Two Chemainus Secondary School students received recognition during a small part of a marathon seven-hour North Cowichan council meeting June 20.
Council presented its annual awards in the high-school value-added woodworking contest. Chemainus 2018 grads Luke Fotheringham and Brandon Gladman accounted for two of the three awards, along with Jesse Popma from Duncan Christian School.
In the longer portions of the meeting, council received an update from Cowichan Valley MLA Sonia Furstenau. She talked about her work on child welfare, the professional reliance model and watershed protection.
Reflecting the strong activity in the building and construction industry, council held eight public meetings and one public hearing.
Among them was a chance for the public to speak on a development variance permit for 8996 Chemainus Rd. to reduce the minimum permitted lot frontage from 30 metres to 27.33 m to facilitate a two-lot subdivision. Council granted the development variance permit.
A public hearing was held on the proposed rezoning of 2951 Beverly St. in Duncan, the current Fun Pacific property, from Commercial Recreation (C4) zone to a new Comprehensive Development Zone to facilitate a mixed-use site, including community care and assisted living, a hotel and conference centre, and commercial and mixed-use buildings.
Several people spoke about the need for assisted living and hotel spaces, but also brought attention to the need for protection of the adjacent Somenos Marsh and the value of design with public space in mind.
After hearing from the public, council gave third reading and adoption to the rezoning. Council previously placed a restrictive covenant on the property requiring stormwater to be either managed onsite or for the developer to provide the estimated cost of stormwater management to the Municipality amounting to $86,000, and also required the developer to work with staff to incorporate public art into the site.
There was an opportunity for the public to speak on the Municipality’s 2017 Annual Report. No comments were made and council received the report.
Council directed staff to work with Babine Road and Babine Place property owners and Tarn Place property owners to develop petitions to establish local area services to fund the cost to connect their properties to the Crofton and South End sewer systems, respectively.
Council authorized Mayor Jon Lefebure and the Corporate Officer to sign the documents necessary to transfer 9796 Willow St. to the Vancouver Island Regional Library to build a new library in Chemainus.
Council also approved the schedule for developing the 2019-2023 budget.