Savary Island’s official community plan (OCP) is generating responses from islanders about the process underway to develop the plan.
At the August 26 qathet Regional District planning committee meeting, Electoral Area A director and committee chair Jason Lennox brought three items of correspondence from Savary Island residents forward. Lennox is the elected representative for Savary Island. The letters expressed concerns about the process regarding the island’s official community plan that is being employed by the regional district.
Lennox said the three pieces of correspondence were by no means the only ones received on this topic. He said he wanted to compliment staff for including the Savary Island Community Plan Key Directions Discussion Book link in the planning committee’s agenda. It can also be found online at qathet.ca.
“When I look at it, I learn a tonne,” said Lennox. “There’s a lot of history and reasons behind the activity, so please check that out.”
Lennox said a petition has been circulated for qRD to reconsider the timeline.
“People are saying they need more time, for a variety of reasons,” said Lennox. “There are concerns about the OCP process, and when they are going to get a draft document. It’s a moving target.”
Lennox said there has been interesting discussion about who gets to vote on matters before the regional district. He said it is the directors who have a vote, and some in the community are shocked by that.
“We are their representatives and that is what I am trying to explain to them,” said Lennox. “They are unaware that we must address certain topics in the OCP process. In our open houses on Savary Island, they didn’t realize we are supposed to consider slope stability and things like that. When we educate people, then they say, ‘okay, good, there is a valid reason.’”
In terms of town hall meetings, which was brought up in the correspondence, Lennox said he is likely going to have to find a way to do that for the people he represents.
“I want to say that I am listening,” said Lennox. “There’s no predetermination. We are taking pains to make sure everybody understands this process, and all the options people have when directors make decisions.
“I will not subvert the process. I am not going to make preconceived decisions, statements or commitments. I will let the process play itself out. I will listen and I will advocate. I won’t speak for myself. I will speak for the majority on Savary Island.”
Lennox said people are becoming more informed and it might take a little longer for people to be up to speed regarding the OCP process.
Electoral Area B director Mark Gisborne said one of the big challenges when undertaking public engagement is how engaged the public gets.
“Quite often you go to engage the public and you get a small group,” said Gisborne. “What I’m seeing from the correspondence, and from Facebook, is [Savary residents] are engaged. I like to see that the community is engaged and that the OCP document is going to be a lasting document. It is a process and we’ll see where that goes.”
City of Powell River director Cindy Elliott asked if the survey that is currently open is available to people who live on Savary, as well as property owners.
General manager of planning services Laura Roddan said the intent was that the survey was for Savary property owners.
Electoral Area D director Sandy McCormick said there are some real lessons that can be learned from the Texada Island OCP process, which took several years to complete.
“The OCP advisory committee wanted an extra year to review the old OCP in miniscule detail,” said McCormick. “Staff graciously granted that time so that the OCP committee could do that. There’s nothing wrong with taking additional time.
“The OCP is widely supported in the [Texada] community and had great support from the advisory committee, and it is still referenced to this day on a number of topics. I encourage people to keep an open mind and take the time that people feel is necessary to do the detailed work and to have community consultation.”
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