALC is putting forward. So even if the ALC says it's

[0:25:08] Voice 7: okay to have that secondary suite or residence, the local government could say, no, we want to

[0:25:15] Voice 7: not allow that. It still needs to go through there. But sorry, I'll just get off here.

[0:25:22] Voice 7: Yes, that's right.

[0:25:24] Voice 8: Thanks. Jan, did you have something to say? You've been trying to get in

[0:25:29] Voice 8: there.

[0:25:31] Voice 3: Yeah, I'm jumping ahead to B62214. And I don't see how this proposal is going to improve

[0:25:44] Voice 3: farming capability. It's not for a relative of the property owner. And that leaves kind of

[0:25:53] Voice 3: clearly in the public interest consistent with other objectives. So I could see how

[0:25:59] Voice 3: with the current push to provide housing, how this might be in line with the OCP and with other

[0:26:07] Voice 3: guidelines but clearly the first two are our nose on that one and I don't know of any way that we

[0:26:16] Voice 3: could get assurance that there'd be improved farming capability I for one am all for putting

[0:26:23] Voice 3: letting farmers build houses on land but not general public you know selling off lots and

[0:26:29] Voice 3: people who are going to be commuting back and forth to Ganges or even Victoria so I don't I'm

[0:26:35] Voice 3: a quandary because I don't know how we can enforce such things and I don't think we can. It's just a

[0:26:40] Voice 3: matter of impression that several times the applicant seeks to unlock the subdivision

[0:26:47] Voice 3: potential so to me this sounds like it will actually reduce the farming capability of that

[0:26:55] Voice 3: parcel. There has

[0:27:00] Voice 8: been some concern in the in the application about and the staff report about

[0:27:04] Voice 8: of precedence as well, which I think is something to pay attention to. Go ahead, Brent.

[0:27:08] Voice 5: Yeah, and to add on to that, our ABLE staff has said, related to the next policy,

[0:27:22] Voice 5: B62216, that it's unlikely that this subdivision will decrease the farming capability. Now,

[0:27:35] Voice 5: They didn't say that. They said maybe. Right. And I think it's there is a consensus here, if you'll forgive me, Madam Chair.

[0:27:45] Voice 5: I think that we're all agreed that a road that expansive with two households going back

[0:27:56] Voice 5: and forth on it is certainly going to decrease farming capability, particularly since some

[0:28:05] Voice 5: of the major agriculture going on on the parcel is 16 sheep, which, you know, often don't

[0:28:14] Voice 5: do that well when uh there's a lot more traffic so if if we carry on with our thinking

[0:28:20] Voice 5: i i'm of an opinion that there's obvious signs that the farming capability uh will uh

[0:28:30] Voice 5: decline and that's uh contrary to uh our work here

[0:28:37] Voice 8: absolutely um perhaps i think excellent

[0:28:43] Voice 8: Excellent points. And I think we're all on the same page. So perhaps, Christine, you could take us back to the page where the formats for the recommendations are, and we can take a look at, yeah, that's exactly the one.

[0:28:57] Voice 8: And so maybe we can take a look through those, and somebody who's feeling wordsmithy might start thinking about crafting what we'd like to put into our recommendation, make a motion, and we'll go from there.

[0:29:10] Voice 8: um

[0:29:12] Voice 5: i started with one if if uh i'd rather somebody else uh share one but i did write one up

[0:29:20] Voice 8: it's all you brent knock it out of the park

[0:29:24] Voice 5: well hey uh this is you know this was done at 11 o'clock at night in bed you know with my macbook

[0:29:30] Voice 5: uh the recommendation not forward the application uh because the current proposal as it stands

[0:29:38] Voice 5: does not embody a strategy for maintaining or expanding agricultural activities in those ALR

[0:29:48] Voice 5: lands. And further, the proposed 20 meter wide common property access route would be so wide and

[0:30:00] Voice 5: sometimes extend to a tributary of fulford creek as to sometimes disrupt the modest agriculture

[0:30:08] Voice 5: that is currently taking place in the alr portion of the parcel sorry if that's weedy uh wordy

[0:30:17] Voice 8: how's our minute taker doing are you alive minute taker did you hi

[0:30:27] Voice 1: chair eagle yes i am

[0:30:30] Voice 1: I would need that repeated.

[0:30:32] Voice 1: I was doing my best, but I didn't.

[0:30:36] Voice 5: Well, I am going to copy and paste it in the chat.

[0:30:43] Voice 5: It's there.

[0:30:45] Voice 5: But I urge someone with a more poetic command of English

[0:30:51] Voice 5: than I've been able to attain to maybe streamline it a bit

[0:30:56] Voice 5: if it's a bit too long.

[0:30:59] Voice 5: any

[0:31:02] Voice 8: additions or subtractions from you ken or jan well

[0:31:06] Voice 4: it sounded all right to me um i don't think

[0:31:11] Voice 4: it needs to be too elaborate because i think basically we've we're just saying that we don't

[0:31:20] Voice 4: recommend it being forwarded to the alc so i think uh short and sweet i think i think i think

[0:31:32] Voice 4: I think Brent's motion is fine.

[0:31:36] Voice 8: So I guess we're at a point where if the minute taker

[0:31:41] Voice 8: can read it back, the motion,

[0:31:43] Voice 8: did you actually make a motion Brent?

[0:31:45] Voice 8: Did that get recorded as a motion and then we can have it

[0:31:48] Voice 8: read back and get a seconder on it and take a vote,

[0:31:51] Voice 8: I suppose.

[0:31:51] Voice 5: Sure, do you want me to say it again?

[0:31:54] Voice 5: Or can I just say, I'd like to Madam chairperson,

[0:31:58] Voice 5: I would like to have what I just proposed as a motion.

[0:32:04] Voice 5: I

[0:32:04] Voice 8: think that's perfect and then if the minute taker has it uh down uh actually somebody needs

[0:32:10] Voice 8: to second it I guess first anybody somebody there we go Jan's in a second and then if you have it

[0:32:16] Voice 8: down maybe you can read it back and we can take a vote okay

[0:32:21] Voice 1: uh yeah I could read that back or

[0:32:23] Voice 1: I could also share my screen if that is helpful I

[0:32:28] Voice 8: think either one is great okay

[0:32:31] Voice 1: I could read it

[0:32:33] Voice 1: back then that the salt spring island agricultural advisory planning commission recommend to the

[0:32:41] Voice 1: salt spring island local trust committee to not forward application ss alr 2020.4 for 2101

[0:32:51] Voice 1: fulford ganges road to the alc for the following reasons the current proposal as it stands does

[0:32:59] Voice 1: does not embody a strategy for maintaining

[0:33:01] Voice 1: or expanding agricultural use in those ALR lands

[0:33:06] Voice 1: and the proposed 20 meter wide common property access route

[0:33:17] Voice 1: could disrupt the modest agriculture

[0:33:20] Voice 1: that is currently taking place

[0:33:22] Voice 1: in the ALR portion of the property.

[0:33:28] Voice 8: Perfect, okay.

[0:33:29] Voice 8: Okay, so all in favor of submitting that

[0:33:34] Voice 8: as our recommendation to the trustees?

[0:33:37] Voice 5: Aye.

[0:33:38] Voice 5: Aye.

[0:33:39] Voice 5: Aye.

[0:33:39] Voice 5: Me too.

[0:33:41] Voice 8: Okay, I think that we did that then.

[0:33:43] Voice 8: That's great.

[0:33:44] Voice 8: Yes, please tell me what I did wrong.

[0:33:47] Planner Mayes: Oh no, you guys are good to go.

[0:33:48] Planner Mayes: I just did want to note,

[0:33:49] Planner Mayes: I sent you a private message,

[0:33:51] Planner Mayes: Chair Eagle, with Conrad's comments in it

[0:33:54] Planner Mayes: and hoping to potentially put those in the records as well

[0:33:57] Planner Mayes: Wells, he did write some, some information up for you guys. So, oops, sorry,

[0:34:02] Voice 8: I don't even know how

[0:34:02] Voice 8: to find that.

[0:34:03] Voice 8: Where, where is that under chat? Is that what that is? Yeah.

[0:34:07] Planner Mayes: So under chat, if you

[0:34:08] Planner Mayes: open that up, it should

[0:34:09] Planner Mayes: be right up at the top there. Yeah. So I should just, so his comments

[0:34:13] Planner Mayes: are captured as well for, yes, I

[0:34:16] Voice 8: should have, clearly I should have read these out before we

[0:34:19] Voice 8: went ahead and made a recommendation and everything, but we'll do it now. I'm, and hopefully

[0:34:25] Voice 8: he's on the same page as us. So he says, below is a brief assessment of the proposal for the

[0:34:34] Voice 8: non-farm use and subdivision in the ALR. Again, I regret I cannot be there, skipping ahead a tiny

[0:34:40] Voice 8: bit. The proposed additional density on this lot does not provide clear evidence of corresponding

[0:34:46] Voice 8: increase in agricultural farming output. This condition supported by the OCP and the priorities

[0:34:53] Voice 8: of the Salt Spring Island Area Farm Plan

[0:34:55] Voice 8: should continue to guide the LTC

[0:34:57] Voice 8: in their assessment of this application.

[0:35:00] Voice 8: Changes to farmland use should be supported

[0:35:02] Voice 8: when they provide a clear plan to increase food production.

[0:35:06] Voice 8: This additional step would also improve chances

[0:35:09] Voice 8: of being supported by the ALC,

[0:35:12] Voice 8: which we were talking about.

[0:35:13] Voice 8: Should the LTC decide to forward this application

[0:35:16] Voice 8: to the ALC for approval,

[0:35:17] Voice 8: the LTC may consider recommending

[0:35:20] Voice 8: that the applicant seek the assistance

[0:35:22] Voice 8: of professionals with a background in agronomy and horticulture to develop a plan to improve or

[0:35:29] Voice 8: increase food production on the lot so that that seems to be pretty much in line with everything we

[0:35:35] Voice 8: we already discussed anybody have any comments to that yeah I

[0:35:40] Voice 3: just wanted to I just wanted to

[0:35:42] Voice 3: congratulate Conrad I think that's really in line with my thinking too yeah

[0:35:47] Voice 8: thank

[0:35:51] Planner Mayes: you I'm sorry I

[0:35:52] Planner Mayes: I should have noted that a little quicker, but I

[0:35:54] Planner Mayes: appreciate you doing that because he did put

[0:35:56] Planner Mayes: some time and effort into that.

[0:35:58] Voice 8: Absolutely. It's totally my fault. I didn't even know the chat

[0:36:01] Voice 8: thing was down there. You told me you were going to do it and then I spaced it out. So that's on

[0:36:04] Voice 8: me for sure. Okay. So I think that's handled. I'm just going to take a look at Mr. Agenda over here.

[0:36:13] Voice 8: We're on now.

[0:36:15] Planner Mayes: It'll be 3.3. So this will be 3.3 and 3.4. So this will be our island planner,

[0:36:20] Planner Mayes: or louisa garbo she'll be

[0:36:22] Planner Mayes: just doing a short primer for you on her projects fantastic

[0:36:26] Voice 8: thank

[0:36:29] Voice 2: you hello everybody thank you very much for the opportunity to present to you i apologize for

[0:36:35] Voice 2: kind of a squeeze the last minute item on the agenda but knowing you guys don't meet that

[0:36:40] Voice 2: often i don't want to miss that opportunity i'm meeting with you uh from home uh and uh so i'm

[0:36:47] Voice 2: very grateful to join you from the Lekonkwin Territory and I am the new, although it's almost

[0:36:57] Voice 2: not so new now, I've been with the Salt Spring Island office for about seven to eight months now

[0:37:03] Voice 2: and I got assigned two major projects and I think it's time for us to at least introduce the

[0:37:10] Voice 2: projects to you. It's still in the making. The first phase is still, I would say, in some way

[0:37:19] Voice 2: at the infancy. But regardless, I don't want to take too much time. I know this has been a long

[0:37:25] Voice 2: meeting. So I'm going to share the screen and show you the presentation. So what I would like

[0:37:36] Voice 2: to share with you today is two projects. One is the Ganges Village Area Plan and the other one

[0:37:41] Voice 2: on its Housing Action Program.

[0:37:44] Voice 2: And before I move too far,

[0:37:46] Voice 2: I just want to introduce my team planners

[0:37:51] Voice 2: who've been helping me on this project,

[0:37:53] Voice 2: which is Christine and also Jordi.

[0:37:56] Voice 2: And they have been providing

[0:37:58] Voice 2: very valuable technical support.

[0:38:01] Voice 2: The fact that I'm pretty new to British Columbia,

[0:38:04] Voice 2: so I'm still learning about the legislation

[0:38:07] Voice 2: and a lot of the processes.

[0:38:09] Voice 2: So they have been very helpful.

[0:38:11] Voice 2: are you seeing the powerpoint well because my screen is showing me two things so i'm not sure

[0:38:18] Voice 2: which one has been shown in front of you we

[0:38:22] Voice 8: have uh project number one ganges village area plan

[0:38:25] Voice 8: and project number two housing action program on our screens yeah thank you sure

[0:38:30] Voice 2: so uh to go

[0:38:32] Voice 2: through quickly on ganges village area plan uh it's the direction was to develop a specific

[0:38:40] Voice 2: specific area plan to look at Ganges Village, the future growth of Ganges Village. And this effort

[0:38:48] Voice 2: started even before my time, but this come back again and raised to the level that LTC local trust

[0:38:55] Voice 2: community really feel we need to really develop a project charter and really get going on this

[0:39:03] Voice 2: effort. And as you're aware, the official community plan provides objectives and policy

[0:39:11] Voice 2: governing development growth on Salt Spring Island. There's a section particularly

[0:39:18] Voice 2: established for the village governing the development within all the villages within

[0:39:26] Voice 2: the island. And there's also two pages set forth specifically for Ganges Village.

[0:39:32] Voice 2: But as you know the plan was adopted back in 2008, so at this point the village has grown quite a bit.

[0:39:43] Voice 2: But before I go too far, I also want to point out that within the OCP,

[0:39:48] Voice 2: in addition to the objectives and policies that I just showed you in

[0:39:52] Voice 2: the two pages,

[0:39:53] Voice 2: there are also the development permit areas, the land use destinations,

[0:39:58] Voice 2: And this is the map to show the land use destinations within the village, Ganges Village.

[0:40:06] Voice 2: And this is the map that delineate the heritage conservation area.

[0:40:12] Voice 2: And this is the development permit area for the village.

[0:40:18] Voice 2: So in developing this Ganges Village area plan, the project charter identified elements

[0:40:27] Voice 2: or approaches that we're going to look at.

[0:40:30] Voice 2: And I know it's kind of hard to see, but they are online.

[0:40:34] Voice 2: They're available online

[0:40:35] Voice 2: and I'll show you the link in a minute.

[0:40:38] Voice 2: So through this process, the trustees directed us

[0:40:42] Voice 2: to look at the village more holistically.

[0:40:44] Voice 2: How are we going to look at growth

[0:40:47] Voice 2: in the next 30 to 50 years?

[0:40:49] Voice 2: So there will be lots of elements we're going to look at,

[0:40:53] Voice 2: the land use element, transportation, climate change, all the other things.

[0:41:01] Voice 2: So just to give an example what the outcome will be and this is some area plans from other

[0:41:08] Voice 2: communities that they put together and again it's hard to see but Lady Smith look at more

[0:41:15] Voice 2: More specifically, along the waterfront, Gibson Harbor, look at, you know, a greater area.

[0:41:22] Voice 2: So there are a lot of the development within other jurisdictions that we can learn from as well.

[0:41:30] Voice 2: But this gives you an idea of what the product will look like.

[0:41:35] Voice 2: And segue to the Housing Action Plan, Action Program.

[0:41:39] Voice 2: program. In 2019, a housing working group developed a report and submitted to the local

[0:41:50] Voice 2: trust committee, which is part of the housing challenges and solutions initiative. The report

[0:41:57] Voice 2: identified a number of issues that contribute to the housing situation on the island, which

[0:42:03] Voice 2: include the lack of housing stock, affordability, density, among other things. And in addition

[0:42:11] Voice 2: In order to find sustainable solutions, staff needs to look at more holistically an issue dealing with multi-model transportation system, parks, recreation, sustainable design, climate change.

[0:42:28] Voice 2: look at it not just the housing element because if we look at housing as trustee directed us to

[0:42:36] Voice 2: look at is how is it going to impact the environment as well in order to support housing

[0:42:41] Voice 2: so a project charter was developed and approved back in October and again this is they just kind

[0:42:52] Voice 2: of let you look at what it looks like of the on the project charter and they are available online

[0:42:58] Voice 2: line and I'll show you in a minute. So where are we at right now? We are in pretty much because

[0:43:06] Voice 2: both projects will launch about the same time. So they're both kind of at the tail end of the phase

[0:43:12] Voice 2: one. We have done a lot of early engagement with stakeholders, community groups, and all the

[0:43:19] Voice 2: agencies, lots of meetings. We also have a consultation with First Nations and these are

[0:43:25] Voice 2: ongoing efforts but at phase one at least we have started the conversation started the dialogue

[0:43:31] Voice 2: it's not done yet and we're still reaching out we're reaching out to you we're going to be

[0:43:36] Voice 2: reaching out to APC there is still some community group we haven't reached out yet so it's still

[0:43:44] Voice 2: kind of in progress we developed a robust public engagement plan for both projects they each have

[0:43:53] Voice 2: a public engagement plan right now the team is working on research and analysis we also have

[0:44:03] Voice 2: we're organizing and facilitating the task for each project we also have the technical working

[0:44:12] Voice 2: group that's just started to meet regularly and all three groups are meeting monthly to

[0:44:18] Voice 2: work on the projects to review and brainstorming solutions and we are in the background we are

[0:44:26] Voice 2: working on a first phase of the survey to just kind of send out to get some community input

[0:44:34] Voice 2: so this is kind of to show you this is already a bit outdated because we are pretty much at the

[0:44:42] Voice 2: tail end of phase one so hopefully we can start working on phase two which will take the long

[0:44:48] Voice 2: longest amount of time because that's the most critical period. So with that being said, that's

[0:44:54] Voice 2: kind of a summary of the two projects. And again, I know it's hard to see. So if you want to look at

[0:45:01] Voice 2: each document, they are available. What I've shown you, the project charter, the public engagement

[0:45:07] Voice 2: plan, they are available on the project page. And this is just a screenshot to show you our new

[0:45:14] Voice 2: website what it looks like. Hopefully it's not hard to find. I think it's pretty user-friendly

[0:45:20] Voice 2: more so than before but if you have any questions and if you can't find anything by all means reach

[0:45:27] Voice 2: out to me or Jody or Christine because we're all on the project. So really appreciate your attention

[0:45:35] Voice 2: and sorry that we kind of sneak it in the last minute but I will be happy to answer any questions.

[0:45:43] Voice 2: and this is not the only time we'll come to you we will continue to reach out and just kind of

[0:45:49] Voice 2: collaborate thank

[0:45:52] Voice 8: you very much for that uh overview i see now that i've learned about this

[0:45:56] Voice 8: awesome chat thing that rob has sent us the link so if you if you are better at finding the chats

[0:46:02] Voice 8: than i am you all have the link with you now does anybody have any questions about these two uh

[0:46:06] Voice 8: these two programs go ahead brent

[0:46:08] Voice 5: just uh comment on a question uh louisa thank you so much for all

[0:46:13] Voice 5: this really important work the focus of this committee is on these tiny little um agricultural

[0:46:20] Voice 5: land reserve uh parcels that were set aside 50 years ago and uh at times a rather haphazard way

[0:46:30] Voice 5: but the issue of um food production for us is is very dear to our hearts and in in both cases

[0:46:39] Voice 5: If we can somehow think about food production and agriculture in both the Ganges Village plan, which still has little bits of agriculture, which can often be compatible with some housing, and also with the housing strategy, even if it's just to work in a few vegetable plots for residents

[0:47:08] Voice 5: and to get edible tree crops around the housing.

[0:47:13] Voice 5: I mean, those are the kind of things that come to mind.

[0:47:16] Voice 5: And there's a lot of people with expertise on the island, a lot of enthusiasm.

[0:47:21] Voice 5: So I urge you, you know, when you need more expertise and support around those issues of food production,

[0:47:32] Voice 5: many of us would be really pleased to give you support.

[0:47:38] Voice 5: Thanks.

[0:47:40] Voice 8: Excellent. Yeah, I think that's fantastic. Jan, did you have something as well?

[0:47:48] Voice 3: Yes. My concern is how can we provide twofold? How can we provide housing specifically for farming?

[0:47:59] Voice 3: Because I don't believe in commuter farmers and I know some young farmers who are renting a house

[0:48:07] Voice 3: for $2,000 and then they're driving to their farmland. And I would like to see the housing

[0:48:13] Voice 3: strategy provide some creative ways of providing housing to people who are going to use that for

[0:48:21] Voice 3: farming. And that's always been a tough nut to crack because the ALC, their attitude is, well,

[0:48:26] Voice 3: if it's in the ALC, then it's farmer's housing. But we know it isn't all the time. And the second

[0:48:31] Voice 3: one is whenever I see affordable housing it always seems to be concerned with rentals and I would

[0:48:37] Voice 3: like to see affordable equity in housing and I would like to see an emphasis on people to have a

[0:48:46] Voice 3: stake in the land because someone who is interested in farming and growing perennials they aren't

[0:48:53] Voice 3: going to plant nut trees if their landlord can pull their lease you know they mature in 30 years

[0:48:59] Voice 3: you know we need to get young farmers who will be planting polycultural perennials plants that

[0:49:05] Voice 3: will mature over long periods and they need to have a guaranteed equity stake in that land so

[0:49:10] Voice 3: those are my two big issues those

[0:49:16] Voice 8: fantastic yeah i think uh in general i think just think it's

[0:49:19] Voice 8: really great to have uh agriculture be considered even in things that aren't obviously about

[0:49:26] Voice 8: agriculture i think the more the trust can keep agriculture at the and food production in

[0:49:31] Voice 8: particular at the focus of know that it's a part of everything that you're making decisions on

[0:49:35] Voice 8: we're we're uh we're involved in everything there's ways to include it it's all connected

[0:49:40] Voice 8: and and i think it's really great to be um to be a part of conversations about you know town

[0:49:47] Voice 8: planning having to do with agriculture and food production as well and housing those issues are

[0:49:52] Voice 8: are not separate. Ken, did you have anything, questions or comments?

[0:49:55] Voice 4: No, but I, in full

[0:49:57] Voice 4: agreement with Jan, I just think we, as being someone that's been on the Ag Commission for

[0:50:07] Voice 4: so many years, the housing issue has always been at the forefront. And if we're going to continue

[0:50:16] Voice 4: to farm and grow food and see improved production be perhaps sustainable even on this island we have

[0:50:27] Voice 4: to find ways to get young people on the farms and keep them on the farms and they sure as hell can't

[0:50:34] Voice 4: do it paying two thousand dollars a month for rent absolutely

[0:50:43] Voice 8: yeah that's it is it's the issue

[0:50:46] Voice 8: you i think that at every almost every one of these meetings that i've been to farm worker

[0:50:51] Voice 8: or farmer housing and farm worker housing come up over and over well

[0:50:54] Voice 4: as doug i isn't doug from the

[0:50:57] Voice 4: from the or um ag rep yeah yeah as doug was saying that this new bill 52 is still in the works

[0:51:09] Voice 4: but in the article i was reading um they were saying talking about building an extra house

[0:51:16] Voice 4: was on a farm and it was mentioned in there also that that person it may be considered that that

[0:51:25] Voice 4: person doesn't necessarily have to work on the farm that that money is going to the farm it's

[0:51:32] Voice 4: one of the things that I've been saying for many years is that even if that provides income to that

[0:51:39] Voice 4: farmer that owns that property that's revenue going into that farm that helps him out and

[0:51:45] Voice 4: And just thinking back to, I think it was Jan saying that a couple paying $2,000 a month

[0:51:54] Voice 4: and then driving to work at a farm, which makes absolutely no sense.

[0:51:58] Voice 4: So even if you were to build a house, an extra house on your property,

[0:52:04] Voice 4: you couldn't provide full-time employment, but they could live there, work on your farm,

[0:52:10] Voice 4: and then come and work on my farm.

[0:52:12] Voice 4: so I really think that we need to get with the plan here and and as I say we've been talking

[0:52:21] Voice 4: about this for 25 years and we still don't seem to have gotten anywhere so it's it's been quite

[0:52:30] Voice 4: a disappointment actually but it's time I mean with the housing shortage and crisis

[0:52:42] Voice 8: anybody have anything else or or Louisa do you want to respond to any of the comments

[0:52:47] Voice 2: uh sure chair uh it's great comment thank you so much i i appreciate that and and like i said this

[0:52:54] Voice 2: is not the only time we will reach out to you there will be surveys there will be a common

[0:53:00] Voice 2: period and we want to definitely come back and some brainstorming session again once we get to

[0:53:09] Voice 2: a different stage so every stage we want to make sure that we reach out to the commission and to

[0:53:15] Voice 2: the community just to have an ongoing dialogue so appreciate the comments that you provided

[0:53:23] Voice 8: wonderful uh thank you so much for for taking the time to talk to us about about those things

[0:53:27] Voice 8: um as far as i know that is the end of the items on the agenda christina is there anything i'm

[0:53:33] Voice 8: missing uh

[0:53:35] Planner Mayes: there's just two other business items um just a

[0:53:38] Planner Mayes: brief update for for especially the aapc

[0:53:41] Planner Mayes: You guys certainly spearheaded a lot of the work on these changes.

[0:53:46] Planner Mayes: So that's just some updates to our Advisory Planning Commission bylaw, which is number 467.

[0:53:52] Planner Mayes: Part of the reason Dead Pepper is now invited to every one of these meetings.

[0:53:57] Planner Mayes: And so that work's been done through our bylaw number 467, as well as our terms of reference.

[0:54:04] Planner Mayes: So great, great work.

[0:54:07] Planner Mayes: And that's all.

[0:54:08] Planner Mayes: those are the only business items uh that are remaining okay

[0:54:12] Voice 8: that's fantastic we're glad to

[0:54:14] Voice 8: have you with us doug thanks for thanks for your time uh and at that point i think uh if somebody's

[0:54:19] Voice 8: ready to make a motion to adjourn we're good to go motion to adjourn

[0:54:24] Voice 8: somebody want a second

[0:54:27] Voice 4: i second

[0:54:28] Voice 8: awesome i think that's it

[0:54:31] Voice 8: thank

[0:54:32] Voice 5: you all very much for all your input and it's really

[0:54:35] Voice 5: helpful thank you thanks to

[0:54:37] Voice 5: the staff uh thanks to uh madam chairperson oh yeah my pleasure thank

[0:54:43] Voice 7: you all for keeping me updated on what's going on the islands good to know maybe one day i'll get

Salt Spring Island 
Agricultural Advisory Planning Commission Minutes 
May 13, 2021       ADOPTED Page 1 
 
Salt Spring Island  
Agricultural Advisory Planning 
Commission 
 
Minutes of a Regular Meeting
 
 
 
Date of Meeting: Thursday, May 13, 2021 
 
Location:  Electronic Meeting 
 
Members Present:  Bree Eagle, Chair  
  Jan Steinman, Vice Chair 
  Ken Byron, Commissioner  
  Brent Brochu-Ingram, Commissioner  
  
Regrets: Zack Hemstreet, Commissioner   
  Conrad Pilon, Commissioner  
 
Absent:    Ruth Waldick, Commissioner 
  
Staff Present:  Louisa Garbo, Island Planner 
 Geordie Gordon, Planner 2 
 Kristine Mayes, Planner 1 
 Sarah Shugar, Recorder 
 
Media and Others  Peter Grove, Local Trustee 
Present: Laura Patrick, Local Trustee 
 Doug Pepper, Ministry of Agriculture 
 One member of the Public 
 
 
These minutes follow the order of the agenda although the sequence may have varied. 
 
Planner Mayes called the meeting to order at 3:18 p.m.   
 
1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA  
 
The following additional item was presented for inclusion in the agenda: 
3.2 Ganges Village Planning Project and Housing Action Program Project 
 
By general consent the agenda was adopted as amended. 
 
2. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING 
 
2.1  Draft Minutes of the March 5, 2020 AAPC Meeting 
 
It was MOVED and SECONDED, 
 
that the minutes  of  the March  5,  2020 Salt  Spring  Island Agricultural Advisory  Planning 
Commission meeting be adopted. 
CARRIED 

 
 
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Agricultural Advisory Planning Commission Minutes 
May 13, 2021       ADOPTED Page 2 
3. BUSINESS ITEMS 
 
3.1 Election of Chair 
 
Planner Mayes announced the election procedures.   
 
Planner Mayes called  for  nominations  for  Chair. Commissioner Eagle  was  nominated  and 
accepted the nomination.  Planner Mayes called three times for further nominations.  Hearing 
none,  she declared  the  nominations  closed. Commissioner  Eagle  was  elected  Chair  by 
acclamation. 
 
Planner Mayes called for nominations for Vice Chair. Commissioner Byron was nominated and 
declined the nomination. Commissioner Steinman was nominated and accepted the nomination. 
Planner Mayes called  three  times  for  further  nominations.   Hearing  none,  she declared  the 
nominations closed. Commissioner Steinman was elected Vice Chair by acclamation. 
 
3.2 SS-ALR-2020.4 – 2101 Fulford-Ganges Road (D. Miller) 
 
Planner Mayes presented a memorandum dated May 3, 2021 regarding an application for non-
farm use and subdivision in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR).  
 
In discussion the following comments and questions were noted: 
 Concern  was  expressed  regarding  the  impacts of  the  proposed  20-metre wide  common 
property access route including the road allowance area would no longer be available for 
farming. Planner Mayes reported the proposed 20-metre wide common property access 
route would include the road, drainage ditches and utility services. Planner Mayes reported 
the  applicant  does  not  intend  to  increase  the  existing  single-track  road although  the 
approving officer may require additional works. 
 Concern was expressed that increased traffic could negatively impact livestock and could 
decrease farming capability. 
 Concern was expressed regarding access to a land locked parcel (PID: 009-727-884) that is 
located south of the subject property. 
 There was a question regarding whether the entire property is within the Agricultural Land 
Reserve. Planner Mayes reported  the subject property is split zoned Agriculture and Rural. 
 There was  a  question  regarding  the  portion  of  the  property adjacent  to  Fulford-Ganges 
Road. Planner Mayes reported Fulford Creek runs through the southwest portion of the 
subject property and is protected by a covenant. 
 Concern was expressed that the subject property has been subdivided in previous years and 
each subdivision reduced the farming capability. 
 Concern  was  expressed that  the  proposed subdivision  would  not improve  agricultural 
capability. 
 It was noted Bill 52 proposed changes to the Agricultural Land Reserve Act and Agricultural 
Land  Reserve Regulations,  which may  allow  a  second  residence  on  a  parcel in  the 
Agricultural Land Reserve subject to Local Government regulations. 
 Chair Eagle presented the following comments that were received from Commissioner Pilon 
prior to the meeting: “The proposed additional density on this lot does not provide clear 
evidence of corresponding increase in agricultural/farming output. This condition supported 
by the Official Community Plan and the priorities of the Salt Spring Island Area Farm Plan 
should  continue  to  guide  the  LTC  in  their  assessment  of  this  application.  Changes  to 

 
 
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Agricultural Advisory Planning Commission Minutes 
May 13, 2021       ADOPTED Page 3 
farmland  use  should  be  supported  when  they  provide  a  clear  plan  to  increase  food 
production. This additional step would also improve chances of approval by the Agricultural 
Land Commission. Should the Local Trust Committee decide to forward this application to 
the Agricultural Land Commission for approval, the Local Trust Committee may consider 
recommending  that  the  applicant  seek  the  assistance  from  a  professional(s)  with  a 
background  in  agronomy/horticulture  to  develop  a  plan  to  improve/increase  food 
production on the lot.” 
 
It was MOVED and SECONDED 
That  the  Salt  Spring  Island  Agricultural  Advisory  Planning  Commission  recommend  the  Salt 
Spring  Island  Local  Trust  Committee does not  forward application  SS-ALR-2020.4 to  the 
Agricultural Land Commission for the following reasons: 
 The current proposal as it stands does not embody a strategy for maintaining or expanding 
agriculture on the ALR lands; and 
 The proposed 20-metre wide common property access route could disrupt the modest 
agriculture that is currently taking place in the ALR portion of the property (2101 Fulford-
Ganges Road). 
CARRIED 
 
3.2 Ganges Village Planning Project and Housing Action Program Project 
 
Planner Garbo presented a verbal presentation regarding the Ganges Village Planning Project 
and the Housing Action  Program Project. Planner  Garbo  reported  there  would  be  ongoing 
consultation with the AAPC as part of the referral and consultation process. 
 
In discussion the following comments were noted: 
 It was noted additional information regarding the projects are available on the Islands Trust 
website at https://islandstrust.bc.ca/island-planning/salt-spring/projects/ 
 Support  was  expressed for  staff  to  consult  with  the farming  community  regarding  the 
projects. 
 Support was expressed to prioritize farm worker housing and equitable access to farmland 
for farmers. 
 Support was expressed to prioritize agriculture and food production. 
 Concern was expressed that farmworker housing has been an issue for 25 years with little 
progress. 
 It was noted that additional residential housing could be an important revenue stream for 
farms. 
 
4. OTHER BUSINESS 
 
 4.1 Advisory Planning Commission Bylaw No. 467 
 
  The Advisory Planning Commission Bylaw No. 467 was presented for information. 
 
 4.2 Advisory Planning Commission Terms of Reference 
 
 
  The Advisory Planning Commission Terms of Reference were presented for information. 
 
 

 
 
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Agricultural Advisory Planning Commission Minutes 
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5.     ADJOURNMENT  
 
 
 By general consent the meeting adjourned at 4:15 p.m. 
 
 
 
 
__________________________________ 
Bree Eagle, Chair 
 
 
CERTIFIED CORRECT: 
 
 
__________________________________ 
Sarah Shugar, Recorder