Laura Patrick

Local Trust Committee November Update

Local Trust Committee November Update, by Trustee Laura Patrick This report relates to the business of the Salt Spring Local Trust Committee (LTC), which is made up of the two local trustees and an appointed chair. The LTC’s responsibilities include regulating the development and use of land within the Salt Spring Local Trust Area, which includes Salt Spring Island and more than 25 associated islands including Prevost, Secret, and Piers islands. Our next regular meeting will be on December 12th beginning at 9:30 AM at the Salt Spring Legion, Meaden Hall, 120 Blain Road. The agenda will be available on December 6th on the Islands Trust website. Office staff are available to help should you have questions about getting to our meetings or viewing them on-line. Please call 250-538-9144 or email ssiinfo@islandstrust.bc.ca for support. Please note that no in-person office is available on Salt Spring Island at this time. Renovations will be commencing on a new office at 121 McP…

Local Trust Committee October Update

Local Trust Committee October Update, by Trustee Laura Patrick This report relates to the business of the Salt Spring Local Trust Committee (LTC), which is made up of the two local trustees and an appointed chair. The LTC’s responsibilities include regulating the development and use of land within the Salt Spring Local Trust Area, which includes Salt Spring Island and more than 25 associated islands including Prevost, Secret, and Piers islands. Our next regular meeting will be on November 14th beginning at 12:30 PM at the Salt Spring Legion, Meaden Hall, 120 Blain Road. The agenda will be available on November 8th on the Islands Trust website. Office staff are available to help should you have questions about getting to our meetings or viewing them on-line. Please call 250-538-9144 or email ssiinfo@islandstrust.bc.ca for support. Please note that no in-person office is available on Salt Spring Island at this time. Renovations will be commencing on a new office at 121 McP…

Local Trust Committee September Update

This report relates to the business of the Salt Spring Local Trust Committee (LTC), which is made up of the two local trustees and an appointed chair. The LTC’s responsibilities include regulating the development and use of land within the Salt Spring Local Trust Area, which includes Salt Spring Island and more than 25 associated islands including Prevost, Secret, and Piers islands. The LTC will hold a special electronic meeting on October 1st beginning at 1:30 PM to address several business items. As with all of our meetings, it is open to the public and the meeting link and agenda are available on the Islands Trust website. Our next regular meeting will be on October 10th beginning at 9:30 AM. This will also be an electronic meeting that is open to the public, and a meeting link and agenda will be available on October 4th on the Islands Trust website. Office staff are available to help should you have questions about getting to our meetings or viewing them on-line. P…

Local Trust Committee July Update

Local Trust Committee July Update, by Trustee Laura Patrick This report relates to the business of the Salt Spring Local Trust Committee (LTC), which is made up of the two local trustees and an appointed chair. The LTC’s responsibilities include regulating the development and use of land in Salt Spring Local Trust Area, which includes Salt Spring Island and more than 25 associated islands including Prevost, Secret, and Piers islands. The LTC will hold a special electronic meeting on July 31st to finalize our input into the consulting services for the Official Community Plan – Land Use Bylaw (OCP-LUB) project. As with all our meetings, it is open to the public and the meeting link and agenda will be available on the Islands Trust website. A joint Salt Spring Local Community Commission and LTC meeting will be held on August 22 at 2:00 PM at the SIMS Boardroom. Our next regular meeting will be on September 12th beginning at 9:30 AM at the Salt Spring Legion, Meaden…

Islands Trust Committee Update

This report summarizes the meeting highlights for the Salt Spring Local Trust Committee May 16th meeting. For the official record and for more details, please refer to the minutes and/or view recordings of the meeting. At the May 16th meeting the following decisions were made related to land use applications and referrals. We: Approved a temporary use permit (SS-TUP-2024.1, Lot 2 Jackson Ave) for a period of three years for the operation of one food truck and two retail/office spaces. Approved a Development Variance Permit (SS-DVP-2023.20, 261 Fulford Ganges Road) to vary the rear lot line provision of 7.5 m in the Residential 9 – R9 zone to 2 m to accommodate an existing carport structure and two additional carport structures. Exempted the 10% minimum frontage requirement for a proposed subdivision (SS-SUB-2023.3, 784 Vesuvius Bay Road). Reviewed the Islands Trust Policy Statement Directives Only Checklist and determined that Bylaw 536 (rezoning of Section 50 Musgra…

Islands Trust – Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee April 2024

This report summarizes the meeting highlights for the Salt Spring Local Trust Committee April 11 th meeting. For the official record and for more details, please refer to the minutes and/or view recordings of the meeting. At the April 11 th meeting the following decisions were made related to land use applications and referrals. We: - Amended and then approved a temporary use permit (SS-TUP-2023.2, 805 Vesuvius Bay Road) for a period of two years for the operation of five commercial guest accommodation units in the form of individual yurt structures. - Approved a Development Variance Permit (SS-DVP-2023.16, 131 Northern Way) to vary an interior side lot set back of 3 metres to 1.5 meters for the construction of a single-family dwelling. - Approved a Development Variance Permit (SS-DVP-2024.4, 541 Anna’s Drive) to vary the maximum height for a structure from 7.6 meters to 9.8 meters for the construction of a single-family dwelling. The following permit was approved b…

Islands Trust: Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee March 2024 Update

This report summarizes the meeting highlights for the Salt Spring Local Trust Committee March 7 Regular meeting. For the official record and for more details, please refer to the minutes and/or view recordings of the meeting. At the March 7th meeting the following decisions were made related to land use applications and referrals. We: - Approved development variance permit (SS-DVP-2023.18, 103 Tantramar Drive) to vary: the minimum front line setback of 7.5 m to 0.0 m to permit an existing garage, stairs and rock wall; the natural boundary of the sea setback from 15 m to 4.36 m and to 5.8 m to permit a rock wall extension and an existing deck, stairs and bench; and, the natural boundary of the sea setback of 15 m to 11.8 m to permit an existing septic field replacement. - Approved a partial discharge of a s. 219 Restrictive Covenant and s. 218 Statutory Right Away Agreement for the purposes of land acquisition and road dedication by the Ministry of Transportation and Infr…

Islands Trust: Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee 2024 February update

The Local Trust Committee (LTC) did not have a regular meeting scheduled in January 2024, but we did hold a special meeting on January 22. We held our regular LTC meeting on February 15th and this report summarizes the meeting highlights for both of those meetings. For the official record and for more details, please refer to the minutes and/or view recordings of the meetings. At the Jan. 22nd special meeting, we gave three readings to Bylaw 537 because it is consistent with the Official Community Plan. The proposed bylaw will amend the Land Use Bylaws by introducing regulations for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) within a limited area. Before LTC can consider finally approving a bylaw like this, Trust Council’s Executive Committee must approve it. At the Feb. 15th meeting the following decision was made related to land use applications and referrals. We: Approved a development variance permit (SS-DVP-2023.5 at 250 Collins Road) to vary the maximum area of an ex…

Islands Trust: Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee 2023 December update

Wishing you a Happy New Year! We held our regular LTC meeting on December 14th and this report summarizes the meeting highlights. For the official record and for more details, please refer to the minutes and/or view recordings of the meetings. At the Dec. 14th meeting the following decision was made related to land use applications and referrals. We: Requested staff to forward application SS-ALR-2023.2 (710 Cranberry Road) to create a two-lot bare land strata subdivision to the Agriculture Land Commission (ALC) for further consideration noting that the Salt Spring Agricultural Advisory Planning Commission had identified concerns with future exclusion and further subdivision of Proposed Lot A. In other actions taken at the regular Dec. 14th meeting we: Received two delegations on the Temporary Use Permit (SS-TUP-2023.1 at 130 Blackburn Road) for a dog kennel and campground that the Local Trust Committee denied at its November 16, 2023 meeting. The applicant …

Islands Trust: Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee 2023 November update

The Local Trust Committee (LTC) held an evening “Town Hall and Questions” session at Salt Spring Golf Club November 15th (5:00-7:00 PM). We were grateful for those who came out to ask questions and engage with the trustees. We held our regular LTC meeting on November 16th and this report summarizes the meeting highlights. For the official record and for more details, please refer to the minutes and/or view recordings of the meetings. At the Nov. 16th meeting the following decisions were made related to land use applications and referrals. We: Referred an Agriculture Land Reserve application SS-ALR-2023.2 (710 Cranberry Road) to create a two-lot bare land strata subdivision to the Agriculture Advisory Planning Commission for their comments. Approved a development variance permit (SS-DVP-2023.15 at 351 Mountain Park Dr.) to: increase the maximum accessory building floor area from 70 square metres to 178 square metres; reduce the minimum sideline setback from 3 me…

Islands Trust: Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee 2023 October update

We held a regular LTC meeting on October 12th and this report summarizes the meeting highlights. For the official record and for more details, please refer to the minutes and/or view recordings of the meetings. At the October 12th meeting the following decisions were made related to a land use applications and referrals. We: Supported an application (SS-ALR-2023.1, 271 Beddis Road) to facilitate a boundary adjustment subdivision within the Agriculture Land Reserve (ALR) and requested staff to forward the application to the Agriculture Land Commission for their consideration. Directed staff to respond to a crown lease referral (No. 160881170-004, 6736 Mark Lane, Saanich Peninsula) that our interests are unaffected regarding amending an existing crown lease to construct a 49 m2 concrete boat launch ramp. Approved issuance of a Development Variance Permit (SS-DVP-2021.23, 150 Margoline Drive) to vary the 15.0 m minimum setback for a structure from the natural bound…

Islands Trust: Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee 2023 September update

The Local Trust Committee (LTC) held an evening “Town Hall and Questions” session at Beaver Point Hall September 13th (5:00-7:00 PM). We were grateful for those who came out to ask questions and engage with the trustees. The LTC will hold its next evening “Town Hall and Questions” session on November 15, 2023 (5:00-7:00 PM) at the Salt Spring Island Golf Club. We held our regular LTC meeting on September 14th and this report summarizes the meeting highlights. For the official record and for more details, please refer to the minutes and/or view recordings of the meetings. At the Sept. 14th meeting the following decisions were made related to a land use applications and referrals. We: Recommended approval of Harbour House Hotel’s (121 Upper Ganges Road) application to the Liquor and Cannabis Regulations Branch (LCRB) to extend serving hours. Approved a development variance permit (SS-DVP-2022.13 on 536 Beaver Point Road) to defer the installation of drainage wor…

Islands Trust: Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee 2023 July update

The LTC held a “Town Hall and Questions” session at Royal Canadian Legion Meaden Hall between 5:00 and 7:00 PM on July 12th. We were grateful for those who came out to ask questions and engage with the trustees. The LTC will hold its next evening “Town Hall and Questions” session on September 13, 2023 at Beaver Point Hall. We held our regular LTC meeting on July 13th and this report summarizes the meeting highlights. For the official record and for more details, please refer to the minutes and/or view recordings of the meetings. At the July 13th meeting the following decisions were made related to a land use applications and referrals. We: Approved issuance of a Development Variance Permit to enable an auxiliary guest cottage to be attached to a storage room and to permit an existing retaining seawall within the setback to the foreshore (38 McKenzie Crescent, Piers Island). Recommended approval of Gulf Island Brewing’s (270 Furness Road) application to the Liq…

Islands Trust: Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee 2023 June update

The Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee (LTC) invites you to join us for an evening Town Hall and Question period on July 12th between 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM at the Royal Canadian Legion Meaden Hall – 120 Blain Road. We welcome you to ask questions or provide comments during the meeting. This is one of four special evening town hall meetings planned for this year. We encourage you to attend and engage with your trustees. We held our regular LTC meeting on June 22nd. This report summarizes the meeting highlights. For the official record and for more details, please refer to the minutes and/or view recordings of the meetings. At the June 22nd meeting the following decisions were made related to land use applications and referrals. We: Requested staff to hold a public open house to gather community input on an application from the Harbour House Hotel to the Liquor and Cannabis Regulations Branch (LCRB) to extend their hours of liquor service by two hours, with a propo…

Islands Trust: Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee 2023 May update

The Local Trust Committee (LTC) invites you to attend either of two upcoming open houses to learn more about the proposed Bylaw 530 (Accessory Dwelling Units). The open houses will be held from 12:00 to 3:00 PM on June 6 at the Salt Spring Public Library (129 McPhillips Ave) and from 12:00 to 3:00 PM on June 10 at the Legion’s Meaden Hall (120 Blain Road). The LTC held a “Town Hall and Questions” session at Fulford Hall Seniors Centre between 5:00 and 7:00 PM on May 17th. We were grateful for those who came out to ask questions and engage with the trustees. The LTC will hold its next evening “Town Hall and Questions” session on July 12, 2023, at Legion’s Meaden Hall. We held our regular LTC meeting on May 18. This report summarizes the meeting highlights. For the official record and for more details, please refer to the minutes and/or view recordings of the meetings. At the May 18th meeting the following decisions were made related to a land use applications and r…

Islands Trust: Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee 2023 April update

The Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee (LTC) invites you to join us for an evening Town Hall and Question period on May 17th beginning at 5:00 PM at the Fulford Hall Seniors Centre (lower Fulford Hall). The LTC met on April 13 and April 28 and this report summarizes the highlights of these meetings. For the official record and for more details, please refer to the minutes and/or watch recordings of the meetings. At the April 13th meeting the following decision was made related to a land use referral. We: Referred a Liquor & Cannabis Regulations Branch application for a Cannabis Retail license on 105-109 McPhillips Avenue to the Advisory Planning Commission for review and comment. We also directed staff to hold a public open house to gather community input on the application. In other actions taken at the regular April 13th meeting we: Were grateful to receive a delegation from Salt Spring Solutions, who presented their report “Homes for Islander…

Housing Salt Spring Together – A report on the Provincial Housing Summit

On April 4 and 5, 2023, people from local government, industry, and the not-for-profit and Indigenous housing sectors came together in a Housing Summit to seek solutions for improving housing affordability and attainability across BC. The province announced a new housing plan “Homes for People” on April 2, 2023. This plan is focused on four priorities: “unlocking more homes faster; delivering better, more affordable homes; helping those with the greatest housing need; and creating a housing market for people, not speculators.” The province announced, as part of this new plan, that it will “legalize all secondary suites in BC.” You may be thinking, what do these announcements mean here on Salt Spring? In short, we don’t know yet because the regulations related to this announcement won’t come out until the Fall. But I do know that we have started important planning work that considers where, and for whom, we should legalize accessory dwelling units such as secondary suites.…

Islands Trust: Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee 2023 March update

The Local Trust Committee met on March 16, 2023 and this report summarizes the highlights of that meeting. For the official record, please refer to the minutes and/or watch a recording of the meeting for more details. At the March meeting the following decisions were made related to land use applications and referrals. We: Responded with “interests unaffected” to a Crown Lease referral (No. 150628182) for a commercial dock in Cowichan Bay. In other actions taken at the December meeting we: Gave three readings to Bylaw 535 Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy. This bylaw, when adopted, will replace the current bylaws that were adopted in 1994. The revised bylaws are in response to the provincial Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Endorsed and agreed to be the recipient for grant funds in support of Island Pathways’ application to the BC Active Transportation Grants Network Planning stream for the Salish Sea Trail Network Plan…

Islands Trust withdraws request for new powers

While waiting in line for my turn to view the delicious baked goods at the recent Community Bake Sale & Fundraiser at Bullock Lake Farm, an acquaintance commented that the island was rife with controversy. I asked, “which controversy might that be?” She said, “tree cutting bylaws”. It’s true that Trust Council has decided to withdraw its request of the Province for jurisdiction equal to that of municipalities for tree-cutting bylaws (March 7-8, 2023 Trust Council Meeting). This request originated in September 2020 following a delegation to Trust Council from Raincoast Conservation Foundation. Raincoast had commissioned a report, Legal Measures to Protect the Gulf Islands Coastal Douglas-fir Zone, which recommended that Islands Trust take action to acquire jurisdiction for tree-cutting bylaws. The direction to seek jurisdiction equal to that of municipalities to establish tree-cutting bylaws was taken without public engagement and caused quite a commotion in the commu…

Laura Patrick: It takes a village….

Have you made up your mind about who you will vote for on election day this coming Saturday? I believe that running for public office isn’t something anyone should take lightly, and I know that single-issue platforms are simplistic and naive. It may sound appealing to have someone say they will grab the bull by the horns and wrestle it to the ground but realistically, one person can’t do that. As they say, it takes a village, and in our case, it takes two elected Trustees on Salt Spring, and one from another island, to take meaningful action. I have gratefully served as one of your two Salt Spring Island Local Trustees, and I understand very clearly the strengths and weaknesses of the Islands Trust. Like you, I’m concerned about the challenges facing our island community. But being a bull in the china shop won’t make matters better. It’s time to rethink what we do and how we do it. All our challenges on Salt Spring are interdependent, and failure to address one issue will …

Your input informs Islands Trust bylaw drafting

Land use planning can be equally as boring as a two-sailing wait for a ferry and as fraught with drama as a high school musical. Today I’m writing to help you understand the draft land use bylaw for accessory dwelling units that just had its first reading at the Local Trust Committee. Planners call them ‘accessory dwelling units’, but regular folk call them cottages and suites, and they’re not a new thing here on Salt Spring. But the bylaw is new, and with it we’re attempting to provide a policy that will grow our on-island compliment of resident landlords -- people with a primary residence who are willing to let either a secondary suite, a suite associated with an accessory building, or a cottage. Your Local Trust Committee (myself, Peter Grove, and Peter Luckham) gave first reading to the draft bylaw at our April 19 meeting. I supported first reading because I wanted to start the process and I’m serious about increasing the availability of long-term rental housing in …

Laura Patrick

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