EASC Agenda May 4, 2010
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NOTICE OF ELECTORAL AREA SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING Tuesday, May 4,2010 Regional District Board Room 175 Ingram Street, Duncan, BC AGENDA APPROVAL OF AGENDA ADOPTION OF MINUTES MI Minutes of April 20,2010 EASC Meeting -NOT AVAILABLE BUSINESS ARISING FROM MINUTES DELEGATIONS Dl Bruce Sampson, EDCIGraham Myers, Cowichan Agricultural Society regarding Cowichan Region Area Agricultural Plan .......................................... 3-101 D2 Brian Tassel1 regarding Application No. 4-G-IODP .............. ......................... 102-127 D3 Charles and Jill Bell regarding Application No. 1-B-1ODVP.............................. 128-136 D4 Dwain Walerius regarding bathing facility at 5 175 Lee Road ............................. 137 STAFF REPORTS SR1 Staff Report from Nino Morano, Bylaw Enforcement Official, regarding- - Accessoly Building Fixture - 5175 Lee Road ............................................ .. ............ 138-142 SR2 Staff Report. from Tom Anderson, General Manager, regarding Dangerous Dog Situation ........................................................... .. ..........................................143-144 SR3 Staff Report kom Tom Anderson, General Manager, regarding Bylaw Enforcement Official Appointments ................................... .. .......................145-146 SR4 Staff Report from Ryan Dias, Parks Operation Superintendent, regarding Transfer from Reserve, Area F - TO BE DISTRIBUTED APC AP1 Minutes of Area A meeting of April 13, 2010 ............................................................... 147-149 PARKS CORRESPONDENCE C1 Grant-in-Aid request - Area C ........................... .... .. ....................................150-151 9. INFORMATION 10. NEW BUSINESS 11. PUBLIC/PRF,SS QUESTIONS 12. CLOSED SESSION Motion that the meeting be closed to the public in accordance with the Community Charter Part 4, Division 3, Section 90(1), subsections as noted in accordance with each agenda item. CSNBl Discussion referred from April 20" EASC 13. NEXT MEETING Tuesday, May 18,2010 - 2:00 pm start 14 ADJOURNMENT NOTE: A copy of the full agenda package is available at the CVRD website www.cvrd.bc.ca Director B. Harrison Director M. Marcotte Director L. Iannidinardo Director K. Cossey Director G. Giles Director L. Duncan Director I. Morrison Director K. Kuhn Director M. Dorey DATE: April 28,2010 FILE No: EDCG FROM: Geoff Millar, Manager, Economic Development BYLAWNO: Division SUBJECT:Cowichan Region Area Agricultural Plan Recommendation: Request that the Electoral Area Services Committee recommend that the Cowichan Valley Regional District Board establish an Agricultural Advisory Committee comprised of government, community, farmers and other stakeholders to address the issues and actions identified in the Area Agriculture Plan. Purpose: To implement the Cowichan Region Area Agriculture Plan. Financial Implications: There is no request for financial resources. Interdepartmental/ApencyImplications: Implementing the Area Agriculture Plan will involve the participation of a number of agricultural conmunity groups, local and provincial governments and the farming community. Background: Agriculture is an important economic driver in the Cowichan Region and the region has some of the best agriculture land on Vancouver Island. In recent years there has been a noticeable decline in our ability to provide food for the local population. Currently 18% of our food comes from local sources generating $47.5 million in gross receipts. Agriculture provides a unique quality of life for the region whether experienced from a farmers viewpoint or from someone' who has moved to the region for the rural lifestyle. The region is gaining a national and international reputation as a "food" region, particularly with Cowichan Bay designated a Citta Slow community. There is support in the region to see agriculture enhanced; for example -The Cowichan Food Charter signed by the Economic Development Commission and the CVRD Board. ELECTORALAREA SERVICESCOMMITTEE MEETING Page 2 In 2006, the Cowichan Region Economic Development Commission identified the agriculture sector as an important eco~iomicdriver for the Cowichan Region and developed a strategy to create a Cowichan Region Area Agriculture Plan. Approval to move ahead with an area agriculture plan was supported by the CVRD Board. Funding was obtained from the Investment Agriculture Foundation, Ministry of Community and Rural Developmeut, Cobble Hill Farmers Institute, independent farmers in the South Cowichan region and the CVRD and the plan process moved ahead in 2008. The Steering Committee was formed in the fall of 2008 to oversee the de~~elopmentof the Area Agriculture Plan process and the consultant, Gary Rolston from "From The Ground Up Consulting" was hired in early 2009. The consultant spent the better part of 2009, conducting research from statistical data sources and stakeholder consultation. The consultant generated three reports: State of the Industry, Issues and Opportunities, and Action Plan. The final Area ~griculturePlan is attached which includes highlights hom the State of the Industry report, Issues and Opportunities report and action items to move the industry forward. The Action Plan portion of the Area Agriculture Plan identified 78 recommendations to improve the agriculture industry in the Cowichan Region Four Broad Areas: * Plan Implementation Structure and Communication - Policy, Land Use and Environment * Attraction and Marketing 0 Education Overview of Action Plan Goals 1. To create a strong communication network between agriculture and the community- 15 action items 2. To create a local government policy framework that supports and welcomes increased agricultural production, encourages land improvements and helps provide access to resources- 45 action items 3. To improve and extend the access to market for local foods- 10 action items 4. To preserve the character and environment of the community- 8 action items Submitted by, rnIJ!!%GCOE ~iilar, Manager, Economic Development Division, CVRD October 2009 This report was preparedfor: Cowichan Region Economic Development Commission By: - Gary Rolston, P.Ag and Simon Pritchard, B.Sc.Ag.Mgmt From The Ground Up Resource Consultants Inc., courtenay, BC. Email: [email protected] Marla Limousin Ehrler Limousin & Associates, Courtenay, BC Arnold Harasymchuk BMC Business Management Consultants, Courtenay, BC With the assistonce of the: Project Advisory Committee: Jim van Barneveld (co-chair) Ian Christison (co-chair and Chair of Cobble Hill Farmers Institute) Gerry Giles (Area 'C' Director and Chair of CVRD) Mike Tippett (CVRD Planner) Pete Keber (CVRD Environment Commission) Wayne Haddow (Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Agrologist) Graham Myers (Cowichan Agriculture Society) George Seymour (Councillor-District of North Cowichan) Roger Cheetham (Agricultural Land Commission) . Joanne McLeod (Nanaimo-Cedar Farmers Institute) Geoff Millar (EDC, Manager) Kathy Lachman (EDC, Business Development) Table of Contents 1 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY REPORT .......................................................................................... 7 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................................... 7 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................... 10 1.2.1 Purpose ...................... ......................................................................................................................10 1.2.2 Goals and Objectives.......................................................................................................................... 10 1.2.3 Current Regional Setting .......................................................................................................................11 1.2.3.1 Local Government ......................................................... ....................................................................12 1.2.4 Approach .................................... .. ...................................................................................................13 1.2.5 Stakeholders ........................................................................................................................................13 REGIONAL CONTEXT ...................................................................................................................... 14 1.3.1 History of Agriculture in the Cowichan Valley ................ ...................................................................14 AGRICULTURAL CAPABILITY AND RESOURCES IN THE COWICHAN VALLEY ................. 15 1.4.1 Climate ................................................................................................................................................15 1.4.2 Soils and Agricultural Capability -CLI ......................... ........................................................................15 1.4.2.1 Improvements .........................................................................................................................................17 1.4.3 Water ...................................................................................................................................................17 1.4.4 Natural Features ........................... ..................................................................................................18 1.4.5 Agricultural Infrastructure ....................................................................................................................19