Local News
Gulf Islanders Showing Discontent With Local Government
A petition calling for a review, and an online poll asking if a there
should be a review has many island residents thinking about The Islands
Trust Act which may be showing serious signs of aging.
The poll, on the Gulf Islands Driftwood web site asks: Should the
Islands Trust Act be reviewed? At the time of this writing 80% of
those who voted, said YES.
A petition circulating on the islands in both printed form and on the
internet asks the Government of British Columbia to order a full and
independent public core review of the Islands Trust Act. The full
text of the petition will be found on this web page:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/review_islands_trust_act/
Along with the petition there are a number of comments, some of which are
highly critical of the current Island Trust Council and staff.
Islanders may give new meaning to U.S.
Independence Day
July 4 rally
on Salt Spring Island. The gathering will feature guest speakers
including Senator Larry Campbell, former mayor of Vancouver and now a Galiano
Island resident.
The rousing event
will be held from Noon to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday of the Canada Day long weekend to
support genuine for-the-islands, by-the-islands, of-the-islands, on-the-islands
local government. Count on Mickey McLeod of the Salt Spring Roasting Company
to describe the fun of expanding a business in the Salt Spring Trust Area, and
Arvid Chalmers to throw a round of verbal darts. Barbeque, music,
face-painting, fun… and a few surprises… will be in ample supply for Trust Area
Residents young and not-so-young. All MLA's in the Islands Trust area have
been invited to attend.
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Former Vancouver Mayor, Galiano resident Senator Larry Campbell to speak
at Salt Spring Rally July 4.
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Thomas Jefferson said: "When the people fear their government there is
TYRANNY; when the government fears the people, there is LIBERTY".
Another Local Business Opportunity Rejected by Islands
Trust.
Mayne Island Trust Rejects Permit for Local-Grown Food Store.An Temporary Use Permit application to
use a former automotive repair shop as a local-grown food store was turned down
in short order by Trustees Janine Dodds and Colin Shew at a Mayne Island Local
Trust Committee meeting on June 7. Following the meeting, the unexpected outcome
had some Islanders in tears at what they saw as a error in judgment (see also
Letters, page 4). The temporary use permit was coupled to a rezoning application
to change the originally spot-zoned property from C-3 to C-1 to enable the
commencement of the operation of the farm store. Applicants, farmers Don and
Shanti McDougall, bought the property next to the Fernhill Centre earlier this
year, after trying for some years to buy another C-1 property in Miners Bay.
Given the amount of community support and the move to reduce GHG in the
community, attendees at the meeting saw the permit as a done deal. Islands Trust
planners had suggested the TUP application as a way of jump-starting the
operation for the 2010 growing season and a way to gauge community response
pending the rezoning process.
The staff report was in favour of the TUP, as was LTC Chair Gary
Steeves’ vote. The rezoning application had been removed from the agenda at the
beginning of the meeting. An information meeting for the rezoning is currently
scheduled for July 5.
Following the meeting, Shanti McDougall filed an Administrative
Complaint against the Dodds and Shew. Subsequently, Richard Tamboline filed an
Administrative Complaint against Gary.
Read the full story in the Island Tides Newspaper.
http://www.islandtides.com/assets/IslandTides.pdf
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