Council met for roughly four-and-a-half hours during our Regular Council meeting and Public Hearings, on August 16, 2023.
My Mayor’s Report included the following updates:
- Earlier this month, Councillor Toporowski and I met with the Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Lana Popham, and the Parliamentary Secretary for Forests, Doug Routley, to discuss our shared priorities at the provincial and municipal level. I appreciated the chance to highlight opportunities in North Cowichan to expand the tourism sector, support local artists, preserve heritage sites, and strengthen our partnerships with sports organizations such as Rowing Canada.
- I was very pleased to extend congratulations and present North Cowichan resident Declan Forcier with a certificate of achievement. Declan just returned from competing in the World Dwarf Games that were held in Cologne, Germany. Declan was the only athlete from British Columbia on the 46-member Team Canada who joined over 500 athletes from over 20 different countries for the largest international sporting event held exclusively for athletes with dwarfism.
- Declan competed in four disciplines: track and field, volleyball, basketball, and soccer, and he podiumed in each of his events, including earning four gold medals in individual track and field events.
- Declan is also an accomplished athlete here in North Cowichan. He plays hockey with the Cowichan Valley Minor Hockey Association and baseball with the Duncan Junior Baseball Association. Congratulations, Declan!
Staff Sergeant Ken Beard presented the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP 2nd Quarter Report for RCMP Activities (April – June 2023). He also presented the Downtown Duncan Corridor and Area Report for the same period, and the 2023-2024 Annual Performance Plan, which Council endorsed. He shared the year-over-year trends related to crimes against persons (e.g., assaults, sex offences, extortion), crimes against property (e.g., auto theft, shoplifting), traffic offences (e.g., fatal crashes, impaired operation of a motor vehicle), other Criminal Code offences and occurrences, and mental health related files, including apprehensions under the Mental Health Act.
Alistair MacGregor, Member of Parliament for Cowichan-Malahat-Langford, presented Council with overview of Bill C-48, which introduces amendments to the Criminal Code to strengthen the bail system and help address repeat violent offending, which is affecting communities across Canada, including here in North Cowichan. The proposed amendments would make it more difficult for people to get bail if they have been accused of specific firearms offences, repeated serious violent offending involving weapons, and repeat intimate partner violence. The amendments will also require justices to keep public safety at the forefront of their decision-making and state on the record how protecting community safety has been considered when making a bail order.
Orrin Quinn and Arnold Bercov presented an overview of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Canada and its mission, followed by a discussion of the Community Forest Standard, and suggested that some of these FSC tools may be of interest to North Cowichan in the management of the Municipal Forest Reserve.
The Miscellaneous Offences and Fines Amendment Bylaw was adopted. This bylaw is now updated with fines and offences related to watering restrictions following the update of the Waterworks Amendment Bylaw.
A Zoning Amendment Bylaw to permit a detached accessory dwelling unit at 7325 Osborne Bay Road was adopted.
First two readings were given to the following zoning amendment bylaws, all of which will have public hearings scheduled in the near future:
- to permit a detached accessory dwelling unit (ADU) at 6344 Woodgrove Way.
- to reclassify 3351 Auchinachie Road from Residential One and Two-Family Zone (R3) to facilitate a proposed two-lot subdivision and future residential development under Residential Small Lot Single-Family Zone (R3-S), and Village Residential Infill Comprehensive Development Zone (CD24).
- to facilitate a two-lot subdivision at 3211 Malcolm Road.
The Towing and Vehicle Impound Bylaw and the Fees and Charges Amendment Bylaw were given first three readings and will return to Council for adoption in September. These bylaws will authorize the removal, impoundment, and release of trailers and vehicles parked in violation of the traffic and/or highway use bylaws, and amend the fees for the towing and impoundment of trailers, RVs and other illegally parked vehicles.
A five-year licence of occupation agreement was approved for a portion of municipal property at 6002 Canada Avenue for the Cowichan Women Against Violence Society (CWAV). The property will be used as a green-space garden area and bike storage, with a shed and fence to be installed and maintained by CWAV.
Council supported a grant application to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities’ Asset Management Planning Program. The grant of up to $25,000 would facilitate the creation of asset management plans for park infrastructure and support overall grant management for the project.
A number of recommended changes to the Draft North Cowichan Biodiversity Assessment Report from the Environmental Advisory Committee Comments were approved. Municipal staff will now incorporate the suggestions into the draft Biodiversity Policy Report, which will be presented to Council at a future date.
Council adopted the Economic Development Committee’s 2023 work plan, which includes preparing a new economic development action plan, exploring the infrastructure requirements for industrial site development, and working closely with the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) on a broader regional strategy.
Council gave first reading to bylaws to amend the Official Community Plan (OCP) and the Zoning Bylaw to allow an approximately 32- to 50-unit housing development on 1711 Robert Street. Staff were also directed to continue discussions with the proponent to increase the affordable housing contribution.
A number of Council appointments were made to new Recreation Commissions of the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD).
- Cowichan South Recreation Commission: Mayor Rob Douglas
- Cowichan North Recreation Commission: Councillors Chris Istace and Debra Toporowski
- Cowichan Core Recreation Commission: Councillors Bruce Findlay and Christopher Justice
- Cowichan Lake Recreation Commission: Councillors Mike Caljouw and Tek Manhas
A public hearing was held for the following two development proposals:
- to allow for a detached accessory dwelling unit at 10029 Beach Drive, which subsequently received third reading.
- to facilitate a 2-lot subdivision to allow for small lot residential development at 3208 Cook Street, which subsequently received third reading and adoption.
The next Council meeting will take place on Wednesday, September 6, at 5pm.
Thank you for reading and staying informed!
Rob Douglas, Mayor
Municipality of North Cowichan
T 250.746.3117
E rob.douglas@northcowichan.ca