Letter from Kitty Lloyd re: Gorge Waterway Initiative (GWI)

RE: GORGE WATERWAY INITIATIVE AS REFERRAL AGENCY/STAKEHOLDER GROUP FOR REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS ALONG PORTAGE INLET

At the Gorge Waterway Initiative (GWI) meeting of September 17, 2014, members decided to formally request the Town of View Royal to include the GWI as a referral group when applications for development or rezoning of properties along Portage Inlet are received by your municipality. Although we are usually contacted by your staff when such applications are made, there have been times when this does not routinely happen. As a reminder, due to the nature of our initiative and the large number of members we now have on the steering committee, it takes a minimum of about three weeks for us to provide a coordinated response to a proposal or plan.

The GWI is a collaborative, community-driven group of organizations dedicated to the protection and enhancement of the natural and cultural features of the Gorge Waterway, Portage Inlet and surrounding watersheds. The goals of the GWI are to provide a forum for the exchange and sharing of information regarding the Gorge Waterway, Portage Inlet and their watersheds; promote education and awareness programs on appropriate land and water use; and to establish and encourage activities that show care and concern for the natural environment.

The GWI provides an opportunity for issues such as development and rezoning proposals on or adjacent to the waterway and major developments within the watersheds to receive a collective audience. The partner members can discuss responses in light of each other's mandates and as the issue or proposal relates to the common goals and objectives identified in the GWI's Stewardship Strategy for the Gorge Waterway.

If you have any questions or require clarification on the comments provided, please contact me at 250-360-3299 or at klloyd@crd.bc.ca. We look forward to continuing to work with the Town of View Royal to ensure the protection of the Gorge Waterway and its unique ecosystems.

Sincerely,

Kitty Lloyd GWI Coordinator

cc: R. Lapham, Chief Administrative Officer, CRD L. Hutcheson, General Manager, Parks & Environmental Services Department, CRD