COMOX VALLEY REGIONAL DISTRICT BOARD
Tuesday, July 28, 2020
Minutes of the meeting of the Comox Valley Regional District Board of Directors held on July 28, 2020 in the Civic Room of the Comox Valley Regional District offices located at 770 Harmston Avenue, Courtenay, BC commencing at 4:00 pm.
 
 
MINUTES
     
 
Present:
Chair:J. KetlerVillage of Cumberland
Vice-Chair:A. HamirLazo North (Area B)
Directors:D. ArbourBaynes Sound-Denman/Hornby Islands (Area A)
 W. Cole-HamiltonCity of Courtenay
 D. FrischCity of Courtenay
 K. GrantTown of Comox
 E. GrievePuntledge/Black Creek (Area C)
 D. HillianCity of Courtenay
 W. MorinCity of Courtenay
 M. SwiftTown of Comox
Staff:R. DysonChief Administrative Officer
 J. WarrenDeputy Chief Administrative Officer
 D. DeMarzoGeneral Manager of Community Services
 J. MartensGeneral Manager of Corporate Services
 K. La RoseActing General Manager of Engineering Services
 S. SmithGeneral Manager of Planning and Development Services
 L. DennisManager of Legislative Services
 
   
ATTENDNANCE:
Director Hamir participated by electronic means

D. DeMarzo, General Manager of Community Services, attended by electronic means.
 
 
RECOGNITION OF TRADITIONAL TERRITORIES:
The Chair acknowledged that the meeting was being held on the unceded traditional territory of the K’ómoks First Nation and read the following article from the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) available online at: www.un.org/ :

Article 14: Indigenous peoples have the right to establish and control their educational systems and institutions providing education in their own languages, in a manner appropriate to their cultural methods of teaching and learning;

Indigenous individuals, particularly children, have the right to all levels and forms of education of the State without discrimination;

States shall, in conjunction with indigenous peoples, take effective measures, in order for indigenous individuals, particularly children, including those living outside their communities, to have access, when possible, to an education in their own culture and provided in their own language.
 
 
IN-CAMERA MEETING:
D. Frisch/W. Cole-Hamilton: THAT the board adjourn to an in-camera session pursuant to the following sub-sections of section 90 of the Community Charter:

90(1)(c) Labour relations or employee negotiations;

90(1)(g) Litigation or potential litigation affecting the regional district;

AND FINALLY THAT the in-camera portion convene immediately following the open portion of the meeting.
208Carried
 
ADOPTION OF MINUTES:
K. Grant/A. Hamir: THAT the Comox Valley Regional District Board minutes dated July 14, 2020 be adopted. [Item] 
208Carried
 
REPORTS:
ELECTORAL AREAS SERVICES COMMITTEE - JULY 13, 2020
 
 
K. Grant/W. Cole-Hamilton: THAT the Electoral Areas Services Committee minutes dated July 13, 2020 be received. [Item] 
208Carried
 
A. Hamir/K. Grant: THAT the board approve the Development Variance Permit DV 1B 20 (Killam) to reduce the minimum rear yard setback from 7.5 metres to 1.9 metres (and from 5.5 metres to 1.3 metres for the eaves), for the purposes of allowing the residential use of an existing accessory building on the property described as Lot 1, District Lot 87, Comox District, Plan 45399, PID 008-079-544, (136 Croteau Road) with a condition that fencing or vegetation be provided and maintained between the secondary dwelling and the lot line;

AND FINALLY THAT the Corporate Legislative Officer be authorized to execute the permit.
208 and 213Carried
 
E. Grieve/D. Frisch: THAT the board give first and second reading to Bylaw No. 619, being the “Rural Comox Valley Zoning Bylaw No. 520, 2019, Amendment No. 5” for property known as Lot 1, Block 29, Comox District, Plan 36676, PID 000-419-958 (2491 Emmerson Road), which rezones the entire property from Country Residential One (CR-1) to Country Residential One Exception Eleven (CR-1-11);

AND FINALLY THAT pursuant to Section 464(2) of the Local Government Act (RSBC, 2015, c.1), the board waive the holding of a public hearing for Bylaw No. 619, being the “Rural Comox Valley Zoning Bylaw No. 520, 2019, Amendment No. 5” (RZ 3C 19, Sturdi Construction Ltd.).
208 and 213Carried
 
D. Hillian/W. Cole-Hamilton: THAT up to $5,000 in funding from the Area A Baynes Sound Feasibility Studies Service, function 151, be approved to support the Union Bay Improvement District conversion study public engagement process with the funds to be assigned from the $55,689 in unallocated professional fees budget for 2020.
207Carried
 
SEWAGE COMMISSION - JULY 14, 2020
 
 
D. Frisch/K. Grant: THAT the Sewage Commission minutes dated July 14, 2020 be received. [Item] 
208Carried
 
COMOX VALLEY WATER COMMITTEE - JULY 14, 2020
 
 
K. Grant/W. Morin: THAT the Comox Valley Water Committee minutes dated July 14, 2020 be received. [Item] 
208Carried
 
COMOX VALLEY SPORTS CENTRE COMMISSION - JULY 14, 2020
 
 
K. Grant/D. Frisch: THAT the Comox Valley Sports Centre Commission minutes dated July 14, 2020 be received. [Item] 
208Carried
 
DIRECTOR'S REPORT – JANUARY 1 TO DECEMBER 31, 2019
 
 
K. Grant/W. Cole-Hamilton: THAT the report dated July 9, 2020 regarding a report out on business activity conducted from January to December 2019 from Director Cole-Hamilton be received. [Item] 
208Carried
 
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY FOR THE CVRD’S COVID-19 RESPONSE AND RENEWAL PLAN
 
 
D. Frisch/K. Grant: THAT the report dated July 22, 2020 regarding the public engagement strategy for the Comox Valley Regional District’s COVID-19 Response and Renewal Plan, with specific attention to the importance of the renewal plan’s four key actions and interconnectedness of the various CVRD projects that make up renewal be received. [Item] 
208Carried
 
J. Warren, Deputy Corporate Officer, and C. Wile, Manager of External Relations, presented an overview of the staff report regarding the public engagement strategy for the Comox Valley Regional District’s COVID-19 Response and Renewal Plan. [Item] 
 
 
K. Grant/M. Swift: THAT the Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) approve the public engagement strategy for the CVRD’s COVID-19 Response and Renewal Plan, as attached to the staff report dated July 22, 2020.
208CarriedNAY: D. Arbour, E. Grieve
 
K. Grant/D. Frisch: THAT a letter be sent to the Comox Valley Economic Development Society reinforcing the importance of the Economic Recovery Task Force to find ways to support community recovery for small businesses, tourism and industry in the Comox Valley and requesting their endorsement of the specific timeline and deliverables as proposed.
208
 
E. Grieve/D. Arbour: THAT the motion to send a letter to the Comox Valley Economic Development Society reinforcing the importance of the Economic Recovery Task Force to find ways to support community recovery for small businesses, tourism and industry in the Comox Valley and requesting their endorsement of the specific timeline and deliverables as proposed, be amended to add the Co-Chairs of the Economic Recovery Task Force.
208Carried
 
The vote was taken on the main motion as amended, as follows:
 
 
THAT a letter be sent to the Comox Valley Economic Development Society and the Co-Chairs of the Economic Recovery Task Force reinforcing the importance of the Economic Recovery Task Force to find ways to support community recovery for small businesses, tourism and industry in the Comox Valley and requesting their endorsement of the specific timeline and deliverables as proposed.
208Carried
 
K. Grant/D. Frisch: THAT a letter be sent to the Comox Strathcona Regional Hospital District encouraging a strategic review of future service level needs with the completion of the Comox Valley and Campbell River hospital builds and funding requirements known, with consideration of property tax requisition levels and required reserve balance levels to meet future service objectives.
208Carried
 
BYLAWS AND RESOLUTIONS:
D. Frisch/W. Cole-Hamilton: THAT Bylaw No. 619 being “Rural Comox Valley Zoning Bylaw No. 520, 2019, Amendment No. 5” be given first and second readings concurrently. [Item] 
208 and 213Carried
 
K. Grant/D. Frisch: THAT Bylaw No. 617 being "Sewage Service Expansion Principles Bylaw No. 617, 2020" be adopted. [Item] 
Bylaw 650Carried
 
NEW BUSINESS:
AFFORDABLE HOUSING SOCIETY - LETTER OF SUPPORT
 
 
K. Grant/D. Frisch: THAT the correspondence dated July 10, 2020 from Ron Webber, Comox Valley Affordable Housing Society, regarding a request for a letter of support for the expansion of affordable seniors' housing units in Comox be received. [Item] 
208Carried
 
D. Hillian/K. Grant: THAT the board provide a letter of support as requested by Ron Webber, Comox Valley Affordable Housing Society, pending the support of the Comox Valley Coalition to End Homelessness.
208Carried
 
GRANT-IN-AID REQUEST - COMOX VALLEY EXHIBITION ASSOCIATION
 
 
K. Grant/E. Grieve: THAT the correspondence dated July 21, 2020 from Director Grieve regarding a grant-in-aid request for the Comox Valley Exhibition Association be received. [Item] 
208Carried
 
D. Hillian/K. Grant: THAT the following grant-in-aid, payable from Puntledge – Black Creek (Electoral Area C), be approved:
- $9,000.00 for the Comox Valley Exhibition Association to assist with costs for hosting a three day Fall Fair in 2020.
208Carried
 
ADJOURN TO IN-CAMERA:
The board adjourned to its in-camera session at 5:15 pm.
 
 
RISE AND REPORT:
The board rose from its in-camera session at 6:15 pm and reported the following:
 
 
• Contract dated July 27, 2020 between the Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) and the Comox Valley Economic Development Society (CVEDS) for the provision of Economic Development Services. [Item] 
 
 
TERMINATION:
D. Frisch/W. Cole-Hamilton: THAT the meeting terminate.
208Carried
 
Time: 6:15 pm.
 
 
 Confirmed this 11th day of August, 2020:


____________________________________
Jesse Ketler
Chair
 
Certified Correct and Recorded By:


____________________________________
Lisa Dennis
Manager of Legislative Services
Meeting Web Page