Minutes of the meeting of the Comox Valley Regional District Board of Directors held on Tuesday, February 27, 2024 in the Civic Room of the Comox Valley Regional District offices located at 770 Harmston Avenue, Courtenay, BC commencing at 3:00 pm.
MINUTES
Present:
Chair:
W. Cole-Hamilton
City of Courtenay
Vice-Chair:
J. Kerr
Town of Comox
Directors:
D. Arbour
Baynes Sound-Denman/Hornby Islands (Area A)
V. Brown
Village of Cumberland
K. Grant
Town of Comox
E. Grieve
Puntledge/Black Creek (Area C)
R. Hardy
Lazo North (Area B)
M. McCollum
City of Courtenay
W. Morin
City of Courtenay
Alt. Director:
B. Wells
City of Courtenay
Staff:
J. Warren
Chief Administrative Officer
L. Wiwcharuk
Chief Financial Officer
J. Martens
General Manager of Corporate Services
D. DeMarzo
General Manager of Community Services
A. Mullaly
General Manager of Planning and Development
M. Rutten
General Manager of Engineering Services
L. Dennis
Manager of Legislative Services
IN-CAMERA MEETING:
E. Grieve/B. Wells: THAT the board adjourn to an in-camera session pursuant to the following sub-sections of section 90 of the Community Charter:
90(1)(a) Personal information about an identifiable individual who holds or is being considered for a position as an officer, employee or agent of the regional district or another position appointed by the regional district;
90(1)(i) The receipt of advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose; and
90(1)(k) Negotiations and related discussions respecting the proposed provision of a regional district service that are at their preliminary stages and that, in the view of the committee/board, could reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the regional district if they were held in public.
208
Carried
Time: 3:00 pm.
 
RISE AND REPORT:
The Board rose from its in-camera session at 3:53 pm. and reported the following:
 
"THAT the Board nominate Sharon Small to the BC Ferry Authority for consideration of appointment to its Board of Directors for the three-year term commencing April 1, 2024."
208
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 Call to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action report:
Call to Action 42 - Justice:
We call upon the federal, provincial, and territorial governments to commit to the recognition and implementation of Aboriginal justice systems in a manner consistent with the Treaty and Aboriginal rights of Aboriginal peoples, the Constitution Act, 1982, and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, endorsed by Canada in November 2012.
 
ADOPTION OF MINUTES:
B. Wells/M. McCollum: THAT the Comox Valley Regional District Board minutes dated February 5, 2024 be adopted. [Item]
208
Carried
PETITIONS AND DELEGATIONS:
BC NATURE
 
Andrew Banks and Kephra Beckett, BC Nature, presented information regarding CVRD protected lands that are eligible for the Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD). [Item]
 
VANCOUVER ISLAND MUSICFEST
 
Doug Cox, Vancouver Island MusicFest (Comox Valley Folk Society), requested support for having public transportation run to and from the MusicFest on July 12 to 14, 2024. [Item]
 
REPORTS:
2024-2028 FINANCIAL PLAN UPDATE
 
L. Wiwcharuk, Chief Financial Officer, provided a verbal update on the 2024 -2028 financial planning process.
 
COMOX VALLEY RECREATION COMMISSION -JANUARY 23, 2024
 
B. Wells/E. Grieve: THAT the Recreation Commission minutes dated January 23, 2024 be received. [Item]
208
Carried
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE - ELECTED OFFICIALS FORUM - JANUARY 25, 2024
 
K. Grant/M. McCollum: THAT the Committee of the Whole minutes dated January 25, 2024 be received. [Item]
208
Carried
BLACK CREEK – OYSTER BAY SERVICES COMMITTEE – FEBRUARY 6, 2024
 
E. Grieve/K. Grant: THAT the Black Creek – Oyster Bay Services Committee minutes dated February 6, 2024 be received. [Item]
208
Carried
ELECTORAL AREAS SERVICES COMMITTEE – FEBRUARY 6, 2024
 
K. Grant/B. Wells: THAT the Electoral Areas Services Committee minutes dated February 6, 2024 be received. [Item]
208
Carried
ELECTORAL AREAS SERVICES COMMITTEE – FEBRUARY 7, 2024
 
K. Grant/W. Morin: THAT the Electoral Areas Services Committee minutes dated February 7, 2024 be received. [Item]
208
Carried
COMOX VALLEY RECREATION COMMISSION - FEBRUARY 13, 2024
 
K. Grant/B. Wells: THAT the Recreation Commission minutes dated February 13, 2024 be received. [Item]
208
Carried
COMOX VALLEY WATER COMMITTEE - FEBRUARY 13, 2024
 
K. Grant/W. Morin: THAT the Water Committee minutes dated February 13, 2024 be received. [Item]
208
Carried
REGIONAL PARKS AND TRAILS COMMITTEE – FEBRUARY 13, 2024
 
K. Grant/B. Wells: THAT the Regional Parks and Trails Committee minutes dated February 13, 2024 be received. [Item]
208
Carried
COMOX VALLEY SEWAGE COMMISSION – FEBRUARY 13, 2024
 
M. McCollum/K. Grant: THAT the Sewage Commission minutes dated February 13, 2024 be received. [Item]
208
Carried
ELECTORAL AREAS SERVICES COMMITTEE - FEBRUARY 26, 2024
 
E. Grieve/K. Grant: THAT Development Variance Permit DV 6B 23 (Kneeland/Dunsmore) be approved to reduce the minimum side yard setback from 3.5 metres to 2.88 metres for an existing single detached dwelling on property described as Lot 1, Block 29, Comox District, Plan VIP78018, PID 026-127-725 (1891 Vera Drive);
AND FINALLY THAT the Corporate Legislative Officer be authorized to execute the permit.
208 and 213
Carried
E. Grieve/K. Grant: THAT the application made under section 403 of Bylaw No. 600, being the “Floodplain Management Bylaw No. 600, 2020,” be approved for the construction of a house on the property described as Lot 41, Block 29, Comox District, Plan 28503, PID 002-329-930 (3736 James Crescent);
AND FINALLY THAT as a condition of the approval the property owners, at their expense, prepare and register a restrictive covenant under Section 219 of the Land Title Act in favour of the Comox Valley Regional District, specifying conditions that would enable the land to be safely used for the use intended according to the terms of the engineer report prepared by Emma Rose, EIT, and Alex McBride, P.Eng., of McElhanney, dated November 6, 2023, which will form part of the restrictive covenant, as well as an acknowledgement that no Disaster Financial Assistance funding is available for the building or its contents and releasing and indemnifying the Comox Valley Regional District from liability in the event any damage is caused by flooding or erosion.
208 and 213
Carried
E. Grieve/K. Grant: THAT a site-specific engineer’s prescription for the siting of a proposed single detached dwelling and carriage house relative to the 2100-year floodplain setback of Bylaw No. 600, being the “Floodplain Management Bylaw No. 600, 2020,” be approved on the property described as Lot 16, District Lot 191, Comox District, Plan 14276, PID 004-402-375 (Lot 16, Andrew Avenue);
AND FINALLY THAT, as a condition of the engineer’s site specific floodplain setback, the property owners, at their own expense, register a restrictive covenant under Section 219 of the Land Title Act, specifying conditions that would enable the land to be safely used for the use intended according to the terms of the engineer report prepared by Alex McBride, P.Eng., of McElhanney Ltd., dated September 6, 2023, which will form part of the restrictive covenant, as well as an acknowledgement that no Disaster Financial Assistance funding is available for the building or its contents and releasing and indemnifying the Comox Valley Regional District from liability in the event any damage is caused by flooding or erosion.
208 and 213
Carried
FUNDING REQUEST FOR COMOX VALLEY FOOD POLICY COUNCIL
 
B. Wells/K. Grant: THAT the report dated February 22, 2024 regarding a request from the Lush Valley Food Action Society for funding to support the coordination and administration of the Comox Valley Food Policy Council be received. [Item]
208
Carried
Maurita Prato, Executive Director, Lush Valley Food Action Society, was in attendance.
 
V. Brown/E. Grieve: THAT the 2024-2028 Recommended Financial Plan for the Comox Valley Regional District Administration and General Government Service, Function 110, include a one-time regional grant of $20,000 in 2024 to the Lush Valley Food Action Society for administration and coordination of the Comox Valley Food Policy Council.
208
Carried
STRATEGIC PLANNING UPDATE
 
K. Grant/B. Wells: THAT the report dated February, 15, 2024 regarding an update on the Board's 2023-2026 Strategic Plan be received. [Item]
208
Carried
CLIMATE ACTION STRATEGY – ELECTED OFFICIALS FORUM SUMMARY
 
B. Wells/K. Grant: THAT the report dated February 22, 2024 regarding a summary of the Regional Climate Action Strategy Elected Officials Forum held January 25, 2024 be received. [Item]
208
Carried
BYLAWS AND RESOLUTIONS:
K. Grant/E. Grieve: THAT Bylaw No. 681 being “Comox Valley Regional District Building Bylaw No. 681, 2024" be given first and second readings concurrently. [Item]
209
Carried
K. Grant/B. Wells: THAT Bylaw No. 681 being "Comox Valley Regional District Building Bylaw No. 681, 2024" be read a third time.
209
Carried
E. Grieve/K. Grant: THAT Bylaw No. 818 being “Union Bay Water Tolls and Other Charges Bylaw 278, 2020, Amendment No. 8" be given first and second readings concurrently. [Item]
207
Carried
K. Grant/B. Wells: THAT Bylaw No. 818 being "Union Bay Water Tolls and Other Charges Bylaw 278, 2020, Amendment No. 8" be read a third time.
207
Carried
E. Grieve/K. Grant: THAT Bylaw No. 792 being "Rural Comox Valley Zoning Bylaw No. 520, 2019, Amendment No 13" be adopted. [Item]
208 and 213
Carried
NEW BUSINESS:
SUPPORT FOR A CARE AND CONNECTION KIOSK – COMOX VALLEY HOSPITAL
 
B. Wells/W. Morin: THAT the correspondence dated February 5, 2024 from Chair Cole-Hamilton, regarding support for a Care and Connection Kiosk at the Comox Valley Hospital be received. [Item]
208
Carried
E. Grieve/B. Wells: THAT a letter be sent to the Island Health Shared Services BC providing the Board’s support for the installation of an Island Health Care and Connection Kiosk at the Comox Valley Hospital.
208
Carried
SECONDARY SUITE INCENTIVE PROGRAM
 
E. Grieve/B. Wells: THAT the correspondence dated February 16, 2024 from Barry Pages, Chair, North Coast Regional District, regarding a request for the CVRD to be a signatory to a letter to the Minister of Housing regarding expanding the Secondary Suite Incentive Program (SSIP) to include all regional districts be received. [Item]
208
Carried
K. Grant/E. Grieve: THAT the Board approves the submission of a joint letter to the Minister of Housing as proposed by the North Coast Regional District concerning the Secondary Suite Incentive Program.
208
Carried
TERMINATION:
K. Grant/B. Wells: THAT the meeting terminate.
208
Carried
Time: 5:26 pm.
 
Confirmed this 12th day of March, 2024:
____________________________________ Will Cole-Hamilton Chair
Certified Correct and Recorded By:
____________________________________
Lisa Dennis
Manager of Legislative Services