[0:36] How about now?
[0:40] >> Okay. I'd like to call this regular
[0:41] council meeting of Monday, July 27th,
[0:44] 2026 to order. I'm the acting mayor for
[0:47] the month of July. Um, Mayor Leonard may
[0:49] or may not be able to join us depending
[0:51] on where where he is on his vacation.
[0:56] And um
[0:59] so the as we open the meeting, I'd like
[1:02] to acknowledge with gratitude that we
[1:03] live and work on the traditional
[1:05] unseated territory of the Squamish
[1:07] nation whose people have been stewards
[1:09] of these lands and waters surrounding
[1:11] Nqualikum Bone Island. Um and be do you
[1:16] want to make a few comments before we
[1:18] approve the agenda?
[1:20] >> Um I did if you wouldn't mind the
[1:23] opportunity.
[1:24] >> Yeah.
[1:24] >> Thank you. I just um I'm Kristen Watson.
[1:27] I'm the acting CEO for Bowen Island
[1:29] Municipality. I just wanted to take this
[1:31] opportunity to thank staff, thank
[1:33] council. We had a very um significant
[1:36] interruption in our last council
[1:37] meeting. It arose from a situation where
[1:41] um some nefarious players entered our
[1:44] online council meeting and chose to um
[1:48] expose themselves on live uh YouTube
[1:51] which uh resulted in the fact that our
[1:54] council meeting uh was taken down
[1:56] immediately by YouTube. They canled our
[1:58] account for a short time until we were
[2:00] able to successfully get it back. Uh I
[2:04] just wanted to thank the public for the
[2:06] opport for the um understanding of our
[2:09] new uh meeting registration procedures
[2:12] which are requiring that people register
[2:14] in advance in order to keep our future
[2:16] meetings secure and not have a
[2:18] reoccurrence of that event. So, I just
[2:20] wanted to dispel any rumors or about
[2:22] what happened there, but certainly it
[2:24] was uh beyond the control of staff,
[2:26] beyond the control of uh uh council, and
[2:30] I just wanted to thank everybody for
[2:31] their understanding going forward with
[2:33] our new meeting registration procedure.
[2:35] So, thank you very much.
[2:36] >> So, you mean that you need to be
[2:38] registered online in order to speak
[2:41] online? Is that what you're trying to
[2:42] say?
[2:43] >> Yes, that's correct. If you want to
[2:44] participate online and you want to
[2:46] speak, you'll have to re uh register in
[2:48] advance for the new meeting.
[2:50] >> So, I think the new instructions are up
[2:53] with the um council agenda when it gets
[2:56] posted.
[2:58] >> That's correct. Okay. All right. So, if
[3:01] anybody is online and wanting to um
[3:05] register to speak, they're going to have
[3:07] to follow through the new processes for
[3:08] this particular meeting. Thank you.
[3:11] Okay. All right.
[3:14] So I forgot to introduce the council
[3:16] members that are sitting here at the
[3:18] table. So we have councelor Su Ellen
[3:19] Fast, councelor Judy Getty, our uh
[3:23] acting CEO and CFO
[3:26] Chris Watson, uh Sophia Inda, our
[3:29] corporate officer, Tim Wake, counselor
[3:31] Tim Wakeake, and counselor John
[3:33] Saunders. Thank you. Okay, approval of
[3:37] the agenda. Is there any late items,
[3:39] Sophie?
[3:40] Uh there are several on table items uh
[3:43] this afternoon. First is 7.1A
[3:46] correspondence from neighbors of 1639
[3:49] and 1658 Mount Gardner Road. Uh in
[3:52] relation to item 7.2 there is a replaced
[3:56] attachment to the staff report and that
[3:59] is the amended islands trust policy
[4:01] checklist. Item 7.2E
[4:04] new correspondence from Heather Miller.
[4:07] 7.2F 2F new correspondence from an
[4:09] Frankfare Shalot.
[4:14] Can I have a motion for approval of the
[4:16] agenda, please? As amended.
[4:20] Thank you. And a seconder, Judy. Um, all
[4:24] in favor?
[4:25] >> Oh, sorry.
[4:26] >> I just We just heard from Alex. He's
[4:28] wait he's in the waiting room.
[4:32] Uh,
[4:37] sorry I don't.
[4:40] Steph, do you have um councelor
[4:41] Jurgensson in the waiting room?
[4:46] » He sent a text indicator and that's
[4:48] where he is.
[4:48] >> Oh, I wonder if he went through the
[4:49] registration process.
[4:58] » Uh, so just to note, our deputy
[5:00] corporate officer is here. uh assisting
[5:04] >> our our deputy corporate officer is here
[5:07] assisting with the um with the Zoom
[5:09] meeting.
[5:11] >> Unfortunately, we don't have councelor
[5:13] Jurgensson in the waiting room. So, I'm
[5:15] not sure.
[5:19] » Uh so, we'll just let um staff work on
[5:22] that with councelor Jurgensson.
[5:25] So, are we okay to go ahead with public
[5:28] comments then?
[5:34] Okay, let's uh do we have any public
[5:36] comment? I think we might have one. We
[5:39] do.
[5:41] Uh we actually have three this
[5:44] afternoon.
[5:46] And the first one is uh Rob Perie, but I
[5:48] don't see him online either.
[5:52] Um so maybe we can skip to the people
[5:55] who are here. Uh so that's an Frank
[5:58] defer.
[6:07] So I'm going to read the letter that I
[6:08] sent and is part of your you know
[6:11] whatever it was on table package. Your
[6:15] worship and counselors first I would
[6:17] like to apologize for being so late at
[6:20] giving you my fe feedback about item 272
[6:24] on today's agenda.
[6:28] On May 26, I provided you with a report
[6:32] titled The Future of the Riley's
[6:34] Heritage Apple Orchard. It gives a
[6:37] detailed description of the orchard, its
[6:40] creation, history,
[6:43] maintenance notes, ulticultural notes,
[6:46] and the conclusion is as follow. I
[6:49] quote, "It is evident that the Ry's
[6:51] heritage apple orchard needs to be
[6:54] preserved. Any potential solution has to
[6:58] take into account the legacy that led to
[7:01] the creation of this unique and
[7:03] extraordinary treasure. And so a proper
[7:06] perpetual conservation covenant is
[7:09] needed. Such a perpetual conservation
[7:12] covenant has to fulfill two
[7:15] requirements.
[7:17] The Riley's Heritage Apple Orchard has
[7:20] to be integrated into a land trust that
[7:24] will monitor the orchard twice or three
[7:27] times annually and provide BIM with
[7:32] assessments of the health and
[7:33] maintenance of the orchard.
[7:36] Two, the horicultural maintenance has to
[7:39] be tailored to this particular heritage
[7:42] orchard as practiced by the Whan
[7:45] community orchard. The Whan community
[7:48] orchard h have the expertise to give
[7:51] guidance for the preservation of the
[7:53] Riley's Heritage Apple Orchard. The
[7:56] purpose is to allow for the production
[7:58] of apples at a rate where the health of
[8:01] the trees is preserved for a long time.
[8:05] Espalade apple trees are known for
[8:07] exceptionally long longe longevity
[8:12] sometimes even exceeding
[8:15] 50 years. This is in complete
[8:18] contradiction to Mr. Pertie's assession
[8:21] of apple trees living only 30 years. The
[8:25] challenge appears to be the write up of
[8:28] such a perpetual conservation covenant
[8:31] that will assure that the orchard will
[8:33] be constantly maintained to prevent the
[8:36] decline [clears throat]
[8:38] to prevent the decline and well into the
[8:41] future in order to preserve this unique
[8:44] and extra generate born island treasure.
[8:47] Thank you.
[8:53] » Uh thank you. Next on the list, we have
[8:54] Margaret Underh Hill.
[9:01] » Thank you. This is about 620 Laura Road,
[9:03] of course. Um and as we reported to
[9:06] council in May when the neighbors
[9:08] discussed with Rob Perie in May about
[9:12] the concept of um the resoning proposal,
[9:15] we were reluctantly agreed with with the
[9:18] resoning proposal with restrictions on
[9:21] the retail and picnic area size and a
[9:23] conservation covenant to protect the
[9:25] orchard. The relationship of the cery to
[9:28] the heritage orchard has been emphasized
[9:29] by applicants and councils for five and
[9:31] a half years. The latest wrinkle, the
[9:34] proposal to change the cidery definition
[9:36] again after five and a half years of the
[9:38] existing definition would not require
[9:41] any on-site apple input. What effect
[9:44] will this have on a conservation
[9:46] covenant and the future of the heritage
[9:49] orchard? If this proposal was in a
[9:51] letter dated July 21st, as indicated in
[9:54] Mr. Martin's report the same date as the
[9:56] applicant's submission to the APC. Why
[9:58] wasn't this proposal re revealed to the
[10:01] APC? A lot of their discussion was about
[10:04] the percentage of apples required from
[10:05] the 620 property. The planner's
[10:08] presentation at the APC meeting still
[10:10] showed the original cery definition made
[10:12] no mention of a new proposal. This is
[10:15] disturbing at this advanced stage of the
[10:17] process. Thank you very much.
[10:24] Thank you. That it [clears throat]
[10:26] >> uh unfortunately I don't see uh Rob
[10:28] Pretty online either. So um I guess we
[10:32] move on.
[10:32] >> Okay, we'll move on to delegations.
[10:38] And our first delegation is an electric
[10:41] vehicle charger upgrade project for the
[10:44] library in the community center. We have
[10:46] representatives from BC Hydro. Is this
[10:48] Phil Garber? Thank you.
[10:50] >> Thank you.
[10:52] >> Uh first off, thanks so much for having
[10:55] us. Um my name is Philip Garber. I'm
[10:57] with BC Hydro's EV charging program and
[10:59] joined by Sabrina Lux Cisero, our
[11:01] community relations manager for Bone
[11:04] Island. Um, so we
[11:08] approached um,
[11:12] Kirsten Watson and staff u a few I guess
[11:15] a couple months ago to pick up uh, a
[11:19] development that we had well a couple of
[11:22] years ago where we first explored um,
[11:24] installing some charging infrastructure.
[11:27] So I wonder I I did provide some pres
[11:29] the presentation um if if that is
[11:31] available.
[11:34] >> Just um hang on a minute while we
[11:36] >> Can you get that up Sophie?
[11:39] >> So I can while while we pull that up um
[11:43] I can speak to our program first um the
[11:47] EV PC hydro public charging program.
[11:51] it's its mandate, it's its mission, its
[11:52] goal, and it's kind of the
[11:54] >> the phase that in the development of the
[11:56] program we're at right now. And then
[11:58] come to to Bowen Island as well. Um what
[12:00] we are essentially are offered to to the
[12:03] community of Bowen Island. So BC Hydro's
[12:07] been in the public EV charging space for
[12:11] over a decade now. One one of the first
[12:13] networks and longest standing networks
[12:14] in North America. Uh it started with a
[12:17] site in Animo and Cam Loops and a few
[12:19] others. And over the last few years,
[12:22] it's really grown and evolved to become
[12:24] a real uh a backbone really to to EV
[12:29] electric vehicle travelers in in the
[12:32] province. So we in 2024
[12:35] uh concluded construction of the
[12:38] electric highway, BC's electric highway,
[12:40] which essentially connected
[12:42] folks in the entire province. You you
[12:44] could feasibly travel from Victoria to
[12:47] the Yukon border or to Alberta. um
[12:51] with a charger every 150 kilometers or
[12:53] so and and BC Hydro contributed to that.
[12:56] We can move along a couple of slides
[12:58] here um and to the next slide here. This
[13:01] is just kind of an overview of where the
[13:03] charger the sites are. So to date we
[13:07] operate 190 sites almost a little over
[13:10] 900 charging ports across the province
[13:12] and the electric highway the mandate was
[13:15] make sure that it's doable driving
[13:18] across the province. So uh a
[13:21] geographically geographically connected
[13:24] corridor that meant that communities
[13:27] like Bowen Island were close enough to
[13:30] feasibly to to let's say a charger on
[13:33] the Northshore to not necessarily be
[13:36] prescribed that we build a charge site
[13:37] here. We didn't have that opportunity
[13:39] under that buildout. Uh now just last
[13:42] week the province announced a an
[13:44] expanded mandate for BC Hydra's charging
[13:46] program to grow this network from 900
[13:48] ports to 3,500 ports. Uh a quadruple
[13:52] almost quadrupling at least a tripling
[13:54] um a major major investment
[13:57] provincewide. And that allowed us to
[14:00] revisit communities like Bowen Island
[14:03] where that we had on our kind of on our
[14:06] higher priority list where we say, "Hey,
[14:09] it is it is a community that has
[14:12] electric vehicles. It is an a sign
[14:15] sizable stock. It is a community that
[14:17] has a sizable um visitor traffic too.
[14:20] Even even today, I was surprised how
[14:22] busy that ferry was on Monday morning."
[14:24] Um turns out I shouldn't be. Um, so
[14:29] that's that's kind of where we're coming
[14:30] to in the next evolution of our program.
[14:33] So if we click click to the next slide,
[14:37] um, it it should speak to or illustrate
[14:40] what some of our sites look like. Our
[14:42] classic branding, uh, equipment gets
[14:44] better every year. If we go to the next
[14:47] slide, it should tell us kind of what we
[14:49] look for in a site. So we have
[14:52] requirements put on us by the regulator
[14:55] BC utilities commission requirements put
[14:57] on us by our funding partners that's the
[14:59] federal NRCAN program and the provincial
[15:02] clean BC program those include 247 365
[15:06] unrestricted access uh they include a
[15:10] minimum number of chargers which is now
[15:13] a minimum number of two chargers in our
[15:15] case that's four charging stalls four
[15:17] charging ports they include um
[15:21] requirements for accessibility. So you
[15:23] see in that picture, this is a site in
[15:25] at a at a the Suriri Art Center at Berry
[15:28] Creek Park. You can see an accessibility
[15:30] lane and wheelchair accessible. We've
[15:32] actually worked with manufacturers to
[15:33] make sure the the screen is a at an
[15:36] appropriate level as as a major
[15:38] purchaser of this kind of equipment.
[15:40] We've been able to to work with
[15:41] manufacturers on that. So it is uh those
[15:44] are some of the requirements. A 10-year
[15:46] location commitment is also a
[15:48] requirement that we have from our
[15:49] funding partners and we do um all that
[15:53] in mind we we come to communities saying
[15:57] this is what we need to make an
[16:00] investment. Um we understand the context
[16:03] here that land is scars especially in
[16:07] hightra areas where the amenities are.
[16:09] So this is an offer we'd like to make.
[16:11] Right. So we if we go to the next slide
[16:15] um we
[16:19] one of the benefits of working with us
[16:20] is that PC hydro carries the entirety of
[16:24] the capital and operational costs
[16:25] related to the site to to the chargers.
[16:28] So it is a sizable investment to install
[16:30] the service connection, the transformer
[16:32] infrastructure, the chargers themselves,
[16:34] and maintain the chargers so that if
[16:36] there's one of the two chargers goes
[16:38] down, which happens not that often, but
[16:41] it does happen, you have to plan for it.
[16:43] Um, we bring crews out to to to repair
[16:46] those. Now the typically the site host
[16:50] partner will maintain the stalls the way
[16:52] they already maintain the stalls today.
[16:54] So,
[16:56] it's nothing above and beyond on the
[16:58] site host partner. That would be what
[17:00] we're offering here is the the
[17:01] municipality and we could provide some
[17:03] information, some data on how many users
[17:05] there's been per per month or per year
[17:07] for your own reporting, your own goals.
[17:09] Um, so
[17:12] all that said, I think I have some
[17:14] slides on the locations we looked at.
[17:16] So, this is what the charges look like.
[17:18] 40 cents a kilowatt hour, 180 kilow. So
[17:21] what that means a full like a a car will
[17:24] now be able to charge in 20 30 minutes
[17:26] or average charge is 30 minutes. A top
[17:29] up can be 15 minutes sometimes 45
[17:31] minutes depending on this how empty the
[17:33] tank is and essentially and how big the
[17:36] battery is the tank is. Um so that's a
[17:39] significant upgrade from the flow
[17:41] chargers that are currently in place at
[17:43] your sites.
[17:45] And if we click along do we have is it
[17:48] in the same presentation? Yes. So
[17:51] we looked at a few sites
[17:54] um working with the municipality and
[17:56] again
[17:58] we absolutely know that parking is
[18:00] scarce. We we understand that. So what
[18:04] we came to is are looking to offer is
[18:07] building the site at at the library site
[18:11] property. So you currently have two
[18:14] level two chargers, two stalls dedicated
[18:16] to EVs. With the accessible stall, that
[18:19] would unfortunately turn into five from
[18:23] two to five. Um my understanding that's
[18:26] probably the biggest hurdle is to to
[18:29] overcome that. Um
[18:33] we looked at a few other sites and I can
[18:35] speak to those too. But in terms of the
[18:38] our requirements to as mentioned before
[18:41] with the accessibility with with the
[18:43] safety with um keeping the construction
[18:46] costs feasible as well is is is critical
[18:49] because we we do have to stretch these
[18:51] investment dollars that we have across
[18:52] the entire province. So we have metrics
[18:54] to hit and on a small site those are
[18:56] kind of tough to hit. So, uh, this is
[19:00] where we're offering and and if council
[19:03] and community are supportive, we can
[19:05] look to build that this winter um before
[19:08] next summer.
[19:10] If council and community would like to
[19:13] deliberate further or say maybe let's uh come back another time, we can
[19:18] come back another time, but I can't
[19:20] speak to how quickly we can slot that
[19:22] into the construction schedule because
[19:25] again, come summer, we we can build in
[19:27] the whole province. We need to build
[19:29] sites elsewhere in the province when
[19:31] there's no snow on the ground.
[19:33] So that's
[19:35] I I'll leave it with this and and
[19:37] welcome uh questions and feedback and
[19:40] comments.
[19:42] >> Councelor Saunders,
[19:44] >> thank you. Thanks for showing us. I um
[19:46] you said you looked at sites or
[19:49] >> what other sites did you look at? Yeah.
[19:51] So, we we when we first started
[19:53] screening two years ago, um we uh worked
[19:57] with with the CEO at the time um to
[20:00] explore different areas in the in the on
[20:03] the island and quickly narrow aligned
[20:05] that Snug Cove would be the place to
[20:07] make sense because this is where traffic
[20:09] everyone comes through here, right?
[20:11] Also, when there's a power outage is
[20:14] Snug Cove is usually
[20:16] less affected than the rest of the
[20:18] island, right? as you would know better
[20:20] than I do. Um,
[20:22] so sites that we looked at were
[20:24] municipally owned. So this is one.
[20:26] Another one is right out front of here.
[20:29] Um, that at the municipal hall, we we
[20:32] costed that out. Uh, significant
[20:35] additional cost related to to this site
[20:37] here. And my understanding and speaking
[20:39] with council gate gate Getty
[20:44] >> is that these stalls here are even more
[20:48] um constrained or more popular than down
[20:50] by the library.
[20:51] >> Uh so in terms of I we also explored an
[20:55] early stage two years ago the artisan
[20:58] square. Um,
[21:00] however,
[21:02] I mean, it's it's
[21:06] technically probably most sites are
[21:07] doable. It's the way the layout is
[21:10] there, you understand, is is less
[21:12] efficient here. Here's five stalls for
[21:14] four ports. There it might be seven or
[21:16] eight stalls for four ports because we
[21:18] have to place all the equipment and in
[21:20] the parking stalls here, we have some
[21:21] green space to place the equipment. Um,
[21:24] >> this is this is the best option. This is the the the least
[21:30] >> difficult option. Yeah. [laughter]
[21:34] » Municipally owned option.
[21:36] >> Anybody else got any questions?
[21:38] Councelor Fast,
[21:39] >> thank you. I'm um I'm wondering if we
[21:42] have um data from the flow stalls and I
[21:46] don't know if this is a question for mo
[21:49] municipal staff or whether you know but
[21:51] the um uh I'm wondering if those
[21:56] existing stalls which I gather are
[21:59] slower charging uh how what's the use
[22:04] pattern there? Are they being used or
[22:06] are people sort of squatting in them and
[22:08] pretending to charge? I wonder
[22:15] um through the marriage and counselor
[22:17] fast. Uh certainly we can um pull the
[22:20] data that's available from flow um from
[22:23] the corporation themselves that's
[22:24] accessible to us. can see what kind of
[22:26] statistics we can get from that. And uh
[22:29] we can also have a chat with bylaw to
[22:31] see what kinds of tickets may have been
[22:33] issued for violations of parking and not
[22:37] being um an EV parking in the EV stall.
[22:40] So um I can certainly request that data
[22:43] from staff and get back to you at a
[22:44] later council meeting in September.
[22:46] >> Thank you. because I'm I'm wondering
[22:48] about the need and uh what data we might
[22:51] have uh about those and uh I think you
[22:55] know [clears throat]
[22:56] I'm just do we want to attract more
[23:00] cars? I saw in your uh slide deck the words more sustainable future and um
[23:06] Bowen has been heading towards that
[23:08] direction as well obviously uh
[23:13] partly by not trying to attract more
[23:16] vehicles here. However, I'm uh I think
[23:20] this is a great offer to explore. Do you
[23:22] do bike charging? because we have two um
[23:26] bike sheds down at the uh at the public
[23:30] warf that are set up to perhaps at some
[23:34] point charge bicycles.
[23:37] >> At at the current point, our program
[23:39] focuses on cars and larger vehicles than
[23:42] that. Um
[23:43] >> Okay. Thank you,
[23:46] >> Councelor Saunders.
[23:47] >> Thank you to the chair. Just one more
[23:48] thing. when you uh in your presentation
[23:51] you indicated you know there's budget
[23:54] and a plan to move ahead with a bunch
[23:57] you know another 2500 or whatever it was
[24:00] and we'd certainly be considered and
[24:02] then you said um to be done next you
[24:05] know next spring or during the winter
[24:08] ready for next summer
[24:10] which implies to me there's a deadline
[24:12] here and you didn't indicate what that
[24:13] meant what do you need if we were to say
[24:16] yeah this is a great plan we want to do
[24:18] it What's our time frame?
[24:21] >> Yeah, it's tighter than I'd like. Um,
[24:23] especially considering just how involved
[24:26] the community seems to be here. Um, I
[24:28] would need to we would need to move this
[24:31] into detail design by the end of this
[24:33] month. So,
[24:35] >> next week
[24:36] >> I would need to come out from this
[24:37] presentation and from this conversation
[24:39] with you and and have strong confidence
[24:42] that that there will be support to move
[24:44] forward. If not, we we look our
[24:47] program's going to be around. We don't
[24:48] want to say this is it's this or never
[24:50] going to happen, right? Our programs
[24:52] around. PC Hydro is around. We don't go
[24:54] anywhere. Um
[24:56] we I mean the hydro just bought invested
[24:59] in the community here. So it's it's
[25:02] we can come back, we can have another
[25:05] conversation. Um
[25:07] we'll slot it in at a later time. So
[25:10] strong confidence means a motion from
[25:13] council or like an a past motion from
[25:15] council or just listening to our
[25:18] response here. You go, "No, I think
[25:19] they're going to do it."
[25:20] >> No, I a motion would be great. Yeah.
[25:23] >> Yeah. And if that's not realistic,
[25:24] that's fair. That's totally fair.
[25:26] Usually timelines aren't this tight by
[25:29] any means.
[25:30] >> Thank you.
[25:30] >> I understand that. Councelor
[25:32] >> We thank you through the chair. Um,
[25:37] following up on council fast question.
[25:39] So, currently we have just uh level two
[25:42] chargers and they take hours. Um, and a
[25:48] lot of people who have EVs on Bowen have
[25:50] their own level two chargers at home.
[25:52] I'm just wondering if it would make it
[25:54] more sense and safe some parking stalls
[25:56] if we just had fast chargers there and maybe the numbers that we're going
[26:01] to get will show us how much those have
[26:03] actually been utilized.
[26:04] >> Yeah. So the the the proposal here would
[26:06] actually free up those level two
[26:08] chargers, municipally owned level two
[26:10] chargers to be deployed elsewhere. There
[26:12] will be only two fast charges down
[26:13] there. Four that could charge four
[26:15] vehicles at once.
[26:16] >> Oh, I see. Okay. Thank you,
[26:20] >> Council Getty.
[26:21] >> So, um council was given an invitation
[26:24] to meet up with Mr. Gerber and um
[26:26] earlier this morning. So, um I took
[26:29] advantage of that with the um the li the
[26:32] chief librarian and um we talked about
[26:36] uh how basically the the from BC Hydro's
[26:40] point of view the the space by the and
[26:42] correct me if I'm wrong on this. Okay,
[26:44] summarizing but I remember um that it's
[26:48] almost shovel ready so that uh we don't
[26:50] have the detailed plans but we can get
[26:52] into that process if if we agree on um
[26:55] the library and we talked about um the
[26:58] real estate being at uh and parking
[27:01] spaces being so difficult in the cove
[27:04] and that that's not getting any better
[27:06] and we haven't been able to figure out
[27:08] other spaces that we might be able to um
[27:10] use as uh some sort of municipal
[27:14] government leverage to get more space.
[27:16] Um, and the um
[27:20] I'm sorry, I'm forgetting the
[27:22] librarian's name.
[27:24] >> Thank you. Um, she suggested u
[27:28] possibility of the lot that's below the
[27:30] general store, which means a whole lot
[27:32] of negotiating and contacts with other
[27:35] people, but I didn't think it would be
[27:36] that difficult to um have have those
[27:40] conversations. that that was an area
[27:42] that um we were we had a lot of good
[27:46] reception from the the owners of that
[27:48] property. So that's one possibility um
[27:51] that is only just come onto the radar so
[27:54] that there's no even preliminary um
[27:57] discussions but we did a walkound and
[27:59] there's potential for getting power into
[28:02] it and potential space and um you know
[28:04] it might it might be feasible. Um
[28:07] there's the problems with the artisan
[28:09] square is that the areas that are
[28:11] parallel parking there's a cliff behind
[28:13] it. So it's very very difficult in terms
[28:15] of providing all the um requirements in
[28:19] terms of what VC Hydro wants. Um,
[28:22] there's the fire hall, but that's too
[28:24] far away and it's not around the
[28:26] amenities and it's quite isolated. And
[28:29] there's other parts on the the west side
[28:31] that were looked at earlier two years
[28:33] ago that uh basically are are don't fit
[28:37] the requirements in terms of being on
[28:38] the other side of the world and not
[28:41] having any of the amenities that uh we
[28:43] might get in 10 years. And the other
[28:45] thing is that if this if we I think the
[28:48] decision today from my perspective is
[28:50] are we gung-ho and we want to um push
[28:54] this um amenity at the library or do we
[28:59] think about things and come up with some
[29:00] other plans because the the program
[29:02] isn't going away. the funding is like to
[29:05] stay the same or increase and um you
[29:08] know
[29:10] do we want more options um and not that
[29:13] they're necessarily going to be
[29:14] available but do we want to look at them
[29:17] so um it you know it might be a
[29:19] disappointment but I don't think we're
[29:21] losing the opportunity so
[29:25] thought I'd put all that on the table
[29:27] fair enough
[29:28] >> so I just had a couple for first round
[29:30] and then um I I was wondering if you had
[29:33] looked at the area up by um on Dorman
[29:36] Road by Village Square. There's par
[29:40] angle parking there and that's where the
[29:43] main line comes in. Um cuz I'm the
[29:48] library is already well used and
[29:51] overused and not able to get into most
[29:54] days, especially when the library is
[29:56] open. So, um I'd be concerned about
[29:59] taking away another two spots.
[30:02] Um,
[30:04] and do you have to have the two together
[30:06] or could you do two in one one charger
[30:08] in one place and one charger in another
[30:11] place? And then my last question I guess
[30:12] is this isn't on the agenda for
[30:14] discussion today and we don't normally
[30:17] pass motions with delegations. So it
[30:20] would be and we're not going to meet
[30:21] again until September. So if we were to
[30:24] discuss it in a meeting in September, is
[30:26] that too late for your time frame?
[30:30] >> Yeah. So the September question is if we
[30:33] want to build it this winter. September
[30:34] is too late. Uh however if you don't if
[30:39] I'm sure you can reach me by email too
[30:41] or we can set up a call later this week
[30:43] either with some folks or or or you can
[30:45] debrief with the CEO with staff and and
[30:48] get back to us that way too. I mean I
[30:50] get that having the sprung on to you is
[30:54] Yeah. No, I I get it. You want a ton to
[30:57] deliberate. So that's one two. Uh the
[31:00] question is one and one split them up.
[31:02] Unfortunately that's not an option
[31:04] because it [snorts] doubles the
[31:05] construction cost which is most of the
[31:07] cost of this
[31:08] >> construction and design and three
[31:11] village square to me is would be
[31:15] something new to look at. Uh angle
[31:18] parking
[31:20] is from experience from an organization
[31:23] that's run 190 sites. angled parking is
[31:25] not great because uh EVs have their
[31:28] ports, their charging ports or their fuel tanks on various sides and
[31:33] they might back in an angled area which
[31:38] don't back in an angle stall is there
[31:40] signs exist for a reason. Um it it just
[31:44] causes traffic headaches. We've done it.
[31:46] We have those sites. They're not great.
[31:47] They exist. You can do it, but they're
[31:49] not good.
[31:50] >> Okay. And um if we didn't go ahead now,
[31:55] we're not saying goodbye forever to the
[31:58] opportunity.
[31:58] >> Absolutely.
[31:59] >> Um Councelor Jurgensson, I believe, has
[32:01] um some questions.
[32:07] » Low audio unmuted.
[32:09] >> Yes. Thank you, uh Council Morris. Um
[32:13] through the chair.
[32:15] Um, so if I understand correctly, the
[32:17] accessibility features that you uh
[32:19] mentioned on this are uh wheelchair
[32:21] height. Is that correct?
[32:23] >> That's right.
[32:24] >> Is there any other accessibility
[32:25] features that have been included uh on
[32:27] these modules?
[32:30] >> It's more it's more around the site
[32:32] design, right? Making [clears throat]
[32:34] sure every that our sites that are paved
[32:37] is a big one, right? Gravel and
[32:41] wheelchairs is can be challenging. Um
[32:43] that's one. two is how we space the
[32:45] ballards to make sure that they're a
[32:47] little wider apart.
[32:48] >> Name is changed to counselor Alex
[32:49] Jurgensson.
[32:51] the the the the charger.
[32:55] >> I'd have to go back to to and look at
[32:59] exactly what other specs we incorporated
[33:01] or or already are incorporated, but
[33:03] essentially we've worked with the
[33:05] manufacturers, the the access the adv
[33:08] advocacy groups and and to make sure
[33:10] everything's aligned and and we meet certain features
[33:15] or requirements.
[33:16] >> Thank you. Um and also my second
[33:18] question is
[33:20] do you have um an idea of when if we
[33:24] don't go forward this winter when we
[33:26] might be able to uh have another
[33:29] opportunity or is it just kind of
[33:30] rolling opportunity?
[33:32] >> It's a rolling opportunity. It's I'll
[33:35] say when this pro announcement was made
[33:38] last week right for the the program to
[33:41] be scaled up internally we've been
[33:43] working towards that for the last few
[33:45] months. So we looked at various looked
[33:48] at our pipeline and said which sites
[33:50] could we build this winter right because
[33:52] to to to make them happen and Bone
[33:55] Island was on that list um going forward
[33:57] it's a rolling intake. So if we align on
[34:00] something in November then we look at
[34:03] when probably the following winter would
[34:05] be my guess. If if and if following if
[34:08] all construction slots are taken then it
[34:10] might be the next winter. So, it's it's
[34:11] not like it's never we're here until
[34:15] mandates change again, but [laughter]
[34:18] we're here. BC Hydro is here.
[34:20] >> Okay. Councelor Fast, you had a second
[34:22] question. Yeah, thank you. Um, and this
[34:24] sort of follows on uh Councelor
[34:25] Jurgensson's question, but I I'm looking
[34:28] at the um drawing for the hydro
[34:32] proposal, and it looks like it would be
[34:34] adding another pole to the multi-use
[34:36] pathway.
[34:37] >> That's right. in in line with the other
[34:39] polls
[34:39] >> with in line with the other polls. But
[34:41] okay, it's another poll in the multi-use
[34:43] pathway. All right. And I'm glad to hear
[34:45] about um uh the program not going away
[34:48] and uh hope so
[34:49] >> because I think it is one of the roots
[34:51] towards a sustainable future. Um I will
[34:53] note that Bowen rarely has snow in the
[34:56] winter. So if you have any cancellations
[34:58] maybe you could um fit but I would love
[35:01] to see the data and I I wouldn't uh I
[35:04] think it's very complex you know the the
[35:07] cove and how many multiple uses
[35:10] including ferry marshalling and the uh p
[35:14] passenger drop off and the um buses and
[35:17] everything that's concentrated in that
[35:20] uh small area. would there I'd like to
[35:23] think about whether the buses could be
[35:26] included in electrification, you know,
[35:29] um looking further down the uh um down
[35:33] the way and uh so I'm
[35:38] thank you for coming with your ideas.
[35:41] I'm I'm excited about the possibilities.
[35:43] I'd like to think about it a bit more
[35:44] and have some more information and hear
[35:46] from the library board and or the
[35:48] library too. Thank you.
[35:49] >> Absolutely.
[35:51] Any more questions? So, thank you very
[35:54] much for your presentation and we'll be
[35:56] adding it to an agenda item for
[35:58] discussion at a council future council
[36:00] meeting when we read come back to again
[36:03] after our August break.
[36:05] >> Okay. Thanks so much. Thanks for the
[36:07] opportunity.
[36:07] >> Thank you.
[36:12] » Okay. Who's next?
[36:18] » And we've got the Hearth delegation
[36:19] next.
[36:39] ready.
[36:41] >> Okay. Uh, good afternoon to Mayor and
[36:43] Council and thank you for welcoming us
[36:45] to present today. I'm Samantha Brett.
[36:47] I'm the programming and production
[36:49] manager for the hearth arts and I'm
[36:51] joined by Gail Lutenberg who is what are
[36:53] your are your full
[36:54] >> chair of the performing arts committee
[36:59] um the hearth arts on Bowen through the
[37:01] efforts of our performing arts committee
[37:02] which we refer to as the pack is
[37:04] celebrating the first full year of the
[37:06] hearth arts on Bowen present series at
[37:07] the Bowen theater. This work has been
[37:10] done with the support of the Bone Island
[37:11] Municipality and a very large group of
[37:13] volunteers who have contributed their
[37:15] time and resources to this inaugural
[37:17] program. Our goal is to build on the
[37:19] success of this first year both
[37:20] programmatically and financially as we
[37:22] look towards the 2627 season. We intend
[37:25] to increase both earned revenue and
[37:27] fundraising revenue over the next 12
[37:29] months to largely offset the expense of
[37:31] the programming and production manager
[37:32] position while we maintain a strong
[37:34] community focus and accessible
[37:36] programming. Uh in accordance with the
[37:39] conditional grant agreement, the hearth
[37:40] arts is providing our third and final
[37:42] report today. The purpose of this report
[37:44] is to fulfill the reporting requirements
[37:46] um in person as we are. Uh we want to
[37:49] talk to you a little bit about
[37:50] programming and community impact. Uh we
[37:52] uh specifically the arts survey summary.
[37:55] We have a brief financial overview for
[37:57] you today for our 2526 fiscal year.
[37:59] We've got a grant update for you today
[38:01] and we have some miscellaneous updates
[38:03] on technical committee and concession
[38:05] plans. And of course, finally, we are
[38:07] requesting continued funding for the
[38:08] programming and production manager
[38:10] position.
[38:12] >> So, I'll take over from there and start
[38:14] by talking a little bit about
[38:16] programming and community impact.
[38:18] Starting with the 20 2526 season um
[38:22] which ended in June, the Hearth Arts on
[38:26] Bowen proudly showcased a wide variety
[38:28] of music and dance as the presenter and
[38:32] also as a co-production partner. Over
[38:35] 1,200 guests attended performances and
[38:38] represented a wide range of the island
[38:41] community. And as an independent artist,
[38:43] I created a community work entitled Come
[38:46] Dance with Me in conjunction with the
[38:48] first year anniversary of this center.
[38:50] And it was with a pleasure to create a
[38:53] collaboration between BIM and the
[38:55] Heartharts and myself to bring the piece
[38:58] to the community. Plus, we were the
[39:01] first beneficiaries of the community
[39:03] discounted rental rate for the
[39:04] presentation of indigenous dancer Alex
[39:07] Wells. And together, these two events
[39:10] offered meaningful and joyful free
[39:12] experiences for the Bowen Island
[39:14] community.
[39:16] Upcoming programming for the 2026 27th
[39:20] season. It's always hard to decide
[39:22] whether we start in July or we start in
[39:24] September. So, I'll just start this one
[39:26] in July from a granting perspective. We
[39:29] had a show this past weekend which was a
[39:31] sellout show of Asanav
[39:33] um a indigenous artist but very
[39:36] contemporary indigenous artist from
[39:38] Ontario. It was a soldout show and it's
[39:42] a new concept um part of something
[39:44] called our headliner series that
[39:46] Samantha with um some members of the
[39:49] performing arts committee have really
[39:51] are are are bringing to bear. And the
[39:54] idea is to bring big name acts at a
[39:57] slightly higher ticket price so that we
[40:00] might be able to provide surplus
[40:01] revenues to support an annual local
[40:04] showcase plus partial funding for the
[40:07] programming and production manager
[40:08] position. Up next in September will be
[40:11] Dan Mangan, also part of that headliner
[40:14] series, a very big name that we can
[40:16] charge a higher um higher ticket price
[40:19] and the tickets sold out in three hours
[40:21] to give you an idea of the scale of this
[40:23] person's recognition.
[40:25] In October, we'll be having a show which
[40:27] is a second co-production with Comedy
[40:30] Underground, a local comedy space in
[40:34] Vancouver. And this is that
[40:35] co-production model, co-pro model where
[40:37] we take almost no financial risk and we
[40:40] create a partnership to bring uh work
[40:43] from Vancouver to Bowen's uh theater. We
[40:47] then have Marcus Mosley, a local R&B
[40:50] sensation from Vancouver. He'll be on
[40:52] stage in November and that that project
[40:55] has funding already secured from
[40:57] Creative BC. And then we go into our
[41:00] 2027 year, still part of the same
[41:02] season, and we're going to launch our
[41:04] first January show as a family show.
[41:07] Last year, we didn't find the best date
[41:10] in the fall in the spring. So, we're
[41:11] going to try a a third weekend in
[41:13] January, which on the docks around the
[41:17] national programming can be a very good
[41:19] weekend for family programming. So,
[41:21] we're going to give it a try with a um
[41:24] cause and effect circus act for families
[41:28] called Luminarium. And then we have in
[41:30] March a Canadian jazz pianist of huge
[41:33] renown. His name is Michael Caseammer to
[41:36] play and feature our grand piano.
[41:39] In April, um Company 605, a contemporary
[41:42] dance company out of Vancouver, but with
[41:44] roots in urban dance. And the idea here
[41:47] is to try and keep growing um an
[41:50] audience development strategy for youth
[41:53] to attend contemporary dance. We seem to
[41:55] be doing really well with youth and so
[41:57] we thought this might be a way of kind
[41:58] of leveraging that interest and growing
[42:01] it. Um we have the Aurora Piano Trio in
[42:05] May and it's just an aside for those of
[42:08] you who remember Victor Chan who lived
[42:10] on Bowen for many many years. It's his
[42:12] daughter who is the featured pianist of
[42:14] that trio and one of the reasons why we
[42:17] selected that company. And finally in
[42:20] June, we'll end the season with in a
[42:23] collaboration with Bowen Pride Society
[42:25] to present That's Gay Comedy. So comedy,
[42:29] but um with a a the pride theme.
[42:34] We're currently in conversation with
[42:37] larger Canadian artists um to round out
[42:40] that season to fill out the headliner
[42:43] season and some of them hopefully will
[42:45] be from a national um this sort of
[42:48] national scene and I'll talk more about
[42:49] why that's relevant in a in a later in
[42:52] the presentation.
[42:54] Um so now together we're going to move
[42:56] on to discuss the Bowen Island Art
[42:58] Survey. It was the first attempt our
[43:00] organization has ever undertaken to get
[43:02] a read on our community's preferences
[43:06] and um there were 30 I'm sorry 46 unique
[43:09] respondents and we felt it was a
[43:12] positive experience. Um the survey's
[43:15] goal was to measure the success of our
[43:17] year 1 theater programming our ongoing
[43:21] visual arts work and our general
[43:22] promotion and marketing of all arts
[43:25] efforts on Bowen. We also saw were
[43:28] seeking to identify barriers for
[43:30] residents to participate in the arts and
[43:33] encourage programming suggestions moving
[43:35] forward.
[43:37] Response to the survey was
[43:38] overwhelmingly positive. Nearly all
[43:40] respondents report having attended a
[43:43] performance at the Bowen Theater and
[43:45] intend to return. Music and theater are
[43:49] the most frequently cited favorites,
[43:51] followed closely by visual arts, dance,
[43:54] festivals, and workshops. Many
[43:56] respondents took the opportunity to
[43:58] praise the current programming, while
[44:01] others raised specific actionable
[44:03] concerns around cost, timing,
[44:06] transportation, and child care. So, I'll
[44:09] jump in here as well. Um, council can
[44:12] read u the feedback and the detailed
[44:14] feedback um at your leisure. will say
[44:17] that, you know, mostly support for what
[44:19] we're doing is is what we got. Um, in
[44:21] terms of I'd like to talk to barriers to
[44:23] attendance. So, we're always mindful of
[44:25] the cost. You know, as we look at a
[44:27] headliner series where we will have a
[44:29] more expensive ticket to bring larger
[44:31] names, a series like that, uh, to Gail's
[44:33] point, will support us to do things that
[44:35] are more accessible, a more accessible
[44:36] price tag so that we can offset our
[44:38] costs to holding things here. Timing.
[44:41] We've got um uh quite a few um uh mats
[44:45] happening. So that helps to address that
[44:47] as well as the transportation. Um child
[44:49] care, we hear that, which is why we're
[44:51] doing some family programming and
[44:52] accessibility. I will point out that um
[44:56] uh hearing and mobility was mentioned,
[44:57] but one respondent specifically pray uh
[44:59] praised the improved accessible parking,
[45:02] which in conjunction with Lee from the
[45:03] municipality, we took care of earlier
[45:05] this season. So that was great. Um we
[45:08] had notable concerns and suggestions.
[45:10] Two respondents independently raised
[45:12] privacy concerns about the survey um at
[45:14] the last council presentation uh
[45:16] requiring saying that requiring name and
[45:18] email uh they were concerned that this
[45:20] would discourage um honest or anonymous
[45:22] participation and in response we were
[45:24] able to immediately create an anonymous
[45:26] survey option for the last week of the
[45:28] survey. So we were glad we could address
[45:29] that. Um we've also um received a couple
[45:32] of requests for more diverse artistic
[45:33] perspectives beyond Bowen or BCbased
[45:36] artists. So, we're looking at that and
[45:38] we did have a call for more emotionally
[45:40] challenging or risk-taking programming
[45:42] rather than safe content. So, what I can
[45:44] tell you is that the hearth and the
[45:46] performing arts committee are working
[45:47] with all of these suggestions and
[45:48] concerns um to improve access and
[45:51] programming for everybody. So, um
[45:53] overall for a first foray into a survey,
[45:55] we're pretty pleased at the response
[45:56] that we got and of course it's something
[45:58] that we will do again at the appropriate
[46:00] time. Um I'll move on here to give you a
[46:03] little bit of a financial snapshot now
[46:04] of the year. Um, Hearthart's fiscal year
[46:07] runs July 1 through June 30th. We're
[46:09] still in the process of reconciling this
[46:11] fiscal year. Um, so the the figures that
[46:13] you're seeing here were provided by our
[46:14] finance person to me at the time that I
[46:17] submitted this proposal two weeks ago to
[46:19] council. As far as I know, they haven't
[46:20] changed. Um, right now, this is about as
[46:24] granular as the accounting gets. I will
[46:26] tell you that we are working with our
[46:27] accounting folks and um finance on our
[46:30] board to uh change up our chart of
[46:32] accounts so it's a little bit more
[46:33] granular and we can actually really take
[46:35] a look at sort of in and out of expenses
[46:38] uh to do with the theater. So we're
[46:39] making those changes now. They have been
[46:41] approved by the finance folks on our
[46:43] board. But for right now, you basically
[46:44] can see that, you know, we broke even.
[46:47] Uh we put a couple of thousand dollars
[46:48] in the bank, which is great. Uh so we're
[46:51] very pleased that the first year um
[46:53] ended in uh ended in a little bit of a
[46:55] surplus. Um I will point out
[46:57] specifically two figures I've pulled for
[46:59] you. Um total rental and custodial fees
[47:02] paid to the Bowen Island municipality
[47:04] were just over $6,000. This is from a
[47:06] report that um uh Sienna Valley kindly
[47:09] provided to me um from it's a receipt
[47:13] audit report she provided on July 3rd.
[47:15] So I'm taking the municipalities numbers
[47:17] when it comes to that reporting. And I
[47:19] will just also pull out the contract
[47:21] marketing expenses. So, our marketing
[47:23] manager not only works with Hearth
[47:25] Productions, but as you all know,
[47:26] because I'm sure you all get the
[47:27] newsletters and see the posters and
[47:29] whatnot, um we support and promote all
[47:32] arts organizations on the island that
[47:34] provide us with the content to do so.
[47:35] our expenditure uh to support all of
[47:38] those efforts was $9,000 um over the
[47:40] course of the year.
[47:44] um to add uh financial um revenue to our
[47:51] season, we are involved in lots of grant
[47:55] writing and um we have been successful
[47:59] in three out of the four grants to which
[48:01] we are um we've applied and are
[48:03] eligible.
[48:05] uh June 15th, we apply every year before
[48:08] we even opened the Bowen the new
[48:10] community center. We applied for our
[48:12] first year of funding from BC Live and
[48:15] we were successful which is why we were
[48:17] able to put um shows on the stage in the
[48:20] first season starting in April 20 24.
[48:24] Did I get that 2025? Okay. Um and then
[48:27] we received it again in um the the
[48:30] following year and we've put in an
[48:31] application what we'll hear in the fall.
[48:34] But I think we're well um entrenched in
[48:36] that program. I think we can um likely
[48:39] will see success on an annual basis.
[48:42] October 1st is the deadline for Creative
[48:45] BC. We were successful in our first year
[48:47] of application to that which was a
[48:49] surprise to all of us. Not many grant,
[48:51] not many arts organizations in British
[48:53] Columbia have thought to apply to that
[48:55] small little program with create
[48:57] creative BC. And somehow we managed to
[49:00] figure that one out and we're in. And
[49:03] let's hope, fingers crossed, we'll be um
[49:05] it will be an annual. And on October
[49:08] 15th, we applied to Canadian Heritage
[49:10] for the first time. It took many um it
[49:13] took a lot of steps to get to
[49:15] eligibility for that. We did put in a
[49:17] strong application, but it was denied.
[49:20] And we spoke with the program officer
[49:22] who told us that it is very rare for a
[49:25] firsttime applicant to be accepted. They
[49:28] were happy with the application except
[49:29] that their only caveat was that they
[49:31] felt we didn't have very much national
[49:34] um um representation of artists. And so
[49:39] that's something that's going to have to
[49:40] go back to the performing arts committee
[49:41] and to see how far we want to stray in
[49:43] our programming. Not just not from
[49:46] Bowen, but not from British Columbia. Do
[49:48] we want to get into more national recog
[49:51] um um more nationally recognized
[49:54] artists, but it is a grant that could
[49:57] bring a considerable revenue stream of
[49:59] 18,000 is what we applied for in our
[50:01] first year. Um
[50:04] we uh did receive our first um we
[50:08] received just in this year alone in the
[50:10] 2526 season we received $19,000 as well
[50:15] from the BC Arts Council and that was an
[50:18] infrastructure grant the exact same
[50:20] grant that bought the retractable
[50:22] seating for the theater and it is a
[50:27] grant um it was it was um infrastructure
[50:31] purchased through a grant but became an
[50:33] asset of the municipality. So that was
[50:36] the um retractable seating and in this
[50:39] year it was 19,000 for theater lighting
[50:42] inventory that again is now um a
[50:45] municipally owned asset.
[50:47] Um I think that's all I need to present.
[50:52] >> Yeah. Um I'll jump into miscellaneous
[50:55] updates. So, uh, a couple of the other
[50:57] things that we've worked on over the
[50:58] course of the last year is we have a
[51:00] technical committee and this is a group
[51:02] of volunteers once again made up of some
[51:05] BIM representatives. We have, um, Lee
[51:07] Vincent and Doug Woods from the
[51:09] municipality and then community members
[51:11] who have technical expertise and
[51:13] background. Um, they've formed uh they
[51:16] formed a technical committee and so they
[51:18] work on purchasing together, organizing
[51:20] equipment, maintaining equipment, um,
[51:23] running the equipment for the shows.
[51:25] That is a paid thing, just so you're
[51:26] aware. When we bring in the technicians,
[51:28] they get paid for their time to work the
[51:30] shows, which is great because they're
[51:31] all Bowen based. So, um that's a revenue
[51:33] generating thing for those folks. Um
[51:36] they they've been working sort of
[51:37] steadily as volunteers on um various um user manuals for the different
[51:44] equipment that's in the theater. It's
[51:45] quite complicated. I mean, the theater's
[51:47] technical. There's a full lighting
[51:48] system. There's a full sound system. So,
[51:50] slowly but surely, they've been putting
[51:52] it together. Um we have I have a
[51:54] commitment from the committee that we're
[51:55] going to meet as a group in late
[51:57] September to complete that work on the
[51:59] various so we've got a lighting manual
[52:01] started we have sound manuals started
[52:03] and we just have basic sort of user
[52:05] manuals so someone coming into the
[52:06] theater for the first time for example
[52:08] we're developing the manuals that they
[52:10] would use to be able to do basic
[52:11] operations. Um so this is a resource
[52:14] we're creating um alongside BIM but for
[52:16] BIM and for the community that uses the
[52:18] theater. So, I'm pleased to report that
[52:20] we've got a date to get that work done.
[52:22] Um, theater concession planning, this
[52:24] has been the toughest nut to crack over
[52:26] the last year. So, there's quite a bit
[52:28] of challenges when it comes to
[52:30] concession, but just to sum it up for
[52:32] you, there just not a lot of money in
[52:33] the concessions. Um, you know, by the
[52:35] time you get if you're serving alcohol,
[52:37] by the time you get a legal liquor
[52:38] license, you get the insurance, etc., we've only made over the course of
[52:42] the whole year about $500 in revenue,
[52:45] and that's from multiple concessions.
[52:48] So, um, staffing is a challenge.
[52:50] Technology with, uh, because people
[52:52] don't always bring cash, of course, they
[52:54] want an e payment option. Um, lack of
[52:56] ample storage to be able to to do stuff.
[52:59] So, all of that said, that sounds very
[53:01] negative, but it's a nut I'm still
[53:02] working to crack. Um, and I do think
[53:04] that there's some things that we can do
[53:06] from maybe, you know, securing some more
[53:08] permanent storage to coming up with some
[53:10] things with local folks, but at very
[53:12] least to break even because I think a
[53:13] concession really adds to all the things
[53:16] that happen in the theater, regardless
[53:17] of who the organization is that's using
[53:19] the theater, we'd like to be able to
[53:21] come up with something so that at very
[53:23] least uh they can break even and provide
[53:25] a better experience, guest experience
[53:26] for their guests. So, that's sort of a
[53:28] stand stand by and know that we're still
[53:30] working on all of that.
[53:32] Um conclusions uh theater programming
[53:36] has demonstrated strong attendance,
[53:37] community support and financial
[53:39] performance. Um the hearth uh is very
[53:42] happy to contribute to municipal revenue
[53:45] through rentals fees and external grant
[53:47] funding. Uh my role, the programming and
[53:49] production manager role has really been
[53:51] essential in achieving operational and
[53:53] programming goals to date. and we're
[53:55] really hoping for continued investment
[53:57] to support the further growth and
[53:59] long-term financial um sustainability. I
[54:02] would just like to add some personal
[54:04] thoughts. Um I've been with you guys
[54:06] over the last year and I've really
[54:08] enjoyed my time with the hearth. Um
[54:10] thanks to our amazing volunteers. It's
[54:12] been a great year of learning and growth
[54:13] and ultimately success. I think everyone
[54:15] can sort of give themselves a pat on the
[54:17] back. Uh I believe we're now in an
[54:19] excellent position to significantly grow
[54:21] programming and revenue into the future.
[54:23] And I want to just finally thank
[54:25] everyone who supported me with all my
[54:26] work. I mean, I've run around the
[54:28] island. I've met with dozens of people.
[54:29] I've uh yeah, it's it's been quite a an
[54:33] immersive experience, but it's been a
[54:34] good one, and I feel like um yeah, I
[54:37] feel like our efforts have really
[54:38] benefited the community here. So, thank
[54:39] you so much for all your support and uh
[54:42] recommendations. Uh hoping you'll
[54:44] approve the funding for this position.
[54:46] We would also like to um have mayor and
[54:49] council direct the appropriate uh
[54:51] municipal staff to work with us to
[54:53] refine uh this role and the
[54:54] responsibilities and performance
[54:56] measures for the position. I think
[54:57] that's important as we go into year two.
[55:00] And finally, um thank you for receiving
[55:02] this report for information.
[55:04] >> Thank you. Does anybody have any
[55:06] questions for the presentation? And
[55:08] thank you for an excellent presentation,
[55:11] Council Getty.
[55:13] >> Okay. Um, thank you and uh through the
[55:17] mayor or the delegate. Um,
[55:21] so I think that it's uh I'm a little bit
[55:24] worried in terms of the sustainability
[55:26] of the position. Okay. So that it's
[55:28] grantheavy in terms of this budget. I'd
[55:30] be very very interested in all of the
[55:32] granular details in terms of you know
[55:34] where we can uh try and help sort things
[55:38] out so that it uh without raising ticket
[55:40] prices beyond um what our audience is
[55:44] used to and what they are you know
[55:47] willing to pay um and if they you know
[55:49] this whole thing in terms of wanting
[55:51] something that's a little edgier whether
[55:53] or not we can afford it to have it in
[55:55] this theater. Um yeah, it was our
[55:57] problem with you know the open house um
[56:00] >> theater production that we that was
[56:02] touchandgo in terms of whether or not we
[56:04] were going to break even in terms of
[56:05] it's a big space for um a I think that
[56:09] was an edgy production that uh you know
[56:11] some people were um it wasn't the
[56:13] typical audience comedy light you know
[56:17] costumeheavy kind of thing that our um
[56:20] our audience seems to enjoy the most.
[56:23] So, um, in terms of, uh, figuring out,
[56:27] um, first of all, my question is the
[56:29] theater expenses, does that in that's
[56:31] about 38,000. Does that include the
[56:34] payments to the performers?
[56:36] >> Yes, that's the majority of that is
[56:38] artist fees.
[56:38] >> Yeah. Okay. And then the um the payroll
[56:41] would be whatever you're paid and the um
[56:45] the 9,000 for the um
[56:47] >> Correct. Yeah. Because that is just the
[56:49] portion of work she does related to the
[56:51] theater.
[56:52] >> Yeah. and not to the the gallery.
[56:54] >> Okay. So then the um in terms of
[56:57] figuring out without it uh the theater
[57:01] revenue that would be mostly ticket
[57:03] sales, a little bit of concession, any
[57:05] merchandise that's sold and um things
[57:08] like that. So uh in terms of increasing
[57:11] that so that that would cover
[57:14] >> um your position.
[57:15] >> Yes. Yeah. Exactly.
[57:16] >> That would be the ideal.
[57:17] >> Correct. And so if I could just speak a
[57:19] little bit further to that and give you
[57:20] some granular information. So, you know,
[57:22] it's really important to us uh to as the
[57:24] pack to ensure that there's programming
[57:26] for everybody and that there's ticket
[57:28] prices that are accessible. So, that was
[57:30] sort of this one year that we've just
[57:31] done. We are programming the same level
[57:33] into next year. However, the the concept
[57:36] of this headliner, these headliner
[57:38] shows, just to give you an idea, if we
[57:40] could hold four or five Dan Mangan level
[57:42] shows a year, that will offset almost
[57:44] the full cost of the grant for the
[57:46] position. So
[57:49] Boweners will always have full. So for
[57:51] example, when Dan Mangan tickets were
[57:53] released, they were released on Bowen
[57:55] Island first. They sold out on Bowen
[57:57] Island. We did not release them to the
[57:58] mainland. We release them to Boweners
[58:00] first. So the idea with this headlining
[58:03] group, these headlining acts, is we do
[58:05] that first. It's a benefit to the
[58:06] community. If the community, if the
[58:08] ticket price is something the community
[58:09] won't bear, a 6070 $80 ticket for for
[58:13] quite a well-known name performer, these
[58:16] performers will be able to draw from the
[58:17] mainland. There's no question in our
[58:19] mind that this programming will sell
[58:20] out. And as long as it sells out, we
[58:23] know we're in a revenue position.
[58:24] Thankfully, I've had a year to track
[58:26] finances. I didn't have anything to go
[58:27] on because we didn't have programming.
[58:29] So, I've granularly tracked every
[58:31] expense related to every show. And we
[58:33] feel really confident with this approach
[58:35] moving forward. We hope that it will
[58:37] offset at least the majority of the
[58:39] position. Um, you know, we would like to
[58:41] ensure that we can we're self-
[58:42] sustaining. So, you know, we just need
[58:44] another year to to be able to work
[58:46] towards that. So, so yeah, to your
[58:48] point, we are focused exactly where you
[58:50] are, Judy, in making sure that this
[58:51] position can pay for itself.
[58:52] >> Great. And with respect to the grants,
[58:55] the other grants. So if if BIM is
[58:58] included in your grant revenue line, the
[59:01] whatever 4040 I think it was, then um
[59:04] the other grants from BC Arts and and um
[59:08] I can't remember the you had two or
[59:09] three that you were
[59:10] >> those are regular and you've been the
[59:12] hearth has been getting those maybe not
[59:15] for performing arts, but the I mean
[59:17] that's fairly secure right now as far as
[59:20] grants go.
[59:21] >> I didn't mention the BC Arts Council. Um
[59:24] that one is secure. That's an operating
[59:26] grant. That's correct. I didn't mention
[59:28] it because it's an operating grant. So
[59:30] BC Live, Creative BC, and Canadian Arts
[59:33] Presentation Fund are not operational
[59:36] grants and so they are performing arts
[59:38] specific and only began with the
[59:40] initiation of the Bowen Theater.
[59:42] >> Right. But in terms of their
[59:44] availability and our um ability to to
[59:49] get those, that's fairly steady and
[59:52] secure.
[59:54] [laughter]
[59:55] Is that possible to say with grants
[59:59] >> to the two that we um I think BC live I
[1:00:03] feel I mean I I don't want to give us a
[1:00:05] you know a negative um omen thing but um
[1:00:08] I think BC Live we have a secure
[1:00:10] position and we keep delivering what we
[1:00:12] say we will creative BC it's our first
[1:00:14] year and we've offered them free tickets
[1:00:16] to the Dan Mangan show to help uh
[1:00:19] nourish nurture that relationship and
[1:00:22] the Canadian Arts Presentation Fund with
[1:00:24] Canadian Heritage. We have not cracked
[1:00:26] it yet. We had a positive response. It's
[1:00:29] the one that they want to see more
[1:00:31] national representation to think that
[1:00:33] we're part of the national conversation.
[1:00:36] That's because it's a Canadian heritage
[1:00:38] federal organization.
[1:00:39] >> And just to be clear, none of these
[1:00:41] grants pay for the programming and
[1:00:43] production manager position, right?
[1:00:44] >> They're all related to artists artist
[1:00:46] fees.
[1:00:47] >> Um Yeah.
[1:00:49] >> Which is the big theater expense. Okay.
[1:00:52] So in terms of sustainability of the
[1:00:54] position which has been fabulous and
[1:00:57] it's you know very very essential in
[1:01:00] terms of getting this kind of program um
[1:01:02] both with respect to all of the work
[1:01:04] that the performing arts committee is
[1:01:06] doing to support that but all of the
[1:01:08] work that you've been doing in in terms
[1:01:11] of making that sustainable it seems to
[1:01:13] me that we can't necessarily rely on the
[1:01:16] grants although they help pay for
[1:01:18] farmers but we do have to figure out how
[1:01:20] to get the revenues is up.
[1:01:23] >> Yeah. And it's and it's the head it's
[1:01:25] this headlining approach that we're
[1:01:27] taking. And we're in conversations right
[1:01:28] now because of the fact that none of
[1:01:30] them are contracted. I can't share the
[1:01:32] names with you, but they were all Dan
[1:01:33] Bangan level. And for those that
[1:01:35] attended the show on Saturday night, you
[1:01:37] know, Asabi is a four-time Juno Award
[1:01:39] winner who headlined the Folk Fest in
[1:01:41] Vancouver and here he is performing for
[1:01:44] 179 people on Bowen Island a week later.
[1:01:47] So, you know, we feel the other thing
[1:01:49] that we're we're really doing is um you
[1:01:51] know, we care about artists a great
[1:01:53] deal. Uh most of our organizations
[1:01:55] volunteers are artists themselves in
[1:01:57] their own right. And I think that the um
[1:01:59] artistic community in Canada is getting
[1:02:01] to know us. We're dealing with agents,
[1:02:03] major agents across the country. And I
[1:02:06] think people are really starting to twig
[1:02:07] that this is a very cool place to to
[1:02:09] come and perform and that the support is
[1:02:10] really here. So I feel like the momentum
[1:02:12] is on our side, Judy, when it comes to
[1:02:15] programming in a way that will be
[1:02:17] financially remunerative.
[1:02:18] >> Yeah, we're going to have to start maybe
[1:02:20] not this council, but we're going to
[1:02:21] have to start talking about budget. So,
[1:02:24] you know, if there's if it's not
[1:02:26] sustainable and keep in terms of keeping
[1:02:28] $35,000 in our budget for that position,
[1:02:32] then the $2,000 profit has to increase
[1:02:35] considerably and that's absolutely
[1:02:37] that's going to be ticket sales.
[1:02:38] >> Absolutely.
[1:02:39] a realistic discussion in terms of, you
[1:02:42] know, whether or not this is going to be
[1:02:44] limited to a two two-year term or
[1:02:47] whether or not council, the future
[1:02:49] council is going to have to consider,
[1:02:51] you know, do we want to support this
[1:02:53] program and if so, why?
[1:02:54] >> Yeah. And I will tell you that our hope
[1:02:56] is that we greatly offset it. Yeah.
[1:02:58] >> That if we come back to council for year
[1:02:59] three, it would be for a significantly
[1:03:02] lower amount
[1:03:04] >> um just to support the the growth of the
[1:03:06] program. So that is where our focus is
[1:03:08] and uh again after a year of finance we
[1:03:11] now have we now have data financial data
[1:03:13] which really really helps us when it
[1:03:14] comes to to programming and planning.
[1:03:16] >> And councelor Jurgensson has his hand
[1:03:19] up.
[1:03:20] >> Press the Andy.
[1:03:22] >> Hi. Uh this is not a question councelor
[1:03:24] Morris but uh I just wanted to let you
[1:03:26] know uh I've been here since the
[1:03:29] beginning of the meeting but not been uh
[1:03:32] doing well and I'm going to have to step
[1:03:33] away from the meeting. [gasps and sighs]
[1:03:36] >> [clears throat]
[1:03:36] >> Thank you.
[1:03:37] >> And lower.
[1:03:41] » Any more questions? Well, thank you for
[1:03:43] your presentation. That was very, very
[1:03:45] interesting. And the agenda item on uh
[1:03:48] renewing the contract is uh coming up
[1:03:51] under the consent agenda.
[1:03:52] >> Wonderful. Thank you so much for your
[1:03:54] time.
[1:03:54] >> Thank you all.
[1:03:57] » Okay.
[1:04:01] » Given that we're now on to the consent
[1:04:03] agenda. Is there anything anybody wants
[1:04:05] to pull? Councelor Getty.
[1:04:08] >> Um 12.3 and 12.5, please.
[1:04:14] Anybody else?
[1:04:20] Give you a minute to shuffle the pages.
[1:04:23] All right, that's it.
[1:04:26] Okay.
[1:04:31] » I didn't pull anything. Um okay so um we
[1:04:36] will deal with 12.3 then
[1:04:39] >> 12.3 is a letter from the islands trust
[1:04:42] to the minister of uh jobs and economic
[1:04:45] growth rather kalan and uh it's
[1:04:48] supporting an upgrade of the um
[1:04:53] oh what is it the islands trust no
[1:04:56] island's coastal economic trust IC tea
[1:05:00] and um I we're part of the islands
[1:05:02] trust. So, we're signitories to this
[1:05:05] underneath the chairman or the chair and
[1:05:09] but I would I was wondering whether or
[1:05:11] not because the map for ICE tea
[1:05:13] specifically goes around Bowen and we're
[1:05:17] part of the trust but we're not um we're
[1:05:20] carved out of this ic tea whether or not
[1:05:22] we want to renew and emphasize that it
[1:05:26] would be extremely wonderful for us if
[1:05:28] we could be part of this um economic
[1:05:30] trust. um they do have excellent funding
[1:05:33] and um they do have excellent programs
[1:05:36] that we could um quite happily
[1:05:39] participate in. So I'm wondering if we
[1:05:42] want to supplement and augment this in
[1:05:44] terms of asking the minister again to
[1:05:47] consider um a slight amendment to their
[1:05:51] map to include Bowen Island.
[1:05:54] Um we have had grants from ICT
[1:05:58] >> and we have had we've had to get
[1:06:01] permission to apply but we've not had a
[1:06:03] problem but um it's an ongoing thing.
[1:06:06] So, I guess if you want to make a motion
[1:06:08] that we
[1:06:09] >> All right. Then I would move that um
[1:06:13] staff draft a letter to Minister Kalan
[1:06:17] uh or the Minister of Jobs and Economic
[1:06:19] Growth um to uh
[1:06:23] supplement the letter from Islands Trust
[1:06:25] dated July the 9th, 2026 to um request
[1:06:31] that the uh map of the Island Coastal
[1:06:35] Economic Trust be
[1:06:38] amended to include Bowen island. So, we
[1:06:41] have many of the same needs and features
[1:06:44] and uh interests as all of the other
[1:06:46] islands in the west. And
[1:06:47] >> are you wanting all of that last bit in
[1:06:49] the motion?
[1:06:50] >> Sorry. Okay.
[1:06:51] >> Okay.
[1:06:53] Um seconder.
[1:06:55] Is there any further discussion?
[1:06:59] All in favor?
[1:07:01] >> I
[1:07:04] » And Alex Councelor Jurgensson left the
[1:07:07] meeting, right? So, yeah.
[1:07:08] >> Okay. Thank you. Okay. 12.4.
[1:07:12] >> 12.5.
[1:07:13] >> 12.
[1:07:14] >> Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you said 12.
[1:07:16] Oh, sorry. 12.
[1:07:17] >> This is a letter from um
[1:07:20] Sue Rickett uh to um mayor and council
[1:07:24] asking for reconsideration of the uh
[1:07:28] fires smart bin that was uh out of the
[1:07:31] um
[1:07:32] >> fire hall number two. hall and um how
[1:07:35] useful it was to uh lots of members of
[1:07:38] the community. Um, and I think what's
[1:07:41] happened is that it may be more
[1:07:42] complicated than just having people put
[1:07:45] um
[1:07:47] un well there was garbage that was put
[1:07:50] in with the green waste and u the I
[1:07:53] think the excuse that was made public
[1:07:55] was that that had contaminated it so
[1:07:57] that um it was not accepted by the um
[1:08:01] recycling. But I think it might be a
[1:08:04] little bit more complicated in terms of
[1:08:06] funding sources and um the amount of
[1:08:09] time and energy that it took. So, I
[1:08:12] would like staff to investigate um and I
[1:08:16] um I meant to mention this, ask Carla
[1:08:19] whether or not this was possible in
[1:08:20] terms of our um environmental um
[1:08:24] planning to see what the barriers would
[1:08:27] be and then the feasibility of us um
[1:08:29] somehow working with funding sources and
[1:08:33] um other people in the community to
[1:08:35] reinstate this because it is a really
[1:08:37] good service. So, um, I've being living
[1:08:40] out in that side of the island, I
[1:08:42] actually did inquire and the problem was
[1:08:46] people were contaminating the container.
[1:08:49] And I know from our strata, having
[1:08:52] gotten a container once, they will not
[1:08:54] accept it at the recycling at the um,
[1:08:57] transfer station if it's got anything
[1:09:00] other than green waste in it.
[1:09:01] >> Y,
[1:09:02] >> so that was the problem that it was
[1:09:05] being contaminated. So,
[1:09:06] >> well, I had a very brief conversation on
[1:09:10] the street with um Steven and he sort of
[1:09:13] said that there were other problems as
[1:09:14] well, but I didn't get into what those
[1:09:16] were.
[1:09:17] >> So, um it would be interesting to follow
[1:09:20] up and see whether or not we
[1:09:21] >> what the barriers would be to reinstate
[1:09:24] this.
[1:09:26] >> Okay. So,
[1:09:28] can you
[1:09:29] >> um I'd also just like to add to that the
[1:09:31] funding source for this is of limited
[1:09:33] time. It's coming from the fires smart
[1:09:35] grant which should provide funding
[1:09:36] through till about the month of March
[1:09:38] next year. So um the fact that it was
[1:09:41] pulled back was um yeah dumping of a lot
[1:09:44] of construction waste drywall and things
[1:09:46] which is absolutely uh rejected by the
[1:09:50] land transfer station not from only the
[1:09:52] green waste but from the garbage itself.
[1:09:54] So, unfortunately, it's an unmonitored
[1:09:56] bin and um it was uh not respected by
[1:10:01] certain people in the community and
[1:10:02] we're just not able to put a bin out
[1:10:05] there that's not monitored and and we've
[1:10:07] had to pull it back. Um, additionally,
[1:10:10] as I said, the funding for this service
[1:10:11] would have run out by the end of March.
[1:10:16] » So, do you want to move receipt of the
[1:10:18] letter?
[1:10:19] >> No. I'd like staff to to investigate
[1:10:22] whether or not there's another place for
[1:10:23] it or there's some way of you know to
[1:10:25] get it monitored or to uh figure out if
[1:10:28] there's other funding sources so that uh
[1:10:31] and if it's not a huge uh
[1:10:34] amount that whether or not we include it
[1:10:36] in the tax base
[1:10:39] it's you know instead of our recycling
[1:10:41] or the green waste recycling we've got a
[1:10:43] bin so drop in the
[1:10:46] >> a motion along the lines of um council
[1:10:49] request staff to look into providing a
[1:10:53] green bin in a more secure location.
[1:10:56] >> Okay, thank you. I'll move that
[1:11:00] sec. Anybody want to second that?
[1:11:06] All in favor?
[1:11:08] Okay.
[1:11:12] Um,
[1:11:13] so back to the motion to approve the
[1:11:16] consent agenda. Council
[1:11:26] fast.
[1:11:28] >> Uh, I thought Judy had her hand up
[1:11:30] first. I was going to second.
[1:11:31] >> Oh, okay.
[1:11:32] >> Others.
[1:11:35] >> Okay. So, the motion is that council
[1:11:37] approve the items as outlined in the
[1:11:38] July 27th, 276 regular council meeting
[1:11:42] agenda.
[1:11:43] >> Consent agenda. Yes.
[1:11:44] >> Consent agenda. Yeah. Okay. So if Judy
[1:11:47] moves it. Okay. Moved by councelor
[1:11:49] Getty, seconded by councelor Fast. All
[1:11:51] in favor? I.
[1:11:54] >> Okay. So that skips us right through to
[1:12:00] Is the hearth still here? Because their
[1:12:01] programming funding just got approved.
[1:12:05] Okay, we are down to new bits. Where are
[1:12:08] we? Too many pages.
[1:12:11] Bylaws 7.1
[1:12:16] » 1639 Mount Gardener Road.
[1:12:24] » Thank you, council. Um, sorry, a quick
[1:12:26] technical issue. Uh, didn't realize what
[1:12:28] presenting in person that be affected by
[1:12:30] the new Zoom rules. So, if I can be led
[1:12:31] into the meeting, I'll be able to screen
[1:12:33] share. If not, I got the presentation
[1:12:34] saved in uh council for if you could
[1:12:37] open that up.
[1:12:38] >> Oh, you've got a PowerPoint you want to
[1:12:39] present? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. I can run the
[1:12:41] presentation.
[1:12:42] >> Okay. Thanks so much. Doesn't matter
[1:12:43] what uh speed up until you get to
[1:12:45] propose conservation areas. Then just
[1:12:46] sit there and I'll let you know.
[1:12:55] » I'm just getting it up here.
[1:12:56] >> Sorry about that.
[1:12:58] >> You just have to remember to remind for
[1:13:00] [clears throat] prompting turning pages.
[1:13:02] >> Yeah. Yeah, for sure.
[1:13:06] Perfect.
[1:13:17] So, like I said, it doesn't matter how
[1:13:18] fast it go till the proposed
[1:13:19] conservation area.
[1:13:22] So, thank you. Uh, so this report is to
[1:13:24] present the amending bylaw for first
[1:13:26] reading to amend the zoning of 1658
[1:13:28] Mount Gardner Road for the purpose of
[1:13:30] establishing a smaller lot size and
[1:13:31] allowing this land to be subdivided from
[1:13:34] 1639 Mount Gardner Road. So the bylaw is
[1:13:36] attached as by number 723 20226 and it
[1:13:39] will reszone the property to a new zone
[1:13:41] variation called SR2F.
[1:13:44] So a new item that's committed to
[1:13:45] support this application u is a plan of
[1:13:47] proposed conservation areas prepared by
[1:13:50] Michael Florendo uh to satisfy the
[1:13:52] nature needs half requirement of the
[1:13:54] conservation development policy. So
[1:13:56] there are two conservation areas that
[1:13:57] are proposed u that are they're the most
[1:14:00] densest and most undisturbed areas of
[1:14:01] forest in the property. Um there's
[1:14:03] they're only separated by an access
[1:14:05] easement that also prohibits
[1:14:06] development. So essentially it is one
[1:14:08] big no development area. Uh the largest
[1:14:10] pond on the property as well as multiple
[1:14:12] water courses will be captured uh within
[1:14:14] that conservation area.
[1:14:16] Um the total area proposed for
[1:14:18] conservation is 25,400 m. That's
[1:14:22] equivalent to 47% of the property. Uh
[1:14:24] but combined with the that access
[1:14:26] easement I mentioned uh which already
[1:14:28] prohibits development. So the amount of
[1:14:30] the property under protection from
[1:14:31] further development will be 50%. So
[1:14:34] meeting the nature needs half.
[1:14:36] Um of note the conservation area will
[1:14:40] include a rock cliff/outcrop in the
[1:14:43] southwest area of the the lot. Um
[1:14:46] uh sorry if you can flip forward uh one
[1:14:49] or two. One more. Perfect. Thanks much.
[1:14:52] Um, so those areas are considered
[1:14:55] important as nesting sites for bats as
[1:14:57] well as snakes and lizards to shelter
[1:14:58] over winter. And then combined with the
[1:15:00] nearby pond, uh, that which attracts
[1:15:02] insects that bats and birds then feed
[1:15:04] on. This means that the conservation
[1:15:05] area will provide habitat, feeding
[1:15:07] grounds, and more for a variety of
[1:15:08] species. Um, next slide.
[1:15:12] And there's one more finding since
[1:15:14] writing this report that I need to share
[1:15:15] with council, which is to confirm the
[1:15:17] status of the roadway, which bisects
[1:15:18] lease Kummenuk's property. Uh so what's
[1:15:20] shown on bow maps is not correct and the
[1:15:22] legal plan is not saved with the land
[1:15:23] titles authority but now that I've
[1:15:25] managed to find that plan and it
[1:15:26] confirms that this roadway is in fact
[1:15:28] private property. It belongs to the
[1:15:30] adjacent property to the west. Uh if you
[1:15:32] want to go to the next slide uh you can
[1:15:34] there you can see the the large property
[1:15:36] on the west. So that's what it belongs
[1:15:37] to. Um
[1:15:41] so then yeah then there are municipal
[1:15:42] eastments that provide access to lease's
[1:15:44] property as well as to the adjacent
[1:15:45] neighbors. Um so my apologies to bring
[1:15:47] us up now. uh this but this will not
[1:15:49] affect the main staff recommendation.
[1:15:51] Instead, it does affect the first of the
[1:15:52] alternative recommendations. Um go go to
[1:15:55] the next slide there. Uh so the um in
[1:16:00] the report that that alternative stated
[1:16:03] the council will seek a public beach
[1:16:04] access as well as a public trail right
[1:16:06] away for access to the crownlands as
[1:16:08] well as a rightaway for the water line
[1:16:10] crossing Mount Carter Road. So instead
[1:16:12] with that that strip being private
[1:16:13] property, that last item about the water
[1:16:15] line is no longer necessary. However,
[1:16:16] there would be an additional easement
[1:16:18] needed for the public beach access. Uh
[1:16:20] so that's alternative number one would
[1:16:23] now read um that council directs staff
[1:16:26] to seek a public beach access as well as
[1:16:28] a public right of way leading to it. Uh
[1:16:30] in addition to a public trail right
[1:16:32] ofway for access south to the crown
[1:16:34] lands and a new right ofway access to
[1:16:36] 1658 mountainer road the proposed lot as
[1:16:39] a condition of approval.
[1:16:41] Um and go to the next slide. So
[1:16:43] ultimately staff feel that this resoning
[1:16:45] request is low impact but that the
[1:16:47] municipality stands to gain valuable
[1:16:48] environmental protections and a possible
[1:16:50] trail connection. Uh staff recommend
[1:16:52] that bylaw number 723 20226 is read a
[1:16:55] first time and that the bylaw and policy
[1:16:56] checklist are referred to the islands
[1:16:58] trust. Thank you.
[1:17:01] >> Do we have any questions for the planner
[1:17:04] councelor Fast and Councelor Getty?
[1:17:07] >> Um thank you. That's really interesting
[1:17:09] to know about the that it's a private
[1:17:11] road uh there. So if uh public beach
[1:17:15] access was to be proposed
[1:17:18] uh would it
[1:17:20] would the municipality need to arrange
[1:17:23] that through another property owner?
[1:17:28] >> It looks that way. That's that's
[1:17:29] correct. Yeah.
[1:17:30] >> Okay. Uh thank you. And then um uh just
[1:17:35] confirming that that's all
[1:17:38] uh shoreline is public below the high
[1:17:40] tide line.
[1:17:41] >> That's correct.
[1:17:42] >> Okay. There's no crown strips or
[1:17:44] anything around there?
[1:17:44] >> No.
[1:17:45] >> Okay. Thank you,
[1:17:48] Council Getty.
[1:17:49] >> So the public access um or sorry the
[1:17:52] trail that is marked in the in between
[1:17:55] the two um proposed
[1:17:58] um ecological
[1:18:00] protected areas. Is there any way that
[1:18:03] the municipality can put a covenant on
[1:18:06] that trail so that it is not I mean it
[1:18:09] may become part of the public trail
[1:18:10] system but can we do anything in terms
[1:18:14] of motorized vehicles at this point so
[1:18:17] that it if it's between two protected
[1:18:19] areas that it not have that kind of
[1:18:22] traffic through it. Is there any way we
[1:18:25] can
[1:18:26] >> Good question. Um I would want to reread
[1:18:28] that easement. Uh I can't recall off the
[1:18:30] top of my head if it was if if so so
[1:18:32] basically what that easement uh allows
[1:18:34] access to is some further further lots
[1:18:36] down to the southwest and I can't recall
[1:18:38] off the top of my head if it was
[1:18:39] motorized access or by foot probably
[1:18:41] motorized because that's a long ways to
[1:18:42] go. Um so yeah I would have to review
[1:18:45] that the the implications of that if if
[1:18:47] we can stack something on top of that would kind of supersede that in
[1:18:50] terms of it preventing motorized
[1:18:51] vehicles. Yeah, I'll have to look into
[1:18:53] that further. So that's an access
[1:18:55] easement between
[1:18:58] the property owner on and another
[1:19:01] property to the other side.
[1:19:02] >> That's correct.
[1:19:03] >> Okay. So it's a different access
[1:19:06] counselor fast.
[1:19:08] >> Uh is that the [clears throat] same
[1:19:10] property beyond that also owns the road?
[1:19:14] >> No. Uh though the one the one that this
[1:19:17] roadway is part of is directly to the
[1:19:18] west whereas this trail leads to the one
[1:19:21] to the southwest.
[1:19:22] >> Yes.
[1:19:23] Thank you. I have um um I have comments
[1:19:27] about alternative number one which I
[1:19:30] would like to move. So, thank you for
[1:19:32] adjusting the wording, but when you get
[1:19:34] when you're ready
[1:19:35] >> when you're ready.
[1:19:36] >> Um did were you able to put up the um to
[1:19:40] get the um map the b the bow map ortho
[1:19:46] map up?
[1:19:47] >> I have it up on my computer and then
[1:19:49] sorry I didn't put it on the slide. I
[1:19:51] didn't didn't uh foresee this issue with
[1:19:53] me not connecting. Um
[1:19:57] is there any way we can go and bow map
[1:19:58] and zoom in there? Sorry about that,
[1:19:59] guys.
[1:20:02] >> So, you'd like me to pull up the bow
[1:20:03] map? Um
[1:20:05] >> yeah, maybe if if um corporate officer
[1:20:08] could pull up bow map and type in the uh
[1:20:12] address. It's 1639, right?
[1:20:15] >> 1658.
[1:20:17] Okay.
[1:20:19] >> Working on it.
[1:20:22] We'll give the
[1:20:24] members of the public a demonstration of
[1:20:26] bow map that for those that haven't used
[1:20:28] it. Okay. And then when you go on the
[1:20:30] layers, click on or
[1:20:34] now. Click on oro
[1:20:40] » and then if you just turn on the Oh, you
[1:20:42] got it.
[1:20:42] >> There we go. So, um I'm asked to have
[1:20:47] this put up because there is already a
[1:20:49] public beach access on the um I guess
[1:20:53] it's on everybody's left um beside the
[1:20:56] public dock that we already can use at
[1:20:59] Mount Gardener. And you can see that
[1:21:02] there is a fair amount of sand and nice
[1:21:04] little access on that beach. So, um, and
[1:21:08] given the planner's comments about the,
[1:21:10] um, if we turned on the contours layer,
[1:21:13] you would see how steep and difficult
[1:21:16] any sort of beach access would be there
[1:21:19] and very expensive to build. And the
[1:21:22] other is because there is no um, parking
[1:21:26] or anything around there, that's an
[1:21:27] impossibility as well. It's not
[1:21:29] something that would be a destination
[1:21:31] beach and all the local neighbors can
[1:21:33] walk to and get to a beach right now.
[1:21:37] So, I'm certainly not in favor of the
[1:21:40] option number one.
[1:21:44] Councor Fast, thank you. Um, if I can
[1:21:48] speak to option number one. Um, and if
[1:21:52] maybe if you could u bring that up on
[1:21:54] the screen. um Sophie from the planner's
[1:21:58] presentation,
[1:22:00] he had revised wording for alternative
[1:22:03] number one. And [clears throat] uh so
[1:22:05] I'm going to speak to why I still think
[1:22:08] it's worth uh creating a safer uh public
[1:22:12] access to the beach. Um, right now, as
[1:22:15] uh, councelor Morris has pointed out,
[1:22:17] there is public access. If you go down
[1:22:21] beside the Mount Gardener dock, uh,
[1:22:23] where the boats are stored and, um, uh,
[1:22:26] and across the rocks, you can get out to
[1:22:29] the, um, beach. Um, and, uh, it's
[1:22:33] slippery rocks. It's not the safest. I
[1:22:36] have to confess I haven't swam there so
[1:22:38] I can't remember uh exactly but I'm
[1:22:41] pointing I'm looking at um the islands
[1:22:44] trust uh directives checklist and number
[1:22:47] 5.5
[1:22:49] which I see on I I believe in your uh
[1:22:53] checklist doesn't have a check mark
[1:22:55] there it says um local trust committees
[1:22:57] and island municipalities shall in their
[1:22:59] official committed plans and regulatory
[1:23:00] bylaws which this would be as a resoning
[1:23:03] it's changing in our land use bylaw.
[1:23:07] Right. Okay. Um address the uh
[1:23:11] identification of sites providing safe
[1:23:13] public access to beaches, the
[1:23:15] identification and designation of areas
[1:23:17] of regional significance da and um
[1:23:20] locations for community and public boat
[1:23:22] launches, docks and anchorages as well.
[1:23:25] So mostly I think the Mount Gardner dock
[1:23:28] public access is used for uh boats and
[1:23:31] people to go out on the docks and um I'm
[1:23:34] not sure and and to store their private
[1:23:38] uh little boats under the docks and uh
[1:23:41] access the water that people do, but I'm
[1:23:44] not sure that I've ever seen swimmers
[1:23:45] there. And uh I'm not sure how much it's
[1:23:47] used and I'd like to uh investigate
[1:23:50] that. I note in the parks plan uh which
[1:23:54] is also not referred to in the planners
[1:23:56] uh comments. Maybe it was in your
[1:23:58] earlier uh report. I don't know. Um but
[1:24:00] it speaks to the official community plan
[1:24:03] includes recommendations to guide the
[1:24:05] development of municipal parks, trails,
[1:24:06] and beach areas on Bowen. Parks plan
[1:24:09] expands on this. And I won't go into
[1:24:12] huge detail, but just to um mention that
[1:24:15] some of the goals on the park's plan are
[1:24:19] uh promote walking, hiking, cycling,
[1:24:21] horseback riding, and trail. We're
[1:24:23] talking about trails. Um and this is a
[1:24:26] publicly maintained, taxpayermaintained
[1:24:28] road up until this lot. I thought it was
[1:24:32] all the way along, but apparently not.
[1:24:35] Uh up to the edge of uh this resoning.
[1:24:39] Correct. Yeah. Okay. And um so uh across
[1:24:44] the island to facilitate commuting uh
[1:24:46] access and um uh recreation. Uh number
[1:24:51] three goal is beaches and uh so there's
[1:24:54] three goals there about all ages and
[1:24:56] opportunities to experience the islands
[1:24:58] beaches protect shoreline da da da da um
[1:25:01] support non-motorized water-based
[1:25:03] recreational opportunities. And then um
[1:25:06] goal f four is to acquire beach
[1:25:09] accesses. And uh this one I wanted to uh
[1:25:12] point out doesn't come often this
[1:25:15] opportunity to acquire a beach access.
[1:25:18] And um [clears throat] I think that um
[1:25:21] some homeowners in this uh area,
[1:25:25] including the prospective uh private lot
[1:25:29] uphill,
[1:25:30] um might like to walk down to the beach
[1:25:33] and uh swim at some point in the future.
[1:25:36] Um people on Bowen enjoy swimming. I
[1:25:39] think it's worth exploring um these
[1:25:42] ideas that are in our uh major guiding
[1:25:45] documents and um uh and the idea of
[1:25:49] safer public access to beaches. I think
[1:25:52] people swim from the Mount Gardener
[1:25:54] dock, which I don't know how safe that
[1:25:56] is, and those slippery um rocks going
[1:26:00] down to the water um below the Mount
[1:26:03] Gardener dock. Um,
[1:26:05] having watched my uh some family members
[1:26:08] sort of teetering on the top of them,
[1:26:11] um,
[1:26:13] I'm I think a safer uh public beach
[1:26:16] access um at a lower uh that's easier to
[1:26:21] get down to the water uh might be
[1:26:23] worthwhile. And uh so I just wanted to
[1:26:26] um suggest that it might add uh be
[1:26:30] something that other property owners
[1:26:32] around in the neighborhood might enjoy,
[1:26:34] particularly if they've got um dock
[1:26:37] that's going to take several years to
[1:26:39] replace or something like that. They
[1:26:41] want to get down to the water. Uh of
[1:26:42] course there's the Mount Gardner dock um
[1:26:46] beach access, but it's my
[1:26:48] feeling that that's getting busier with
[1:26:50] smaller boats and people coming and
[1:26:52] going. So, I um I just uh would like to
[1:26:55] move the motion that's on um
[1:26:59] the screen as the alternate one. I move
[1:27:03] that council direct staff to seek seek a
[1:27:06] public beach access as well as public
[1:27:08] right ofway leading to it from Mount
[1:27:10] Gardner Road in addition to a public
[1:27:13] trail right ofway for access south to
[1:27:16] the crownlands and a new right ofway
[1:27:18] access to 1658 Mount Gardner Road as a
[1:27:22] condition of approval.
[1:27:25] >> Have a question.
[1:27:28] Council Getty
[1:27:30] >> um before this gets um seconded and we
[1:27:32] have a discussion on that motion. The
[1:27:35] recommendation that was in the agenda
[1:27:37] was to have first reading and refer that
[1:27:41] to the trust with the checklist. So does
[1:27:44] this motion to have staff explore
[1:27:49] um some other beach access and rights
[1:27:52] away delay that process? It it would um
[1:27:56] it could uh it could be worded that like
[1:27:59] that could be stuck in at the end of all
[1:28:00] those other processes so we can move
[1:28:01] ahead with um referring the bylaw and
[1:28:05] checklist to the island trust but also
[1:28:07] continue working on setting up these
[1:28:08] rightways.
[1:28:13] [clears throat]
[1:28:14] >> Question two,
[1:28:16] >> um just because I'm first it's my first
[1:28:18] time seeing this alternative text. Uh we
[1:28:21] didn't have it before. Um,
[1:28:27] regarding the island's trust checklist,
[1:28:30] uh, you've got a not applicable beside
[1:28:34] 5.5 and that's because the beach access
[1:28:37] wasn't included in the proposal that's
[1:28:39] recommended.
[1:28:40] >> Exactly. So, council motions on that,
[1:28:42] then I can check because it'll now be
[1:28:44] part of the application.
[1:28:45] >> Thank you. Yeah. So, just so people
[1:28:46] understand, this is just so that this
[1:28:48] step could take place before. I just um
[1:28:51] I had a clarifi clarification question
[1:28:53] on the motion um and then we'll look to
[1:28:56] see if anybody wants to second it. Um it
[1:28:58] says in addition to a public trail right
[1:29:00] away for access. That's already in the
[1:29:03] proposal, isn't it?
[1:29:05] >> Correct.
[1:29:05] >> Okay. So basically what this motion
[1:29:08] wants to do is is just the first um two
[1:29:11] lines up to the comma
[1:29:14] because the other is already covered off
[1:29:16] in your package.
[1:29:18] >> True.
[1:29:18] >> Yeah. Thank you.
[1:29:19] So, is there a second for the motion?
[1:29:21] >> There's three. There's beach access.
[1:29:24] There's um rightway access to 1658 Mount
[1:29:28] Garner, and there's access south to
[1:29:30] Crown Labs, right?
[1:29:31] >> But those, from what I'm understanding
[1:29:33] from the planner, are already covered
[1:29:36] off in in the in the
[1:29:40] >> package. Sorry, I guess only the middle
[1:29:42] one.
[1:29:42] >> Only only the middle one,
[1:29:43] >> the public trail right away for access
[1:29:45] south to crown lands. that that's
[1:29:46] included in the applicants amenity
[1:29:48] package. But I guess so sorry. So So
[1:29:49] yeah, the first and third of the
[1:29:52] uh lines there would be the ones to add.
[1:29:57] >> Okay. So there's no access to 1658 Mount
[1:30:02] Gardner Road in the package.
[1:30:04] >> Uh no.
[1:30:08] » Sorry. And but is that needed because of
[1:30:12] the fact that the road isn't a public
[1:30:14] road all the way along?
[1:30:15] >> Exactly. Yeah. So they already do have
[1:30:18] easement to uh can't remember the six
[1:30:21] sorry can't remember the name of the
[1:30:22] address the large portion of the south.
[1:30:24] So at the moment this is one one legal
[1:30:26] parcel. So they they had their legal
[1:30:28] access but now now they'll be se severed
[1:30:30] um and that that will be a private
[1:30:31] roadway separating them. Yeah. Will need
[1:30:33] public access to sorry um to get to that new northern portion 1658. So you
[1:30:39] really have three things. So in which
[1:30:41] case I might want to ask to have it
[1:30:43] severed into three separate motions.
[1:30:49] So is there a seconder for the motion?
[1:30:55] Okay. Then I'm going to ask to have it
[1:30:57] separate into three separate motions.
[1:31:03] You
[1:31:03] >> do that after it's seconded or is that
[1:31:05] before?
[1:31:06] >> No, you do it after.
[1:31:15] So, we've got a motion that's moved and
[1:31:17] seconded and separate into three parts,
[1:31:20] which corporate officer might have a
[1:31:22] little fun trying to do.
[1:31:47] Okay. So, on the first clause, the
[1:31:49] council directs staff to seek a public
[1:31:51] beach access as well as a public right
[1:31:53] ofway leading to it from Mount Gardner
[1:31:55] Road.
[1:31:57] All in favor?
[1:32:01] Opposed?
[1:32:05] Councelor Getty, you
[1:32:07] >> um I'm not keeping up. So, um I've
[1:32:10] abstained which counts as a positive.
[1:32:12] >> You can't. Yeah. Okay.
[1:32:16] » Okay. Um in the second one, in addition
[1:32:20] to a public trail right away for access
[1:32:23] south to Crown Lands,
[1:32:26] and is that already covered in the
[1:32:28] package now? No. Okay. So, um maybe that
[1:32:32] so
[1:32:34] um a public do we leave the word
[1:32:37] addition in there if we severed it or
[1:32:40] does it matter?
[1:32:43] >> Um
[1:32:47] you severed it. Okay. You're going to
[1:32:49] put council direct staff in front of
[1:32:51] each one. Okay.
[1:32:58] All right. So, the council directs staff
[1:32:59] to seek a public trail right of way for
[1:33:02] access south to the crown lands.
[1:33:07] All in favor?
[1:33:11] Opposed? Nobody's here. And a new right
[1:33:16] of way across access.
[1:33:20] And that one you've got in your report,
[1:33:22] right? This last one.
[1:33:24] >> No, sorry, this is this is new. um
[1:33:27] because we just found that uh that's a private roadway. So a need that
[1:33:31] was identified.
[1:33:32] >> So you need this one. The council direct
[1:33:34] staff to seek a new rightway access to
[1:33:36] 1658 Mount Gardner Road as a condition
[1:33:38] of approval.
[1:33:41] >> All in favor?
[1:33:42] >> Favor
[1:33:44] opposed. Nobody's else is here. Okay.
[1:33:50] All right.
[1:33:52] So
[1:33:54] now your main one is first reading.
[1:33:58] >> Okay.
[1:34:00] So would somebody like to move that
[1:34:02] bylaw number 723 cited as mun bone
[1:34:06] municipality land use bylaw number 57
[1:34:08] 2002 amendment bylaw number 723 2026 be
[1:34:12] read a first time.
[1:34:15] Second. Thank you. All in favor?
[1:34:20] I
[1:34:22] okay
[1:34:26] » okay or carried you
[1:34:28] >> if the staff investigate the other
[1:34:30] rights away and it's attached to this
[1:34:33] then does this come back with those
[1:34:36] amendments those if they are organized
[1:34:40] then come back as an amendment or
[1:34:41] something
[1:34:42] >> they go back to trust after that
[1:34:44] >> so we'd be referring these bylaws and
[1:34:46] checklisted on as trust and then
[1:34:48] ultimately those those would be those
[1:34:49] ements rightways would be a condition of
[1:34:51] approval. So, we'd have have them set up
[1:34:52] before this bile is ultimately adopted.
[1:34:54] That it' only be this bio at the end of
[1:34:56] the process would only be adopted if
[1:34:57] those things have been secured.
[1:35:00] >> Would that have to go back to trust?
[1:35:02] >> No.
[1:35:02] >> At the end of the process, um yeah,
[1:35:04] after after uh final reading, but before
[1:35:07] adoption, this goes back to that trust.
[1:35:09] Yeah.
[1:35:12] » Okay. We on to seven. We're on to 7.2
[1:35:15] now.
[1:35:17] >> Oh, sorry. I believe uh the the second
[1:35:20] and third part of the motion on the
[1:35:22] agenda uh needs to be voted on.
[1:35:26] >> Oh,
[1:35:26] >> so it's that that council refer by
[1:35:28] number 7.
[1:35:29] >> I'm sorry I didn't flip the page and
[1:35:30] read that.
[1:35:31] >> Did we vote on the first one?
[1:35:33] >> Yeah, we did. And I didn't flip the page
[1:35:35] to add um
[1:35:37] >> the it be referred. Um, so we need to
[1:35:40] move that council refer bylaw number 723
[1:35:42] 20226 and the attached islands trust
[1:35:44] policy statement checklist to the
[1:35:47] islands trust and the council direct
[1:35:48] staff to return with the results of that
[1:35:50] referral.
[1:35:51] >> Can I ask a question?
[1:35:52] >> Yeah. Um, since we've
[1:35:57] passed this uh motion about the public
[1:35:59] beach access be explored um number 5.5
[1:36:05] on the trust uh directives checklist.
[1:36:08] Would you put that in a note on there or
[1:36:10] how does will that be included in the
[1:36:12] referral to the islands trust?
[1:36:14] >> I'll include it and I'll tweak the like
[1:36:15] specifically the 5.55.5 section. I'll confirm that one when I send it to
[1:36:19] >> Thank you.
[1:36:22] All in favor
[1:36:24] or do we have a mover in a second or
[1:36:28] we it was moved and seconded.
[1:36:29] >> It was moved and seconded. Okay. All in
[1:36:31] favor?
[1:36:32] >> I
[1:36:36] thank you.
[1:36:37] >> Okay. Now we're on to 7.2.
[1:37:20] Eat this thing.
[1:37:36] Are you ready?
[1:37:37] >> Yes. Thank you, Council Mor. So, I'm
[1:37:39] here today um to bring you um a resoning
[1:37:42] application at 620 Laura Road and a
[1:37:44] bylaw for consideration of first
[1:37:46] reading. Um so, by way of background,
[1:37:49] this is an application at 620 Laura
[1:37:51] Road. It's at the intersection of
[1:37:52] Westside Road and Laura Road on the west
[1:37:55] side of Bowen Island. And the
[1:37:57] application that is before you is to
[1:37:59] seek the cider use at 620 Laura Road.
[1:38:03] By way of background, this was last
[1:38:05] before you May 25th. Um, and at that
[1:38:07] point, we brought a revised application
[1:38:09] to you that council referred to two
[1:38:11] advisory committees. Um, and directed
[1:38:13] staff to prepare bylaws to amend the
[1:38:15] land use bylaw to allow the development
[1:38:17] proposal and directed staff to provide
[1:38:20] notice of first reading of the land use
[1:38:22] um bylaw amendment bylaw as required
[1:38:24] under section 467 of the local
[1:38:26] government act. And that's the section
[1:38:28] that is to provide notice in lie of to
[1:38:30] provide notice of first reading when a
[1:38:32] public hearing is not being held.
[1:38:35] Um just some background on the property.
[1:38:37] is zoned rural residential
[1:38:39] 2. Um and that allows the uses that are
[1:38:43] allowed in all of our rural residential
[1:38:44] zones. So that includes dwelling,
[1:38:46] agriculture, stable, kennel. It allows a
[1:38:48] list of accessory uses. It includes
[1:38:50] residential guest accommodation and home
[1:38:52] occupation.
[1:38:54] Um and then agriculture definition is
[1:38:56] here. It means the use of land buildings
[1:38:58] or structures for the growing, rearing,
[1:38:59] producing, harvesting of crops, plants,
[1:39:01] livestock and other animals. It includes
[1:39:04] the processing and sale of products
[1:39:05] harvested, reared or produced on that
[1:39:07] lot as well. Um and then in our current
[1:39:11] OCP, this property is designated R1
[1:39:14] rural is the designation. So this is um
[1:39:18] this this designation is described as
[1:39:21] including large lots that provide rural
[1:39:23] resource value such as agriculture and
[1:39:25] forestry and properties that have been
[1:39:27] maintained for purposes of a rural
[1:39:28] lifestyle.
[1:39:30] Um and then on this page I just have a
[1:39:32] number of objectives that are identified
[1:39:34] in our current OCP regarding
[1:39:36] agriculture.
[1:39:38] Um so supporting commercial and domestic
[1:39:40] agriculture in suitable locations and to
[1:39:42] encourage local food production to
[1:39:44] preserve lands that are used or or are
[1:39:47] suitable for agriculture activity and
[1:39:50] there's a number here. So 88 to provide
[1:39:52] for supporting infrastructure necessary
[1:39:53] to maintain and strengthen the
[1:39:55] agriculture economy or encourage land
[1:39:57] uses that are compatible with farming to
[1:39:59] be established in conjunction with
[1:40:00] agriculture activity. Um and so the
[1:40:03] report um that you have goes over the
[1:40:06] OCP our current OCP designations
[1:40:08] concludes that this application is
[1:40:09] consistent with the official community
[1:40:11] plan. Um, just for context, I've
[1:40:13] included a couple slides just on our
[1:40:14] draft 2026 OCP, knowing we're at the
[1:40:17] sort of in between stage where we have a
[1:40:18] circulated draft of an updated OCP, but
[1:40:21] not a obviously a bylaw to enact that
[1:40:23] OCP yet. Um, but for context, that draft
[1:40:27] um that draft would place this land
[1:40:30] designation in the rural residential
[1:40:32] transition designation,
[1:40:35] um, which has roughly the same the same
[1:40:37] densities. Um and our 2026 OCP has um
[1:40:41] some additional policies around
[1:40:42] agriculture. So 2.6.67
[1:40:45] is to protect and expand existing farms
[1:40:48] and orchards, especially heritage fruit
[1:40:50] trees to enhance historical as historic
[1:40:52] aspects of the island's food production.
[1:40:56] Um okay, final one on context for this
[1:40:58] site. Um there is a temporary use permit
[1:41:00] on this site that was issued initially
[1:41:02] in 2021 and then renewed in 2023. and
[1:41:05] that is to permit cider use on the
[1:41:07] property um with some restrictions.
[1:41:11] [gasps]
[1:41:11] Where we are in the overall process,
[1:41:13] this was this application was introduced
[1:41:15] to council in May. It was referred to
[1:41:17] committees and I'll I'll talk about them
[1:41:18] later and then we are here at the
[1:41:20] presentation for first reading. Um as
[1:41:23] currently um slated, this would get
[1:41:26] referred to the islands trust and come
[1:41:28] back for presentation for second and
[1:41:30] third reading and then considered for
[1:41:31] adoption.
[1:41:34] All right. The parks environment climate
[1:41:35] action committee met to do it meant to
[1:41:38] consider this application. So they
[1:41:41] recommended that the proponent meet
[1:41:43] BIM's conservation development policy.
[1:41:46] So protecting 50% or greater of the
[1:41:48] property for conservation purposes
[1:41:50] including using conservation covenants
[1:41:52] to include the heritage orchard Murray
[1:41:55] Creek riparian areas
[1:41:57] um indicating on the map where it is.
[1:41:59] They were seeking an assessment from a
[1:42:01] professional hydrogeeologist
[1:42:03] um and a registered on-site wastewater
[1:42:05] practitioner and looking for
[1:42:07] clarification on quantity and
[1:42:09] composition of solid and liquid waste.
[1:42:12] Uh and consider restriction on or a
[1:42:14] limit on cery output
[1:42:17] if um if dilitterious effects are
[1:42:20] anticipated with a significant increase
[1:42:21] in cery production. Um and then the
[1:42:24] advisory planning commission met last
[1:42:26] week to discuss and they provided
[1:42:27] recommendations regarding envir
[1:42:30] environmental waste management
[1:42:32] assessment be required. Um they
[1:42:35] recommended consideration of the
[1:42:36] reasoning be deferred pending completion
[1:42:38] of the graft and lake watershed
[1:42:39] management plan. They wanted
[1:42:42] consideration to
[1:42:44] um through the conservation development
[1:42:46] policy preserve the diversity of the
[1:42:48] existing heritage orchard and they
[1:42:50] recommended council should still
[1:42:51] consider having a public hearing for
[1:42:53] this application.
[1:42:56] Um so then as directed by council staff
[1:42:58] have prepared a bylaw to amend the land
[1:43:00] use bylaw to enable this development
[1:43:03] proposal. So it would reszone 620 Laura
[1:43:05] Road to be in a zone variation. So R R2A
[1:43:09] um so zone variation works by
[1:43:12] um varying the zone in certain ways but
[1:43:14] leaving the rest of the zoning the same.
[1:43:16] So um this zone variation would allow
[1:43:18] cidery as a permitted use. It would say
[1:43:20] the cidery may not have a lounge
[1:43:22] endorsement which is a um a thing that's
[1:43:25] open for ceries in BC. Essentially it
[1:43:26] functions like a restaurant would be a
[1:43:28] lounge endorsement. M you would set
[1:43:31] maximum floor area of the retail space
[1:43:33] at 25 square meters which is about the
[1:43:35] actual size of the retail area and the
[1:43:37] maximum area of the exterior patio space
[1:43:39] at 80 square meters which again matches
[1:43:41] what's there on site and it would set
[1:43:43] the same hours as as in the temporary
[1:43:44] use permit 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
[1:43:46] daily.
[1:43:48] Um and then the the bylaw itself would
[1:43:51] include these two definitions. So the
[1:43:52] cidery is the same definition that's in
[1:43:54] the temporary use permit. um with the
[1:43:56] difference being I think the temporary
[1:43:57] use permit just says lounge area and
[1:44:00] then we felt like if we were calling it
[1:44:01] out as something that's not allowed we
[1:44:03] wanted a definition so we've included a
[1:44:05] definition of lounge endorsement as well
[1:44:07] that matches what's from the um I think
[1:44:09] the LCB
[1:44:14] says um this notice was given at first
[1:44:16] reading so within properties of 300
[1:44:18] meters of the property it was included
[1:44:21] in the undercurrent and on our municipal
[1:44:23] website and so you've heard from two of
[1:44:25] the neighbors today and we have letters
[1:44:27] in the the package from those neighbors.
[1:44:28] We also have letters from um people
[1:44:31] outside of the the notice area as well
[1:44:33] or from any person outside of the notice
[1:44:35] area.
[1:44:38] Um some additional staff discussions. So
[1:44:40] water. So you'll see in your package the
[1:44:41] Riley Cider provided a hydrogeeologist
[1:44:44] report that was completed in 2021 as
[1:44:46] part of the application for a permit
[1:44:48] from Vancouver Coastal Health. And this
[1:44:50] report um gives details on water supply
[1:44:52] for the property. Um noting um water
[1:44:56] coming from a surface water license for
[1:44:58] irrigation of the orchard and an
[1:44:59] existing well for wash water in its
[1:45:01] commercial operations. And just noting
[1:45:04] water is not used in the production of
[1:45:05] the cider itself.
[1:45:08] Um and secondly for septic. So in my
[1:45:11] initial staff report in April, I brought
[1:45:13] comment from Vancouver Coastal Health
[1:45:15] and at that point the application was
[1:45:16] for cery and guest house use and
[1:45:18] Vancouver Coastal Health were
[1:45:20] recommending that we seek a registered
[1:45:22] on-site wastewater practitioner letter
[1:45:24] of assurance for that application. So
[1:45:27] when the applicant revised their
[1:45:29] application, I re-referred it to Coastal
[1:45:30] Health and asked specifically about the
[1:45:32] recommendation and said um if this is
[1:45:34] just for the side is that does that
[1:45:36] recommendation still hold? So this was
[1:45:38] the reply from Vancouver Coastal Health
[1:45:40] saying no, they don't think a letter of
[1:45:42] assurance from a registered on-site
[1:45:44] wastewater practitioner is required for
[1:45:45] this revised application and partly
[1:45:47] noting the original um the sewage system
[1:45:51] filing for the septic system for the
[1:45:52] cery and that's included in your
[1:45:54] application as well.
[1:45:57] Uh and then finally discussion on the
[1:45:59] conservation development policy. So
[1:46:01] council's familiar with this policy. The
[1:46:03] goal of the policy is a minimum of 50%
[1:46:05] of the total land subject to the
[1:46:06] resoning application is protected from
[1:46:08] further development priority to be given
[1:46:10] to protection of any identified
[1:46:11] environmentally sensitive areas and
[1:46:13] green space. So staff note areas of the
[1:46:16] property suitable for protection include
[1:46:18] riparian areas of Murray Creek and
[1:46:20] existing farmland.
[1:46:22] Um
[1:46:24] yeah and I'll just say I think through
[1:46:26] discussion with the applicant the
[1:46:27] applicant is hesitant to encumber the
[1:46:30] property with with covenants that would
[1:46:33] place further restrictions on their
[1:46:35] operations. And so one of the things
[1:46:37] staff is looking for is direction from
[1:46:39] council in terms of um council's desire
[1:46:41] to seek protective covenants of riparian
[1:46:43] area and um and the orchards.
[1:46:49] Uh and the staff report itself lists
[1:46:51] alternatives. So one you would see a um
[1:46:54] a cery definition that was provided by
[1:46:57] the applicant to better align with the
[1:46:59] liquor distribution branch. And so that
[1:47:02] definition um ties the cery definition
[1:47:06] to a minimum size of orchard but not to
[1:47:08] production from the lot. Um, so part of
[1:47:12] the discussion from the applicant is
[1:47:14] that this would is that the current
[1:47:16] definition may provide incentives for a
[1:47:19] future owner to, you know, maximize
[1:47:21] apple production in the orchard rather
[1:47:22] than the diversity of of apple species
[1:47:25] in the orchard. Um,
[1:47:29] but the flip is that the current
[1:47:31] definition limits production to that
[1:47:33] produced on the lot. So that may, you
[1:47:35] know, seem like that's the goal, the
[1:47:37] goal of it is you're you're tying it to
[1:47:39] specific production on the lot.
[1:47:42] Um, second alternative is, um, so
[1:47:46] council in May directed staff to bring
[1:47:48] this for first reading and not to a
[1:47:50] future public hearing. So just noting as
[1:47:51] an alternative, council can still, as we
[1:47:53] discussed at that meeting, council could
[1:47:55] still at this point say we want to refer
[1:47:57] to a future public hearing following a
[1:47:58] second reading. Um, the third
[1:48:00] alternative is the one brought forward
[1:48:02] by the APC. So, council could direct
[1:48:05] staff to not pursue the proposal any
[1:48:07] further until the Grafton Lake watershed
[1:48:08] management plan is complete. Um, so I
[1:48:11] think I have another report on this
[1:48:12] agenda that notes that that's likely to
[1:48:14] be the end of this year. And so that
[1:48:17] just with that alternative just noting
[1:48:18] for council um that that would mean that
[1:48:21] TUP has expired before the graft and
[1:48:23] lake management plan is ant anticipated
[1:48:25] to be complete.
[1:48:28] Um, so with all that in mind, the
[1:48:29] recommendation from staff is to grant
[1:48:32] first reading to the amendment bylaw to
[1:48:33] refer the bylaw and the islands trust
[1:48:36] policy statement checklist to the
[1:48:37] islands trust and direct staff to return
[1:48:39] with the results of that referral. Thank
[1:48:41] you.
[1:48:44] >> Any questions? Council fast, counselor
[1:48:47] wait um just uh to confirm that the
[1:48:52] referral to the islands trust is the one
[1:48:54] that's in our ontable that's correct
[1:48:56] >> package. Okay.
[1:48:58] Thank you. Because I was going to ask
[1:49:00] about the um agricultural uh directive
[1:49:05] policies and uh so they're in this other one. Thank you.
[1:49:11] >> And uh so would the wording for that be
[1:49:14] instead of the attached
[1:49:16] islands trust policy statement would
[1:49:18] just say [clears throat] the island's
[1:49:19] trust policy statement checklist in the
[1:49:21] on table agenda or something like that.
[1:49:24] Anyway, I'll let Sophie think about that. She's probably the one to do
[1:49:28] that. Okay, never mind. Thank you.
[1:49:30] >> Okay, now you've confused me. Do you
[1:49:32] have a revised island stress checklist
[1:49:34] in our package?
[1:49:36] >> It's in the on table. Um,
[1:49:38] >> okay. Cuz that that wasn't clear, I
[1:49:40] guess.
[1:49:41] >> The one Yeah, the one in the published
[1:49:42] agenda was the duplicate of Mount
[1:49:44] Gardner Road.
[1:49:47] Sorry.
[1:49:48] >> Um
[1:49:50] and the other I guess is
[1:49:53] the um definition that the applicant
[1:49:57] wants
[1:49:59] versus the definition you've got in the
[1:50:01] bylaw.
[1:50:03] Is there a comparison of those?
[1:50:06] What's the difference? Just going back
[1:50:08] again.
[1:50:08] >> Yeah, I believe it's in my report. I
[1:50:11] didn't bring here.
[1:50:14] I'm having trouble flipping between
[1:50:16] documents.
[1:50:21] » Okay.
[1:50:33] I guess I'm thinking that the liquor
[1:50:35] distribution branch might be a better
[1:50:38] definition just so we don't they don't
[1:50:41] end up running a follow of them.
[1:50:46] » This is legible. Okay. So with the
[1:50:49] liquor distribution branch for landbased
[1:50:51] winery requirements say 100% of the
[1:50:54] product must be made from fruit grown or
[1:50:55] produced in British Columbia which is in
[1:50:57] our definition. They talk about at least
[1:50:59] 25% of the fruit used in production must
[1:51:02] come from acreage owned or leased by the
[1:51:04] license whereas we seek it to be on the
[1:51:07] lot.
[1:51:08] >> Okay.
[1:51:08] >> And at least 2 acres of fruit orchard
[1:51:10] must be maintained. So the difference
[1:51:12] being that currently we would say 25% of
[1:51:15] the fruit is produced on the lot. Um
[1:51:18] they would not have that requirement.
[1:51:20] Instead they would have a requirement
[1:51:21] that they maintain 2 acres of orchard.
[1:51:27] » Okay. Councelor Wake, I think you had
[1:51:30] >> uh Yes. Thank you. Um so both the parks
[1:51:35] environment and climate action advisory
[1:51:37] committee and advisory planning
[1:51:39] commission have uh stipulated that there
[1:51:43] should be protective covenants on the
[1:51:47] orchard
[1:51:49] uh portion and they there's a I'm not
[1:51:52] sure if it if it's a heritage covenant
[1:51:55] or just a protective covenant but um
[1:52:00] are are that was part of your
[1:52:02] recommendation. I don't I don't see
[1:52:05] >> um I I think I would seek council
[1:52:08] direction if that's desired to be
[1:52:10] included. I think in terms of you know
[1:52:12] the riparian area covenant is is fairly
[1:52:15] straightforward. It's a small portion of
[1:52:17] the lot that's outside the agriculture
[1:52:19] area that is riparian. Um and then in
[1:52:22] terms of agriculture covenant
[1:52:26] um I guess there's different ways
[1:52:28] council could want to go. So one is to
[1:52:29] say that we protect this area as
[1:52:31] agricultural land is fairly
[1:52:34] straightforward, right? You you draw it
[1:52:35] on a map, you say this is agriculture.
[1:52:37] It has to be agriculture can't be used
[1:52:39] for residential purposes or whatever
[1:52:41] else it could be. Um
[1:52:44] and that would protect it as you know
[1:52:46] orchard or other farmland something. And
[1:52:49] then if you want to go the step of you
[1:52:51] know protecting the heritage orchard
[1:52:54] that's a more involved process. I think
[1:52:56] you heard from the public comment, you
[1:52:58] know, somebody proposing it it being a a
[1:53:00] land trust, you would need some way to
[1:53:02] regulate it. If the covenant is supposed
[1:53:04] to say we want to protect the heritage
[1:53:06] trees that they are maintained, that the
[1:53:08] biodiversity is maintained, then you
[1:53:10] then you're looking at okay, who's who's
[1:53:12] monitoring that on a regular basis and
[1:53:14] ensuring follow-up and that's a much
[1:53:16] more comp complicated covenant
[1:53:20] um and more involved.
[1:53:22] Well, it may be much more complicated,
[1:53:23] but I think
[1:53:26] what I'm understanding is that's what we
[1:53:27] should be doing. We should be protecting
[1:53:29] the diversity and um the the specific uh
[1:53:35] heritage of that orchard. Um then the
[1:53:40] question came up, well so if we if we
[1:53:43] don't do that, what's to pre prevent a a
[1:53:46] future owner from basically just keeping
[1:53:50] his agriculture land but letting the
[1:53:51] orchard fail?
[1:53:54] And so I mean my thought would be we
[1:53:56] should be protect
[1:54:05] » through the chair. Thanks.
[1:54:06] [clears throat]
[1:54:07] I I understand the arguments about
[1:54:09] protecting the orchard and the heritage
[1:54:12] of the orchard, but it's also private
[1:54:15] property and telling people what to do
[1:54:18] with private property. I I realize
[1:54:21] there's there certain things we must
[1:54:23] tell them what to do, but telling the
[1:54:27] owner or a potential future owner, you
[1:54:29] must grow apples. You must maintain this
[1:54:32] orchard here.
[1:54:34] We're basically,
[1:54:37] well, not basically, we are telling them
[1:54:39] this is the use of your property, like
[1:54:41] it or not. And and I'm I'm troubled by
[1:54:44] that approach to private property.
[1:54:48] That's my comment.
[1:54:50] >> Councelor Fast. Um, thank you and I
[1:54:54] appreciate the comments. I too um like
[1:54:58] uh councelor wake am interested in a
[1:55:00] conservation covenant for the heritage
[1:55:04] orchard apple trees and uh that's
[1:55:07] because I see them their value more as a
[1:55:09] gene bank and uh as a uh heritage
[1:55:15] um value uh to Canada and beyond. Some
[1:55:18] of that um uh genetic material was
[1:55:22] collected from down in the United
[1:55:25] States. As I understand it, this is a
[1:55:27] international kind of uh gene bank uh
[1:55:30] for our changing climate uh future. Um
[1:55:34] and I would look at in terms of the
[1:55:35] private property part, um I would look
[1:55:38] at it as a uh like a heritage building.
[1:55:42] Um this is a heritage uh property or an
[1:55:46] heritage part of the property that's
[1:55:48] been uh developed and uh by planting
[1:55:52] these her collecting and planting these
[1:55:54] heritage trees and maintaining them uh
[1:55:56] so that they can share the um cutings uh
[1:56:01] the the the twigs with other um people
[1:56:04] because you can't reproduce these
[1:56:07] heritage varieties from seeds. Um and um
[1:56:11] I appreciate the um uh
[1:56:17] conversations that have happened with
[1:56:19] the neighborhood and with the uh ideas
[1:56:22] coming forward from uh people including
[1:56:25] the uh Wellland Community Orchard and
[1:56:28] any others that uh people come up with
[1:56:30] as examples for how such a covenant uh
[1:56:33] or uh arrangement could happen.
[1:56:37] As I recall earlier in the process,
[1:56:39] there was uh interest from prospective
[1:56:43] land owners at the time to working with
[1:56:45] the community to find way um to uh
[1:56:49] involve the community to to care for the
[1:56:52] trees, that kind of thing. And uh so I'm
[1:56:54] in favor of a conservation covenant on
[1:56:57] the heritage apple tree um varieties
[1:57:01] that orchard. Yeah. Thank you
[1:57:06] » councelor Sonnage here.
[1:57:08] >> Um I I want to make sure that my
[1:57:11] positions on this is clear is I I fully
[1:57:14] understand the concept of heritage and I
[1:57:18] and um
[1:57:20] councelor F comments about the genetic
[1:57:23] seedlings. I I get that and and I agree
[1:57:25] with you on that. I I think there's real
[1:57:28] value in that. Um, my concern about it,
[1:57:32] I'm if we're particularly that
[1:57:34] interested in maintaining this, maybe we
[1:57:37] should own it if we're going to have to
[1:57:39] if we're going to tell other people what
[1:57:41] to do with that specific area of the
[1:57:42] property. It just sounds like it sounds
[1:57:46] like an imposition from government that
[1:57:49] isn't warranted um without what without us supporting it in
[1:57:57] uh in some way. Um I I just I struggle
[1:58:02] with the private property part of it
[1:58:03] understanding the uh the comments that
[1:58:06] have been raised already and and
[1:58:08] appreciating them and agreeing with many
[1:58:10] of them. But I I think at its core I
[1:58:12] struggle with the telling people
[1:58:15] more about what to do with their
[1:58:17] property than we already do in many
[1:58:18] cases. I I know I understand the need
[1:58:21] for it. You can't um you know like in a
[1:58:24] lot of cases don't be building your
[1:58:26] building right up against the sea coast
[1:58:28] and things. I understand that. I think
[1:58:31] this one is possibly going beyond that.
[1:58:34] Just my thoughts. Thank you,
[1:58:35] >> Cathery.
[1:58:38] Um, okay. Two or three points. Um, I
[1:58:41] think that the, um, if what we're doing
[1:58:44] is trying to send this off to trust and
[1:58:47] to get through their checklist, then
[1:58:49] that's that's one part of the process.
[1:58:52] And I understand that the um in terms of
[1:58:56] um the timeline and that the um that
[1:58:59] this is being rushed to a certain extent
[1:59:02] um to accommodate the um the owners in
[1:59:05] terms of the continuation of the side
[1:59:08] can't renew the temporary use program.
[1:59:11] They have to have had it uh reszoned. um
[1:59:16] and that they've left that application
[1:59:18] late in the process so that they were
[1:59:20] now trying to push up against that
[1:59:23] timeline. Um so what um the material
[1:59:28] that I've been reading um that was
[1:59:30] attached to this item in the agenda uh
[1:59:33] from Heather Miller in particular but
[1:59:35] also um Margaret Underh Hill and she
[1:59:38] spoke uh Margaret spoke earlier in the
[1:59:41] public thing um uh public statements um
[1:59:47] raise issues and I'm not sure that the
[1:59:50] referral to the island's trust and
[1:59:52] getting it through first reading
[1:59:54] is um
[1:59:56] uh
[1:59:58] necessarily going to interfere with the
[2:00:01] questions that are raised. But I would
[2:00:02] like to put it on record that having
[2:00:04] read this material, I think that it's
[2:00:06] rational and reasonable and sounds fair
[2:00:09] and it's something that I need more time
[2:00:12] on. Um so I'm not prepared to go um I'll
[2:00:16] put the proponents on notice. I'm
[2:00:18] certainly nowhere close to prepared to
[2:00:20] go to second or third reading uh unless
[2:00:22] a whole lot of those questions are
[2:00:24] answered. Um and the question that was
[2:00:27] raised at the APC in terms of and in
[2:00:29] this correspondence with respect to the
[2:00:31] definition of cery and the amount of
[2:00:34] juice that can be brought in. Whether
[2:00:37] that protects the heritage orchard or
[2:00:39] whether that um you know turns it into
[2:00:42] manufacturing instead of agriculture is
[2:00:45] a question that I think needs much
[2:00:47] deeper um conversation. And I think that
[2:00:51] actually that for me opens up the whole
[2:00:53] issue of there being an open house on
[2:00:55] this um and whether or not we should
[2:00:57] resend that decision that we made in May
[2:01:00] before we had a lot of this other
[2:01:02] information on the table. So I think
[2:01:04] that's up in the air as well.
[2:01:07] um the the business of the heritage and
[2:01:10] protecting a heritage asset. Um that's
[2:01:12] the what uh councelor Saunders is
[2:01:15] talking about. That's the struggle that
[2:01:16] goes on with every heritage property.
[2:01:18] It's an interference by the community in
[2:01:21] the private property interests of
[2:01:23] somebody that wants to change things. So
[2:01:25] that's the whole point of heritage
[2:01:28] protection. And um you know, yes, it the
[2:01:32] legislation clearly allows for that kind
[2:01:35] of interference. And it is unusual and
[2:01:37] it's unique and it's a special section
[2:01:39] of the local government act, but it's it
[2:01:42] is allowed and it's a a public community
[2:01:45] definition or decision in terms of yes,
[2:01:48] that's an asset that we think needs to
[2:01:50] be without having to buy it. Um that you
[2:01:53] can put certain conditions on it in
[2:01:55] terms of you know it's something that a
[2:01:57] whole lot of effort was put into
[2:01:58] creating it in the beginning or however
[2:02:00] long ago that was. So um I would say
[2:02:04] that if we move to u a referral to
[2:02:07] islands trust that's one thing in terms
[2:02:10] of this checklist but it's quite an a a
[2:02:13] much more difficult process I think once
[2:02:16] it comes back from trust and we have to
[2:02:19] deal with second and third reading I'm
[2:02:20] nowhere close to being and I'm changing
[2:02:23] my position from when was this last year
[2:02:27] May
[2:02:28] >> May
[2:02:29] >> um so you know I at that point. I
[2:02:32] thought that the problem was that the um
[2:02:35] the neighbors had reconciled to the
[2:02:38] operation of a commercial cery and
[2:02:40] without the bed and breakfast and that major issue had been resolved. And
[2:02:47] now at the you know the 11 11 and a half
[2:02:51] hours there's a whole bunch of other
[2:02:53] material that comes in with respect to
[2:02:54] water in particular and um uh septic and
[2:03:00] um green waste and uh whether or not all
[2:03:03] of that has been put to um Vancouver
[2:03:08] Coastal Health. if I had them here
[2:03:09] today, I'd be asking them some questions
[2:03:11] in terms of whether or not they had
[2:03:14] taken some of these other things into
[2:03:15] consideration and I would certainly hope
[2:03:17] that um staff would take the
[2:03:20] correspondence seriously and maybe ask
[2:03:22] those questions on our behalf of
[2:03:23] Vancouver Coastal Health, but um we
[2:03:26] don't have that material in front of us
[2:03:27] today. So, um
[2:03:30] I'm I don't think that our decision
[2:03:34] today to refer it to trust would
[2:03:36] necessarily change in terms of it having
[2:03:38] going back to trust. So, you know, if we
[2:03:41] can have some of our concerns
[2:03:43] alleviated, that's fine. But, um I agree
[2:03:47] with the very detailed uh conservation
[2:03:51] covenant and protection of a heritage
[2:03:53] value asset in the community. And I'm
[2:03:56] very concerned about the definition of
[2:03:58] the cidery and
[2:04:01] um yeah some of these other water
[2:04:04] concerns that are raised in the the
[2:04:07] correspondence.
[2:04:08] I don't appreciate getting 14 pages of
[2:04:11] detailed um argument on the day of a
[2:04:15] meeting. It's really hard to digest it.
[2:04:17] But that's beside the point.
[2:04:21] So, um, myself and the speakers list,
[2:04:24] too. Um, as a point of information, um,
[2:04:28] all of those detailed letters have come
[2:04:30] from somebody who no longer, as far as
[2:04:33] we can tell, resides on Bowen Island or
[2:04:36] owns property on Bowen Island. Um, and
[2:04:40] those were all sent to us
[2:04:43] directly earlier.
[2:04:45] I mean, my my inbox has been inundated
[2:04:48] with them, so I'm assuming yours has,
[2:04:50] but the other is um is there a way to
[2:04:54] with the definition of apples on the
[2:04:57] lot? Um
[2:05:00] I mean, I'm everybody wants to protect
[2:05:02] the existing trees, but if we had a huge
[2:05:05] awful winter storm and they all died,
[2:05:06] well, they all died and then what do you
[2:05:08] do? Um you can't build something else.
[2:05:11] But could could we put in the word um
[2:05:14] something along the lines in the
[2:05:16] definition of cery that the production
[2:05:17] comes from uh the existing trees from
[2:05:21] fruit grown on the existing trees on the
[2:05:23] lot unless those trees die.
[2:05:27] Um you know so that they could be
[2:05:30] replaced with I mean what happens if
[2:05:32] those trees did get wiped out?
[2:05:35] I mean
[2:05:36] >> they had to replant if there was a
[2:05:37] covenant saying you had to keep those
[2:05:39] trees.
[2:05:41] >> Yeah. To the chair. I mean I think
[2:05:43] that's a question more for the the
[2:05:44] covenant than the cidery definition
[2:05:47] which is more supposed to be like an an
[2:05:49] islandwide definition for the the cidery
[2:05:52] land use.
[2:05:53] >> Okay. So my other question is if we gave
[2:05:55] it first reading today
[2:05:58] and referred it to the trust,
[2:06:01] could the covenant be explored
[2:06:05] um after and be a condition of going you
[2:06:09] know ask staff to explore the covenant
[2:06:12] and then
[2:06:14] at second reading we make it a condition
[2:06:16] of second or third or final reading.
[2:06:20] >> Um I mean yes it can be. So I me and the
[2:06:23] corporate officer had drafted some
[2:06:25] wording of of council wanting to move
[2:06:26] that forward. Um I think the one piece I
[2:06:29] guess would be if if the island trust
[2:06:31] comes back and says well our approval
[2:06:33] would be you know conditional on there
[2:06:35] being a covenant which they've done for
[2:06:36] some reasoning applications then we
[2:06:38] would be saying okay well then clearly
[2:06:40] you know the trust's expectations this
[2:06:42] is this is included as well. Um, but
[2:06:45] definitely, you know, council can amend
[2:06:48] the application at second reading.
[2:06:52] >> Council passed. Thank you. I'd be
[2:06:54] interested in seeing the draft wording
[2:06:57] that uh you and the corporate officer
[2:06:59] have uh talked about.
[2:07:07] Okay. So you've just called it ongoing
[2:07:09] protection of
[2:07:12] >> yeah we written yeah in terms of ongoing
[2:07:14] protection of the biodiversity of the
[2:07:16] heritage orchard. So it's not about
[2:07:17] protection of the agriculture land but
[2:07:19] about but the the idea of ongoing
[2:07:21] protection is saying it's beyond just
[2:07:23] saying you know you can't you can't
[2:07:24] build a house here but there needs some
[2:07:26] provision for ongoing protection.
[2:07:29] >> Well I like that because it doesn't mean
[2:07:31] that it has to be a conservation
[2:07:33] covenant. There could there's other
[2:07:34] tools
[2:07:35] >> uh potentially. Um
[2:07:38] but if that's the wording from staff, if
[2:07:41] I move that now, can we still move on to
[2:07:43] the um uh giving it first reading and um
[2:07:48] >> I I would see those two as sort of
[2:07:50] happening and then and then the
[2:07:52] recommendation if council wishes. So
[2:07:55] yes.
[2:07:56] >> Okay. Then I move that council direct
[2:07:59] staff to seek protection of the riparian
[2:08:01] areas as a condition of reasonzoning
[2:08:03] approval and that council direct staff
[2:08:06] to seek ongoing protection of the
[2:08:07] biodiversity of the heritage orchard as
[2:08:10] a condition of reasonzoning approval.
[2:08:16] » Second.
[2:08:21] » All in favor?
[2:08:23] All right.
[2:08:25] >> Okay.
[2:08:27] >> Um and then
[2:08:29] are you going to move the second part of
[2:08:31] the motion?
[2:08:32] >> I would be delighted to. Um
[2:08:36] this is the same as it's in our package,
[2:08:38] I think. Okay. um that bylaw number 726
[2:08:41] cited as Bowen Island Municipality Land
[2:08:43] Use bylaw number 57, 2002, amendment
[2:08:47] bump number 726,2026
[2:08:50] be read a first time and that council
[2:08:53] refer uh bylaw number 726206
[2:08:58] and the wording from Sophie about the on
[2:09:02] the um islands trust policy statement
[2:09:06] checklist. list.
[2:09:09] Uh,
[2:09:09] >> sorry, just go. It's on the It's on the
[2:09:12] screen.
[2:09:12] >> Oh, thank you. Uh, checklist included in
[2:09:15] the on table items package of the July
[2:09:18] 27 regular council meeting to the
[2:09:20] island's trust and that council uh
[2:09:23] direct staff to return with the results
[2:09:25] of the referral.
[2:09:26] >> Do we have a seconder? Council Saunders.
[2:09:29] All in favor?
[2:09:31] I [clears throat]
[2:09:33] Good. I have a quick question.
[2:09:38] Do you have a question?
[2:09:39] >> Yeah. Okay. Um Daniel, don't disappear.
[2:09:42] >> U just a quick question for the planner.
[2:09:44] Um and do any of these um resolutions
[2:09:49] preclude council from moving to public
[2:09:50] hearing at a later date um as this
[2:09:54] application proceeds.
[2:09:55] >> Thank you. That's a great great
[2:09:56] question. I was going to raising it for
[2:09:58] council Getty. Um so typically when when
[2:10:01] there's no public hearing required and
[2:10:04] where council's given the notice, we
[2:10:05] would come back as staff um for the
[2:10:07] bylaw for consideration of second and
[2:10:09] third reading. We would bring an
[2:10:11] alternative which would be council would
[2:10:12] give second reading and refer to a
[2:10:14] public hearing at that time.
[2:10:17] >> Okay,
[2:10:18] >> if that's clear.
[2:10:19] >> So if we want to proceed to public
[2:10:20] hearing, we do it after second.
[2:10:22] >> Correct.
[2:10:23] >> Okay.
[2:10:25] >> Thank you.
[2:10:29] Okay.
[2:10:31] Oops. Have we lost everybody here? Uh,
[2:10:34] staff report solid waste service
[2:10:36] agreement. Christina Cali.
[2:10:46] Thank you, council. I haven't prepared a
[2:10:48] presentation, but I can walk you through
[2:10:49] the staff report.
[2:10:51] Okay. So staff are seeking council
[2:10:54] direction to issue a notice of intent
[2:10:55] for a proposed 2-year solid waste
[2:10:57] services agreement with Bowen Waste
[2:10:59] Solutions. This is for the period of
[2:11:01] January 1st, 2027 to December 31st,
[2:11:04] 2028.
[2:11:06] Bowen Waste Solutions is is the
[2:11:08] municipality's current contractor and
[2:11:10] has provided continuous solid waste
[2:11:12] services on Bowen Island since 1994.
[2:11:15] Their proposed agreement would maintain
[2:11:16] existing service levels for garbage,
[2:11:18] organics, recycling, collection, as well
[2:11:21] as operation of the bird facility,
[2:11:23] ensuring uninterrupted service while the
[2:11:25] municipality completes a comprehensive
[2:11:27] review of its long-term solid waste
[2:11:29] system.
[2:11:31] In addition to maintaining current
[2:11:32] services, the negotiated agreement
[2:11:34] includes a commitment from Bow and Waste
[2:11:36] Solutions to work collaboratively with
[2:11:38] the municipality, Recycle BC, and
[2:11:41] potentially other extended uh producer
[2:11:43] responsibility recycling programs in
[2:11:45] order to inform the development of an
[2:11:47] updated solid waste strategy for Bowen
[2:11:49] Island. This work will support
[2:11:52] evaluation of future opportunities which
[2:11:54] could include potential participation in
[2:11:56] recycle BC assessment of depot versus
[2:11:59] curbside recycling models analysis of
[2:12:02] recycling revenues and costs possible on
[2:12:05] island solid waste or composting
[2:12:06] solutions as well as the identification
[2:12:09] of long-term service delivery options
[2:12:10] that maximize both environmental and
[2:12:13] financial benefits.
[2:12:16] The negotiated contract value is 1.434
[2:12:18] 434 million annually. This is
[2:12:21] representing a 14.5% increase over the
[2:12:24] current agreement. This increase
[2:12:26] reflects higher labor, fuel,
[2:12:28] transportation, equipment, maintenance,
[2:12:30] and regulatory costs experienced by
[2:12:32] Bowen Waste over the term of the
[2:12:34] existing contract.
[2:12:36] The two-year term was intentionally
[2:12:38] selected to provide a short-term cost
[2:12:40] certainty while preserving flexibility
[2:12:42] to implement recommendations from the
[2:12:44] forthcoming solid waste strategy.
[2:12:47] Uh preliminary analysis indicates that
[2:12:49] participation in recycle BC could
[2:12:50] provide significant financial benefits
[2:12:53] as well as enhance recycling performance
[2:12:55] which would make it important that the
[2:12:56] municipality retain flexibility while
[2:12:58] these opportunities are fully evaluated
[2:13:00] over the next two years.
[2:13:02] Issuing a notice of intent would support
[2:13:05] the transparency and compliance with
[2:13:06] procurement uh requirements by providing
[2:13:09] an opportunity for other qualified
[2:13:11] suppliers to demonstrate their ability
[2:13:13] to deliver comparable services. If no
[2:13:16] valid changes or challenge is received,
[2:13:18] staff will proceed with finalizing the
[2:13:20] agreement and return to council for
[2:13:22] approval. If a valid challenge is
[2:13:25] received, staff will undertake
[2:13:26] competitive procurement process.
[2:13:28] >> Thank you.
[2:13:30] >> Would somebody like to move the motion
[2:13:32] or has questions?
[2:13:35] >> I'll move the motion.
[2:13:40] » Want me to read it?
[2:13:41] >> Yeah. [laughter]
[2:13:42] Uh the council directs staff to post a
[2:13:46] notice of intent to proceed with a
[2:13:48] direct award to Bowen Waste Solutions,
[2:13:50] Inc. for a solid waste services
[2:13:53] agreement and that upon expiry of the
[2:13:56] notice period without receipt of a valid
[2:13:58] challenge that staff will be authorized
[2:14:00] to enter a 2-year contract beginning
[2:14:03] January 1st, 2027 with Bowen Waste
[2:14:06] Solutions, Inc. for1,443
[2:14:11] 434,112
[2:14:13] per year and further that should the
[2:14:15] notice be successfully challenged staff
[2:14:18] will be directed to undertake a
[2:14:20] competitive procurement process
[2:14:22] including a request for proposals in
[2:14:25] accordance with the applicable
[2:14:27] procurement policies and legal
[2:14:29] requirements. Seconder council Getty.
[2:14:33] Any questions, discussion? All those in
[2:14:35] favor?
[2:14:40] » Thank you.
[2:14:40] >> Can I take a two-minut break or I'm
[2:14:43] going to disappear for
[2:14:44] >> couple minutes?
[2:14:52] » Have we still got?
[2:14:53] >> Yeah, we've got four. Well, I don't
[2:14:54] know. We've lost two two members right
[2:14:56] now. I think just roll everybody.
[2:14:59] >> I think we're taking a twominut break.
[2:18:50] Everyone, my name is Mer Bornia. I'm the
[2:18:53] new manager of infrastructure with Roy
[2:18:56] Municipality.
[2:18:57] Today I will provide an update on the
[2:19:00] emergency repairs at the Snove North and
[2:19:03] South WS. This is an information update
[2:19:06] only and I'm not asking council for any
[2:19:09] direction or approval. I will just
[2:19:11] explain what we have found, what we have
[2:19:14] done so far and what happens next.
[2:19:18] This is the agenda [clears throat] of my
[2:19:20] today's presentation. I will begin with
[2:19:22] some background on why why these warves
[2:19:25] are important. I will then explain what
[2:19:27] the structural assessment have found the
[2:19:29] immediate the immediate safety measures
[2:19:32] that you have taken the periscope
[2:19:35] how the work will be completed approval
[2:19:38] costs schedule and risk and last but not
[2:19:42] least the long-term plan for these
[2:19:43] warfs.
[2:19:46] Um the area photo that you see on this
[2:19:49] slide u has been taken by my drone. It
[2:19:53] shows north and south bars um are next
[2:19:56] to BC Ferris terminal. These barves
[2:20:00] support public access, vessel morage,
[2:20:02] municipal operations and the ambulance
[2:20:05] and emergency vehicle access.
[2:20:08] The warves are supported on timber piles
[2:20:12] in salt water and are exposed to tides
[2:20:15] and marine borers which damage the
[2:20:17] timber from the inside.
[2:20:20] When the concerns were identified, we
[2:20:23] have acted quickly and emergency
[2:20:25] inspection was completed on June 12th
[2:20:28] followed by a detailed assessment on
[2:20:30] June 16.
[2:20:32] So what did the assessment found in
[2:20:35] summary? Widespread marine border damage
[2:20:38] and localized advanced deterioration.
[2:20:42] The photos on this slide show the main
[2:20:45] concern better than I can explain. Some
[2:20:48] piles might appear reasonably solid from
[2:20:51] the outside but contain large internal
[2:20:54] cavities. The assessment also found
[2:20:57] timber decay, splitting, the
[2:21:01] deterioration of the pile caps and the
[2:21:04] stringers. In total, 12 structure
[2:21:08] components were identified for immediate
[2:21:10] repair or replacement.
[2:21:13] Other components identified will need
[2:21:16] require will require near-term
[2:21:18] rehabilitation and ongoing monitoring
[2:21:23] immediate safety measures. So we did not
[2:21:27] wait for the perimeter repair design
[2:21:29] before taking action.
[2:21:31] Temporary full height timber support
[2:21:34] post were installed beside the two most
[2:21:36] deteriorated part. This is what you see
[2:21:38] in this photo here. We also introduced
[2:21:42] operating restrictions.
[2:21:45] Only essential municipal emergency
[2:21:48] vehicles are permitted with a maximum
[2:21:51] speed of 5 kilometer per hour and only
[2:21:53] one vehicle at a time. We train access
[2:21:56] remains available and emergency and
[2:21:58] ambulance access is maintained.
[2:22:04] So in this slide I have briefly shown
[2:22:08] the the repaircope.
[2:22:11] The repair scope includes replacement of
[2:22:14] severely deteriorated timber piles,
[2:22:17] replacement of deteriorated timber uh
[2:22:21] timber pile caps, localized stringer and structural connection repairs, rehab
[2:22:28] rehabilitation of piles with large
[2:22:30] cavities with grafted steel jacket to
[2:22:32] restore part capacity in locations where
[2:22:35] pile placement is not feasible. So if
[2:22:38] contractor cannot get access to fully
[2:22:41] replace a pile, what they do is that
[2:22:43] they're going to fill the cavity with
[2:22:44] grout and then protect it with steel
[2:22:47] jacket. This is what this detail is
[2:22:49] showing here. Um removal of deteriorated
[2:22:53] or marine infested timber from site and
[2:22:56] reinstatement of decking and other
[2:22:58] temporary removed components.
[2:23:03] A common question that might be asked is
[2:23:07] how the construction will be done.
[2:23:10] Um most of the answer to that question
[2:23:12] is that the most of the work will be
[2:23:15] completed from the water side. The dark
[2:23:18] areas on these slide show the
[2:23:21] approximate barge positioning.
[2:23:24] Um the red area is pile driving
[2:23:27] equipment on top of the barge. We have
[2:23:30] retained a specialized marine contractor
[2:23:33] who is equipped with a specialized wars.
[2:23:36] that uh have pile driving equipment
[2:23:39] and they also have boats that can go in
[2:23:42] between the piles that are underneath
[2:23:44] the the the pier structure.
[2:23:52] What one thing that is um important to
[2:23:55] note on this slide is that during the
[2:23:57] active construction we plan to install
[2:24:00] operable gates. The operable gates will
[2:24:04] keep public out of the active
[2:24:06] construction zone but it will let the
[2:24:09] emergency vehicle and ambulance to go
[2:24:12] through the gate. Um that also includes
[2:24:15] the owners of these um boats that are
[2:24:17] parked here. So it's going to be closed
[2:24:19] to public but it will allow the
[2:24:22] necessary people to pass through. The
[2:24:24] other thing that's important to mention
[2:24:27] is that and this is going to be a phased
[2:24:29] operation. Phase one would be the
[2:24:32] southwarf and that's where the
[2:24:34] contractor is is planning to position
[2:24:36] their barge to do the repair from the
[2:24:38] water side. Phase two is going to be the
[2:24:41] north pier and that's where the
[2:24:44] contractor is planning to position their
[2:24:46] barge to do the repairs. So these gates
[2:24:48] will be installed when there's going to
[2:24:50] be active construction on each of these
[2:24:52] wars
[2:24:54] where we stand with approvals and a
[2:24:56] stakeholder coordination. We have
[2:24:58] submitted an application to DFO because
[2:25:01] we are doing work over over and inside
[2:25:04] the water. The application is currently
[2:25:06] in review pending approval. We have
[2:25:09] submitted the documentation to our own
[2:25:11] building department. We have coordinated
[2:25:14] with transport Canada. They have
[2:25:17] confirmed that this work doesn't require
[2:25:20] navigation program approval mainly
[2:25:22] because it meets the requirement
[2:25:25] uh mainly because it meets the
[2:25:27] definition of repair as opposed to
[2:25:29] rebuild. We have also had a meeting with
[2:25:32] BC fairies on last Friday. They have
[2:25:34] raised some concern about the size and
[2:25:38] dimension of the barge. Therefore, they
[2:25:40] has asked the contractor to submit a
[2:25:42] drawing that shows exactly where they're
[2:25:45] going to um position their equipment in in respect to BC Fair's operational
[2:25:52] envelope.
[2:25:56] Uh the total cost of the project at this
[2:25:59] point is estimated at $260,000.
[2:26:03] The cost includes the the contractor's
[2:26:07] fee as well as consulting cost which
[2:26:09] includes a structural and environmental.
[2:26:12] We have used emergency procurement to
[2:26:15] procure the contractor and consultant
[2:26:17] mainly because when the concerns were
[2:26:20] identified the the time of failure could
[2:26:23] not be reliably predicted. So that's why
[2:26:25] we went ahead and um and hired both the
[2:26:30] consultant and contractor.
[2:26:32] In terms of project timeline, uh as you
[2:26:35] can see on this slide, things have moved
[2:26:37] pretty quickly since we since the
[2:26:40] concerns were identified. Uh we are
[2:26:42] currently here. We had our meeting with
[2:26:45] BC Fairies. We will submit the
[2:26:47] documentation that they have um asked us
[2:26:50] to provide. The construction is
[2:26:52] anticipated to begin mid August pending
[2:26:57] receiving approvals from DFO and
[2:26:59] approval of BC fairies to move forward
[2:27:01] with the work. The target completion
[2:27:04] date is September 15. However, if we can
[2:27:08] start earlier in August, uh we are
[2:27:10] aiming to complete everything before the
[2:27:12] month of September.
[2:27:16] Risks and mitigation. So like every
[2:27:19] construction project, this project has
[2:27:21] its own risks. It's important to
[2:27:24] identify them and have appropriate
[2:27:27] response for each identified risk. I'm
[2:27:30] not going to go over all the risk that
[2:27:32] we have identified. But to give you just
[2:27:35] one example, an example of the risk that
[2:27:37] was identified was a risk of internal
[2:27:41] damage not visible from surface. And the
[2:27:44] proper risk respond for that was
[2:27:46] resistorraph testing by the structural
[2:27:50] consultant before the construction
[2:27:51] begins. And then field verification and
[2:27:54] engineering review during construction.
[2:27:56] So if contractor comes across piles that
[2:28:00] he seems suspicious of needing to be
[2:28:03] replaced, you're going to bring us bring
[2:28:05] us to our attention and we will move
[2:28:07] forward with replacing those as well.
[2:28:11] Long-term wolf management. I want to be
[2:28:13] very clear about what these repels will
[2:28:16] and will not achieve. The project
[2:28:19] addresses the highest priority
[2:28:21] deficiencies.
[2:28:22] However, marine border activity is
[2:28:25] present at several location across both
[2:28:28] WS and will continue.
[2:28:31] Because of this, we need a long-term
[2:28:34] asset management program. Their
[2:28:36] recommended future measures are regular
[2:28:39] tide structural inspection, targeted
[2:28:42] resistorraph testing for piles that are
[2:28:45] suspicious of having cavities inside
[2:28:47] them, monitoring of the repaired and
[2:28:50] previously identified piles, removal of
[2:28:53] infested timber debris from site, pile
[2:28:56] encapsulation or jacket system at
[2:28:58] priority locations. a phase
[2:29:01] rehabilitation and renewal strategy and
[2:29:04] future capital planning um for these
[2:29:07] bars to make sure every year there's
[2:29:09] budget to do the proper measures for for
[2:29:13] these barbs.
[2:29:16] With this I conclude uh my presentation
[2:29:19] and I am open to questions from council
[2:29:22] and the public. Thank you.
[2:29:24] >> Any questions councelor Getty? Um so
[2:29:29] somewhere in your report you talk about
[2:29:31] uh trying to find measures to prevent
[2:29:33] the marine borers.
[2:29:34] >> That's correct. Um, and my
[2:29:38] vague knowledge is that they used to use
[2:29:40] creassote on the pilings, but that was
[2:29:43] um considered to um put unnecessary
[2:29:47] chemicals into the water, which um was
[2:29:50] part of the cleanup of house sound in
[2:29:52] terms of wrapping the piles with I think
[2:29:54] it was something as simple as netting to
[2:29:56] keep the maybe it was the muscles, not
[2:29:59] the bores. But um in in terms of
[2:30:04] whatever preventative measures um are
[2:30:06] going to be considered um then I think
[2:30:09] we have to talk about the environmental
[2:30:11] protection at the same time. Um, so I'd
[2:30:14] like you to keep that in mind. And I'm
[2:30:16] wondering if there's any alternatives in
[2:30:17] terms of the materials that are can be
[2:30:20] used for ponds like possibly cement or
[2:30:25] um some metal although it's salt water
[2:30:28] but
[2:30:30] through the chair. Um in terms of
[2:30:32] protection um the protection methodology
[2:30:35] that BCeries has also lose on their
[2:30:39] piles is the use of I think HTTP
[2:30:42] membrane to cover this piles to protect
[2:30:45] them against marine activity. However,
[2:30:47] we need to compare the cost of that with
[2:30:51] full replacement of the pile because it
[2:30:53] could be that the cost associated with
[2:30:55] that repair is higher than the full
[2:30:58] replacement of the P. We have the cost
[2:31:00] associated with full replacement as a
[2:31:03] result of the work that we are doing
[2:31:04] now. But that's a good um subject to
[2:31:07] discuss with the structural engineer and
[2:31:09] contractor to find out what's the best
[2:31:12] solution for our situation.
[2:31:15] >> And um I've got two other questions. Is
[2:31:18] there going to be a fairly complete
[2:31:20] assessment done before construction
[2:31:22] starts so that we have while we've got
[2:31:24] the equipment on site um if we if it's
[2:31:26] within budget that we can do as much
[2:31:29] protection as possible.
[2:31:31] >> So a full assessment was completed
[2:31:34] >> but the scope of assessment was to
[2:31:36] identify the immediate concerns which
[2:31:39] were safety issue. the ones the what
[2:31:42] cons um consultant has recommended
[2:31:46] they are basically safety issues and we
[2:31:48] need to take care of them immediately.
[2:31:50] However, we can I I will discuss with
[2:31:54] the consultant whether um there are
[2:31:56] protection measures that we can take
[2:31:59] during the construction if that is if
[2:32:02] that is considered feasible.
[2:32:04] And lastly on the um south dock um the
[2:32:10] float that's attached to it that's
[2:32:13] heavily used by visitors.
[2:32:15] >> Yes,
[2:32:15] >> boat visitors. So how do we keep them
[2:32:17] off?
[2:32:18] >> And second part of that is that that's
[2:32:21] notifying the public. How do we notify
[2:32:24] and and is there a plan to notify the
[2:32:26] bed and breakfast operators that are in
[2:32:28] the area that are going to be disturbed
[2:32:31] by the pile driving?
[2:32:34] My understanding is that um
[2:32:37] the communication will be done through staff to public and they will be
[2:32:43] informed of these upcoming operations.
[2:32:46] In terms of visitors going over the um
[2:32:49] dock, we are going to put operable gates
[2:32:53] there and we're going to put signage
[2:32:55] there that the public are not allowed
[2:32:58] and people who are allowed are basically
[2:33:00] the ambulance and the owners of the
[2:33:03] boats who are park on that dock. It's a
[2:33:07] risk measurement. It's a riskmanagement
[2:33:10] um effort to limit public access to make
[2:33:13] sure during active construction we don't
[2:33:16] have public wandering around those
[2:33:18] ducks. So that's why we're going to put
[2:33:21] a upper gate with proper signage that
[2:33:24] can be accessed by um by um authorized
[2:33:28] personnel.
[2:33:30] >> So we don't really have any we're not
[2:33:32] closing down the float for tourists
[2:33:34] coming in.
[2:33:36] I would say for tourists we have to
[2:33:39] close it down. Only the people who have
[2:33:42] u boats parked there
[2:33:44] >> should go through because if you think
[2:33:47] about it this is going to be an active
[2:33:49] construction zone. The contractor knows
[2:33:51] that once they leave the site they have
[2:33:53] to um put the condition of the site in a in a condition that the ambulance
[2:34:00] can go through. But I would not
[2:34:03] recommend giving general public access
[2:34:06] to these docks during the construction
[2:34:08] especially that the construction
[2:34:10] duration is not that long.
[2:34:13] >> I think the one to two weeks
[2:34:15] >> CAO had a comment.
[2:34:16] >> Uh thank you through the mayor to
[2:34:18] counselor Getty I can add to that too.
[2:34:20] We have had a coordinating meeting with
[2:34:22] um a large number of staff to try and
[2:34:24] identify all of the different um
[2:34:26] interest holders who would need to be
[2:34:28] notified ahead of time. um talking about
[2:34:31] notification of the the those residents
[2:34:33] right in Snug Cove was part of that
[2:34:35] conversation. Um the manager of
[2:34:39] infrastructure did indicate that it was
[2:34:41] his understanding that all of the
[2:34:43] construction activity would be taking
[2:34:44] place during daylight hours. However, he
[2:34:46] is going to follow up with that because
[2:34:49] of course it's working in the water with
[2:34:51] tides and if there is to be nighttime
[2:34:54] construction then absolutely members of
[2:34:56] the community need advanced and
[2:34:58] significant knowledge about that
[2:35:00] potential. We are planning on closing
[2:35:02] the float to um to tourists. So, we are
[2:35:07] going to be contacting two of the
[2:35:09] marinas in Horseshoe Bay and in West
[2:35:12] Vancouver that often send their tourists
[2:35:14] to say, "Hey, it's a great trip to come
[2:35:16] on over to Bowen for the day." We are
[2:35:18] going to do a very big advanced
[2:35:21] communication plan ahead of time to make
[2:35:23] sure that all of the relevant parties
[2:35:26] that we can identify ahead of time have
[2:35:28] advanced knowledge of this um activity
[2:35:30] going on.
[2:35:31] >> Okay. Councelor Saunders.
[2:35:32] >> Thank you to the chair. Um, you may have
[2:35:34] addressed this in your presentation and
[2:35:36] I missed it. Is there any reason to
[2:35:39] expect that ferry schedules might be
[2:35:41] impacted during operations or should be
[2:35:44] non-issue
[2:35:46] >> to the chair? Um, no. No impact on ferry
[2:35:50] schedule is expected unless something
[2:35:52] unforeseen happens that is beyond
[2:35:54] everybody's control. [laughter] But the
[2:35:56] contractor has confirmed that they can
[2:35:58] work from the water side and they will
[2:36:00] stay out of F's operational envelope and
[2:36:05] we had a coordination meeting on Friday
[2:36:06] with them and uh also BC fairies did not
[2:36:09] mention anything about any disruptions
[2:36:12] in their operation as a result of our
[2:36:14] voters.
[2:36:15] >> Thank you.
[2:36:17] >> Anybody else? Councelor Wake
[2:36:20] >> through the chair. Uh thank you for a a
[2:36:23] very thorough report. This this gives me
[2:36:26] confidence. Um just following up on the
[2:36:28] question about materials. Um where were
[2:36:31] replacing piles? Is there any option for
[2:36:34] steel or something that uh wouldn't rot?
[2:36:40] >> To the chair. Um the plan is like for
[2:36:43] leg replacement, but that's a good
[2:36:46] question. I can uh ask that question
[2:36:48] from the structural engineer and provide
[2:36:51] reasoning about why we can move forward
[2:36:54] with the steel.
[2:36:56] >> Thank you.
[2:36:57] >> And I had a question sort of along the
[2:37:00] same lines I guess. um if all of the
[2:37:03] piles are in say one side or one corner
[2:37:05] or something like that. I mean has
[2:37:07] anybody thought about just making the
[2:37:09] war smaller on the north dock, not uh
[2:37:13] you know not replacing the whole thing
[2:37:15] if the piles are all in one particular
[2:37:17] area. And I I know the dock dance for
[2:37:19] the fire chief would be
[2:37:22] impacted, but other than that, you know,
[2:37:24] I mean, do we need that big a north dock
[2:37:28] >> through the chair? um on the north or
[2:37:31] even south dock. We don't plan to
[2:37:33] replace all piles. It's only 12 members
[2:37:35] that are identified for emergency
[2:37:37] replacement
[2:37:38] >> and they're interspersed throughout the
[2:37:40] they're not all along the one side or
[2:37:42] something like that.
[2:37:43] >> They're they're scattered to some
[2:37:45] extent, but on the south dock luckily
[2:37:48] most of them are on one end of the pier
[2:37:52] which allows the contractor to to do
[2:37:54] their repair work from the water side.
[2:37:56] they're not in kind of in the middle
[2:37:59] that requires basically taking out the
[2:38:01] deck and do the work. There one or two
[2:38:03] piles that are in the middle and for
[2:38:06] those
[2:38:07] what the contractor will do is that
[2:38:09] they're going to temporarily support
[2:38:11] everything from the bottom and they do
[2:38:13] the replacement from the steel from
[2:38:15] below.
[2:38:16] >> Yeah. No, I was more thinking of you
[2:38:18] know the north dock cert.
[2:38:22] So I was just thinking if all the piles
[2:38:25] were the one end of the north dock then
[2:38:27] make it smaller
[2:38:28] >> through through the mayor to your
[2:38:30] question. Uh there's actually not a
[2:38:32] significant amount of work that has to
[2:38:34] take place on the north dock. There's I
[2:38:36] think two piles is
[2:38:38] >> there's much limited the extent of
[2:38:40] damage to the north pier is much smaller
[2:38:44] than the
[2:38:45] >> than the south than the south beer.
[2:38:47] >> Okay. So, it's only a pile cap and I
[2:38:51] think maybe one or two columns that need
[2:38:53] to be replaced.
[2:38:54] >> Yeah. Okay, great. Any more questions?
[2:38:59] » Um, sure. Since you're looking at me, I
[2:39:02] just uh thank you. I'm really happy to
[2:39:04] see the safety of that uh do of the
[2:39:07] docks addressed and uh I always wondered
[2:39:11] about the dock dance and all the people
[2:39:13] jumping up and down at the same time and
[2:39:15] uh would like to be sure that we've been
[2:39:18] as careful as possible. So, thank you
[2:39:20] very much.
[2:39:21] >> Okay, thank you for your presentation.
[2:39:23] It was great.
[2:39:26] » Okay, who's up next? Oh, Daniel's back.
[2:39:48] Thank you. Yes, I'm back again. I don't
[2:39:50] have a presentation with this. This is
[2:39:51] an update on the septic um septic
[2:39:54] maintenance bylaw implementation plan.
[2:39:56] And so what is in the report is just um
[2:40:00] essentially status update on where we
[2:40:01] are in providing more information that
[2:40:03] would form the basis of that
[2:40:04] implementation plan. Um specifically the
[2:40:06] Grafton Lake management plan and our
[2:40:08] work with Vancouver Coastal Health to
[2:40:10] get data on existing septic fields on
[2:40:12] Bowen Island. Um so the recommendation
[2:40:15] is that council receive this report for
[2:40:17] information and then I'm open for any
[2:40:19] questions you might have.
[2:40:21] >> Does anybody have any questions on the
[2:40:23] report?
[2:40:27] Can we have a motion to receive?
[2:40:32] » Okay, you're going to make the motion to
[2:40:34] receive. Motion
[2:40:35] >> to receive.
[2:40:36] >> Thank you. A seconder. Thank you. Um,
[2:40:39] all in favor?
[2:40:41] >> I.
[2:40:43] >> Well done. [laughter]
[2:40:45] >> Sophie, can you bring up the key?
[2:40:48] >> Okay. Um, the next one is uh 8.4, 4
[2:40:51] which is our quarterly um municipal
[2:40:54] report and then 8.5 and 8.6
[2:40:58] our acting CEO and CFO have those three.
[2:41:02] >> Uh thank you mayor through the mayor to
[2:41:04] the rest of council. I just wanted to
[2:41:06] take the opportunity to thank staff for
[2:41:08] putting together the Q2 spring update to
[2:41:11] council. Um this report it covers a very
[2:41:14] uh busy time for staff. These are
[2:41:16] activities reported from the month of
[2:41:18] April through the month of June. It's
[2:41:20] typically a busy time for all of our
[2:41:22] staff. Uh in the corporate services
[2:41:24] department, uh the ongoing work to
[2:41:27] review and update bylaws, policies, and
[2:41:29] procedures is ongoing. The big project
[2:41:32] for this reporting period of course
[2:41:34] includes managing the procurement and
[2:41:35] installation of the new audiovisisual
[2:41:37] equipment in this the conference room.
[2:41:40] Uh this was also supported um with an
[2:41:43] accessibility component that was funded
[2:41:45] with a $25,000 uh spark grant. Ongoing
[2:41:49] support is provided by the corporate
[2:41:51] services department to municipal
[2:41:53] projects such as the OCP review um and
[2:41:56] all of that work that is undertaken by
[2:41:58] the communications and the deputy
[2:42:00] corporate officers work following up
[2:42:03] with our finance department. Uh work on
[2:42:05] the 2025 audit was wrapped up during
[2:42:08] this period. Um, we had acceptance of
[2:42:11] council's acceptance of the 2025 audited
[2:42:13] financial statements as well as
[2:42:15] submission of all required government
[2:42:18] reports to the province which were
[2:42:20] submitted and approved. Uh, this period
[2:42:22] also marked the approval of the 2026
[2:42:26] 5-year financial plan and setting of the
[2:42:29] annual tax rates and sending out of all
[2:42:31] the tax notices and collection of the
[2:42:33] annual property taxes. So Q2 marks a
[2:42:36] very busy period in the financial
[2:42:38] services department. The engineering and
[2:42:41] public works department has been busy
[2:42:43] with a new project that's begun. As you
[2:42:45] just learned, the um the docks located
[2:42:48] in Snug Cove as well. A large culvert
[2:42:51] replacement on Dorman Road has been
[2:42:53] started at Davies Creek and that will
[2:42:55] move um forward as well as work that was
[2:42:59] undertaken um up on Taylor Road at
[2:43:01] Dallas at Dallas Drive was completed
[2:43:05] which resulted in improved drainage and
[2:43:07] road structure there. Um work on the
[2:43:10] wastewater treatment plant. So within
[2:43:12] the sewer system uh currently there has
[2:43:14] been a technical review of the sewer
[2:43:16] inflow and infiltration project. So
[2:43:18] council can expect an update uh results
[2:43:21] from that project next quarter as that
[2:43:24] review is taking place over the summer.
[2:43:26] Um a lot of uh work was undertaken in
[2:43:30] quarter 2 on a new bylaw to update the
[2:43:32] sewer regulations addressing the fog,
[2:43:35] the fats, oil and grease going into the
[2:43:37] wastewater treatment plant. And work on
[2:43:39] the sewer outfall um I'm happy to report
[2:43:43] is still progressing albeit at a snail's
[2:43:45] pace. A lot of the um the hold up in
[2:43:49] that project moving that forward has to
[2:43:50] do um beyond factors of our control.
[2:43:53] It's around permitting approvals and
[2:43:54] things that are done at the provincial
[2:43:56] level. Uh staff have completed
[2:43:58] significant program of ongoing flushing
[2:44:01] and PRV pressure reducing valve uh
[2:44:04] maintenance throughout all seven of our
[2:44:06] water systems. And um as we move into
[2:44:09] the summer and implementation of our uh
[2:44:11] water conservation and restriction uh
[2:44:14] requirements though we are monitoring
[2:44:16] those and making sure that uh that
[2:44:19] people are abiding by those uh water
[2:44:21] conservation regulations.
[2:44:23] Routine maintenance is going on at the
[2:44:25] wells and pump stations and um lots of
[2:44:29] work going on around installation of
[2:44:31] backflow prevention devices in several
[2:44:34] of the systems. Parks and trail work is
[2:44:36] going on underway during this period,
[2:44:38] especially when the spring when we have
[2:44:40] the combination of sun and warm
[2:44:42] temperatures and rain. Um, a lot of
[2:44:45] really kickstarted vegetation growth.
[2:44:47] So, you see a lot of activity around the
[2:44:50] island on brushing maintenance programs.
[2:44:52] Significant progress made as well in the
[2:44:55] public works department on the
[2:44:56] implementation of their software, new
[2:44:58] asset management systems software which
[2:45:00] was acquired and is being implemented.
[2:45:03] And I hopefully you've all seen the new
[2:45:05] citizen request portal that's up and
[2:45:07] operational. And that's an opportunity
[2:45:09] for citizens to um directly enter their
[2:45:12] own service requests. You know, if they
[2:45:13] see a pothole, they can notify the
[2:45:15] public works department. And we'll get
[2:45:17] that into our worklist and a work order
[2:45:19] created for that. Um this report, it
[2:45:22] also contains some nice looking graphs
[2:45:24] there that report publicly on the
[2:45:26] numbers and the types of uh service
[2:45:29] requests that have been logged during
[2:45:30] the period. and the team has been busy
[2:45:33] managing and prioritizing those
[2:45:35] requests. Uh moving on to fire and
[2:45:37] emergency department. They've been busy
[2:45:39] with ongoing firefighter training
[2:45:41] opportunities uh including a lot of
[2:45:43] wildland firefighting rural water
[2:45:45] supply. You may have noticed a recent um
[2:45:48] notification that the department has
[2:45:51] achieved water shuttle accreditation uh
[2:45:53] through the fire underwriters surve uh
[2:45:56] fire underwriters survey recently. So,
[2:45:59] this is great news for our residents as
[2:46:01] it provides the opportunity to
[2:46:02] potentially review their home insurance
[2:46:04] policies and perhaps uh receive some
[2:46:07] discounts to their premiums as the new
[2:46:10] um underwriter survey accredititation uh
[2:46:12] the benefits of achieving that kick in.
[2:46:15] Um I should note too that firefighter
[2:46:17] volunteers responded to 54 callouts and
[2:46:19] attended a whopping 555 hours of
[2:46:22] training during the second quarter of
[2:46:24] 2026. Our emergency program has hosted a
[2:46:27] successful um emergency preparedness
[2:46:30] week speaker event. Um they've
[2:46:32] undertaken a do-it-yourself fresh air
[2:46:34] filter construction project and this is
[2:46:36] particularly meaningful at this time of
[2:46:38] the year where residents can learn how
[2:46:40] to improve their own indoor air quality
[2:46:42] through a a cheap and fun project. Um
[2:46:46] it's a necessary way to make
[2:46:47] improvements to our air quality and we
[2:46:49] should all be mindful and cognizant of
[2:46:52] the wildfire risk um at this time
[2:46:54] especially in um many of areas of our
[2:46:56] province at the at this time. Uh the
[2:46:59] recreation department has reported
[2:47:01] hosting over 6,000 v uh visitors to the
[2:47:04] community center this quarter. Um our
[2:47:06] fitness center visits are up 31%. They
[2:47:09] have an average of about 18 to 20 users
[2:47:12] per day in the weight room. We had 915
[2:47:15] program registrants along with 321
[2:47:18] drop-in participants and 1659
[2:47:22] fitness center visits this quarter
[2:47:24] alone. So the usage by the community of
[2:47:26] this facility is strong and it speaks to
[2:47:29] the support that the community has um of
[2:47:32] this facility. Events that were held
[2:47:34] included the moonflower screening of the
[2:47:37] Bowen Island filmmaker in support of
[2:47:39] World Oceans Day. Skate days are
[2:47:41] continuing for the youth programming um
[2:47:43] in partnership with IPS down at the
[2:47:45] fieldhouse and um completion has uh the sorry the bike barn mural has been
[2:47:54] completed down um at the cove with the
[2:47:56] work going on at the dock. We're going
[2:47:58] to hold off on any kind of unveiling of
[2:48:00] that mural until the fall when the
[2:48:01] work's completed down there in the
[2:48:04] theater. Uh the report you'll see in
[2:48:06] there that it sets out the events that
[2:48:07] have taken place. It's also um been
[2:48:11] noted that staff have arranged for
[2:48:13] installation of the handrails in the
[2:48:15] theater which have been which have
[2:48:16] proven to be a real important and
[2:48:18] necessary safety upgrade. Uh
[2:48:20] installation of a new donated orac
[2:48:23] broadcast system um from Sky. This is a
[2:48:27] system that was donated from Sky and it
[2:48:29] will um assist in a new hearing um uh
[2:48:34] system that's more robust and easier to
[2:48:36] use. Lastly, uh I'm proud to announce
[2:48:39] that BIM received a KMA award for
[2:48:41] innovation for design of this facility
[2:48:44] and uh this award took place in May and
[2:48:48] we won it in the category for small
[2:48:50] municipalities under 20,000 for this
[2:48:52] building. In the parks department,
[2:48:55] there's been new signage for indigenous
[2:48:57] names um that have been gifted to the
[2:49:00] beaches on the west side of the island.
[2:49:01] It's been ordered and the province has
[2:49:03] recently approved those proposed name
[2:49:06] changes. Swimmer safety upgrades uh were
[2:49:09] undertaken by the installation of a life
[2:49:11] boy that was uh installed at Sandy Beach
[2:49:14] and new uh handles to assist swimmers
[2:49:17] from getting out of the water have been
[2:49:19] installed on the Mount Gardener dock.
[2:49:21] We've been um exploring options of
[2:49:23] community forest models to expand
[2:49:26] stewardship over crown lands. And the
[2:49:28] big event in June, of course, um if you
[2:49:31] missed it, you can still uh go online
[2:49:33] and and view it. It was a wildlife
[2:49:35] safety education event with wildlife
[2:49:38] experts and the Metro Vancouver parks,
[2:49:40] the RCMP conservation officers all
[2:49:42] taking part. And I recommend everybody
[2:49:44] go online and and watch that event. Um
[2:49:47] it was a a busy time for our planning
[2:49:50] department. Of course, they're still
[2:49:51] working on several initiatives. Most
[2:49:53] importantly, of course, is the OCP
[2:49:54] review. just that has just recently
[2:49:57] closed the round two engagement process
[2:50:00] and those results will be delivered to
[2:50:02] council in the fall. The ongoing
[2:50:05] initiative to reszone municipal lands as
[2:50:07] parks um is wrapping up and that will
[2:50:10] help to ensure that public lands are
[2:50:11] held and protected for recreational,
[2:50:14] environmental and community purposes in
[2:50:16] perpetuity. the work of the septic
[2:50:19] maintenance program review as um planner
[2:50:21] Martin [clears throat] has just
[2:50:22] indicated it is uh just kind of on hold
[2:50:26] while we uh work through this OCP
[2:50:29] process but uh we're going to pick this
[2:50:31] one up again um in the new year once the
[2:50:33] OCP review has concluded um bylaw has
[2:50:36] been very busy supervising and
[2:50:38] overseeing the fairy marshalling program
[2:50:40] um we're halfway through the summer the
[2:50:42] program has proven to be very successful
[2:50:44] uh adding to the safe and orderly
[2:50:47] marshalling of vehicles and pedestrians
[2:50:49] in Snugo. The work um again I'd like to
[2:50:53] commend their work publicly. It's very
[2:50:56] important to assist keeping that ferry
[2:50:58] loading on time, hassle-free, and
[2:51:00] contributing to on-time operations of
[2:51:02] the ferry. Um other work within the
[2:51:05] bylaw department has been to support the
[2:51:08] uh development of the new um fog, fat,
[2:51:10] oil, and grease regulation in the sewer.
[2:51:12] So, uh, Doug has been out taking many,
[2:51:16] um, samples of, uh, water from grease
[2:51:20] traps throughout all of the food service
[2:51:22] establishments, and we'll be working
[2:51:23] with those businesses quite closely in
[2:51:25] order to implement those recommendations
[2:51:28] beginning um, you know, beginning this
[2:51:30] month. there there's going to be ongoing
[2:51:32] checking and compliance and requirements
[2:51:34] for making sure that that um that the
[2:51:37] fog going into our wastewater treatment
[2:51:39] system is kept to a minimum which we
[2:51:42] anticipate is going to help to address
[2:51:44] the smell.
[2:51:46] Uh lastly in bylaw they've got a new
[2:51:48] violation ticket maintenance module that
[2:51:50] has been implemented. So that software
[2:51:53] has been acquired. It's going to
[2:51:54] streamline the violation ticket tracking
[2:51:56] and monitoring process going forward. HR
[2:52:00] is busy uh new hires for the manager of
[2:52:02] infrastructure role. So uh we welcome
[2:52:05] our new manager of infrastructure. Of
[2:52:07] course there's ongoing recruitment
[2:52:08] opportunities for ferry marshallers um
[2:52:11] ongoing opportunities for auxiliary
[2:52:13] custodial staff as well as um new meter
[2:52:16] readers in the public works department.
[2:52:18] We're supplementing their staff capacity
[2:52:21] by hiring casual meter readers. And
[2:52:25] there's always ongoing uh recruitment,
[2:52:27] interviewing and and posting and filling
[2:52:30] work going on there. Um
[2:52:33] should be noted uh when we look at the
[2:52:37] section of the report on the library, uh
[2:52:39] the library bid a bond farewell to our
[2:52:42] 30 plus year chief librarian, Tina
[2:52:44] Nielsen. Staff and council wish Tina a
[2:52:46] happy and fulfilling retirement after
[2:52:48] years of dedicated service in that role.
[2:52:50] And I would like to take the opportunity
[2:52:53] to welcome Jennifer Strechman to the
[2:52:55] role as Bowen's new chief librarian.
[2:52:57] She's working hard to develop new
[2:52:59] programming and services to fill those
[2:53:01] big shoes left behind by Tina and
[2:53:04] Jennifer's here in attendance today. So,
[2:53:06] thank you. Um, lastly, the work of the
[2:53:09] strategic initiatives officer is
[2:53:11] ongoing. Projects worked on and advanced
[2:53:13] this quarter include the drafting of the
[2:53:15] new purchasing policy, uh development of
[2:53:18] a systemic ferry traffic data collection
[2:53:20] process which is being used to gather
[2:53:23] information uh about uh numbers of cars,
[2:53:27] numbers of overloads that are left
[2:53:28] behind. All pieces of data that we um we
[2:53:32] can only really collect from this side
[2:53:34] and that BC fairies I'm sure will be
[2:53:36] keen to share um as we move forward.
[2:53:40] There's initiation of a new solid waste
[2:53:42] contract that will be kicking off the
[2:53:44] two-year period where the municipality
[2:53:46] will investigate the potential to join
[2:53:48] with recycle BC in managing our
[2:53:50] recycling streams. Discussions have been
[2:53:53] taking place and are ongoing with Circle
[2:53:55] Fairies to explore the feasibility of
[2:53:58] new passenger onlyly ferry service in
[2:54:00] the Cove. very high level discussions at
[2:54:02] this point, but um they certainly have
[2:54:05] indicated a keen interest to include
[2:54:07] Bowen um as a stop off for their new
[2:54:09] service.
[2:54:11] Um and lastly, the library included a
[2:54:15] summary of the programming and events
[2:54:17] that have been taking place um at the
[2:54:19] library, including very successful
[2:54:21] summer reading club, implementation of
[2:54:24] accessibility improvements to assisted
[2:54:26] technology, including some new
[2:54:28] computers, uh dedication of new spaces
[2:54:30] for large print books, and it was
[2:54:33] interesting, they provided comparative
[2:54:35] statistics on business um on sorry, on
[2:54:37] visits on the lending of books and the
[2:54:40] man material. sales and electronic
[2:54:41] lending, as well as the new items added
[2:54:44] to the collection, which showed an
[2:54:46] impressive year-over-year increase. So,
[2:54:49] this report is included in the agenda.
[2:54:51] It's comprehensive, it's easy, it's fun
[2:54:53] to read, and I recommend taking a look
[2:54:54] at it to learn about what is happening
[2:54:56] and the work taking place by both
[2:54:58] municipal staff, uh, department
[2:55:01] managers, and our communications staff.
[2:55:03] I thank them all for their work in
[2:55:05] putting the report together and I would
[2:55:07] like to give council the opportunity to
[2:55:09] ask any questions of the senior managers
[2:55:11] here today should you seek clarity or in
[2:55:14] addition to the information on any of
[2:55:16] the items included in that report.
[2:55:19] >> Anybody got questions? Council for
[2:55:21] Getty.
[2:55:22] >> Um sorry with respect to the report on
[2:55:25] recreation and in particular the bike
[2:55:27] barn mural. Um, I want to give a shout
[2:55:30] out to uh Jamie Schffer because this
[2:55:32] young artist um Simeon Deutsch
[2:55:36] Deutschinov
[2:55:37] um came to the hearth and uh wanted to
[2:55:41] replace a wall full of graffiti with uh
[2:55:43] some of his art and um you may not it's
[2:55:47] on page 12 of this report and the what
[2:55:49] the mural it actually says the word
[2:55:51] Bowen so it's it's contemporary art that
[2:55:56] you might need a little help with but
[2:55:58] it's one of our little symbols, the
[2:56:00] deer, right in the middle of it. So, um,
[2:56:02] both Jamie and Simeon figured out how to
[2:56:05] go through the process. Um, this was
[2:56:07] when the public art advisory committee
[2:56:09] was was up and running. And, uh, it's it
[2:56:11] was almost exciting to see it in the
[2:56:14] report. It had been finished. So, shout
[2:56:17] out to the artist and to, um, Jamie in
[2:56:20] terms of getting this one completed.
[2:56:25] » Whoops. Counselor F. Um, thank you. I
[2:56:28] um, this is a question for the CEO. I
[2:56:31] think did I hear you mention that the
[2:56:34] electric circle ferry exploring circle
[2:56:38] ferry in the cove or did you mean?
[2:56:43] >> Uh, no. I I meant the cove. They
[2:56:45] initially had a plan to head out to
[2:56:48] Seymour Bay. I think with um the timing
[2:56:52] of that development probably doesn't
[2:56:54] align with their wish to um get some
[2:56:58] kind of service going. So in the
[2:56:59] interimm they're keen to look at Snug
[2:57:02] Cove as a drop off point for foot
[2:57:04] passenger air um service only. Thank
[2:57:07] you.
[2:57:09] >> Anybody else?
[2:57:11] So, I can't resist
[2:57:14] um asking the manager of environment,
[2:57:16] [laughter]
[2:57:17] has she had any confirmation on the
[2:57:19] cougar?
[2:57:21] [laughter]
[2:57:27] » Thank you, chair, for the question. No,
[2:57:29] we have not received any confirmation
[2:57:31] about the um cougar's presence on the
[2:57:34] island. Um currently, the last update we
[2:57:38] gave was on July 8th. there is a um news
[2:57:42] release that everyone can read to uh
[2:57:45] that's that's the last update we've
[2:57:47] received from conservation and um
[2:57:50] nothing further on that.
[2:57:51] >> Thank you.
[2:57:54] >> Anybody else? So um we need um a motion
[2:57:58] that uh council I I'll move that council
[2:58:01] receive the 2026 quarter 2 quarterly
[2:58:03] report as presented at its July 27th
[2:58:06] 2026 meeting for information.
[2:58:08] >> Second.
[2:58:09] >> Thank you. All in favor?
[2:58:10] >> I.
[2:58:14] » Okay.
[2:58:15] >> Budget update.
[2:58:16] >> Uh, thank you. Item 8.5 is a quarter 2
[2:58:19] budget update. Um, I will like to start
[2:58:23] this presentation off just with a quick
[2:58:25] review of property tax collection
[2:58:27] statistics. Um, in 2026, the total taxes
[2:58:32] levied were just over $18.2 million. And
[2:58:35] as of uh July 2nd, the due date, we had
[2:58:38] collected um about 17.1 million. So
[2:58:42] that's a collection rate of about 94%
[2:58:46] which is um in line with previous years.
[2:58:48] We range about 93% um of our taxes
[2:58:52] collected by the due date. So that's
[2:58:53] really good news. It shows that people
[2:58:55] are um not not paying their taxes in
[2:58:59] favor of paying other bills. they are
[2:59:01] maintaining their um priority on paying
[2:59:04] those property taxes of course because
[2:59:06] it is a significant penalty for late
[2:59:08] payments. So um I'm happy to see that is uh staying high. Um kind of
[2:59:14] handinhand in that is the property tax
[2:59:16] deferment statistics. Um it was very
[2:59:18] interesting this year with the changes
[2:59:20] to the provincial government's interest
[2:59:21] rate on the deferment program. Um, last
[2:59:24] year we had 293
[2:59:27] uh applicants for the property tax
[2:59:29] deferment program. This year it was
[2:59:31] dropped way down by 43%. We had only 168
[2:59:36] um applicants for the program this year.
[2:59:39] Uh last year the amount deferred was
[2:59:41] just over almost $1.9 million in
[2:59:44] property taxes and this year it's with
[2:59:46] the fewer number of applicants it's
[2:59:48] dropped down to 1.1 million. So that's a
[2:59:50] decline of as I said 43%.
[2:59:53] um residents participating in the
[2:59:56] program. And you can only chalk that up
[2:59:59] to the change in the um very favorable
[3:00:02] interest rate that until now the
[3:00:04] provincial government had um had applied
[3:00:06] to that program. Uh average deferral is
[3:00:09] about $6,987.
[3:00:13] Um so looking at our uh financial
[3:00:18] results up till second quarter um we
[3:00:22] have our taxation revenue taxation
[3:00:24] revenue is very much in line with
[3:00:26] budget. Um there was a change in the
[3:00:29] number of folios between the preliminary
[3:00:31] budget and the final budget. So there
[3:00:33] was an overestimation of a few folios.
[3:00:36] So, our our solid waste parcel tax
[3:00:38] revenue is down by about $7,700
[3:00:41] than what we had budgeted for. Um, there
[3:00:44] are no other um property tax appeals
[3:00:47] that are underway at the moment that um
[3:00:50] that would indicate that we should be
[3:00:52] concerned in any way about the property
[3:00:54] tax revenue figure that we will um that
[3:00:57] we will uh receive for this year. Other
[3:01:00] fees and charges of course are
[3:01:02] categories such as development fees and
[3:01:04] business licenses, recreation revenue
[3:01:06] and warf fees. Um I do believe that that
[3:01:10] possibly could be a little bit lower
[3:01:12] than budget. A couple of things um that
[3:01:15] are driving that of course with this big
[3:01:17] warf project that's going on and the
[3:01:19] closure of the dock. I'm assuming that
[3:01:21] we're going to have reduced um warf
[3:01:24] revenue this year. So I put a provision
[3:01:25] in for that as well as um we do have we
[3:01:29] are noticing again a slowdown in b in
[3:01:33] building activities. So I do believe
[3:01:35] there's a possibility that we will not
[3:01:37] meet our um our building permit revenue
[3:01:41] target for this year but uh I do believe
[3:01:43] that we should be close maybe about
[3:01:45] $10,000 under. So uh all in all we'll be
[3:01:48] very close on that line item. Our
[3:01:50] federal grant revenue is typically tied
[3:01:53] to specific projects. Um I do believe
[3:01:56] that the OCP review process, we may need
[3:01:59] to access some potential uh housing
[3:02:03] potentially if we can access the housing
[3:02:05] accelerator funds to fund any overages.
[3:02:08] Um I do believe that we could uh require
[3:02:12] use of almost up to $20,000 of that
[3:02:15] funds in order to complete the OCP
[3:02:17] review project. Other um uses of the
[3:02:20] housing accelerator funds this year will
[3:02:22] be 120,000 to complete the wastewater
[3:02:26] treatment plant inflow and infiltration
[3:02:28] program. We are um committed to
[3:02:30] providing birch with $150,000 of funding
[3:02:34] and as well uh they we do have set aside
[3:02:37] $20,000 to complete the sewer DCC bylaw
[3:02:40] project. Um fed provincial grants that
[3:02:44] we'll be receiving this year. There's
[3:02:46] about $132,000 left of Fires Smart
[3:02:49] funding to support the coordinator
[3:02:50] position as well as the assessments and
[3:02:52] the rebates and the community events
[3:02:54] that take place under that program.
[3:02:56] $230,000 of funding approximately is
[3:02:59] remaining towards the Eagle Cliff water
[3:03:01] main portion of the project. Uh there's
[3:03:04] about $50,000 funds remaining in the OCP
[3:03:08] development approvals grant project.
[3:03:10] About 25,000 of Spark grant funding was
[3:03:13] received and used to finance the
[3:03:14] accessibility component of this room and
[3:03:17] $150,000 of Translink funding has been
[3:03:20] included in the budget in order to
[3:03:22] undertake the upcoming project to
[3:03:24] improve trunk road.
[3:03:27] Um I'll talk a little bit about our
[3:03:29] other revenues. They include things like
[3:03:32] late pay late payment penalties or
[3:03:34] interest on unpaid taxes. Uh we do
[3:03:37] believe that that should come in at
[3:03:39] approximately 144,000 this year. Last
[3:03:42] year it came in at 153,000. So not a
[3:03:46] significant amount of variance
[3:03:47] year-over-year.
[3:03:49] And as well we do have um a couple of
[3:03:53] other items in this revenue category
[3:03:55] where there we we anticipate that we'll
[3:03:57] have variances. One of them of course is
[3:03:59] the fact that we are collecting money
[3:04:00] and setting aside for the Knickknack
[3:04:02] Nook building project. We've received
[3:04:04] approximately $31,000 there, which we
[3:04:07] are holding aside for the new building
[3:04:09] replacement at the Knickknack Nook. And
[3:04:12] we have approximately 16,000 of new
[3:04:15] revenue that came through the public
[3:04:16] works department as we are um
[3:04:19] undertaking agreements with homeowners
[3:04:20] who are encroaching on public property
[3:04:23] to um um collect annual fees for the for
[3:04:26] the right to continue that encroachment.
[3:04:29] So that's um unbudgeted revenue and it's
[3:04:32] a new program started this year. Our
[3:04:34] investment revenue uh potentially could
[3:04:37] be down. Um interest rates have stayed
[3:04:40] lower than maybe um anybody anticipated
[3:04:43] this year given the fact that there is
[3:04:45] ongoing turmoil uh with tariffs with war
[3:04:49] in Iran. um interest rates are likely to
[3:04:53] increase for the second half of the
[3:04:55] year, but so far they have managed to
[3:04:57] stay quite low um for the first half of
[3:04:59] the year. So I am putting a provision in
[3:05:02] there that it is possible that we could
[3:05:04] um not reach our investment income
[3:05:06] target of 250 this year for the general
[3:05:08] fund and and I've uh projected that to
[3:05:10] perhaps be as low as 200. So um putting
[3:05:14] those um you know those conservative
[3:05:17] estimates in there means that we are
[3:05:21] probably going to come in quite close on
[3:05:23] our revenue targets
[3:05:25] and nothing certainly that is going to
[3:05:27] put us in any kind of financial um cons
[3:05:31] concern if we um if we
[3:05:35] nothing that's expected to put us in any
[3:05:37] kind of financial concern. Our
[3:05:39] operations expenses are um uh quite
[3:05:42] close to budget uh for the most part our
[3:05:44] fire and emergency which has a
[3:05:46] significant potential budget variance
[3:05:48] there. It's mostly related to the fact
[3:05:50] that we have not received the grant
[3:05:53] funding for the EOC program this year
[3:05:56] nor the grant funding for the ESS
[3:05:57] program this year. So um we're planning
[3:06:01] uh to be under budget because we're not
[3:06:03] going to be incurring the expenses
[3:06:05] related to those grant-f funded programs
[3:06:07] as well. So, we are taking a hit on the
[3:06:09] revenue side, but we're taking an
[3:06:10] offsetting hit on the um expense side as
[3:06:13] well. Um public works has uh a little
[3:06:16] bit of a delay in hiring. It's got some
[3:06:18] other savings that we've um managed to
[3:06:21] achieve from um like for example the ice
[3:06:24] and snow purchases. Our we had a very
[3:06:26] mild winter where we didn't do very much
[3:06:29] plowing or sanding and we managed to
[3:06:31] save some money there. there's potential
[3:06:33] that we are not going to be spending all
[3:06:35] of our arborous budget these years. I've
[3:06:37] just estimated some some savings in some
[3:06:40] of those line items and and all in all
[3:06:43] adding all of those up, we could
[3:06:44] possibly come in at about $100,000
[3:06:47] savings in that budget line item this
[3:06:49] year. Um
[3:06:52] what else is a significant variance
[3:06:54] there?
[3:06:55] uh strategic planning is under that of
[3:06:58] course has our contingency of
[3:07:00] approximately $80,000
[3:07:02] um included within that budget line item
[3:07:04] and we have not um currently identified
[3:07:08] a need for that contingency. So um if
[3:07:11] all goes well to the end of the year, we would expect to be under budget in
[3:07:14] that line item. Um as well in our
[3:07:19] community and facility management
[3:07:21] program uh we do budget for uh provision
[3:07:25] for backfilling of the community center
[3:07:27] manager. We um estimate that that all
[3:07:32] sickness or vacation leaves will be will
[3:07:35] be backfilled and um we've just managed
[3:07:37] to kind of um do a minimum amount of
[3:07:40] backfilling for those. So, we we do
[3:07:42] potentially uh will see some savings in
[3:07:45] that line item as well. Contributions to
[3:07:47] reserves, they've all been posted as
[3:07:49] budgeted. Um at the end of the year, any
[3:07:52] unspent um any unspent operations will
[3:07:55] also get posted to uh contribution to
[3:07:58] accumulated surplus. I'll talk a little
[3:08:00] bit about our capital expenditures. You
[3:08:02] know, we spend the first three months
[3:08:03] kind of developing our budget still. We
[3:08:05] spend the next three months approving
[3:08:07] the budget and we really get into the
[3:08:09] bulk of the capital work in this period
[3:08:11] right now. So, um I will have a much
[3:08:15] more comprehensive expenditure report to
[3:08:18] provide you at the end of Q3 when the
[3:08:20] summer work um starts taking out.
[3:08:22] There's a lot of RFPs that have recently
[3:08:24] gone out are right in the process of
[3:08:26] being awarded and we're going to be
[3:08:28] undertaking significant portion of our
[3:08:31] capital spending um at that time. So
[3:08:33] next quarterly variance you will see um
[3:08:35] the roll out of our capital program. Um
[3:08:38] so I don't have anything else. I'm happy
[3:08:41] to take questions about the report or um
[3:08:44] provide any other information.
[3:08:51] you commented on one thing in there that
[3:08:53] we hadn't received the grants both for
[3:08:57] um emergency ESS and
[3:09:01] >> but they were both related to the
[3:09:02] emergency program.
[3:09:03] >> That's right. [clears throat] So every
[3:09:05] year we apply for um an EOC an emergency
[3:09:08] operations center grant of about between
[3:09:10] 30 and $40,000.
[3:09:12] that was not um approved this year and
[3:09:16] nor was the $30,000 grant that we
[3:09:18] applied for to support our emergency
[3:09:21] social support uh volunteer.
[3:09:23] >> But none of that has any impact on um
[3:09:26] >> bottom line
[3:09:27] >> on on the um staffing or positions that
[3:09:31] are in that emergency operations
[3:09:34] section. No, we fund all of the staffing
[3:09:37] um out of the municipal taxation budget
[3:09:39] and the grants are extra events,
[3:09:42] workshops, tabletop exercises, those
[3:09:44] sorts of things that we would normally
[3:09:45] undertake.
[3:09:46] >> Anybody else got any questions?
[3:09:49] So, I will move that um council receive
[3:09:52] the 2026 quarter 2 quarterly report. Am
[3:09:57] I getting the right one? At its as
[3:09:59] presented at its July 27 No, just a
[3:10:02] minute. Am I in the right one? No, I'm
[3:10:04] not. Um, I would move that council
[3:10:06] receive the 2026 quarterly 2 budget
[3:10:09] update as provided at its July 27, 2026
[3:10:13] meeting for information.
[3:10:14] >> Yeah, second.
[3:10:15] >> Second. Okay, we'll give councelor wake
[3:10:17] that one. All in favor?
[3:10:20] >> I
[3:10:23] so 8.6. Lastly, uh the last update
[3:10:26] report for council. Uh I just wanted to
[3:10:29] give you uh a bit of an oversight of
[3:10:32] where you're at with your strategic plan
[3:10:34] objectives uh for this point in your
[3:10:36] council term. Um
[3:10:39] looking at the first uh area of
[3:10:43] priority, those objectives related to
[3:10:46] diverse and resilient community. Um
[3:10:48] several of the objectives are going to
[3:10:52] be complete are complete now or will
[3:10:54] reasonably be complete um by the end of
[3:10:57] the council term in the fall. Um for
[3:10:59] example, the MRDT bylaw, you'll be
[3:11:02] looking at a recommendation from the
[3:11:04] planner coming forth at your first
[3:11:05] meeting back in September as to whether
[3:11:08] or not to move forward with that uh
[3:11:11] municipal regional district taxation
[3:11:14] bylaw.
[3:11:15] um the wastewater DCC bylaw will be uh
[3:11:19] we'll be looking at getting that done by
[3:11:21] the fall. There is a developer meeting
[3:11:24] uh a meeting with the development
[3:11:25] community scheduled for September 21st
[3:11:28] and that of course is um a bylaw that is
[3:11:31] set to collect uh funds from new people
[3:11:35] joining the wastewater system. So that's
[3:11:37] been in the works for quite a long time
[3:11:39] and that developer meeting is a key part
[3:11:42] of that bylaw. Um ongoing and updating
[3:11:46] things. Um we will be looking uh
[3:11:50] probably in the new council term to
[3:11:52] update uh the agreement with the hearth.
[3:11:55] Um do a new agreement with family place
[3:11:58] and as well as tourism bowen. That of
[3:12:00] course is um dependent on the results of
[3:12:03] the MRDT bylaw process. [clears throat]
[3:12:06] So at the same time we are hoping to um
[3:12:09] continue to work with BC fairies uh
[3:12:12] moving towards um uh we do have of
[3:12:16] course we do have a bylaw that has been
[3:12:18] uh moved by council to three readings.
[3:12:21] Um that is uh just on the on the council
[3:12:25] agenda be looking at uh what council
[3:12:28] wants to do with that bylaw in the fall.
[3:12:30] But again, we are hoping to work with BC
[3:12:33] fairies as our partner to improve safe
[3:12:35] and orderly ferry marshalling in the
[3:12:37] cove. Um, moving to the next area
[3:12:39] priorities are the strong and
[3:12:41] infrastructure asset management. A lot
[3:12:43] of policy work um is going on there.
[3:12:47] I have uh quite a few policies that are
[3:12:51] um on my work plan. Most importantly,
[3:12:53] redoing the planning and budgeting
[3:12:55] decision-making policy. Um I expect that work will begin over the summer. Um
[3:13:01] may not likely be uh complete by um
[3:13:05] September. Um but that will be a new one
[3:13:08] for council consideration in the new
[3:13:09] term. Um work to roll out those asset
[3:13:13] report cards. Um a significant amount of
[3:13:15] work has been included um in that
[3:13:18] project and we do believe that the uh
[3:13:21] the road condition assessment will be
[3:13:24] complete by the end of October 2026. So
[3:13:26] having that report um will be um
[3:13:29] instrumental in informing the director
[3:13:31] of engineering's uh road plan for 2027.
[3:13:35] Uh water master plan, the RFP is being
[3:13:38] finalized. that will be going out um and
[3:13:41] posted uh looking for submissions on
[3:13:43] that um in the fall. and as will the um the report for
[3:13:51] uh the
[3:13:54] asset management plan. The overall asset
[3:13:56] management plan RFP is also currently in
[3:13:59] review and that will be posted very soon
[3:14:01] in the next couple of weeks and um we'll
[3:14:03] be looking to award that um in the fall
[3:14:06] and work be um be underway on that
[3:14:09] initiative.
[3:14:10] Um
[3:14:13] I think the new term can look forward to
[3:14:16] development of the new solid waste
[3:14:18] management strategy. The sewer outfall
[3:14:20] project as I mentioned is underway
[3:14:22] waiting for a permitting process but
[3:14:24] that is probably one that that capital
[3:14:27] project will be undertaken and and well
[3:14:29] underway into the new council term in
[3:14:32] the fall. And as well uh something that
[3:14:35] is really um great to for me to be
[3:14:39] reporting on is the work that's been
[3:14:41] done on Cove Bay. So everything that we
[3:14:44] can do internally given the plant as its
[3:14:47] existing um capacity is working as
[3:14:51] optimally as we can get it to get it to
[3:14:54] operate. Um the work on the intake flush
[3:14:57] has been completed which is creating a
[3:15:00] much cleaner source of water going in
[3:15:01] which produces a cleaner source of water
[3:15:03] going out. Um work that needs to be
[3:15:06] undertaken now is to develop some uh
[3:15:09] potential technology for pre-treatment
[3:15:11] and that um amount of work is what will
[3:15:14] be going on and starting with the next
[3:15:17] council in the new term. So, um looking
[3:15:20] at improvements and upgrades to um to
[3:15:24] address the quality of the water that
[3:15:26] goes into the plant will, um we'll be
[3:15:31] looking at ways to fund that, ways to uh
[3:15:35] come up with options and will be part of
[3:15:38] the budget process for the director of
[3:15:40] engineering um come the fall. And
[3:15:43] lastly, engaged community and infect and
[3:15:46] effective government. Um these are items
[3:15:49] that are really ongoing things. Um we
[3:15:53] can always uh undertake programs and
[3:15:56] practices that continuously uh you know
[3:15:59] for continuous improvement to ensure
[3:16:01] that the um community is engaged in our
[3:16:04] government are more effective. So, one
[3:16:06] of the things that has recently been um
[3:16:09] adopted just today by council was
[3:16:11] adoption of the new procurement
[3:16:13] purchasing policy um as well as the
[3:16:17] projects to install the interpretive
[3:16:19] signage um on the westside beaches.
[3:16:21] These are things that are complete tick
[3:16:24] we can mark those off and then the
[3:16:26] ongoing work of course cons um continues
[3:16:29] to do the relationship building with
[3:16:31] Squamish Nation. Uh we're looking at
[3:16:34] moving the project forward to um
[3:16:36] construct the welcome figure outside the
[3:16:38] front of the um community center and as
[3:16:42] well um implementation of accessibility
[3:16:45] um uh implementation of the
[3:16:47] accessibility plan is always going to be
[3:16:49] an ongoing um project. Building
[3:16:52] accessibility features into every new
[3:16:54] project that we that we take on is just
[3:16:56] going to be a new filter, a new lens
[3:16:58] through which every project is is looked
[3:17:00] at. Um
[3:17:02] and for the last point, your responsible
[3:17:05] ecosystem protection objectives. Um if
[3:17:08] you want to mark off in the complete
[3:17:10] box, we've got the um the MRDT tax which
[3:17:14] will drive that tourism sector um to
[3:17:18] develop new modes of of um
[3:17:25] sorry uh finalizing the municipal land
[3:17:28] zoning designation is the second point
[3:17:30] that um council could put a check mark
[3:17:33] box in complete and as well as
[3:17:35] completion of the builder's workshop.
[3:17:37] Then the ongoing things that will
[3:17:39] probably carry forward into the new
[3:17:41] council includes as I said ongoing
[3:17:44] engagement with Squamish Nation
[3:17:46] regarding the OCP um the septic the new
[3:17:49] septic management bylaw and as well
[3:17:52] looking at options to manage graywater
[3:17:54] reuse. All of those uh little projects,
[3:17:59] not little, but um all of those projects
[3:18:01] will uh be ongoing things that the new
[3:18:04] council will uh continue to work on in
[3:18:08] the new term starting in 2026.
[3:18:12] >> Any questions?
[3:18:14] Councelor Gettys
[3:18:15] >> on the last page under forest landscape
[3:18:18] management um this is uh there's a word
[3:18:21] at the very last under status of July 26
[3:18:24] it says complete um but staff will
[3:18:27] continue to explore alternative options
[3:18:30] for stewardship of crownlands. I was at
[3:18:32] one meeting and it was very interesting
[3:18:34] and productive and um but there was a
[3:18:37] lot of uh followup and homework. So I
[3:18:40] would ask that you remove the word
[3:18:42] complete
[3:18:44] in that
[3:18:47] >> one point.
[3:18:47] >> I think it said complete because the
[3:18:49] staff report had come back to council um
[3:18:52] to uh provide the information about the
[3:18:54] community for us. Um that's not to say
[3:18:57] that that there aren't more.
[3:18:58] >> I thought that was the start. [laughter]
[3:19:02] >> Does the manager of parks and
[3:19:03] environment have anything to add to that
[3:19:05] one?
[3:19:07] Um, thanks for asking. I think we just
[3:19:11] put complete because we thought that uh
[3:19:15] in terms of the council direction to
[3:19:17] look into forest landscape plans that portion of the research was done
[3:19:23] and that council had decided not to move
[3:19:25] forward with the forest landscape plan
[3:19:27] or a community forest and that the um
[3:19:30] direction from council was then to kind
[3:19:32] of shift into looking at different uh
[3:19:35] methods for community uh stewardship of
[3:19:39] properties.
[3:19:40] Um I [clears throat]
[3:19:42] though that the other that um the
[3:19:45] meeting that we did have moved back a
[3:19:47] little bit into community forest but I
[3:19:49] think uh in terms of the council
[3:19:51] direction that's not um what I have
[3:19:55] currently
[3:19:56] um so I would I would say for this
[3:19:58] strategic plan that that item is
[3:20:04] >> that's my recollection.
[3:20:06] Anybody [clears throat]
[3:20:07] else? Okay. So, I will move that council
[3:20:12] receive the strategic plan status update
[3:20:15] as presented at its July 27th, 2026
[3:20:17] regular council meeting for information.
[3:20:20] Second. All in favor? I.
[3:20:24] >> Okay. All right. We're on new business.
[3:20:28] Um Mayor Leonard isn't here on the Metro
[3:20:31] Vancouver board meeting. Um but
[3:20:34] interestingly there was a press release
[3:20:36] that came out right after that and they
[3:20:38] are going forward to the province for
[3:20:40] the reduction of the size of the board
[3:20:43] not the number of votes each
[3:20:45] municipality has and I very quickly
[3:20:47] looked at it. The board size will go
[3:20:50] from 41 to 34 which means the city of
[3:20:53] Vancouver is losing four representatives
[3:20:55] but no no loss of votes and Siri is
[3:20:58] losing three. So it it we and I think we
[3:21:02] all saw the mayor of Suriri was on the
[3:21:04] news I think not happy with that. Um so
[3:21:08] that's all I know about that and anybody
[3:21:11] know anything about Translink meeting?
[3:21:13] No. Okay. Um islands trust update.
[3:21:19] >> Nothing new for me. and the um the link
[3:21:21] that was in the agenda of all of the
[3:21:23] different little meetings of the um
[3:21:25] local trust committees and um there
[3:21:28] really isn't a whole lot of activity
[3:21:30] going on with um with the trust um
[3:21:35] for July and and parts of August.
[3:21:37] There's some meetings coming up in terms
[3:21:39] of planning things, but um it's a
[3:21:42] summer. So,
[3:21:44] >> I have a couple of things I can add.
[3:21:46] [clears throat]
[3:21:47] um uh trust council tried to hold a
[3:21:50] committee the whole uh meeting last week
[3:21:53] uh but we were short one of a quorum. So
[3:21:56] that uh it was sort of um reviewing the
[3:22:01] input received from agencies from the
[3:22:04] formal referrals about the um update of
[3:22:08] the trust policy statement. So that
[3:22:10] meeting didn't happen. Uh we did have a
[3:22:12] trust programs committee that um meeting
[3:22:14] that I was in on um the Thursday and of
[3:22:18] interest might be that uh islands trust
[3:22:21] put together a webinar for realtors
[3:22:24] about what is the island's trust so that
[3:22:28] they can communicate that with people
[3:22:29] wishing to purchase property and uh so
[3:22:32] to reduce surprises and um uh and then
[3:22:37] um I haven't looked at it yet. I've just
[3:22:40] found out about it and uh financial
[3:22:42] planning committee um is having a
[3:22:45] meeting in mid August and uh I'll be
[3:22:47] chairing that but I don't have any
[3:22:48] information yet.
[3:22:52] » Nobody else. All right.
[3:22:56] >> I could just add to update council that
[3:22:58] the work between the islands trust CFO
[3:23:01] and myself is ongoing. We meet um
[3:23:03] usually every Friday for an hour or two
[3:23:06] and we're going over the Islands Trust
[3:23:08] requisition allocation formula. So that
[3:23:10] is um a very detailed process. It's a
[3:23:13] good learning opportunity for the
[3:23:14] Islands Trust CFO because they are new
[3:23:16] in their role this year. So really
[3:23:18] taking uh an opportunity to review all
[3:23:22] of those budget line items and really
[3:23:23] understand what's in them and help to
[3:23:26] decide if that is something that should
[3:23:28] appropriately be allocated to the
[3:23:30] municipal pool or not. And um I just I
[3:23:32] think that's very positive work that's
[3:23:34] going on there.
[3:23:35] >> Thank you. All right, I think we're down
[3:23:38] to question period. I don't think
[3:23:41] there's anybody in the audience. Nobody
[3:23:43] online.
[3:23:44] >> No.
[3:23:45] >> Um motion to adjourn. John, Councelor
[3:23:48] Saunders, Councelor Wake. Okay, the
[3:23:52] meeting is adjourned. We've got a closed
[3:23:54] meeting. Um, so 4:30