 | AGRICULTURAL ADVISORY PLANNING COMMISSION | |
| Thursday, October 19, 2023 | ||
| Minutes of the Agricultural Advisory Planning Commission held on October 19, 2023 in the Civic Room of the Comox Valley Regional District offices located at 770 Harmston Avenue, Courtenay, BC commencing at 7:01 pm. | ||
| MINUTES | ||
| Present: | ||
| Chair: | G. McClintock | Agricultural Advisory Planning Commission |
| Members: | C. Brown | Agricultural Advisory Planning Commission |
| H. Argen | Agricultural Advisory Planning Commission | |
| P. Gurr | Agricultural Advisory Planning Commission | |
| B. Thompson | Agricultural Advisory Planning Commission | |
| Staff: | T. Trieu | Manager of Planning Services |
| J. MacLean | Senior Planner - Development | |
| S. Pawluk | Planner II | |
| Absent: | ||
| Members: | T. Ludwig | Agricultural Advisory Planning Commission |
| J. Slomp | Agricultural Advisory Planning Commission | |
| M. Obal | Agricultural Advisory Planning Commission | |
| CALL TO ORDER AND RECOGNITION OF TRADITIONAL TERRITORIES | ||||||
| The Chair called the meeting to order and acknowledged that the meeting was being held on the unceded traditional territory of the of the K'ómoks First Nation. | ||||||
| RECEIPT OF MINUTES | ||||||
| B. Thompson/C. Brown: THAT the minutes of the Agricultural Advisory Planning Commission meeting held September 14, 2023 be received. [Item] | ||||||
| Carried | ||||||
| REPORTS | ||||||
| AGRICULTURAL LAND RESERVE SUBDIVISION AND INCLUSION - UNADDRESSED LOT ALONG STURGESS ROAD (1000175 B.C. LTD.) | ||||||
| J. MacLean, Senior Planner, provided an overview of the letter dated September 13, 2023 regarding Agricultural Land Reserve Subdivision and Inclusion - Unaddressed lot along Sturgess Road (1000175 B.C. Ltd.) to subdivide the land to create six strata lots for residential purposes, with a 72 hectare remainder, and with the airstrip being located on common property shared amongst the strata owners. [Item] | ||||||
| Lee Pond, applicant, was in attendance. | ||||||
| B. Thompson/G. McClintock: THAT the Agricultural Advisory Planning Commission finds no agricultural impediment in the Agricultural Land Reserve Subdivision and Inclusion application for an unaddressed lot along Sturgess Road (1000175 B.C. Ltd.) and supports it furtherance for the following reasons:
- The land being offered in trade is greater and more suitable for agricultural use and is currently contiguous with forested lands within a woodlot; - The land being removed is along a boundary and will be used for peropty access, which would be allowed under ALR; - The proposal rationalizes previous irregular lot lines. | ||||||
| Carried | ||||||
| ZONING AMENDMENT - 3960 MINTO ROAD (ROYCREEK FARM LTD.) | ||||||
| J. MacLean, Senior Planner, provided an overview of the letter dated September 25, 2023 regarding Zoning Amendment RZ 1A 23 – 3960 Minto Road (Roycreek Farm Ltd.) to enable the farm buildings to be used for cannabis cultivation. [Item] | ||||||
| Henry Beks, Chris Beks, Dale Olmstead, applicants, were in attendance. | ||||||
| B. Thompson/H. Argen: THAT the Agricultural Advisory Planning Commission support the Zoning Amendment RZ 1A 23 application for 3960 Minto Road (Roycreek Farm Ltd.) for the following reasons:
- Cannabis is a permitted agricultural product; - Drying and processing agricultural products produced on the farm is an acceptable practice; - Conversions of existing buildings to accommodate growing and secondary processing does not change the existing footprint; - Any farm willing to risk exploring new agricultural opportunity should be supported. | ||||||
| Carried | ||||||
| The commission considered the item under the addendum regarding the Town of Comox Referral -1966 Guthrie Road next on the agenda. | ||||||
| TOWN OF COMOX REFERRAL – 1966 GUTHRIE ROAD | ||||||
| S. Pawluk, Planner II, provided an overview of the letter dated October 11, 2023 regarding a referral from the Town of Comox for a development proposal for the property located at 1966 Guthrie Road, which is within the Town of Comox jurisdiction, and adjacent to Agricultural Land Reserve land within the Comox Valley Regional District. | ||||||
| Norman Laube, applicant, was in attendance. | ||||||
| B. Thompson/H. Argen: THAT the Agricultural Advisory Planning Commission support the development proposal referred by the Town of Comox for the property located at 1966 Guthrie Road with following recommendations:
- that a solid or chain link fence at least 6 feet high along the property line be maintained; - all tenants/owners acknowledge in writing that they are next to agricultural land, as per the proponent's proposed covenant. | ||||||
| Carried | ||||||
| STATUS UPDATE ON APC RECOMMENDATIONS | ||||||
| Staff provided updates regarding Electoral Area Services Committee and board decisions related to APC recommendations. | ||||||
| TERMINATION | ||||||
| B. Thompson: THAT the meeting terminate. | ||||||
| Carried | ||||||
| Time: 7:41 pm. | ||||||
| Confirmed by:
____________________________________ Gerry McClintock, Chair | |
| Recorded By: ____________________________________ P. Gurr, Acting Recording Secretary |