A marathon Committee of a Whole meeting on Monday has left some Brentwood Bay boaters concerned about their future.
The bulk of the meeting, which lasted three hours and 45 minutes, was spent discussing the Brentwood Bay Management Plan: a complex, multi-phase plan which would make the District of Central Saanich responsible for monitoring Brentwood Bay. Currently, that responsibility is split between the province and the federal government. But if passed, the District would apply for a B次元官网网址渓icence of occupationB次元官网网址� from the province giving them jurisdiction. As part of the plan, the District wants to limit the amount of buoys in the bay (the District proposes 40 privately owned buoys to start), ensure that buoys are clear of navigation channels and ensure that existing liveaboard vessels have insurance and holding tanks for sewage.
Two groups supported the draft management plan. Rick Schurr of the British Columbia Nautical Residents Association praised the District for their treatment of liveaboard residents and their willingness to work with them on B次元官网网址渕undane issuesB次元官网网址� like garbage collection, comparing it favourably to the Village of Queen Charlotte, which he said is B次元官网网址渒icking all the liveaboards outB次元官网网址� now that it is winter. Michael Simmons, vice-chair of the Saanich Inlet Protection Society, echoed SchnurrB次元官网网址檚 praise of the advisory committee, saying that Ruth Malli ran community consultations in B次元官网网址渁n exemplary wayB次元官网网址� welcoming participants even if they came in midway through the process, getting them B次元官网网址渦p to speed.B次元官网网址�
However, resident after resident came to the mic to express some degree of opposition to the plan. According to the draft plan, boaters would be asked to pay $1,000 annually for existing buoys, which staff acknowledged B次元官网网址渃ould be difficult for some people to come up with,B次元官网网址� so there would be quarterly payments of $100 per month paid in advance.
One liveaboard resident said that a legal mooring certified by Transport Canada costs almost $3,000 to install, which they installed in good faith. He objected to a part of the plan which he said would have the District B次元官网网址渟eize almost $300,000 worth of private property,B次元官网网址� considering there are around 100 buoys in the area.
Miles Mana, a consultant hired by the District on this issue, said staff estimated that 35 liveaboard vessels were in the area, so while that would not leave many extra buoys, no liveaboard residents would be evicted if they were given priority as specified in the plan. He also said that if a boaterB次元官网网址檚 buoy passed an inspection and met the DistrictB次元官网网址檚 safety requirements, then it could stay. If it were in a navigation channel, there would be a cost to move the buoy, but it would not be confiscated.
Boater Chris Allen felt that the current amount of buoys posed no navigational problems for him, saying that if someone had difficulty navigating the area they should B次元官网网址済et [their] certificate renewed.B次元官网网址�
Another resident said that Brentwood Bay was an affordable place to have boat, because B次元官网网址渕arinas arenB次元官网网址檛 priced for locals, I can tell you that.B次元官网网址� The new plan, he said, would make it unaffordable.
Councillor Niall Paltiel pointed out development is not unfettered on land, so he was generally supportive of the plan. Coun. Zeb King was concerned the scope of the initiative had grown too large. He said there was consensus around derelict boats and sewage, which he felt should not be mixed in with the issue of housing on the water. Coun. Christopher Graham acknowledged that B次元官网网址渢he costs are definitely a big jump from what people are used toB次元官网网址� but it was still low in comparison to other options like a marina. Graham said B次元官网网址渨e are probably moving in the right directionB次元官网网址� but that he had not fully settled on the issue.
Coun. Bob Thompson noted the plan B次元官网网址渋snB次元官网网址檛 written in stone,B次元官网网址� and there was still an opportunity to amend the details, though it would inevitably delay implementation.
The motion to begin securing a Licence of Occupation and notify residents passed, with Councillors Alicia Holman and King in opposition.
In a follow-up interview, Mayor Ryan Windsor compared the marine situation to that on land, where there are fees and regulations as to the placement of terrestrial homes. Windsor was B次元官网网址渒ind of disappointedB次元官网网址� in the way the plan was characterized, because he felt the District had done sufficient work trying to notify affected residents.
John Evans, who lives on a vessel in the bay, remains against the proposal. After MondayB次元官网网址檚 meeting, he submitted a letter to Council which he forwarded to the B次元官网网址 Review. Among other grievances, he felt residents were not notified in a timely manner (B次元官网网址淲ord of mouth reached us in late November this year!B次元官网网址�), that the licence of occupation was B次元官网网址減rimarily conceived and to be rushed through council by a small group of wealthy landowners,B次元官网网址� and that boaters are unfairly maligned for polluting the bay. Instead of this licence of occupation, he proposed that the boaters themselves be responsible for monitoring the bay, asking for Coast Guard help where necessary to remove derelict vessels.
The District is continuing to accept feedback online through its PlaceSpeak tool.
