Second reading given to JDF Rural Resource Bylaw

An aura of overall calm and acceptance is how Mike Hicks, regional director for the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area, described the passing of second reading for the Juan de Fuca Rural Resource Lands Plan by the Capital Regional District Board on December 9.

“It’s gratifying. There’s a real acceptance,” said Hicks. “No one is really happy or sad.”

The second reading signals proceeding to a public hearing scheduled for January 26, 2010.

The plan includes an Official Community Plan and Land Use Bylaw and covers the forest and resource lands west of Sooke in the JDF Electoral Area.

“The idea of the plan was to lock it up number one, and provide flexibility for other ideas,” said Hicks. “If (the ideas are) against the Regional Growth Strategy, they will be referred to the whole board. Nothing has changed, any idea is a possibility.”

He said the plan should alleviate anyone’s fears that “anything can happen,” and allow some flexibility. “Great ideas could be considered in the future, by the region as a whole.”

Hicks said they weren’t necessarily going to say “no” to submitted development plans, but any plans would have to go through the process.

The lands west of Sooke are mainly a combination of crown forest land and private tree farm license land, with small portions of privately held parcels. The plan provides land use, subdivision and planning regulations for the area.

The primary goal of the plan is to protect the area’s natural resources in the context of resource and economic uses, maintenance of rural atmosphere and protection of the environment. The plan accommodates resource extraction, tourism, residential and recreational uses in appropriate locations. Forms of development that increase demands for services and infrastructure and that negatively impact the rural resource nature of the area are not supported.

Minimum parcel sizes for subdivision purposes have been set at 120 hectares for the resource lands, where lands have been removed from Private Managed Forest land status. The proposed zoning will allow for one single-family dwelling per parcel and one secondary suite or detached accessory suite. For a number of parcels located in the Agricultural Land Reserve and Rural Resource Lands zones, the minimum parcel size for subdivision purposes is four hectares, with a maximum of one single-family dwelling and one secondary suite or detached accessory suite.

At the public hearing residents will still get an opportunity to have their say.

“Residents will be able to give their opinion on how the plan and bylaws affect their interests, as well as how they work for their community and the region as a whole.”

“I am pleased to see this revised plan pass second reading,” said CRD Board Chair Geoff Young. “The plan  will ensure the protection of our rural resource lands into the future, supporting a variety of uses and maintaining the rural character of the area.”

The Rural Resource lands Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaws are tentatively scheduled to go to Public Hearing on January 26, 2010 at the District of Sooke Council Chambers, 2225 Otter Point Road, at 7 p.m. For the purpose of this public hearing phase of the consultation on the bylaws, all further correspondence pertaining to the plan must be sent to the JDF Planning Office before the date of the hearing. Submissions will also be accepted at the hearing.