The Westerly News
June 21, 2006
There will be an open house, followed by an official public hearing, on
Ucluelet's new rules designed to protect riparian areas from the impact
of development.
Council gave two readings to an Official Community Plan (OCP) ammendment bylaw June 13 in order to begin the process to adopt the new riparian area regulations.
The new guidelines were prepared by planner Felice Mazzoni and his summer planning assistants from Malaspina, Heather Richards and Richard Crowley.
In their report, planning staff say the purpose of the rules is to "protect and preserve the natural features and functions of riparian areas from the impacts of development," and ensure that qualified professionals collect the required information on how development can proceed. Costs are to be borne by the developers.
In his notes to council, CAO Geoff Lyons stressed that compliance and enforcement are the responsibility of the developer and the qualified professional, and that the ultimate responsibility for riparian management sits with the provincial government. "The municipality's prime purpose is to require compliance, and withhold further development if any failure is noted."
Currently an environmental assessment is required within all development permit areas, but Mazzoni called the parameters of the assessment reports "vague and open to interpretation." The bylaw will provide developers with specifics about what they are required to do in development permit areas.
Riparian areas are the areas adjacent to streams, lakes, oceans and wetlands that support a unique mixture of vegetation and fish habitat. In the background information included with the council package, staff state that "riparian areas need to remain in a largely undisturbed state to provide these functions."
An open house on riparian
areas will be held Wed. June 28, from noon to 8 pm in the Ucluelet Court
Room.
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The Westerly News is published each Wednesday in Ucluelet. Phone: 250
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