SILGA Resolution
Council agreed to submit the following resolution to be considered by the Southern Interior Local Government Association at its annual general meeting April 28 to May 1:

INTERFACE WILDFIRE PROOFING

WHEREAS the Province of British Columbia continues to experience large, aggressive wildfires and in 2014 experienced the third highest fire season (in hectares of land) in the Province's history, costing an estimated $300 million in response;

AND WHEREAS despite the continuing fire threat, in 2014, the Strategic Wildfire Prevention lnitiative - Community Wildfire Protection Plan Program restricted the funding program stream to the development or update of a Community Wildfire Protection Plan and will no longer fund operational fuel treatment activities:

THEREFORE BE lT RESOLVED that UBCM lobby the Ministry of Forests, Lands & Natural Resource Operations to establish, fund and conduct a province-wide wildfire proofing program on public and private interface lands to protect British Columbia's residents and infrastructure.

Westbank DCC Rate Reduction
Council adopted the Westbank Centre Development Cost Charges (DCC) Reduction Bylaw, a move stemming from a recommendation within the District’s Westbank Centre Revitalization Plan. DCCs may be charged by a municipality to a developer to assist the District in paying the capital cost of providing and improving infrastructure. This bylaw is expected to accelerate development in Westbank Centre. Development industry representatives have advised the District that existing market conditions coupled with an increase in construction costs are making it difficult to commence desired projects. A DCC reduction bylaw signals to the development community that the District strongly supports the creation of a strong economic and social core within the community. Any development that occurs within the indicated boundary that results in low environmental impact may be eligible for a DCC reduction according to the bylaw, which has also been scaled to feature a deeper reduction for higher density, mixed use projects and smaller reductions for projects that propose less density. The District would be required to fund any DCC reductions that result from this move, but it is anticipated that long term economic benefits will compensate for short term financial implications. The bylaw will expire on March 1, 2018.

Shannon Lake Rezonings
Council directed staff to draft a Zoning Amendment Bylaw to remove apartments as a permitted use for the following properties:
·         Lot 40, Plan K4P90501, D.L. 2044 located on Hihannah Drive;
·         Lot 38, Plan K4P90501, D.L. 2044 located at 3404 Sundance Drive;
·         Lot 37, Plan K4P90501, D.L. 2044 located at 3401 Sundance Drive;
·         Lot 16, Plan KAP81056, D.L. 2044 located at 2240 Hihannah Drive;
·         Lot A, Plan KAP84971, D.L. 2044 located at 1980 Upper Sundance Drive;
·         Lot 6, Plan KAP81 826, D. L. 2044 located at 2161 Upper Sundance Drive; and
·         Lot A, Plan K4P81833, D.L. 2044 located on Shannon Ridge Drive.
The move is intended to bring the zoning of these properties in line with the Official Community Plan (OCP). Consideration of this rezoning was deferred from the Zoning Bylaw review completed last year. The seven properties were found to have inconsistencies between their zoning category and the land use designation as the zoning allows apartments while the OCP discourages apartments that require access through existing single family areas along local roads. All affected property owners will be notified of Council’s direction and formal bylaws will be drafted for Council’s consideration. Should the bylaws receive first and second reading, a public hearing will be scheduled.

News from © iNFOnews, 2015