Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) directors are getting closer to adopting the new bylaw enforcement notification (BEN) system.
At its community services committee meeting of March 17, chief building inspector and bylaw manager Peter Longhi presented directors with a report on a recent BEN workshop. Longhi asked directors to forward recommendations on further reports that may be required and what issues need additional review.
Directors discussed the possible length of the program as well as various bylaw infraction issues, such as watering, construction without a permit and animals.
Additionally suggested was the choice of one bylaw issue to implement the pilot program. Ports and water bylaws was then decided upon for the pilot.
Staff will be presenting further reports on the other infraction issues within a month's time.
Under the BEN system, individuals who wish to fight a ticket will be able to appeal to a local adjudicator rather than in provincial court. Longhi assured directors that whoever is issuing tickets for bylaw infractions would have experience in differentiating between legal infractions and honest mistakes. The new system would be implemented incrementally, maintaining some elements of the current municipal ticketing information system.
Directors discussed the community garden project and mutually expressed interest in further co-ordination within elementary schools. Directors were also keen to speak with School District No. 46 (SD46) and co-ordinate further logistics.
Roberts Creek director Donna Shugar said Roberts Creek Elementary School would be very interested in the project, and directors suggested writing a letter to SD46 about the possibility of co-ordinating the project at the school.
RCMP contract
Upon receiving communications regarding negotiations on the RCMP contract renewal with the Union of British Columbia Municipalities, directors examined and questioned associated costs as well as municipal and rural contributions.
Shugar expressed her concern over how funds are portioned, specifically over victims' services. She felt the communications report did not clarify this matter and contribution calculations seemed "wonky."
West Howe Sound director Lee Turnbull said she would also like to see clarification on finances: "I don't think we've ever really gotten figures on how much of that tax we send is actually spent here, the proportion," Turnbull said.
Directors passed a motion to ask for further clarification on the report before going forward with direct input on the contract renewal.
