Of note this year has been the RMVB's Zoning Bylaw #1651.
Zoning bylaws provide the framework for our community: practically, environmentally and aesthetically. And this bylaw update will have significant impact on how the community evolves for years to come. It makes sense then, that in its role to preserve the unique character of the VRA, the VBCOA would want to weigh in.
- The VBCOA sent a delegation to the Public Hearing for Bylaw #1651 held in October and prepared a detailed submission with questions and clarifications for council on issues ranging from the protection and retention of trees, to setbacks and required yards, to development and permits. You can view our presentation online at https://victoriabeach.ca/p/live-council-meetings
- We later followed up with a strategic objection to the Bylaw and a letter to council that urged them to strengthen wording regarding private structures, including stairs, on the public banks. We said, "The signs read No Climbing on the Banks. Now it's up to council to ensure that there is no building on the banks either."
Of growing concern to the VBCOA is the real threat of wildfire in our community, and it is our view that improved fire safety is possible without losing the unique character of the VRA.
At the VBCOA, we advocate for a wildfire risk mitigation strategy that prioritizes deadfall removal and the removal of dead or diseased trees, along with complementary reforestation. Our goals are to balance the health and integrity of the boreal forest with the need for a proactive approach to keep our community safe.
- The VBCOA lent its support to several council-approved FireSmart™ volunteer initiatives targeting the removal of deadfall in public spaces throughout the VRA. And while the entire scope of the FireSmart™ program is not realistically attainable within the VRA, its cornerstone recommendations of clearing hazards are a great place for our community to start.
- We also rallied behind a pilot project proposal through the 2 Billion Trees program. Reforestation through the procurement and planting of wildfire resistant species is a necessary counterbalance to the increasing impact of disease and climate on our boreal canopy.
