Islands Trust Conservancy Board regular meeting, February 22, 2022

[0:02:36] Planner Zupanec (probable): everybody good evening and welcome to the gabriela island density donation and land

[0:02:43] Planner Zupanec (probable): stewardship options webinar we're really happy that you could join us tonight we are recording

[0:02:50] Planner Zupanec (probable): this webinar so that if you do miss out and you need to step away from the computer for any reason

[0:02:57] Planner Zupanec (probable): it'll all be on our website for you to enjoy in a couple of business days so just hang tight

[0:03:04] Planner Zupanec (probable): um okay so we're broadcasting the webinar from the unceded territories of the coach salish people

[0:03:14] Planner Zupanec (probable): and we are incredibly grateful for their stewarding of these lands for millennia

[0:03:20] Planner Zupanec (probable): and here at our office at the islands trust we are learning every day about how we can move forward

[0:03:26] Planner Zupanec (probable): for a more equitable future for all of us so we welcome you and we have a great lineup of

[0:03:34] Planner Zupanec (probable): presenters for you this evening we will have four presentations and my name is Sonia Zupanis

[0:03:43] Planner Zupanec (probable): I am a resident of the island and a planner at the islands trust I will be presenting later on

[0:03:50] Planner Zupanec (probable): today but I am helping to put together this webinar on behalf of the Gabriela Island Local

[0:03:57] Planner Zupanec (probable): Trust Committee of the Islands Trust as well as the partner organizations. We'll start with the

[0:04:04] Planner Zupanec (probable): Islands Trust Conservancy, the Gabriela Lands and Trails Trust Nature Stewards Program and the

[0:04:12] Planner Zupanec (probable): Gabriela Island Land Stewardship Society. So you'll be hearing from all four of us on our unique

[0:04:18] Planner Zupanec (probable): options that we would like to present to you today so if you're wondering what we mean by

[0:04:25] Planner Zupanec (probable): density donation and land stewardship you've come to the right place we're going to answer those

[0:04:30] Planner Zupanec (probable): questions for you today if you already know what we're talking about but you would like a little

[0:04:36] Planner Zupanec (probable): bit more clarity or you'd like to know exactly who to talk to to really sink your teeth into

[0:04:41] Planner Zupanec (probable): these options you've also come to the right place we are going to have a short series of these

[0:04:48] Planner Zupanec (probable): presentations, everyone's been challenged to present in less than eight minutes, so we'll see

[0:04:54] Planner Zupanec (probable): if we can achieve that so that we can leave a big chunk of time for questions and give the floor to

[0:05:00] Planner Zupanec (probable): you to ask us whatever's on your mind based on what you've heard tonight and moving forward.

[0:05:08] Planner Zupanec (probable): So let's

[0:05:15] Planner Zupanec (probable): just see, let me pause here while I try to get the slides to actually move forward.

[0:05:20] Planner Zupanec (probable): Okay, so these are the four options that we are going to be talking about this evening.

[0:05:30] Planner Zupanec (probable): For those of you that have seen this already published on our website or in the advertising,

[0:05:36] Planner Zupanec (probable): one of these options caught your eye.

[0:05:38] Planner Zupanec (probable): And that's what we're here to talk to you about to make sure that we can move these

[0:05:42] Planner Zupanec (probable): ideas into action after tonight's webinar and connect with you that way.

[0:05:48] Planner Zupanec (probable): So although tonight is about creating some partnerships and collaboration, it's

[0:05:57] Planner Zupanec (probable): It's also about addressing quite a dire situation in our community related to the housing crisis

[0:06:05] Planner Zupanec (probable): as well as the ecological crisis that we're experiencing.

[0:06:10] Planner Zupanec (probable): And so we're going to have some fun tonight and talk about these topics and options and

[0:06:15] Planner Zupanec (probable): opportunities, but all this really does stem from a significant need for us to do more.

[0:06:23] Planner Zupanec (probable): and that's that's why we're all here and I hope that that's why you you've come to to join us

[0:06:31] Planner Zupanec (probable): this evening

[0:06:31] Voice 6: so

[0:06:32] Planner Zupanec (probable): I've got one little technical glitch here just bear with me while I switch over

[0:06:38] Planner Zupanec (probable): to the next screen thanks for your patience so this quote that you see on your screen right now

[0:07:00] Planner Zupanec (probable): is from a group of volunteers that and local islanders here who are helping the local trust

[0:07:07] Planner Zupanec (probable): committee specifically on a project that would address both the housing crisis and the ecological

[0:07:12] Planner Zupanec (probable): crisis on the island so all four options that we're presenting on tonight are a small step

[0:07:19] Planner Zupanec (probable): towards a better model of how we might grow our community and this quote really stood out for us

[0:07:25] Planner Zupanec (probable): when we received this report last year. So I just wanted to share that to sort of frame

[0:07:30] Planner Zupanec (probable): where we're starting from. The four partners tonight are all looking at different aspects

[0:07:36] Planner Zupanec (probable): of each of these issues. And another thing that I wanted to share just before we jump into our

[0:07:45] Planner Zupanec (probable): first presentation tonight is to just pause briefly and I wanted to share this quote from

[0:07:52] Planner Zupanec (probable): from Robin Wall Kimmer. She's, many

[0:07:55] Voice 6: of you probably

[0:07:56] Planner Zupanec (probable): know her, she's quite an accomplished

[0:07:57] Planner Zupanec (probable): author and professor of ecology. And she says that mosses are a model for how we might live,

[0:08:09] Planner Zupanec (probable): which if you know a lot about mosses, this makes a lot of sense. But for those of us who might not

[0:08:14] Planner Zupanec (probable): have, I had to wrap my head around how this one works. But I wanted to share this with you is

[0:08:19] Planner Zupanec (probable): what are we going to learn from mosses as we move forward in this discussion tonight and Robin

[0:08:27] Planner Zupanec (probable): suggests you know what would moss do if they're in our situation in terms of the ecological crisis

[0:08:34] Planner Zupanec (probable): and of housing affordability and the first item is to give more than you take and the second thing

[0:08:45] Planner Zupanec (probable): is to be patient when resources are scarce and to find creative ways to use what you have and so I

[0:08:57] Planner Zupanec (probable): hope that this helps us all think about and frame the next half hour of presentations in terms of

[0:09:05] Planner Zupanec (probable): how we can better be bosses as we move forward with options to address land stewardship on

[0:09:12] Planner Zupanec (probable): gabriela island i'm going to stop sharing this screen so that we can give our presenter

[0:09:18] Planner Zupanec (probable): an opportunity to prepare their first slides and i'm really pleased to present

[0:09:27] Planner Zupanec (probable): jemma green from the islands trust conservancy she is an outreach specialist

[0:09:35] Planner Zupanec (probable): extraordinaire and will be sharing some really important information on the conservancy's program

[0:09:41] Planner Zupanec (probable): to help protect ecologically significant features

[0:09:46] Planner Zupanec (probable): and functions on private property.

[0:09:49] Planner Zupanec (probable): So for those of you who received a mail out recently

[0:09:53] Planner Zupanec (probable): from the Trust Conservancy and are joining through that,

[0:09:56] Planner Zupanec (probable): this is a great opportunity to learn more

[0:10:00] Planner Zupanec (probable): and ask Gemma questions during the Q&A

[0:10:03] Planner Zupanec (probable): specific to the Islands Trust Conservancy's program.

[0:10:06] Planner Zupanec (probable): So thanks so much, Gemma.

[0:10:08] Planner Zupanec (probable): and you have the ability to present the screens

[0:10:14] Voice 7: all yours thanks sonia i love that moss analogy

[0:10:18] Voice 7: from robin welcomer that's brilliant okay so let me know if you're seeing

[0:10:30] Voice 7: a zoom launch meeting screen yep

[0:10:35] Planner Zupanec (probable): we sure are

[0:10:36] Voice 7: okay then hopefully

[0:10:38] Voice 6: that also means that shortly

[0:10:41] Voice 6: you'll see my presentation slides.

[0:10:48] Voice 6: Yeah.

[0:10:49] Voice 6: Any luck?

[0:10:50] Voice 6: Yes.

[0:10:51] Voice 6: Okay, great.

[0:10:53] Voice 6: So I will begin.

[0:10:58] Voice 7: Thank you all for joining me tonight.

[0:11:02] Voice 7: It's my pleasure to be here to share a bit of information

[0:11:07] Voice 7: about the Natural Areas Protection Tax Exemption Program

[0:11:10] Voice 7: for Islands Trust Conservancy.

[0:11:13] Voice 7: Before I begin this presentation, I'd like to acknowledge

[0:11:17] Voice 7: with respect that Islands Trust Conservancy staff live and work as guests in the treaty lands and

[0:11:24] Voice 7: territories of Coast Salish peoples who humble and inspire us with their enduring rich relationships

[0:11:31] Voice 7: with the land and the Salish Sea. As Sonia mentioned, my name is Gemma Green. I'm the

[0:11:39] Voice 7: Covenant Management and Outreach Specialist at Islands Trust Conservancy, which is based in the

[0:11:45] Voice 7: the beautiful Lekwungen Territory. For the last three years, I've worked with private property

[0:11:50] Voice 7: owners and local conservancies, such as the Gabriola Land and Trails Trust, who you'll be

[0:11:55] Voice 7: hearing from later, to manage private conservation lands in the Salish Sea. Tonight, I'll be providing

[0:12:01] Voice 7: a very brief introduction to the Natural Areas Protection Tax Exemption Program, which is an

[0:12:07] Voice 7: incentive program for private land conservation that's available only to property owners in the

[0:12:12] Voice 7: Islands Trust area. For those of you that are unfamiliar with the Islands Trust Conservancy,

[0:12:20] Voice 7: we're the conservation arm of the Islands Trust. We serve as a regional land trust with a mission

[0:12:26] Voice 7: to protect the unique environment of the islands in the Salish Sea through voluntary land

[0:12:32] Voice 7: conservation, usually in the form of land acquisition, conservation covenants, and stewardship

[0:12:38] Voice 7: education. So what is the Natural Area Protection Tax Exemption Program, or NAPTEP for short?

[0:12:48] Voice 7: NAPTEP is a tool for private land conservation. The islands in the Salish Sea have extremely

[0:12:55] Voice 7: high conservation value, and yet only a small portion of that land is protected. Because the

[0:13:03] Voice 7: majority of land in the Islands Trust Area is privately owned, NAPTEP was developed as an

[0:13:12] Voice 7: incentive for individuals to choose conservation over development by placing a conservation

[0:13:18] Voice 7: covenant on all or part of the land in their care. And I'll explain what a conservation covenant is

[0:13:25] Voice 7: in a moment. The incentive of NAPTEP comes in the form of property tax savings. When you register a

[0:13:35] Voice 7: NAPTEP covenant on your property, you receive 65% of a reduction in your property taxes on the

[0:13:41] Voice 7: the portion of land protected. Islands Trust was able to create NAPTEP through a regulation under

[0:13:48] Voice 7: the Islands Trust Act, making it a unique opportunity available only to residents of

[0:13:53] Voice 7: the Islands Trust area. The NAPTEP regulation came into effect in 2002, and in the 20 years

[0:14:03] Voice 7: since the program began, private landholders have registered 27 conservation covenants with

[0:14:10] Voice 7: Islands Trust Conservancy and local Conservancy partners, protecting 146 hectares or 360 acres

[0:14:18] Voice 7: of land in the Islands Trust area. Three of these Naptuck Covenant areas are found in the

[0:14:26] Voice 7: Gabriola Island Local Trust area. These local covenants were established with the support and

[0:14:32] Voice 7: involvement of local conservation partners such as the Gabriola Land and Trails Trust,

[0:14:37] Voice 7: Trust, the Nanaimoan Area Land Trust, and American Friends of Canadian Conservation.

[0:14:43] Voice 7: These covenants in the Gabriela Island Local Trust area protect 27 hectares of land.

[0:14:52] Voice 7: So let's back up a bit.

[0:14:54] Voice 7: What is a conservation covenant?

[0:14:57] Voice 7: It can be thought of as a tool that enables private landowners to permanently protect

[0:15:02] Voice 7: land for conservation purposes.

[0:15:04] Voice 7: purposes. It's a conservation, a conservation covenant represents a voluntary decision to use

[0:15:11] Voice 7: land only in certain ways that respect or protect nature. More technically, a conservation covenant

[0:15:19] Voice 7: is a written legal agreement between a private landowner and a conservation organization that

[0:15:25] Voice 7: sets out specific restrictions or requirements the landowner will uphold to ensure conservation of

[0:15:31] Voice 7: that land, or a part of the land, forever. Conservation covenants are permanent and run

[0:15:37] Voice 7: with the land, meaning they also bind future property owners to the same terms. In the case

[0:15:43] Voice 7: of NAPTEP, Islands Trust Conservancy is the conservation organization that must hold the

[0:15:48] Voice 7: covenant, but a secondary covenant holder, such as a local conservancy or land trust,

[0:15:54] Voice 7: is also permitted to hold the covenant with Islands Trust Conservancy. The covenant holders

[0:15:59] Voice 7: stakeholders take on the permanent responsibility to monitor, co-manage, and enforce the covenant

[0:16:05] Voice 7: to ensure that the land is protected as agreed in perpetuity. A conservation covenant agreement

[0:16:13] Voice 7: contains specific provisions that state what the property owner can and can't do on the

[0:16:20] Voice 7: covenanted portion of the land. Conservation is achieved through the restriction of certain

[0:16:25] Voice 7: activities like damage to vegetation, disturbance of soil, construction of roads or buildings,

[0:16:31] Voice 7: or subdivision of the land. Before you is a list of some of the more common covenant restrictions.

[0:16:39] Voice 7: And while the list of restrictions in a covenant agreement can generally be adapted to an

[0:16:44] Voice 7: individual property or a landowner's vision, NAPCHAT covenants are a little bit less flexible

[0:16:51] Voice 7: than standard covenants because they're defined by legislation. As with restrictions, the covenant

[0:17:00] Voice 7: The covenant agreement specifies certain reserved rights that usually allow the owner to do things like maintain trails and driveways, utility lines, and other existing features of importance that are important to the owner.

[0:17:16] Voice 7: You can also install signs, such as interpretive signs or no trespassing signs.

[0:17:24] Voice 7: What else can the property owner do with covenanted land?

[0:17:28] Voice 7: land the covenant basically allows the owner to use the covenant area in any way that's not

[0:17:35] Voice 7: expressly restricted provided it's consistent with the intent of the agreement which is to

[0:17:40] Voice 7: protect preserve concern conserve maintain or restore the natural state of the covenant area

[0:17:49] Voice 7: so for the most part this boils down to nature appreciation activities like hiking swimming

[0:17:58] Voice 7: swimming, photography, meditation, nature study, etc. So who can apply to NAPTEP? If you're a land

[0:18:10] Voice 7: owner in the Islands Trust area with over two hectares to be protected and the land you wish

[0:18:16] Voice 7: to protect has one or more of the eligible features recognized by the program, you are

[0:18:21] Voice 7: eligible to apply for NAPTEP. So what are the eligible features? Eligible features include

[0:18:29] Voice 7: include key habitat for species that are rare or at risk, such as nest cavities for the federally

[0:18:37] Voice 7: listed western screech owl, for example. It also includes geological features, such as fossil-bearing

[0:18:45] Voice 7: rock formations, or sandstone with interesting erosional features, or undisturbed tracts of

[0:18:52] Voice 7: sensitive ecosystems, such as mature forests, wetlands, or coastal bluffs.

[0:19:01] Voice 7: Before applying to the NAPTEP program, there are several things to consider.

[0:19:06] Voice 7: First, you should understand how a conservation covenant will affect the use of your land.

[0:19:12] Voice 7: Second, consider long-term implications, such as the expectations of family members,

[0:19:18] Voice 7: if and when you plan to sell the land, or if you have any plans for development.

[0:19:22] Voice 7: Third, you should review the resources online to learn more about your land, your eligibility

[0:19:31] Voice 7: for NAPTEP, and the covenanting process.

[0:19:35] Voice 7: Fourth, and probably most importantly, you should envision what it is you want to protect.

[0:19:41] Voice 7: Then we encourage you to contact us to discuss your specific circumstances and your vision

[0:19:50] Voice 7: and see how a conservation covenant will work for you.

[0:19:56] Voice 7: Finally, keep in mind that it typically takes six months to two years to register a covenant.

[0:20:03] Voice 7: Due to the high volume of NAPTEP covenant applications Islands Trust Conservancy is

[0:20:07] Voice 7: currently receiving, the covenant registration process can be expected to take the longer end

[0:20:14] Voice 7: of that time window or about two years. So that was a very very quick overview of the NAPTEP

[0:20:23] Voice 7: program and conservation covenants in general. To learn more I encourage you to visit our website

[0:20:29] Voice 7: islandstrust.bc.ca slash conservancy or you can scan the QR code here where you'll find a wealth

[0:20:36] Voice 7: of helpful resources such as frequently asked questions, an annotated conservation covenant

[0:20:42] Voice 7: agreement and tax resources. If you still have questions or if you want to discuss how a

[0:20:48] Voice 7: Conservation Covenant can be individually tailored to you and your land, please call or email us at

[0:20:54] Voice 7: Islands Trust Conservancy at the contact information we have here. Lastly, I encourage you to check out

[0:21:01] Voice 7: MAP-IT, Islands Trust's web map application, available through the link and QR code shown here.

[0:21:08] Voice 7: Using MAP-IT, you can explore how sensitive ecosystems, critical habitat, and other eligible

[0:21:13] Voice 7: features overlap with the land you wish to protect thank

[0:21:20] Planner Zupanec (probable): you that's terrific jemma thank you so much

[0:21:24] Planner Zupanec (probable): for those of you that want to make sure your questions to jemma get addressed you can use

[0:21:32] Planner Zupanec (probable): the chat function in zoom to type in your question or hold your question until the q a session and

[0:21:40] Planner Zupanec (probable): you can raise your digital hand at that point and address your question specifically to jemma

[0:21:45] Planner Zupanec (probable): so hang in there jemma we're going to need you for the q a section so don't go too far

[0:21:50] Planner Zupanec (probable): all

[0:21:51] Voice 6: right and

[0:21:53] Planner Zupanec (probable): our second presenter i am challenging him to stay within the eight

[0:21:59] Planner Zupanec (probable): minute mark because i know ken is a man of many words and joining us from galt the gabriola lands

[0:22:07] Planner Zupanec (probable): and trails trust nature stewards program ken is the coordinator and we're super excited to have

[0:22:14] Planner Zupanec (probable): you join us tonight as well and provide some clarity and some information on how this program

[0:22:21] Planner Zupanec (probable): works in terms of addressing land stewardship on gabriel island so take it away ken all right well

[0:22:28] Voice 9: thank you sonia and uh and thank you jemma for for uh for cutting cutting down what can be a very

[0:22:34] Voice 9: complicated uh subject you know fairly fairly keeping it fairly tight i will try and do the

[0:22:40] Voice 9: same we'll see how i can do here um i uh i you know i usually air because i'm so used to being

[0:22:47] Voice 9: it's been a while since i've done this but i'm so used to doing things where i can see people and

[0:22:51] Voice 9: and now everyone's kind of blacked out the screens are all so it's makes it hard to see all of your

[0:22:57] Voice 9: faces but i'm so uh i'm so thankful everyone is here tonight to to take part in this and i'll

[0:23:03] Voice 9: just get my screen shared here sonia let me know if it is in fact working when i do this

[0:23:13] Voice 9: there you can see that not

[0:23:15] Planner Zupanec (probable): yet okay oh

[0:23:18] Planner Zupanec (probable): yeah there we go okay

[0:23:19] Voice 9: we're up and is it full screen

[0:23:22] Planner Zupanec (probable): not uh it's not in presenter view yet okay

[0:23:25] Voice 9: hang on i'm sorry see and i can tell you it is uh

[0:23:34] Voice 9: sorry and then presenter view is the

[0:23:38] Planner Zupanec (probable): lower half of it like the bottom right of your screen there's

[0:23:41] Planner Zupanec (probable): like a little it looks like a yep okay

[0:23:44] Voice 9: thank you all right good that's my first time in getting

[0:23:48] Voice 9: that okay so yes i i did i know that uh there's a lot of very dedicated people uh that are you know

[0:23:56] Voice 9: really supportive of of of um you know looking after nature you're already here you're in you're

[0:24:04] Voice 9: this kind of person that loves uh the gulf island landscape so uh i'm starting out with just thanking

[0:24:10] Voice 9: everyone for all that you're already doing to conserve nature because most Gulf Islanders or

[0:24:15] Voice 9: people in this area of BC really get that and it's a, you know, it's very much acknowledged that

[0:24:25] Voice 9: we're pretty bought into that. Now I'm just going to flip here. Okay, there we go. I just got to get

[0:24:30] Voice 9: my people out of the way. Good. Okay, so what I want to do is I wanted to start with just

[0:24:38] Voice 9: just looking at kind of the global thinking about nature stewardship and land stewardship.

[0:24:45] Voice 9: And I'm sure this will be something that will resonate with everyone as well as,

[0:24:50] Voice 9: in particular, our guest speakers tonight with the Land Stewardship Society as well,

[0:24:54] Voice 9: the Gulf Island, Gargoyle Island Land Stewardship Society.

[0:24:58] Voice 9: Because, you know, it's something that is deep-seated.

[0:25:02] Voice 9: And I'm glad that Sonia mentioned Robin Wall Kimmerer and her books, Braiding Sweetgrass and Gathering Moss, I think should probably be required reading in schools now, because they really are some of the best books in deeply looking at our connection to nature and the land.

[0:25:22] Voice 9: And on that note, the very heart in terms of stewardship is cultural and social.

[0:25:31] Voice 9: It's not a scientifically nature, you know, discipline that is any more than our human connection to the land and the deep social networks that we have connecting to the land.

[0:25:45] Voice 9: And really those lasting values of respect and gratitude is how we should be approaching our thinking on how we're interacting and what kind of decisions we're making on the land.

[0:26:01] Voice 9: And that primarily is something that is deeply rooted, as we all know, with the Indigenous peoples in this area, in particular for Gabriola, the Snuneymul and First Nation.

[0:26:14] Voice 9: And I had, I just want to, as an aside, a little bit of background for this too, is I had the really good fortune.

[0:26:21] Voice 9: And last fall, VIU, Vancouver Island University, was doing an elder college course in Indigenous

[0:26:32] Voice 9: studies. It's part of the coursework that is in the actual formal VIU program. And it's administered

[0:26:41] Voice 9: administered by by the First Nations elders that that were the developers of the program.

[0:26:50] Voice 9: And so I had the I had a great opportunity to attend this course online in the fall.

[0:26:56] Voice 9: And Penelaket Elders Florence James and Snenemo Elder Ellen White, who developed the program,

[0:27:03] Voice 9: She's unfortunately she died in 2018, but they had so much input into this course as knowledge keepers that was facilitated by Professor Emeritus Laurie Drees.

[0:27:15] Voice 9: And there was just some wonderful insights that carry through to what's so important for all of us to grasp as we look at, you know, when we think about reconciliation, you know, I think all of us need to know and feel that we're at this point now where we've normalized the idea of doing our land acknowledgements.

[0:27:43] Voice 9: But in order to really truly think of reconciliation as what it is, which is a coming together after there's been differences, and boy, have we had differences in our history that we need to acknowledge, is that getting the coming together is that dual lens that even Robin Wall Kimmerer talks about in her books of seeing the land through our eyes,

[0:28:07] Voice 9: eyes, but trying to learn more deeply and think more deeply about looking at nature and at the

[0:28:15] Voice 9: way we interact with nature through Indigenous eyes, thinking of that, you know, they've had

[0:28:19] Voice 9: thousands of years of knowledge, deep, deep knowledge of interacting with this landscape.

[0:28:26] Voice 9: We have so much to know and learn from that and embody that. And so some of the Coast Salish

[0:28:31] Voice 9: teachings in this course that was at VIU, you know, are some of these truths that the elders

[0:28:40] Voice 9: who were involved in teaching this course have said that they really want us as students who

[0:28:47] Voice 9: had attended this to make sure we spread this knowledge out as much as we can, because they

[0:28:54] Voice 9: realize we're at a time where it's really important that we move a little more quickly in our learning

[0:29:00] Voice 9: And so these are some of the key teachings that, of course, there's many more, but the fact that, you know, recognizing that you are never alone on the landscape, that people also share this land with the other beings, the trees, the plants, the animals, and the spirits on this land.

[0:29:20] Voice 9: And that in order to truly realize that and take that in, they speak very much about the need to listen, to learn to listen.

[0:29:30] Voice 9: And there was this wonderful sideline in this presentation, one of the videos of Elder Florence James, whose son spoke about the fact that, you know, how many times he was involved in learning, being at a teaching session with one of the elders.

[0:29:48] Voice 9: and them saying no you're not listening off you go and you said that it takes years

[0:29:54] Voice 9: just to learn to listen to learn to listen with your body and your mind

[0:30:00] Voice 9: your spirit, to take things in fully and deeply appreciate that. And the other, of course, lesson

[0:30:06] Voice 9: that carries through with all Indigenous cultures in North America is that the idea that the land

[0:30:15] Voice 9: is not something we take from, we receive from it, and these are gifts that we receive. And I think

[0:30:21] Voice 9: that's really important as I go into the rest of this, and we talk a little bit more, I'm sure,

[0:30:26] Voice 9: with questions that we'll get uh later on that you know we as stewards of the land uh really need to

[0:30:35] Voice 9: to to learn to do that work a little more it will make us more effectively effective as as a

[0:30:41] Voice 9: community uh as a culture uh that is now you know here we are we find ourselves in this place where

[0:30:48] Voice 9: we're land holders uh in in an area where people have had much more deeper interaction with this

[0:30:54] Voice 9: landscape than we have and uh and so that you know does carry through with our our um you know our

[0:31:01] Voice 9: need now to take to take this to heart a little more and so the moment we find ourselves in as i

[0:31:08] Voice 9: think that sonia alluded to earlier too is there are stresses on this landscape of course we we

[0:31:16] Voice 9: development is intensified in all of the gulf islands and on vancouver island there's just

[0:31:21] Voice 9: just little snippets of old growth left so and you know the fragmentation that happens with a lot of

[0:31:28] Voice 9: people coming here and loving this nature it's like we're loving it a little bit too much

[0:31:32] Voice 9: sometimes and how much we're we're developing some of of our lands so so this is something to to take

[0:31:40] Voice 9: to take in mind and of course the other thing with this that we are in is that um we're we're at this

[0:31:53] Voice 9: We're at this point where the IUCN, the International Union of Conservation of Nature, is having just next month their COP summit on biodiversity where all of the global parties involved in this and nations are committing, hopefully, with some more tougher measures to try and commit to at least 30%

[0:32:19] Voice 9: of biodiversity and lands and waters

[0:32:22] Voice 9: being conserved and protected by 2030.

[0:32:24] Voice 9: So this is where GALT comes in on this part

[0:32:27] Voice 9: because we have looked at this

[0:32:31] Voice 9: and took this to heart as an organization

[0:32:34] Voice 9: and we realized that, you know,

[0:32:38] Voice 9: the keeping the wild in nature

[0:32:41] Voice 9: is going to be in our hands as landholders

[0:32:44] Voice 9: and the work that we have to do

[0:32:46] Voice 9: to help with that. As Sonia alluded to, or I should say, Gem alluded to in her talk about

[0:32:54] Voice 9: the amount of land that is privately held is 67% in the case of Gabriola. So if we are going to

[0:33:01] Voice 9: ensure we get to that 30%, at least, and help protect biodiversity on Gabriola, that it's going

[0:33:10] Voice 9: to rely on on the conservation ethic the land stewardship the nature stewardship on these on

[0:33:16] Voice 9: these private lands um so galt has been around since 2004. uh you probably know everyone will

[0:33:23] Voice 9: know who's probably watching this of the the mission of conserving and connecting that's

[0:33:29] Voice 9: what we we are what we're all about uh through doing things like uh we are also participating

[0:33:36] Voice 9: in conservation covenants as jemma mentioned and and of course the trail system that everyone knows

[0:33:42] Voice 9: and loves there's just such a dedicated squad of volunteers maintaining that and i love the

[0:33:49] Voice 9: duality it's almost like if you play you know the beatles white album backwards is that conserving

[0:33:55] Voice 9: and connecting also relates or conserve and connect also relates to deeply what we need to

[0:34:01] Voice 9: do in in in our in our human interactions uh in order to achieve um nature conservation on gabriola

[0:34:12] Voice 9: uh that's one of our adult members in action so now with the nature's to its program again

[0:34:19] Voice 9: you know we've taken that goal of trying to get to at least 30 percent by 2030 by reaching out

[0:34:26] Voice 9: and connecting with Gabriel Owens in all all property sizes to to ask for their voluntary

[0:34:34] Voice 9: pledge to to try and set aside or conserve make a conscious effort to say this this area of my land

[0:34:42] Voice 9: or these the features that I have on my property I'm going to work at just making sure I'm I'm

[0:34:49] Voice 9: doing things with nature in mind. And so we've gone, the heart of it is a voluntary pledge where

[0:34:56] Voice 9: people sign up to a very simple agreement that isn't a legal agreement at all. And then we will

[0:35:04] Voice 9: check in with them on the term that meets them. So that's five years or 10 years or, you know,

[0:35:10] Voice 9: most people we've talked to already are wanting to sign on indefinitely. Like, can I just sign

[0:35:16] Voice 9: on indefinitely sure you can but we would love to just come in and check in with you again keeping

[0:35:22] Voice 9: in mind the social and cultural um features or values that are so important if we are going to

[0:35:29] Voice 9: have a lasting uh conservation on this island it's about all of us connecting with each other

[0:35:34] Voice 9: and uh and strengthening those connections and what we're doing so now to look at the nature

[0:35:40] Voice 9: stewards program in some practical examples of things that people can do uh to to uh to to be

[0:35:47] Voice 9: more nature friendly on their landscape this is something that we offer a lot of tips for and

[0:35:51] Voice 9: we've got it on our website and when we come out and do a site visit when uh you know we get in

[0:35:57] Voice 9: you will get in contact with us we will come to your land and then we'll um we'll go and we'll

[0:36:03] Voice 9: have a walkabout with you and suggest ways that you can do things to help and also of course to

[0:36:08] Voice 9: to really, in almost all cases we've been so far

[0:36:13] Voice 9: in people we visited, we have, I think now,

[0:36:16] Voice 9: almost 40 properties that are voluntarily signed up

[0:36:21] Voice 9: and we are having trouble keeping up

[0:36:24] Voice 9: with the list of people that are coming to us,

[0:36:27] Voice 9: but we'll walk on your land and we'll look at things like,

[0:36:30] Voice 9: here's some practical examples.

[0:36:31] Voice 9: It's just leaving your fence scape

[0:36:34] Voice 9: or your edge of your property a little rougher.

[0:36:38] Voice 9: for more species to have habitat.

[0:36:42] Voice 9: So this is something that we really support.

[0:36:44] Voice 9: Here's a little suite of things too.

[0:36:46] Voice 9: Of course, leaving snags on your property,

[0:36:49] Voice 9: wet areas, allowing logs to decompose

[0:36:53] Voice 9: and be in contact with the soil is very important.

[0:36:58] Voice 9: Simple mason bee homes up in the top corner here.

[0:37:02] Voice 9: We're looking at a land holder that is put together,

[0:37:06] Voice 9: reflective bird devices and parachute cord to help reduce bird collisions on her property

[0:37:15] Voice 9: because she's right near the coast and can often have a lot of bird collisions. Of course, bird

[0:37:21] Voice 9: houses help. Riparian areas are really important. Even a humble ditch or drainage area can be a

[0:37:29] Voice 9: fabulous little zone of biodiversity for frogs and other amphibians and insect life.

[0:37:36] Voice 9: and we also talk about in in nature stewards uh about the uh importance of just allowing a little

[0:37:42] Voice 9: encroachment on some of your land if you're lucky enough to have a larger property let some of the

[0:37:48] Voice 9: forest regenerate don't be so um always getting in the habit of cutting really closely to all of

[0:37:54] Voice 9: your forest edge uh natural fence uh hedgerows are are really popular and and really much more

[0:38:00] Voice 9: pack a bigger biodiversity punch than building a hardscape wooden fence. To help with your work on

[0:38:10] Voice 9: maintaining and restoring areas of your land, we also have a native plant depot at the Gabriela

[0:38:17] Voice 9: Commons. And of course, Wildrose Nursery and Wheelbarrow also are partnering with us and

[0:38:24] Voice 9: they're increasingly carrying native plant material for sale. So it's always good to check there.

[0:38:30] Voice 9: One other last quick thing is a couple is that, you know, we're also thinking and importance of sensitive building on your home site and not clearing fence post to fence post is something that we're also trying to work a little bit more and encourage more landowners to be more attentive to.

[0:38:52] Voice 9: so just to kind of end on this is that you know we remember that this area the coastal

[0:39:01] Voice 9: Douglas fir zone and these grand old cedars and Douglas firs we have if they're allowed to live

[0:39:08] Voice 9: their lives out will live into the 800 to 1000 year range and it would be great legacy if we can

[0:39:16] Voice 9: if we can do our work on our properties to try and get things to try and get these animals these

[0:39:23] Voice 9: these beings to to live their their life cycles out so we do have a website that I we're in kind

[0:39:33] Voice 9: of in transition with moving it over to the domain of the galt website because we've got another one

[0:39:39] Voice 9: that's set up just around nature stewards but if you just search online galt nature stewards you

[0:39:44] Voice 9: you will find more information and everything to help you to get involved in the program.

[0:39:50] Voice 9: And that I think is I've overstayed my welcome probably in time. But there you go, Sonia. Thank

[0:39:56] Voice 9: you.

[0:39:57] Planner Zupanec (probable): Thanks, Ken. It's it's hard to to jump in. And but you did a great job. And I really

[0:40:05] Planner Zupanec (probable): appreciate you going over time with all that lovely information. So if you have specific

[0:40:11] Planner Zupanec (probable): specific questions about partnering with a nature steward team to come out onto your property and

[0:40:17] Planner Zupanec (probable): help you do an assessment and see if that program is a good fit for you. You can contact them

[0:40:22] Planner Zupanec (probable): directly. You can type in your questions in the chat function and we'll get to those questions

[0:40:29] Planner Zupanec (probable): after the last presentation. So Ken, if you can stop sharing your screen, then I can pull up mine.

[0:40:43] Planner Zupanec (probable): I'll just wait for Ken to stop sharing his screen for us.

[0:40:49] Voice 6: Thanks for your patience. There we go.

[0:40:53] Planner Zupanec (probable): Super. Okay, so I'm actually going to be next to present to you on the density donation element

[0:41:01] Planner Zupanec (probable): of our presentation, which is a little bit different for those of you who are not familiar

[0:41:07] Planner Zupanec (probable): with this. It has nothing to do with bone density clinic or blood donation clinics. It is density in

[0:41:14] Planner Zupanec (probable): the form of a dwelling. That's the term that we're going to refer to as density, but really we're

[0:41:21] Planner Zupanec (probable): referring to the ability to develop under the regulations a home site, a dwelling site for

[0:41:28] Planner Zupanec (probable): residential use. So let me just pull up my screen. I'm sure I'm going to have to flip-flop

[0:41:35] Planner Zupanec (probable): the presenter view because my computer really dislikes working with me. Okay,

[0:41:45] Planner Zupanec (probable): Okay, so what is density donation? Is it right for you? And I really hope that this resonates

[0:41:53] Planner Zupanec (probable): with some of you. And then I get a chance to speak with you about this program in the coming weeks,

[0:41:58] Planner Zupanec (probable): where we will be hosting another opportunity for people who are interested to learn more in a more

[0:42:04] Planner Zupanec (probable): in-depth conversation one-on-one with the planner or possibly in this webinar format if there's

[0:42:09] Planner Zupanec (probable): several of you. So let's jump right into it. So currently, you might all know this, but your

[0:42:17] Planner Zupanec (probable): official community plan for Gabriela Island already lays out how this density donation

[0:42:23] Planner Zupanec (probable): piece can work for your community. And how it works and was intended to work when it was drafted

[0:42:31] Planner Zupanec (probable): many years ago is that basically folks would volunteer to give up an unused residential

[0:42:38] Planner Zupanec (probable): density or that dwelling residential dwelling and to the local trust committee the islands trust

[0:42:45] Planner Zupanec (probable): to hold for an unlimited period of time so it can be used elsewhere on the island to create

[0:42:51] Planner Zupanec (probable): affordable housing and the metric of affordable housing is also defined in the official community

[0:42:57] Planner Zupanec (probable): plan and would be protected in perpetuity and so the deposit of a density from a property

[0:43:06] Planner Zupanec (probable): into this thing we call a density bank

[0:43:09] Planner Zupanec (probable): would be taking place through something

[0:43:12] Planner Zupanec (probable): we call a rezoning process.

[0:43:13] Planner Zupanec (probable): So it would be by application.

[0:43:15] Planner Zupanec (probable): But the local trust committee is really interested

[0:43:18] Planner Zupanec (probable): in undertaking a project right now in this year

[0:43:22] Planner Zupanec (probable): to batch process any volunteers

[0:43:26] Planner Zupanec (probable): who are interested in donating a density

[0:43:28] Planner Zupanec (probable): through a sponsored project

[0:43:31] Planner Zupanec (probable): so that we can streamline the process

[0:43:33] Planner Zupanec (probable): and make sure that if you're interested,

[0:43:35] Planner Zupanec (probable): did you get the information you need so we can make this happen and then we use what's called

[0:43:41] Planner Zupanec (probable): a housing agreement which is a legal instrument it's registered on title once that density is

[0:43:47] Planner Zupanec (probable): transferred to its new home location to we use the housing agreement to ensure that it's protected

[0:43:55] Planner Zupanec (probable): in perpetuity and it can never be converted to market rental or market sale housing so what are

[0:44:05] Planner Zupanec (probable): are some of the benefits because I think a lot of people are wondering what is in it for them

[0:44:11] Planner Zupanec (probable): sounds like you're giving up a lot well it depends on the type of legacy that you're hoping to leave

[0:44:18] Planner Zupanec (probable): with this fantastic relationship that you have with your land and the first thing of course the

[0:44:26] Planner Zupanec (probable): whole point of this is to increase the stock of affordable housing on the island whether it's

[0:44:33] Planner Zupanec (probable): rental housing or market not at market sale but for the market so that would be the number one

[0:44:41] Planner Zupanec (probable): benefit for this particular program is to increase that stock of affordable housing

[0:44:47] Planner Zupanec (probable): and it would also reduce the development pressures on your parcel and protect any of those

[0:44:55] Planner Zupanec (probable): possibly natural features and functions that you're concerned about impacting through typical

[0:45:02] Planner Zupanec (probable): residential development because you would be transferring that density to another area of

[0:45:07] Planner Zupanec (probable): the island where it might be better suited to have that increase in density and as I mentioned

[0:45:14] Planner Zupanec (probable): the local trust committee is interested in this process to batch these donations and streamline

[0:45:19] Planner Zupanec (probable): the procedures so that we can increase the donations we currently have one in the bank

[0:45:25] Planner Zupanec (probable): that was from a park that would a residential parcel that's been converted to parkland with

[0:45:32] Planner Zupanec (probable): the regional district of Nanaimo and so that density of that residential lot will be transferred

[0:45:39] Planner Zupanec (probable): into the density bank for use elsewhere on the island. I'm going to run through a few graphic

[0:45:46] Planner Zupanec (probable): examples so bear with me because I think this is the easiest way to describe how this program would

[0:45:52] Planner Zupanec (probable): work for you. So the first example I'll give you is a residential property with subdivision potential

[0:45:58] Planner Zupanec (probable): So this is a waterfront lot. It's large enough to be subdivided into two parcels. But the property owners, they currently have one dwelling, and they have no interest in a second dwelling on the subsequent parcel if they did subdivide.

[0:46:16] Planner Zupanec (probable): So they're looking at an option to ensure that the legacy they leave is just the single family dwelling and one contiguous parcel with no potential to be subdivided in the future and maintain the existing residence or that density on that parcel.

[0:46:34] Planner Zupanec (probable): So by doing that and donating into the bank, we would have a deposit of one density, and this property would have a site-specific zone that would therefore indicate that it was part of a density donation and that it has one density or whatever the number is remaining on that site.

[0:46:54] Planner Zupanec (probable): The other example I'll give you is a residential property that is developed with the dwelling, and it's adjacent to an undeveloped lot that's owned by the same people that have the dwelling, and they've been using and enjoying that second vacant lot as an extension of their property.

[0:47:16] Planner Zupanec (probable): They also don't wish to sell that parcel separately or leave that legacy, and they also wish to ensure that the property isn't developed because there might be some interesting features or functions, natural functions, on that vacant lot that they wish to retain.

[0:47:32] Planner Zupanec (probable): So they may decide that this is a great candidate for a density donation, where they would not create a second dwelling or allow for that to be permitted in the future, and instead keep the property under one title and parcel, or have zoning applied onto that vacant lot so that only one dwelling is permitted for that zone, and then they could deposit one density into the density bank.

[0:48:03] Planner Zupanec (probable): The third example, and this is something that we're super curious to see if there's a lot of interest in this,

[0:48:09] Planner Zupanec (probable): is the local trust committee is really interested to see if individuals would be willing to donate a secondary suite density to deposit into the bank.

[0:48:20] Planner Zupanec (probable): So this is a parcel that's large enough to have a principal dwelling and a secondary suite.

[0:48:25] Planner Zupanec (probable): So it's five acres or larger.

[0:48:26] Planner Zupanec (probable): and the owner has no intentions to ever build a secondary suite and they feel strongly compelled

[0:48:33] Planner Zupanec (probable): to make a donation into this density bank so by giving up the secondary suite provision

[0:48:41] Planner Zupanec (probable): there can be one dwelling remaining on site and one deposited into the density bank for use

[0:48:49] Planner Zupanec (probable): elsewhere and so currently your official community plan doesn't contemplate the secondary suite

[0:48:55] Planner Zupanec (probable): suite provision, but the local trust committee, as I said, is really interested to explore this option

[0:49:00] Planner Zupanec (probable): if there's interest in the community to allow for this type of a transaction to occur.

[0:49:08] Planner Zupanec (probable): So the next question I get asked is, well, then how do those deposits get used to create the

[0:49:14] Planner Zupanec (probable): affordable housing? Because if you're making this donation, you want to be darn sure that it gets

[0:49:20] Planner Zupanec (probable): used properly because you're motivated to ensure that there's more affordable housing stock

[0:49:25] Planner Zupanec (probable): on the island so here's an example of a commercial property that's ready for redevelopment

[0:49:30] Planner Zupanec (probable): and the develop the development plan includes ground level commercial use and above the

[0:49:40] Planner Zupanec (probable): commercial use would be four units of housing so through a rezoning application they want to ensure

[0:49:47] Planner Zupanec (probable): that they can have four units of housing two of which would be set aside for staff housing and

[0:49:53] Planner Zupanec (probable): and protected with a housing agreement

[0:49:57] Planner Zupanec (probable): to make sure that they're affordable.

[0:49:59] Planner Zupanec (probable): And then two of those,

[0:50:00] Planner Zupanec (probable): the other two units would be market housing.

[0:50:02] Planner Zupanec (probable): So they could be rental or they could be for purchase.

[0:50:06] Planner Zupanec (probable): So what they would need to do is withdraw two densities

[0:50:09] Planner Zupanec (probable): from the bank as part of their proposal

[0:50:11] Planner Zupanec (probable): to rezone this parcel and allow,

[0:50:15] Planner Zupanec (probable): and also demonstrate at the same time

[0:50:17] Planner Zupanec (probable): that this site is an appropriate receiver site

[0:50:20] Planner Zupanec (probable): for four units of density,

[0:50:22] Planner Zupanec (probable): two of which would be affordable.

[0:50:24] Planner Zupanec (probable): So typically we ask to ensure

[0:50:26] Planner Zupanec (probable): that there's sufficient supplies of water,

[0:50:29] Planner Zupanec (probable): sewage treatment can be adequately provided

[0:50:32] Planner Zupanec (probable): for on this site, access and egress is appropriate,

[0:50:36] Planner Zupanec (probable): and that there's no conflict with adjacent land uses.

[0:50:39] Planner Zupanec (probable): So it would still go through the same rigor

[0:50:41] Planner Zupanec (probable): as a rezoning application,

[0:50:43] Planner Zupanec (probable): but with the added potential benefit

[0:50:46] Planner Zupanec (probable): that the bank could be utilized

[0:50:48] Planner Zupanec (probable): in the real redevelopment of an appropriate site.

[0:50:54] Planner Zupanec (probable): So two of those densities would be removed

[0:50:56] Planner Zupanec (probable): from the bank in this instance.

[0:51:01] Planner Zupanec (probable): So the densities can be withdrawn

[0:51:03] Planner Zupanec (probable): and used on Gabriela Island only.

[0:51:06] Planner Zupanec (probable): So if they're coming from Gabriela Island,

[0:51:08] Planner Zupanec (probable): they have to stay on Gabriela Island

[0:51:10] Planner Zupanec (probable): and it would be used through a rezoning application.

[0:51:14] Planner Zupanec (probable): And to construct those dwellings,

[0:51:16] Planner Zupanec (probable): they would need to meet the definition of affordability

[0:51:20] Planner Zupanec (probable): through the housing agreement tool that we could use and protect the affordability in perpetuity

[0:51:28] Planner Zupanec (probable): and the units would have to be sited in a multi-dwelling housing structure so that's a

[0:51:34] Planner Zupanec (probable): building that contains three or more dwelling units so it couldn't be a duplex for example

[0:51:41] Planner Zupanec (probable): it would have to be something that has at least three or more units in it so if you are interested

[0:51:50] Planner Zupanec (probable): interested in this specific example of density donation on Gabriel Island that you currently have available to you but you would like more information or more clarity, you can reach out to us on our generic north info email address.

[0:52:05] Planner Zupanec (probable): And we'll also have a slide up shortly after our last presenter that gives all the contact information for all the presenters here so you can reach, reach out to us directly on that.

[0:52:17] Planner Zupanec (probable): so now i'm going to turn it over to steve earl and steve is one of the board members of gabriela's

[0:52:27] Planner Zupanec (probable): newest land trust which is called the gabriela island land stewardship society and if you haven't

[0:52:35] Planner Zupanec (probable): heard about them yet this is a great opportunity to familiarize yourself with what their objective

[0:52:40] Planner Zupanec (probable): is in the community and how you might be able to partner with them. So thank you very much,

[0:52:46] Planner Zupanec (probable): Steve, for joining us and I'll leave it to you.

[0:52:52] Voice 1: Okay. Thank you, Sonia. I just get myself

[0:52:55] Voice 1: organized. I need to share screen and I'm going to put that up. Share. Can you see my slide?

[0:53:12] Planner Zupanec (probable): Yes.

[0:53:14] Voice 1: Thank you. So yes, as Sonia says, I'm a member of the board of

[0:53:18] Voice 1: the Gabriela Island Land Stewards Society, or GILS.

[0:53:21] Voice 1: And I'm here with a fellow board member, Sybil Frey,

[0:53:26] Voice 1: who will be taking questions later.

[0:53:29] Voice 1: GILS, which has existed, is new, as Sonia says,

[0:53:33] Voice 1: has existed for about a year.

[0:53:35] Voice 1: It's a community land trust,

[0:53:37] Voice 1: which makes it different from a land trust like GALT.

[0:53:41] Voice 1: As Ken said, GALT is focused on conserving and connecting,

[0:53:47] Voice 1: while the goal of GILS is to steward land on Gabriola for other types of community projects.

[0:53:54] Voice 1: And of course, we're cooperating with GALT and a number of other organizations.

[0:53:59] Voice 1: So we're here to make land available for long term community benefits,

[0:54:03] Voice 1: the kind of things that the community wants to do but can't find the land to do it on.

[0:54:09] Voice 1: so we seek to acquire land for community purposes and we will engage the community in setting

[0:54:17] Voice 1: priorities for the best use of the land over the long term we are and will continue to work

[0:54:24] Voice 1: with organizations like gabriel housing society for housing the aggie co-op for farming land and

[0:54:31] Voice 1: education opportunities, PHC for social programs, Chamber of Commerce for small-scale economic

[0:54:39] Voice 1: development, and the Commons and the Arts Council, for example, for spaces for community events.

[0:54:46] Voice 1: Those are the kinds of projects that we would like to be able to support by making land available

[0:54:52] Voice 1: for them. We want you to get involved. You can become a member of GILS and you can help build

[0:55:02] Voice 1: this new organization. For information about getting involved, please contact us through

[0:55:09] Voice 1: the website or by email. And that email is gabriolaislandlss at gmail.com.

[0:55:20] Voice 1: So if you own land, there's a wide range of options for you to support the work of GILs to make Gabriola a better place.

[0:55:30] Voice 1: It's not going to be an overnight process, but it is something that will benefit Gabriolans for generations to come.

[0:55:36] Voice 1: Your donation can help strengthen the community and address some of the social and economic disparities that exist here.

[0:55:44] Voice 1: and the land will of course will be carefully maintained for future generations

[0:55:50] Voice 1: we're pleased to say that even though we're just a year old we we already have charitable status

[0:55:55] Voice 1: so any land or cash securities other assets that are donated to gills are charitable donations

[0:56:03] Voice 1: and we we accept donations through canada helps so that they can be made anonymously we also accept

[0:56:12] Voice 1: donations on the uh through the website or by email um and so on um and and even by mail and

[0:56:22] Voice 1: then the address is given there so um please contact us via the website that's the website

[0:56:29] Voice 1: there on the screen um for more information about our purposes and bylaws about how our board is

[0:56:37] Voice 1: structured how you can donate land or other assets or how you can become involved because we really

[0:56:44] Voice 1: would like you to become a part of this exciting project so i'm i'm gonna end right there it's

[0:56:53] Voice 1: pretty quick here i i want to thank you for your interest in building community through these

[0:57:00] Voice 1: projects that have been described we had jemma for naptep and the island's trust conservancy

[0:57:05] Voice 1: we had ken speaking for galt and the nature stewards sonja of course on density donation

[0:57:12] Voice 1: and me along with sybil for the land steward society um we welcome your questions if you

[0:57:20] Voice 1: have questions about gills sybil will take those questions um so uh thanks very much sonja and i

[0:57:28] Voice 1: I will pass it back to you.

[0:57:31] Voice 6: Thanks, Steve.

[0:57:33] Planner Zupanec (probable): That's great.

[0:57:34] Planner Zupanec (probable): Before we switch to the Q&A,

[0:57:36] Planner Zupanec (probable): I did want to let everybody know

[0:57:38] Planner Zupanec (probable): that if you've stuck around this long,

[0:57:40] Planner Zupanec (probable): we do have a prize box

[0:57:41] Planner Zupanec (probable): that we really want to give away.

[0:57:44] Planner Zupanec (probable): So snap out of it.

[0:57:45] Planner Zupanec (probable): Pay attention for a second.

[0:57:47] Planner Zupanec (probable): We have a trivia question

[0:57:49] Planner Zupanec (probable): and you will be able to take home

[0:57:52] Planner Zupanec (probable): this box of goodies,

[0:57:54] Planner Zupanec (probable): which I think I've already shown you,

[0:57:55] Planner Zupanec (probable): but it's quite heavy.

[0:57:56] Planner Zupanec (probable): there's a lovely field guide in here and a great map so you don't get lost and a water bottle and a

[0:58:03] Planner Zupanec (probable): forever calendar and the trivia question is and don't put it in the chat because because that's

[0:58:11] Planner Zupanec (probable): not how it works um in our ad for this webinar there was one ad that had a lot of photos in it

[0:58:20] Planner Zupanec (probable): uh so if you didn't see that ad then you might miss out on this opportunity to participate but

[0:58:26] Planner Zupanec (probable): And if you did see our full color page ad

[0:58:29] Planner Zupanec (probable): in the community paper on our website,

[0:58:31] Planner Zupanec (probable): we had a bunch of pictures.

[0:58:32] Planner Zupanec (probable): And I'm wondering if anyone can name

[0:58:35] Planner Zupanec (probable): two native plant or animal species

[0:58:39] Planner Zupanec (probable): from that advertisement for this webinar

[0:58:42] Planner Zupanec (probable): and the way to submit your answer to us.

[0:58:48] Planner Zupanec (probable): It'll be a bit of a draw if there's enough folks.

[0:58:52] Planner Zupanec (probable): Let me just share the screen

[0:58:53] Planner Zupanec (probable): and I'll put the information up for this contact information. You can see that last slide there

[0:59:01] Planner Zupanec (probable): has all our contact information so you can email me here at this address with your answer of two

[0:59:09] Planner Zupanec (probable): native plant or animal species that were included in the photo portion of our ad for this webinar.

[0:59:16] Planner Zupanec (probable): And then we will gladly send you home with this box of goodies for participating and sharing this

[0:59:24] Planner Zupanec (probable): this evening with us.

[0:59:25] Planner Zupanec (probable): So I'm gonna leave this slide up

[0:59:28] Planner Zupanec (probable): while we look to the chat for some questions.

[0:59:34] Planner Zupanec (probable): We've got a couple that are already in here

[0:59:37] Planner Zupanec (probable): and I will direct them to the person

[0:59:40] Planner Zupanec (probable): that I think is best suited to answer them

[0:59:42] Planner Zupanec (probable): because some of them are specific to each organization.

[0:59:48] Planner Zupanec (probable): So let's start with the first question.

[0:59:51] Planner Zupanec (probable): I think Gemma, this one is for you.

[0:59:53] Planner Zupanec (probable): So if there's an ecologically sensitive area that crosses

[1:00:00] Planner Zupanec (probable): lot boundaries and the area on a lot does not meet the five acre minimum threshold for the

[1:00:09] Planner Zupanec (probable): Islands Trust Conservancy to be interested in a covenant can the can the minimum five acre area

[1:00:22] Planner Zupanec (probable): threshold include a portion of the adjoining lot if both owners agree to a covenant on both lots

[1:00:30] Planner Zupanec (probable): So, is there an option for that sort of partnership with an adjacent owner to join in on Covenant?

[1:00:39] Voice 7: That is a great question.

[1:00:42] Voice 7: I'd have to double check the NAPTEP regulation, but I believe that part of the rationale for setting that minimum size

[1:00:52] Voice 7: beyond the conservation value that a large tract of land provides is the

[1:01:01] Voice 7: the administrative efficiencies of larger lots

[1:01:05] Voice 7: and trying to reduce the amount

[1:01:07] Voice 7: of really small conservation islands.

[1:01:11] Voice 7: And so I think in this case,

[1:01:14] Voice 7: the scenario provided would likely be allowed,

[1:01:21] Voice 7: but that would definitely be,

[1:01:24] Voice 7: that's an unconventional situation

[1:01:26] Voice 7: that we haven't encountered before.

[1:01:28] Voice 7: but but my thinking is that because it ultimately leads to the same ends that that is something that

[1:01:34] Voice 7: could be accommodated okay

[1:01:37] Planner Zupanec (probable): super um the next question is for me and that has to do with can

[1:01:44] Planner Zupanec (probable): the will a donation of density reduce property taxes for the donor and the reason i didn't put

[1:01:55] Planner Zupanec (probable): that in the benefit block is because that really depends um i'm learning a lot about bc assessment

[1:02:01] Planner Zupanec (probable): and how it works um and so they don't necessarily always take into consideration

[1:02:10] Planner Zupanec (probable): um different scenarios of zoning and development potential but yes theoretically

[1:02:17] Planner Zupanec (probable): if you're paying property taxes on a lot that no longer has residential um density provisions for

[1:02:25] Planner Zupanec (probable): for it. In theory, that property would be valued less than or assessed less than a property that

[1:02:34] Planner Zupanec (probable): can be developed. So part of this project, just so everyone knows, as we promote density donation,

[1:02:40] Planner Zupanec (probable): we're also still seeking clarity on, we've done some legal reviews. So we've got lots of answers

[1:02:46] Planner Zupanec (probable): for folks that come forward to answer those types of questions. But this BC assessment piece,

[1:02:51] Planner Zupanec (probable): we're still working on so that we can have a comprehensive set of examples to show

[1:02:55] Planner Zupanec (probable): how assessment might change based on individual circumstances so we're hoping there's a couple

[1:03:01] Planner Zupanec (probable): of great examples in the community that come forward so we can really fine-tune our answers

[1:03:07] Planner Zupanec (probable): for those types of questions but that may be a tangible benefit is an assessed value

[1:03:14] Planner Zupanec (probable): if you look at it that way that reduces taxes property taxes versus increasing your assessed

[1:03:20] Planner Zupanec (probable): value for market sale purposes. I had a question come in to me for you, Ken, sent to me, and that

[1:03:32] Planner Zupanec (probable): was, are

[1:03:32] Planner Zupanec (probable): there any costs associated with partnering with the Nature Stewards Program, or is it

[1:03:39] Planner Zupanec (probable): completely free? Oh, you're muted, Ken. Wow. Hard to believe, but you're muted. Just kidding.

[1:03:48] Planner Zupanec (probable): well

[1:03:49] Voice 9: that's good i'm on muted now um yeah it's it's completely free uh it the whole strength

[1:03:56] Voice 9: of this program is is definitely it's voluntary and and and uh our team of of people who are

[1:04:04] Voice 9: are gulp volunteers who are extremely experienced and in um you know all a matter of ecology and

[1:04:12] Voice 9: biology and have backgrounds in parks are really wonderful resources that who volunteered their

[1:04:19] Voice 9: time to um to come out to your property and and do the walkabout with you and then when we write

[1:04:26] Voice 9: up the pledge that's all us doing that for you and so there's no charge no but we could ask for

[1:04:32] Voice 9: a donation you would certainly be welcome to give us a donation to help support the program because

[1:04:37] Voice 9: it just helps us to keep extending the program because it's a it's definitely for the long term

[1:04:43] Voice 9: we're not you know it's beyond even our 10-year goal we'll still be delivering this program it's

[1:04:50] Voice 9: uh because education never stops right that's

[1:04:55] Planner Zupanec (probable): great thanks ken sybil are you able to answer

[1:04:58] Planner Zupanec (probable): the question around whether or not people can sell their property to the gabriella island land

[1:05:04] Planner Zupanec (probable): Land Stewardship Society, Steward Society, sorry.

[1:05:09] Voice 5: Thanks, Sonia.

[1:05:10] Voice 5: Yes, certainly you can sell your property to the Land Steward Society,

[1:05:16] Voice 5: although we will be needing to fundraise to be able to afford to buy land.

[1:05:21] Voice 5: We're also looking at whether people would be willing to donate land

[1:05:25] Voice 5: or sell their property in part for cash and in part for a charitable tax receipt.

[1:05:31] Voice 5: And we can negotiate around what it is you need in the way of money in return for your land, as well as how much of a charitable tax receipt would be needed.

[1:05:43] Voice 5: So we're definitely open to exploring different possibilities.

[1:05:48] Voice 5: We also have to look at what the land would be the best use for in terms of remembering that we're coming from the framework of community benefits so that we could be using it or allowing it to be used.

[1:05:59] Voice 5: you know the idea behind the land trust is in our case is that we would acquire and hold and steward

[1:06:08] Voice 5: the land and then we would partner with other local organizations who would want to do specific

[1:06:14] Voice 5: things on the land use it through long-term leases and I mean really

[1:06:19] Voice 5: long-term leases and

[1:06:21] Voice 5: the we have quite a range of things that we do we're looking to support affordable or

[1:06:28] Voice 5: supportive housing we're looking at doing a supporting agriculture as well as education

[1:06:34] Voice 5: in terms of farming and we're looking at how we can support small scale scale small scale

[1:06:41] Voice 5: community economic development so we're really looking for where might land be that would be

[1:06:49] Voice 5: ideal to do those things although if you have land the other thing is you could also look at

[1:06:54] Voice 5: putting a bequest in your will that when you pass on, you're going to donate the land or

[1:07:01] Voice 5: half the value of the land or whatever to the Gabriel Island Land Stewards Society.

[1:07:07] Voice 5: And then we could either say this is a perfect piece of land to do farming on and farming

[1:07:13] Voice 5: education, or it's a beautiful piece of land, but it's not the kind of thing we can use for

[1:07:19] Voice 5: our purposes so we would sell that land and use the money raised from it to buy land that is

[1:07:25] Voice 5: particularly perfect for the range of activities we also want to be looking at engaging the

[1:07:33] Voice 5: community and deciding what to do some pieces of land would be suitable for a number of things and

[1:07:39] Voice 5: so we would actually facilitate conversation within gabriola to say what you want to do so

[1:07:45] Voice 5: So it's really looking at partnerships with landowners in terms of, yes, possibly buying

[1:07:51] Voice 5: land from them or looking to the community for donations and also looking for people

[1:07:56] Voice 5: to make bequests and then doing the best we can with whatever is contributed to the organization

[1:08:03] Voice 5: to get land that can really do for community benefit.

[1:08:08] Voice 5: And it might be multiple benefits.

[1:08:10] Voice 5: benefits. So there might be a place where you're doing some social service support type of thing,

[1:08:16] Voice 5: there might be some affordable housing built in, there might be some community recreation space.

[1:08:22] Voice 5: So there are lots of range of activities. And but on the other hand, as I say, there might be a

[1:08:28] Voice 5: piece of agricultural land where the smart thing to do is something related to farming.

[1:08:33] Planner Zupanec (probable): Great, thanks so much, Sybil. Just a reminder, you can raise your digital hand

[1:08:37] Planner Zupanec (probable): for those of you on zoom so you can ask your question directly instead of um having me try

[1:08:43] Planner Zupanec (probable): to paraphrase it for you and if you're phoning in i apologize i forgot that we do have some phone

[1:08:48] Planner Zupanec (probable): ins you can press star nine to raise to identify yourself and then star six to um unmute yourself

[1:08:57] Planner Zupanec (probable): to participate the next question is for jemma jemma would the islands trust conservancy be

[1:09:03] Planner Zupanec (probable): willing to take property that or a covenanted area that would not necessarily have ecological value

[1:09:11] Planner Zupanec (probable): now but if left to mature would slowly convert back to a coastal douglas for ecosystem that's

[1:09:23] Voice 7: a great question and it's something that we're definitely starting to talk more about within

[1:09:28] Voice 7: in the Islands Trust Conservancy about doing.

[1:09:32] Voice 7: In those scenarios, the land wouldn't be eligible

[1:09:37] Voice 7: for NAPTEP.

[1:09:40] Voice 7: That doesn't mean the land still can't be registered

[1:09:44] Voice 7: as a conservation covenant,

[1:09:46] Voice 7: just because of the stipulations of the NAPTEP regulation

[1:09:50] Voice 7: regarding eligible features.

[1:09:52] Voice 7: It doesn't sound like in that situation,

[1:09:55] Voice 7: the land would qualify as having eligible features but it certainly has of course conservation value

[1:10:01] Voice 7: and its restoration potential and is eligible for a conservation covenant nonetheless great thanks

[1:10:09] Planner Zupanec (probable): and the second part of that was do you have an average cost associated with the two-year

[1:10:15] Planner Zupanec (probable): time frame that it might take to enter into a conservation covenant for NAPTEP purposes

[1:10:20] Planner Zupanec (probable): Yeah,

[1:10:21] Voice 7: we get that question a lot, so I can share my screen with the slide, if you'll permit me.

[1:10:40] Voice 7: So if you can see this breakdown of expenses, there are application fees, which there's a phase

[1:10:49] Voice 7: one application fee of $275 and a phase two application fee of $175, amounting to $450.

[1:10:58] Voice 7: 50. And then there are also some legal and tax professionals that need to be consulted in their

[1:11:06] Voice 7: costs associated with that, as well as a survey of the land of the area that you wish to protect

[1:11:12] Voice 7: and some other associated costs. And as you can see, there's a huge range in these values. And

[1:11:18] Voice 7: that really depends on the size of your property, the accessibility of the property to professionals

[1:11:24] Voice 7: that are undertaking the assessments and other complexities that are very site-specific.

[1:11:30] Voice 7: So it really depends.

[1:11:31] Voice 7: But this is an approximate breakdown of the costs.

[1:11:35] Voice 7: And as it says in the note at the bottom of the slide, in our experience, everyone that's

[1:11:40] Voice 7: participated in the NAPTEP program have recouped the costs within three years through their

[1:11:45] Voice 7: tax savings.

[1:11:47] Planner Zupanec (probable): That's great.

[1:11:48] Planner Zupanec (probable): That's really helpful for folks to put that into context.

[1:11:51] Planner Zupanec (probable): we have a detailed question it's in the chat for the panelists um from alissa which if you're able

[1:12:03] Planner Zupanec (probable): to raise your hand alissa you'll do a better job possibly asking the question but i think

[1:12:08] Planner Zupanec (probable): it's for sybil sybil if you're able to scan um the comments can

[1:12:19] Voice 6: oh here we go alissa's

[1:12:23] Voice 6: hi

[1:12:23] Voice 2: i i think i i'm just thinking about the you know land stewardship society and holding land

[1:12:32] Voice 2: but also thinking about you know the immediate need for housing and the possibility of buying

[1:12:38] Voice 2: existing housing stock and just have holding that as like for um for you know for island

[1:12:46] Voice 2: uses to benefit the island and how that something like that would fit in with the

[1:12:51] Voice 2: landscape society mandate i

[1:12:56] Voice 5: i can try and answer a little bit alissa i think one of the challenges

[1:13:01] Voice 5: is in buying individual homes is the price of a home um and so we need to look at um if we can

[1:13:10] Voice 5: can only have one family living in a home that we buy right now because further if let's say

[1:13:20] Voice 5: a multi-dwelling housing was to be built through on that site including the existing home there's

[1:13:26] Voice 5: a big process to get approval to do that and that will take at least several years and then

[1:13:31] Voice 5: raising the money etc so the challenge is the cost as we're all facing and anybody who does

[1:13:39] Voice 5: is renting and has shuffled from home to home desperately trying to keep a place to live

[1:13:44] Voice 5: or can't even find a place to live or people who own a home and are having a tough time

[1:13:51] Voice 5: paying the you know maintenance and taxes etc so an end right now and this is just my kind of

[1:14:00] Voice 5: gut reaction because housing prices are so high it will be very difficult to buy individual homes

[1:14:10] Voice 5: immediately and i know that's not a great answer we have a housing crisis now

[1:14:14] Voice 5: but i think we need to look at how can we work with the official community plan see what

[1:14:22] Voice 5: alternatives there might be that housing review process that was done i think we have to reflect

[1:14:27] Voice 5: on some of what was learned through that.

[1:14:30] Voice 5: That was a year ago.

[1:14:32] Voice 5: And look at what can we do to build,

[1:14:35] Voice 5: to support co-op housing development,

[1:14:38] Voice 5: to support multi-dwelling affordable housing development,

[1:14:43] Voice 5: to encourage one of the examples that Sonia gave

[1:14:46] Voice 5: of a commercial establishment

[1:14:49] Voice 5: that was putting four rental units on the second floor.

[1:14:52] Voice 5: And how can we make sure

[1:14:54] Voice 5: that some of that is affordable housing,

[1:14:56] Voice 5: but unfortunately none of this is going to happen quickly and I should say that we are

[1:15:04] Voice 5: so interested however in solutions that people have ideas that people have and we would work

[1:15:11] Voice 5: very closely with the Gabriola Housing Society to see what we can accomplish but it isn't quick

[1:15:19] Voice 5: unfortunately. Alyssa

[1:15:23] Voice 5: did that answer your question?

[1:15:26] Voice 2: Can you still hear me? Yeah. Yeah okay

[1:15:29] Voice 2: Okay. Yeah, I mean, I think you're right. I think it's, it's, it's really complex, especially with

[1:15:34] Voice 2: the current housing prices. And, you know, redevelopment is going to take four plus years

[1:15:41] Voice 2: to get built. So it's slow. Yeah.

[1:15:48] Voice 6: Thanks for your question, Alyssa.

[1:15:52] Planner Zupanec (probable): Okay, well, my inbox is flooded

[1:15:55] Planner Zupanec (probable): with trivia answers so I'm gonna have to put all the names in a hat and throw them around my office

[1:16:03] Planner Zupanec (probable): and pick one all by myself tonight and I'll let the winner know and give instructions on how you

[1:16:09] Planner Zupanec (probable): can claim your fancy artisanal cardboard box full of goodies from our partner organizations and

[1:16:19] Planner Zupanec (probable): presenters it is all calm and quiet in the chat box unless anyone's getting ones go ahead i have

[1:16:29] Voice 9: a question as a panelist i don't think

[1:16:31] Planner Zupanec (probable): that's allowed but okay well

[1:16:34] Voice 9: it's actually for it's

[1:16:35] Voice 9: for sybil and and the uh land stewards society because it's i i was i think we're all really

[1:16:41] Voice 9: excited that it's that organization will fill a wonderful niche on the island and and one of the

[1:16:48] Voice 9: the things would be a question I would have would you help facilitate individuals that want to look

[1:16:56] Voice 9: at cooperative ownership of land or of a housing situation let's say a large acreage and help get

[1:17:03] Voice 9: different people together to help buy that land jointly will there be is there a bit of a role

[1:17:08] Voice 9: an enabling role there at all for for gills I

[1:17:12] Voice 5: would say that certainly we would like to

[1:17:15] Voice 5: help people and organizations to acquire land particularly when we can do things in collaboration

[1:17:24] Voice 5: or cooperation. There is also the Gabriola Co-op Network is a series of co-ops, co-op organizations

[1:17:33] Voice 5: and co-op developers who would be a place to look if people are trying to set up a housing co-op

[1:17:39] Voice 5: or a shared use of land including housing co-op so that would be another resource and again we

[1:17:45] Voice 5: could work with them so yes I would say we're interested in trying to help the Gabriola

[1:17:53] Voice 5: community find ways to support the Gabriola community and I do include this in the name

[1:18:00] Voice 5: of First Nation they they do have seats on our board although they're not currently involved

[1:18:04] Voice 5: but we want to make sure there's space for them so it does when we talk about the community

[1:18:08] Voice 5: we definitely mean the Snene'emu on whose traditional territory we are living in trying to make positive change.

[1:18:15] Voice 5: But yes, what can we do to help our community build up and support a more sustainable, fair, economically, socially just community?

[1:18:29] Voice 5: And what can we do to help that? Absolutely.

[1:18:35] Planner Zupanec (probable): Did that answer your question, Ken?

[1:18:37] Planner Zupanec (probable): Ken?

[1:18:37] Voice 9: Yes. I'll limit it to five word answer.

[1:18:46] Planner Zupanec (probable): Well, I was saying it's all calm on the chat front. So

[1:18:49] Planner Zupanec (probable): either everybody is distracted by the beautiful evening outside our rooms, or they're satisfied

[1:18:58] Planner Zupanec (probable): with the information that you have received to date. And you're contemplating your next step

[1:19:03] Planner Zupanec (probable): as to which one of these lovely boxes

[1:19:05] Planner Zupanec (probable): you're going to contact tomorrow

[1:19:07] Planner Zupanec (probable): with your burning questions

[1:19:09] Planner Zupanec (probable): and opportunity to connect meaningfully

[1:19:12] Planner Zupanec (probable): and authentically on action.

[1:19:14] Planner Zupanec (probable): There is action that we can all do

[1:19:18] Planner Zupanec (probable): and I'm hoping that these four options

[1:19:20] Planner Zupanec (probable): are within the realm of possibility for many Gabrielans.

[1:19:23] Planner Zupanec (probable): I wanna take this time again to thank the presenters.

[1:19:26] Planner Zupanec (probable): Thank you so much for joining in this opportunity.

[1:19:29] Planner Zupanec (probable): Thank you to the Local Trust Committee

[1:19:31] Planner Zupanec (probable): for sponsoring this event and to everyone who's participating in watching this and sharing as we

[1:19:39] Planner Zupanec (probable): move forward in these strange times and try to address the tandem housing and ecological crisis

[1:19:47] Planner Zupanec (probable): that we're experiencing. So wishing you all a very healthy transition from spring or winter to spring

[1:19:54] Planner Zupanec (probable): and I look forward to seeing you in person because I am very sick of this platform.

[1:20:03] Planner Zupanec (probable): So bring on the in-person meetings

[1:20:05] Planner Zupanec (probable): and let's engage in a more meaningful way.

[1:20:08] Planner Zupanec (probable): But until then, all the best.

[1:20:11] Planner Zupanec (probable): And thank you so much.

[1:20:15] Voice 6: Good night.

[1:20:17] Voice 4: Okay, good night.