Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission - August 22, 2023

1. Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 9:01am by Director Holman.

2. Territorial Acknowledgement / Call Meeting to Order

A Territorial Acknowledgement was provided by Director Holman.

3. Approval of Agenda

MOVED by Commissioner Baker, SECONDED by Commissioner Webster, That the Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission approve the agenda of August 22, 2023 as amended by moving agenda item number 6.1. T. Vassos (Technical Director) and F. Adli (Project Manager) Integrated Sustainability; re: Burgoyne Bay Septage Receiving Facility Alternative Waste-Stream Management Option Analysis to item number 8.1. and, to move item number 7.3. T. Horbas and C. Johnson, Salt Spring Island Minor Baseball re: Necessity of a Senior Baseball Field at Portlock Park to item number 5.1. Lastly, to add item number 6.6. M. Welman, Co-Chair, Salt Spring Solutions; re: Commissioner Webster’s Notice of Motion regarding Housing on Salt Spring Island and, to renumber the remainder of the agenda numerically. CARRIED

4. Adoption of Minutes

4.1 Minutes of July 18, 2023 Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission Meeting

MOVED by Commissioner Webster, SECONDED by Commissioner Baker, That the minutes of the July 18, 2023 meeting be adopted as presented. CARRIED

4.2 Minutes of July 11, 2023 Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission Meeting

MOVED by Commissioner Webster, SECONDED by Commissioner Baker, That the minutes of the July 11, 2023 meeting be adopted as presented. CARRIED

5. Chair and Commissioners Remarks – None

5.1 T. Horbas and C. Johnson, Salt Spring Island Minor Baseball re: Necessity of a Senior Baseball Field at Portlock Park

• C. Johnson and T. Horbas spoke to community support for a baseball field at Portlock Park.

6. Presentations

6.1. J. East and R. Cunningham, Southern Gulf Islands Tourism Partnership Society re: Southern Gulf Islands Tourism Partnership

• Requesting continued CRD funding to demonstrate support to Destination BC as local funding is required to access the Municipal & Regional District Tax Program.

6.2. H. Jang and Y. Wand, ArtSpring Re: ArtSpring Arts Service Requisition

• ArtSpring requesting a 20% increase in funding for building maintenance and operations, capacity building and sustainability initiatives.
• Salt Spring Arts requesting a 20% increase in funding for reviewing and renewing programs, systems and staff retention capacity, and the use of Mahon Hall.

6.3. A. Wright (Chair), R. Swann (Treasurer) and K. Hudson (Library Director), Salt Spring Island Library; re: Library Requisition

• Requesting additional funding due to forced growth and activity on the library operations which is currently operated primarily by aging volunteers.

6.4. T. Vassos (Technical Director) and F. Adli (Project Manager) Integrated Sustainability; re: Burgoyne Bay Septage Receiving Facility Alternative Waste-Stream Management Option Analysis

MOVED by Commissioner Webster, SECONDED by Commissioner Baker, That staff prepare a public consultation and engagement strategy to gather comments and input from the community on Option 4 for LCC consideration; and that funding for community engagement strategy and the evaluation of Option 4 be increased in the 2024 - 2028 Capital Plan. CARRIED

7. Delegations

7.1. R. Jenkinson, Island Pathways re: Salish Sea Trail Active Transportation Network

• R. Jenkinson requested safer, bikeable shoulders along Salt Spring Island’s main roads in partnership with the Salish Sea Trail Active Transportation Network and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.

7.2. F. Dos Santos, Dragonfly Commons Housing Society re: Drake Road Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety

• F. Dos Santos requested a survey of Drake Road in the 2024 budget planning.

MOVED by Commissioner Baker, SECONDED by Commissioner Webster, That the Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission request Director Holman to contact BC Housing regarding the need for a cyclist and pedestrian pathway on Drake Road as well as the potential for a partnership. CARRIED

7.3. M. Welman, Salt Spring Solutions; re: Commissioner Webster’s Notice of Motion regarding Housing on Salt Spring Island

• M. Welman left the meeting before she could present her delegation however, discussion ensued under item number 9.1.

8. Commission Business

8.1. 2023/24 B.C. Active Transportation Infrastructure Grant Application - Merchant Mews Pathway

MOVED by Commissioner Baker, SECONDED by Commissioner Corno, The Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission recommends that the Capital Regional District Board recommends to the Capital Regional District Board: That approval be given to submit a 2023/24 Active Transportation Infrastructure grant application for the Salt Spring Island Merchant Mews pathway project in the amount of $160,000; and further that the project proceed as soon as project funding is approved and local weather conditions allow. CARRIED

8.2. Rainbow Recreation Centre Building Envelope Renewal Project

MOVED by Commissioner Corno, SECONDED by Commissioner Baker, That staff include funding in the 2024 Salt Spring Island Parks and Recreation Capital Plan to hold an Alternative Approval Process for electors to indicate whether they are against the CRD borrowing funds to support the Rainbow Recreation Centre Building Envelope Renewal Project. CARRIED

MOVED by Commissioner Webster, SECONDED by Commissioner Baker, That the Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission request staff report back to the commission at the September 14, 2023 Regular meeting with a summary of potential capital projects and funding requirements. CARRIED

8.3. Options Analysis for Wastewater Treatment at the Burgoyne Septage Facility

• Discussion ensued under item 6.4 T. Vassos (Technical Director) and F. Adli (Project Manager) Integrated Sustainability; re: Burgoyne Bay Septage Receiving Facility Alternative Waste-Stream Management Option Analysis

8.4. LCC Meeting Management and Public Participation

MOVED by Commissioner Webster, SECONDED by Commissioner Baker,

1. That the LCC hold one regular daytime meeting per month and one evening meeting per month, starting at 5:00 pm and limited in duration to 2 hours, subject to the CRD reaching agreement on overtime or variation of normal work hours;
2. That staff make any operational changes necessary to accommodate the service level adjustment, including deferring planned work or reducing public office hours if necessary;
3. That costs associated for additional and evening meetings to support the LCC on an ongoing basis be included in the 2024 Salt Spring Island Administration Budget.
4. That twice monthly meetings will begin as soon as possible/feasible. CARRIED

8.5. BC Transit 2024-2025 Transit Service Expansion MOU

MOVED by Commissioner Baker, SECONDED by Commissioner Webster, That the Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission defer the BC Transit 2024-2025 Transit Service Expansion MOU until the Thursday, September 14, 2023 Regular meeting. CARRIED

8.6. Project Updates

• LCC Bylaws, Meeting Recordings, Ease of Access to Information
  • Forthcoming.
• LCC Meeting Recordings
  • Forthcoming.
• Harbourwalk Steering Committee Recruitments
  • Application due date Thursday, August 31, 2023.

8.7. Discussion on Services

• Active Transportation Network Plan
  • Deferred to the September 14, 2023 Regular meeting.
• Transportation and Transit
  • Deferred to the September 14, 2023 Regular meeting.
• Parks and Recreation
  • Deferred to the September 14, 2023 Regular meeting.
• Economic Diversification Grants
  • Staff to report back to the Commission with an update on available grants.

8.8. Strategic Planning/Priority Setting

• Staff to be included in communications with other organizations.

8.9. Appointment to the Salt Spring Island Library Board

MOVED by Director Holman, SECONDED by Commissioner Baker, That the Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission appoint Commissioner Corno to the Salt Spring Island Library Board. CARRIED

8.10. D. Courtney re: SSI Ferry Advisory Committee Terms of Reference

• No action taken.

8.11. Transportation Governance Engagement Workbook Survey Outcomes

MOVED by Commissioner Webster, SECONDED by Commissioner Baker, that the Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission request, based on the current understanding, that the regional transportation potential service exclude Salt Spring Island. CARRIED

• Staff to update the Transportation Governance Engagement Workbook Survey, item number 5, highest priority rank to; 3,2,4,&1.

8.12. Country Grocer Parking Proposal

• Interested in providing parking to Saturday Market goers once the property located at PID 017-759-561/017-759-579 has been developed in exchange for space at the Saturday Market.

MOVED by Commissioner Webster, SECONDED by Commissioner Baker, That the Country Grocer Parking Proposal be referred back to staff for additional information. CARRIED

8.13. Abattoir

• Staff report forthcoming on the scope of services and activities permitted with the economic sustainability service.

9. Notice(s) of Motion

9.1. Commissioner Webster proposed the following Notice of Motion:

MOVED by Commissioner Webster, SECONDED by Commissioner Baker, That the Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission recognizes housing for working people and their families as Salt Spring Island’s most pressing economic sustainability issue. CARRIED

MOVED by Commissioner Webster, SECONDED by Commissioner Baker, That the Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission request the Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission and the Capital Regional District Board to write the province to urgently request inclusion of Salt Spring Island in the Speculation and Vacancy Tax. CARRIED

MOVED by Director Holman, SECONDED by Commissioner Webster, That the Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission revise the Economic Sustainability Bylaw No. 3803 to better address Salt Spring Island housing needs. CARRIED

MOVED by Commissioner Webster, SECONDED by Commissioner Baker, That the Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission meet with representatives of the Capital Regional Housing Corporation including staff working on the Rural Housing Program and to invite the Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee, North Salt Spring Waterworks District, Salt Spring Island Housing Council, Salt Spring Island Chamber of Commerce, Salt Spring Island Solutions, and other local housing stakeholders. CARRIED

9.2. Motion with Notice (Commissioner Webster)

That all services under the purview of the Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission (LCC) be branded as “Salt Spring Island LCC Services” and the following steps be taken to implement this new branding:

• Conduct a community logo/wordmark design contest for Salt Spring Island LCC Services during fall 2023
• Open the contest to all Salt Spring residents and particularly encourage youth submissions
• Assemble a selection of LCC service-related prizes for the contest (such as a swim pass, a transit pass and other items) in addition to a modest cash award
• Invite a small group of local art teachers, commercial artists and/or graphic designers plus a staff member to serve as ad hoc contest judges/advisors, tasked with selecting from the contest entries a shortlist of three logos/wordmarks for the consideration of the commission
• Ask the judges/advisors to rate the entries using six criteria:
  • Appropriateness to our community
  • Graphic quality
  • Distinctiveness
  • Versatility
  • Memorableness
  • Timelessness
• The Commission shall assess the three shortlisted logo/wordmarks at an LCC meeting using the same criteria, and
• Roll out the selected logo/wordmark over time as new signs, documents and other materials are needed. DEFERRED

10. Correspondence

10.1. Letter dated July 12, 2023 T. Teeple re: Salt Spring Public Transit 10.2. Email dated August 2, 2023 I. Threadkell re: Parking in Ganges 10.3. Email dated August 4, 2023 M. Leichter re: Parking in Ganges 10.4 Email dated August 15, 2023 J. Parker re: Fulford-Ganges Road Cycling Accident

11. Adjournment

MOVED by Director Holman, that the meeting adjourn at 4:28pm.