Community Plan
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
TOWN OF LAKE COWICHAN OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN Bylaw No. 910-2011 A Bylaw to adopt the Official Community Plan. WHEREAS Section 876 of the Local Government Act provides that a local government may adopt and amend one or more official community plans to guide decisions on planning and land use management; AND WHEREAS Section 875 of the Local Government Act provides that a local government may have a community plan prepared or revised and such plans shall be expressed in writing and my include plans, maps, tables or other graphic material and shall include statements and map designations for the area covered by the plan; AND WHEREAS In accordance with the Local Government Act, the Council has undertaken the necessary consultations and other steps required for the adoption of the new official community plan.; NOW THEREFORE, the Council of the Town of Lake Cowichan in open meeting assembled enacts as follows: 1. This bylaw may be cited for all purposes as “Town of Lake Cowichan Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 910-2011”. 2. For the purpose of expressing the policies for the development of the Town of Lake Cowichan, the Municipal Council hereby adopts the Town of Lake Cowichan Official Community Plan and the plan maps and appendices, marked Schedule “A”, which shall be an integral part of this bylaw. 3. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase contained within this bylaw is, for any reason, held to be invalid by the decision of any Court of competent jurisdiction, the invalid portion shall be severed and the decision that it is invalid shall not affect the validity of the remainder of the bylaw. 4. The “Town of Lake Cowichan Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 673, 1998”, and all amendments thereto, are hereby repealed on adoption of this bylaw. READ THE FIRST TIME on the 20th day of September, 2011. READ THE SECOND TIME on the 20th day of September, 2011. PUBLIC HEARING HELD PURSUANT TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT on the 25th day October, 2011. READ THE THIRD TIME on the 25th day of October, 2011. RECONSIDERED, FINALLY PASSED and ADOPTED by the Municipal Council of the Town of Lake Cowichan on the 25th day of October, 2011. Ross Forrest Joseph A. Fernandez Mayor Corporate Officer Town of Lake Cowichan Official Community Plan 0 Town of Lake Cowichan Official Community Plan Table of Contents Chapters, Maps and Appendices 1 Introduction ...........................................................................................................................2 2 Community Vision .................................................................................................................3 3 Context ...................................................................................................................................4 4 The Natural Environment ..................................................................................................14 5 Climate Protection ..............................................................................................................17 6 Housing ................................................................................................................................22 7 Downtown ............................................................................................................................26 8 Highway Commercial, Neighbourhood Centre and Tourism Areas .............................30 9 Industrial Development .....................................................................................................34 10 Recreation, Parks and Institutions ...................................................................................36 11 Waterfront ...........................................................................................................................44 12 Greenways ...........................................................................................................................46 13 Urban Reserve/Comprehensive Development Areas ....................................................49 14 Transportation .....................................................................................................................54 15 Servicing ...............................................................................................................................57 16 Urban Agriculture ................................................................................................................60 17 Development Permit Areas ................................................................................................61 18 Implementation ...................................................................................................................84 19 Definitions ............................................................................................................................87 20 Appendix A - Lake Cowichan Fast Facts (Housing) .......................................................94 21 Appendix B - Parks .............................................................................................................97 22 Appendix C - Checklist for Safety Planning and Design (1998) ..................................99 23 Appendix D - Selected Community Facts ......................................................................103 24 Map 1 - Land Use .............................................................................................................106 25 Map 2 - Mobility ................................................................................................................107 26 Map 3 - Watercourse and Streamside Protection Development Permit ...................108 27 Map 4 - Natural Hazard Lands Development Permit Area .........................................109 28 Map 5 - Development Permit Areas ...............................................................................110 29 Map 6 - Parks, Open Space and Public Facilities .........................................................111 1 Town of Lake Cowichan Official Community Plan 1 Introduction Purpose of the Official Community Plan This document constitutes the Official Community Plan for the Town of Lake Cowichan and is prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Act of British Columbia. It establishes a framework of policies and guidelines for land use and development within the Town. Each section contains goals which will be met by carrying out the objectives and policies. The intent of the Plan is to assist residents and Council in achieving long term, sustainable development objectives that are consistent with community values and priorities. This Plan is intended to protect and enhance areas within the Town of Lake Cowichan. It is also intended to give residents some certainty as to what kinds of developments may be permitted in the community. It is a guide for residents, property owners, business people, developers and investors to assess the appropriateness, scale and potential of their prospective developments in Lake Cowichan. In cases where a development is proposed that may be harmful, the burden of proof lies with those proposing the action, rather than with those advocating protection. This precautionary principle is a keystone of the objectives and policies of this Plan. 2 Town of Lake Cowichan Official Community Plan 2 Community Vision Our vision is to create a vibrant, healthy, sustainable community that exists in harmony with the natural environment, enjoys a balanced economy, supports all generations and provides the opportunities to satisfy diverse social needs. Stone Park 3 Town of Lake Cowichan Official Community Plan 3 Context 3.1 Plan Area The Plan area (as shown on the map on Schedule “A”) is comprised of approximately 950 hectares. The Community Plan area borders Cowichan Valley Regional District’s Electoral Area “F” (Cowichan Lake South/Skutz Falls) and Electoral Area “I” (Youbou/Meade Creek). The surrounding jurisdiction and the Lake Cowichan First Nation Reserve are not included within the Plan area. The Town is located in the Cowichan Valley on southern Vancouver Island, approximately a thirty minute drive west of Duncan. The Cowichan Valley Highway (Highway 18) connects the Town to the Trans-Canada Highway. From there, one can travel to Victoria or Nanaimo and connect to other transportation routes. Lake Cowichan is the gateway to the West Coast, which includes the \beautiful wilderness areas such as Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park and trailheads to the West Coast Trail at Bamfield and Port Renfrew. Lake Cowichan Lake Cowichan sits on the east end (the “foot”) of Cowichan Lake, the second largest lake on Vancouver Island. The Cowichan River runs from Cowichan Lake, through town, to Cowichan Bay. The Town is located within a maritime climatic zone, and generally experiences warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The average annual snowfall is around 14 cm, although it can vary significantly from year to year. The area can be subject to severe wind storms. Summer temperatures are warmer than those of the coastal areas, with average temperatures around 25 degrees Celsius or higher. 4 Town of Lake Cowichan Official Community Plan 3.2 History Until the end of the 19th century, the pristine waters of Cowichan Lake had been under the stewardship of the area’s aboriginal people, who called it ‘Kaatza’, meaning ‘Great Lake’. At the turn of the century the forest around the lake had already been discovered by the outside world. Soon the area became a small logging community, exporting a treasure