By Contributed Opinion – Gulf Islands Driftwood

Recent criticisms about the proposed Riparian Areas Regulation (RAR) bylaw and the process for its implementation seem to have lost sight of its primary purpose. That is, to regulate activities on land that could result in contamination of critically important streams, lakes, wetlands and other water courses. Surely public health, in the form of safe, healthy water sources on our island, must be a clear priority.

The Salt Spring Island Water Council, comprising over 50 organizations, agencies and individuals involved with providing, protecting, conserving and managing drinking water on the island, strongly supports the overall intent of the proposed bylaw. We recognize that protection of fish habitat through the implementation of the RAR will also have the effect of enhancing the protection of our drinking water.

Water Council also agrees with the creative efforts of the Local Trust Committee to implement the bylaw in a way that would reduce the costs to applicants and expedite the approval process, provided it does not compromise public health concerns in the protection of vital drinking water supplies.

I’d like to address some of the criticisms being raised about the proposed bylaw.

The suggestion that this bylaw is being rushed through the process is emphatically wrong. The requirement to comply with the provincial RAR was made in March 2006 and, perhaps, should have been addressed in my term as a local trustee for the Islands Trust (2005-2008). However, a review of the development permit areas was planned but not undertaken over this period due to considerable work on other revisions to the OCP. Another two and a half years have passed. With extensive public input, a revised Development Permit Area 4 bylaw, incorporating RAR, has been proposed and is long overdue.

Concerns have been expressed about the scale of mapping that is needed. Since RAR applies to all defined “streams,” whether mapped or not, detailed mapping is not necessary to implement RAR. However, the Trust has proposed a reasonable compromise by identifying RAR designated watersheds on the island, within which the RAR would apply to a 30 m setback from any “streams.” In practice, according to staff estimates given in last week’s Driftwood, less than 10 per cent of the island land base could be affected.

Critics have proposed more certainty for landowners through detailed mapping of all possible “streams” that would be subject to RAR including ground-truthing and private landowner consultation. The costs are unknown, but likely high for the taxpayer and would further delay the bylaw. Even with such mapping, a site-specific assessment by a Qualified Environmental Professional could still be required for each application, at the applicant’s expense, at the time the application is made. Given the relatively few development permit applications that are filed and the proposal to have Trust staff provide an initial screening of applications, the proposed watershed mapping appears to be the most cost-effective approach.

I was pleased to read in last week’s Driftwood that the Trust is exploring a way to address the sensitive issue of roadside ditches, perhaps through a clear definition of ditches that would be subject to RAR with reduced setbacks and those that would be exempt. This would reduce the area of land affected even more.

In view of the above, and the urgency of protecting our increasingly threatened drinking water sources, Water Council urges the Local Trust Committee to proceed diligently with a final bylaw at the earliest opportunity accompanied by the proposed community information program to assist landowners and the development community.

Peter Lamb is coordinator of SSI Water Council and a former Islands Trustee.