Looking Back at 2009

This year has been a learning experience! After being elected in November 2008, I jumped from the frying pan into the fire. There was much about government at the local level and the role of an elected official that was new to me. I have found myself attending more meetings on a far broader range of issues than I anticipated. Issues raised by constituents have sent me scrambling in search of answers. Some of these have been easily resolved, while others have no quick solution.

I have been impressed by the calibre of the staff at the CRD as well as those Directors who sit with me at the Board table, and have been grateful for their advice. I am also grateful to the many community group leaders who volunteer their time to provide services to their neighbours and help shape the community we live in. They have also given me the benefit of their experience over the past year.

It was a challenging time for the new Board to begin its work. At the time we were elected, the economic downturn was just kicking in. Mill closures and belt tightening provided the backdrop for much of the strategic planning and decision making. This provided both challenges (reduced revenue) and opportunities (increased infrastructure funding and more competitive pricing).

The CRD is also being challenged to meet provincial requirements for updating solid waste plans, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and including climate change adaptation strategies in Official Community Plans.

Added to the above were major flood and fire emergencies, Olympic preparations, First Nation consultations and treaty negotiations, and proclamation of the region as the Forest Capital of Canada.

I am both pleased with some of this year's accomplishments and disappointed that many are still on the "to do" list. The following is not a definitive list of accomplishments but captures as many as I can think of at the moment. Those that relate to my election commitments are grouped as such.

As much as I would like to take credit for the accomplishments, many of them were initiated by others, and all required the support of the Board and actions by staff.

As for those uncompleted tasks, I look forward to addressing those challenges in 2010.

Election Commitments:

Other activities and initiatives ...

For those who like numbers ...

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Communication

Commitment:

Enhance communications with area residents and property owners to ensure that they are aware of proposals that affect them and have a fair opportunity to contribute to the decision making process;

Immediately after the election, my website was converted to a source of information of interest to Area "L" residents. In combination with my newsletter, property owners are able to get early notice of development applications, proposed regulatory bylaws, and upcoming meetings and events.

To ensure that property owners know how to contact me, I have posted flyers with my contact information at local stores and notice boards.

To better understand the views of Area "L" property owners, I have attended community meetings and events such as the GLARA AGM, Friends of Bridge Lake AGM, Deka Lake and District Ratepayers Association AGM, PALS inaugural meeting, Aquatic Center Society information meeting, Green Lake Watch Lake 70 Mile House OCP meetings, Deka Fire commission meeting, South Cariboo Community Cafes, BC Lake Stewardship Conference at Watch Lake, Watch Lake Green Lake North VFD summer general meeting and fire hall dedications, Deka Lake Women`s Auxiliary Fall Dinner, resort property tax meeting.

I participated in the 2009 Town Hall meeting in February which took place at the Interlakes Community Center as well as the CRD Board meeting and barbeque in June at the Lone Butte Community Hall.

I put forward a request by Area "L" Community Groups to hold public hearings for major developments during the summer rather than during the winter to ensure that seasonal residents are able to attend. This proposal was not approved by the Board. The Board, however, did agree to survey other jurisdictions to identify best practices for notification and involvement of property owners in consideration of development applications. The results will be available in the new year.

Another area where public notification and consultation appeared to be weak was in the lack of public involvement in the development of regulatory bylaws. The Board has now approved a new policy that provides for earlier advertising and posting of proposed bylaws.

Improvements have also been made to the CRD website to make commonly used bylaws more accessible.

Finally, this annual report is intended to be another means of communicating with Area "L" property owners.

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Sustainable economy

Commitment:

Participate in regional district initiatives to promote the long-term sustainability of the regional economy;

The CRD's involvement in economic development is relatively limited. In the South Cariboo there is an economic development function with a modest budget of $30,000. This is used primarily to support activities of the 100 Mile Development Corporation and the South Cariboo Chamber of Commerce.

Each year, small grants are provided to groups for other projects with an economic focus. In 2009, these grants included the 100 Mile House Street Fest/Western Week, Rotary Fall Fair, and Show and Shine Car and Bike Show.

The South Cariboo Regional Airport also plays a role in the local economy. This year the Board approved extension of utility mains into the airport property to facilitate future hangar development, development of a GPS template to replace the current obsolete navigation aids, and tree and brush removal to reduce wildlife habitat at the airport. Applications have also been submitted to the Building Canada fund for other airport improvement projects.

I participated in two Community Cafes, sponsored by the Social Development Working Group and the Cariboo Beetle Action Committee. The first discussed strategies to deal with the impact of the mountain pine beetle epidemic, as well as recent world economic events. The second focused on local food and agriculture.

Funding has been obtained from the federal government and discussions have taken place with the provincial government, and member municipalities to prepare a Regional Development Strategy.

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Climate Change

Commitment:

Encourage policies and programs that will help to reduce the region's contribution to climate change and develop strategies to address future climate change impacts;

Under the Climate Change Action Charter, the CRD is committed to being carbon neutral in respect of its corporate operations by 2012. Preliminary work is underway to establish the current level of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and to prepare an action plan.

Under the Local Government (Green Communities) Statutes Act all local governments are obliged to incorporate GHG reduction targets, policies and actions into their Official Community Plans (OCPs) and Rural Land Use Bylaws (RLUBs) by May 31, 2010. The Board has approved a measurable target of 33% reduction in community greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2020, and 80% reduction by 2050 from 2007 levels. This is consistent with provincial targets. Over the next few months, the Regional District will consult with stakeholders on options for reflecting this commitment in Official Community Plans. Natural Resources Canada has approved funding for the CRD and the Fraser Basin Council to develop and integrate adaptation strategies into Official Community Plans.

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Solid Waste Management

Commitment:

Support waste management practices that are economically and environmentally appropriate;

Solid waste management is of considerable interest because:

The current solid waste management plan is ten years old and is due for an update. An advisory committee has been established to work with the consultant in preparation of the new plan. This work, including the public consultation component, will continue into the new year.

A consultant study was completed this year to assess the potential for a refuse derived fuel energy plant. In general the study concluded that there is insufficient refuse in the Cariboo to make most plants viable. Reducing the waste stream by separating out clean wood waste for pelletizing appeared to be the most attractive option.

The BC Innovations Council recently made a presentation to the Board that suggested that there may be some potential for combining wastes from other neighbouring jurisdictions to produce sufficient feedstock for a waste to energy facility. A workshop to explore this idea is being scheduled for the new year.

The introduction of tipping fees for commercial waste at the South Cariboo Landfill Site resulted in some waste being diverted to the outlying transfer sites with a resulting loss of revenues and increased cost of handling the waste. In an attempt to reduce the amount of waste being taken to the transfer stations, the fee schedule was adjusted downward to make it less attractive for businesses to avoid the landfill site.

Share sheds have been installed at all of the Area "L" landfills and transfer stations. While they are being well used, the Lone Butte site continues to be abused.

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Land Use Planning

Commitment:

Support land use planning decisions which ensure that development pressures do not over-ride concerns for the environmental and cultural values of the area;

With the economic downturn, the number of active development applications received is lower than in previous years. Fourteen rezoning applications were carried over from the previous government and all but two of these have received final approval. One of the remaining two has received second reading while the other has received third reading. These fourteen applications would allow creation of a total of 96 new residential lots.

Of the seven new rezoning applications, four have received final approval while the others have not yet been given first reading. These seven applications would allow creation of a total of 23 new residential lots.

There are two applications pending for referral to the Agricultural Land Commission for subdivision within the Agricultural Land Reserve. These applications if approved by both the Commission and the CRD would allow creation of seven new residential lots.

Three development variance permits have been approved while two are currently under consideration.

An Official Community Plan is being developed for the Green Lake / Watch Lake / 70 Mile area. A local advisory committee has been involved in preparation of the draft plan and three public meetings have been held. The next draft is expected to be available early in the new year.

A proposal to implement a permit process to allow vacation rentals in residential zones has been developed and is expected to proceed to public review in the new year.

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Taxation

Commitment:

Seek means to improve the fairness of property tax structures to ensure that long term residents are not penalized as a result of development pressures on property values;

The Board submitted a resolution to the Union of BC Municipalities calling for the province to reinstate the Corporate voting category to allow non-resident business owners to participate in local decision-making.

Taxation approved by residents in 2008, for the Interlakes Volunteer Fire Department, began to be collected in mid-2009. Taxation for the fire department is a combination of parcel and assessment-based tax with the assessment-based portion limited to improvements only. This format is being used more often in order to reduce the impact of rapid increases in property assessments.

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Other activities and initiatives ...

A number of regulatory bylaws were presented to the Board for consideration.

Capital improvements

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By the numbers ...

(The following numbers apply to the period November 15, 2008 to December 31, 2009)

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